Advanced Iron Palm

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Leading the mind is all about controlling the attention of your attacker. Misdirection is another way to describe this skill. My first sensei had always said the hand is quicker than the eye but his hands were deceptively slow, I found out timing is quicker than speed. The ability to manipulate the attention of others increases the opening of timing.

“All war is deception.” Sun Tzu 

I found the same is true with personal confrontations no matter if they are physical, verbal or energetic. A martial artist begins by learning to lead the mind through physical manipulations, and tactics. Often times you can avoid conflict altogether by learning to redirect others point of view verbally just as you would deflect or redirect to strike. Being able to discern when people are attempting to manipulate you is also helpful.

To me there are five stages of development in martial art practice no matter if it is in kempo, jujutsu or aikijujutsu (my foundation arts), or any other arts. The situation determines if we lead the mind; physically (in the manner of an athlete), philosophically (in the manner of a scholar), or subtly (in the manner of a sage). For illustration purposes we will focus on how iron palm energy, by which we learn to lead the mind, is achieved.

I was taught that we were to move like water during our iron palm practice. Water can be represented in several stages. The first three foundation stages are taught as the states of matter (solid, liquid, gas), but I am listing five stages in this article as the basic states of energy. The first of which is ice, in this stage it is hard and strikes are penetrating and powerful. The next stage is when water is liquid and flowing and what most people associate with flowing strikes. During this stage of development strikes have a tendency to flow around obstructions and surround everything in its path. Steam, cloud, fog or vapor is the next stage and its nature allows water to cling to and obscures the senses. Strikes in this category seemed to be only touches and are the most deceptive because they are ignored as being nothing more than a nuisance at best.

The trouble is once the fog/cloud is present you never know when it is going to rain or hail with devastating effect. This is when the short power I referred to in last week’s iron palm training is most effective. This ability to seemingly effortlessly break concrete or strike with power from mere inches away is a major tool for landing deceptive strikes.

The last two stages of water are plasma and radiant energy. Plasma is the firy combustible release of energy. The ability to separate and ignite the two molecular components of water is achieved through utilizing a diode to electrically charge the molecules. For martial artist the subtle energy that allows us to release energy is when mind and body perform in synchronization. This happens after tens of thousands of repetitions, concentration and breath control. Athletes often achieve this (of being in the zone) level of performance that supersedes conscious thought. It can be viewed as a form of self hypnosis and or a byproduct of disciplined training. Ordinary people that find themselves caught up in extraordinary circumstances are often able to arrive at this state. This is when the body spontaneously dumps epinephrine into the system of people often reacting to a threat or emergency. This is what I referred to as the plasma effect.

The last stage is radiant energy and it is nothing more than the ability to affect people at a sensory level. It can also be closely connected to the plasma stage. Everyone has experienced this at some point or other in their lives. Musashi referred to it as haragei (stomach art), which merges awareness and adaptability together.

Most of us believe that we have felt someone staring at us and turned around catching them in the act without any auditory or visual clues. The term the observer effect refers to changes that by the act of observation has on those being observed. Experiments have been done that show measurable changes on subjects even when they have been only observed through closed-circuit cameras.

You do not have to believe that there is some mystical power behind this phenomenon. I only ask that you would entertain the notion that this may stem from awareness of the subtle electrical field generated by our hearts. It is my understanding that the electrical field that is measured and monitored by an (EKG/ECG during stress test at the hospital), electrocardiogram is 60 to 100 times stronger than the electrical force generated by the brain measured by an (EEG), electroencephalogram (these variances seem to be dependent upon the individual being monitored).

The following is a short example from my personal experience of how others perceived intentions when they had no knowledge of the situation or my intent. There had been numerous complaints about a mixed martial artist that was going around to various bars in the area to test his fighting skills. It seems that he had determined it was cheaper to elicit fights in a barroom then to pay for proper sparring partners.

I was asked to monitor a location on a particular evening but I had only been given a vague description of the troublemaker in question to watch out against. So I had my eyes opened and my feelers out for his presence. I went to the assigned bar to see another individual that was coming separately and I was to keep a watchful eye over.

Arriving first I sat in a corner gunfighter style watching both exits. When the individual I came to meet arrived we nodded to each other and spoke a casual greeting from across the room. He went on to play pool and I observed from my perch. I waited for the agreed-upon time and when the troublemaker did not arrive I got up and left. The individual I had been watching said he was picking up my tab but the bartender refused payment for my 7-Up/s saying it was on the house.

The next day I spoke to the individual I had been keeping my eye on and he told me that as soon as I left everyone inside the crowded bar had sighed in relief. I was told that the entire place was asking around about the fellow who sat in the corner (me). It was conveyed that they all felt that they were about to be attacked at any moment if they made a wrong move and that I would probably kill them. This was even though I had only spoken to a few individuals and had been cordial to everyone. In my opinion this is an example of the radiant stage of energy.

My stories are about martial arts adventures that are intertwined with paranormal or supernatural events. The following links are to the Kindle version books from the "Dream Walker” series. Our adventurers find themselves on a quest where they are confronted with both conspiracy and mystery. Their challenge is to unite their mind and body skills together utilizing what they have learned in the martial arts with the transcendental power of dream mediation. They attempt to do this while they are trying to make a life for themselves and elude those that seek to use and control them.

Conversations with a Sage (Book 1 of the Dream-Walker)

Conversations with a Sage: This explores Xander Davidson's early encounters with the mysterious fog like Dream Walking martial art sages. He ponders if they are real or if they are only remnants of his dreams. He mainly keeps this secret world to himself as he tries to copes with abuse, growing up without support or guidance and the mystery of his family's past. 

Xander and the Assassins Gift (Book 2 of the Dream-Walker)

The Assassins Gift: Xander Davidson struggles with the conspiracy of his family and the group that is actively trying to manipulate him to join them or die. The young Dream Walkers learns an early lesson to be careful about whom they let into their circle.


Warriors of Perception (Book 3 of the Dream-Walker)

Warriors of Perception: Xander Davidson and his band of friends embark on a mission to free themselves from their oppressors. They bravely face the challenge all the while vying for the right moment to turn the tables.

Jace Lee The Shift (Book 4 of the Dream-Walker)

Jace Lee The Shift: We find a new apprentice, Adam, that is fighting for his life. He is struggling to understand the amazing skills of his mentor, Jace Lee; a younger man that has trained under Xander Davidson. All the while his mentor attempts to reconcile the fact that his skills do not match up with the other Dream Walkers.


Jace Lee No Agenda (Dream Walker Book 5)

Jace Lee No Agenda: Jace Lee attempts to find himself on a self-imposed vision quest of sorts. Instead he finds himself being stalked by the same group that had previously sought after his teacher, (Xander Davidson). Instead of mastering his odd Dream Walking skills he finds love and the potential loss of his powers.

Jace Lee and the Tutelage of Ming Wu: Dream Walker 6 

Jace Lee The Tutelage of Ming Wu: Jace Lee rejoins his teacher Xander Davidson as they cope with a possible combined threat (the mysterious), Ming Wu and the Council that has continuously monitored the Dream Walkers.