Friday Knight News
“Whatever the Way, the master of strategy does not appear fast, of course, slowness is bad. Really skillful people never get out of time, and are always deliberate, and never appear busy.” Miyamoto Musahshi
There comes a time in every warrior's life when they come to the realization that they do not have enough speed and power to carry them through every situation. When I was young and inexperienced, I only relied on strength and speed to deliver power to my techniques. The trouble with this strategy was that I was not always the biggest and strongest guy in the fight and sometimes I was also out numbered. So, I often had to rely on endurance and the ability to withstand a battle of attrition to see me through the situation. It is a good idea to be able to absorb a blow, but that is only if there are no weapons involved. However, even a lucky punch can also take you out of the fight, and that can end you as well. If weapons come into play, any one blow can end the fight or even your life; it doesn't matter if you were winning up till that point.
So, the trick question is do you go on endlessly training with diminishing returns on you time and effort to increase speed and power? Maintaining will only last for so long, and let's face it there is the problem of what will you do if you're not feeling up to par, or old, or tired when you get jumped? You can't very well ask the mugger to come back maybe next week. After all, right now is a good time for him and he likes his chances when he sees that you are sore, injured, worn-out, or ill. I recall a few times as a teen when I was so stiff and sore I could barely move. Then after spotting some potential trouble makers down the block I ducked into the post office and around a corner so I could stretch out a bit just in case. When you are this bad off, you come to recognize that if speed and power are your only solution to winning a conflict, then without a doubt, one day you will find yourself up the proverbial creek without a paddle.
James Williams, Sensei 2015 Black Belt Magazine Weapons Instructor of the Year.
Learning to train with this mind set requires for a person to lean heavily on developing subtle skills that can be employed with greater timing and better body alignment. Physics shows us that energy cannot be created or destroyed, but only changed from one form into another or transferred from one object to another. So, we too must work toward the goal of utilizing the power of the faster, stronger person for our benefit. The trick is stay in shape as we age, but to also train at working on skills that can be utilized at any time that do not require only speed and power to succeed.
"All warfare is based on deception." Sun Tzu
My stories are about martial arts adventures that are intertwined with some science fiction, a dose of conspiracies theory, along with laughter, love and mystic experiences. 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 meditation. 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: 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 cope with abuse, growing up without support or guidance and the mystery of his family's past.
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: 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: We find a new apprentice, Adam, which 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: 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 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.
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