Each day there are relentless images of graphic violence all over the web and T.V. news. Street brawls. War. Terrorism.

Hell, the world is a dangerous place. This ubiquitous violence may fuel martial artists to intensify training. Kick harder. Punch faster. “Martial” takes precedence over “art”. Traditional techniques are scrutinized for modern realism; stylized forms are downplayed. The Evolving Martial Artist strives to master reality fighting to keep our self-defense honest. Yet there is more to our path than justifying our immersion in ritual violence in the name of self-protection.

For an Evolving Martial Artist – warrior/scholar/monk – fighting is impetus to contemplate the nature of violence, it’s origins. Martial arts empowers us with “what if scenarios” but ultimately seeks to quell the root causes of violence.  Of course there are external personal, political and social causes.  But awakening to the spiritual philosophy inherent to martial arts we realize: we must begin with ourselves.

“Know yourself,” Sun Tzu, the military philosopher, taught as did Buddha and Socrates. Along the martial path we, hopefully, transform into inner warrior monks who dare to confront our own hidden violence that lurks deep within.  Through meditation we can discover negative unconscious motivations that unconsciously get us into trouble. The challenge of the spiritual side of the martial path that Bodhidharma pointed to use meditation to help tame our inner foes and discover an inner peace. Only then can we truly embody the wisdom of the martial arts saying that teaches: we practice fighting so we do not have to fight.

Keep training and meditating.

Lawrence Tan

Watch Autumn Reflection