Makiwara Compassion
Thanks to Lorelle and Jonathan
Before I get into this post I want to thank Lorelle and Jonathan Bailey for giving me some very wise advice for dealing with content theft. Jonathan’s site is plagiarismtoday.com which really gets to the truth in this area. Like he told me, simply reporting an infraction to Google is a waste of time. It seems that the big G is protecting the thieves. If anyone deserves blame, it is them. If you want to learn how to protect your site, go check out both of these sites and read all of the posts.
Beautiful Morning
It’s beautiful today, a nice cool temperature with some sweet sunshine. I enjoyed my morning tea on the front porch before my workout. Many thoughts swim through my mind constantly, so many of them grow by themselves and I simply nurture those which are healthy for me.
I go through endless ideas for my blog, but so many seem stale and old. Should I write about how to make money, how blogging is helping unite the world, how my life is going or some new technical advancement? Should I write a meme or go read 100 posts of friends? Nothing seems to catch my interest today.
I think of expanding, blasting through all limitations in life. I think of my entire life in a microcosm of swirling layers of conscious and unconscious thought. Life is not just short, it is beyond the comprehension of small when compared to the vast expanse of this constantly expanding universe.
I’m writing musical melodies, weaving them in and out of different harmonic textures and rhythms in my mind; I do this endlessly as music is natural for me. I also write pieces and parts of poetry, constructing thematic motifs for my blog. I do all of this while I workout on my heavy bag. I usually do 1000 kicks on the bag every other day.
I also do 3-5 two minute rounds of all out fighting on the bag with both hands and feet. This of course is in addition to sparring all out with other people twice a week. I have spent my entire life expressing myself in martial arts and Zen. It’s difficult to find people to practice with these days. I have had 17 different instructors this year alone.
I have always loved the spiritual and philosophical aspect of martial arts training even more than the physical. It seems the more I learn and better I get, the more compassionate I become as a human being. To harden my spirit and become an absolute weapon, has actually made me care even more about life and people.
I have trained for years in the old world art of Tameshiwara. This involves breaking boards, bricks and stones with parts of my body. I often wondered how learning to destroy something with my hands could, in essence, help me to love and appreciate life even more. I think of how important it is to have things in your life that are worth dying for.
Without anything worth dying for in our lives, how can we have anything worth living for? Such thoughts of depth often help me to put things in perspective. In order to break stones with your fists, you must condition your body parts properly. I hit a old style, traditional makiwara board to get the conditioning. This is to me, about as personal as it gets. Here are some pictures of my makiwara, it is 14 years old.
Sorry about the terrible quality but they were taken with my super cheap webcam. I have never shown this to anyone before. I just want to show some of the extreme training methods I use. Yes, the stains are blood. Bruce Lee said, “Boards don’t hit back.”
Bruce’s words ring true, but hands of stone certainly give you the ability to hit anything without feeling any pain whatsoever. One thing about training this way is you get all the stress out of your system! My hands haven’t bled in several years and I have never suffered any kind of problem at all.
I attribute my health to the study of yoga and healthy exercise. Because I had nothing to write, I decided to share a little peek into my personal life. I must admit, it does feel good to share this with the world. I don’t know why. I just keep so many things so secret. I have this traditional martial arts code of secrecy ingrained into my being.
I am letting go of tradition in many respects so I can grow and explore life more deeply. Life is about growing and expanding. I am taking many more chances than ever before. I am actually taking a huge chance on something or maybe someone! I cannot reveal any details at this time but let’s say that I have met someone very special! Ha ha…you’ll just be left in the dark for now 
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21 Responses to “Makiwara Compassion”
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Congratulations on the someone. My someone is sometimes a pain, but my life would be meaningless and empty without her. I had a good friend who was Dan 5 in Ninjitsu. I liked walking with him waiting for someone to start something. Unfortunately, I never saw him fight. I don’t think he ever did.
I personally don’t get in fights with people because it is juvenile to resort to fighting. I’d much rather shake hands or give someone a hug
Congratulations on meeting someone very special Bobby! I hope the relationship grows into all you want it to be. You definitely deserve it.
Shine on,
Aaron
Aaron Cook’s last blog post..Hump Day Humor - Monty Python Meets Star Wars!
Bobby! Thank you for showing us a personal side to your life… and your strong arm! It’s amazing what martial arts has done for you. It really proves that people who practise these are not just in it for fighting and power…
Bobo’s last blog post..Silence
Hey Bobby, congrats on finding that new someone.
As for the martial arts thingy, I used to be fanatical about it at one time. I lived, ate, slept, bathed in it even. I used to punch walls till my knuckles hurt and even bled. At that time I thought it was something that would build character but then I later asked myself what in heavens name was I trying to achieve by punching things till I bled?
No offense to what you do, but there are much gentler ways and forms of martial arts training that do help de-stress.
Your sentence but hands of stone certainly give you the ability to hit anything without feeling any pain whatsoever, well I believe sometimes pain does matter cos only by having and experiencing some pain in life do we become better people.
Just my two point two cents worth …
Have a nice weekend.
Nick Phillips’s last blog post..That Evil Thing Called A Blog!
I study martial arts for self-preservation and to stay in good shape. I never get in fights as fighting is truly a childish thing to do. I like hugs much more
Thanks Bobo 
I don’t understand your point Nick. I also study Aikido and Tai chi. This is really just a very standard training procedure in many arts. I have not lost any sensitivity or suppleness in my hands. Of course I know that dealing with pain in life (emotional & spiritual) helps make a better person. This is simply a normal training procedure and everyone who learns Kyokushinkai Karate goes through it…even the girls
Guess my comment got lost yesterday and didn’t make it through. Anyway, I just wanted to say congrats on finding someone special Bobby and I hope you’re doing well. Also hope you’re having a nice weekend!
Shine on,
Aaron
Aaron Cook’s last blog post..Hump Day Humor - Monty Python Meets Star Wars!
It was in my akismet folder…I have to go in it everyday to find good comments that were snatched up. Thanks Aaron…I am feeling great but without visiting tons of people, my traffic has slowed a bit too. My traffic is directly proportional to the amount of people I visit.
I need to giveaway old underwear in a really weird contest or something
So that’s what you’ve been up to. I hope she’s the one. You deserve the best.
Brown Baron’s last blog post..Easy Way To Speed Up Windows? Boot Time
Very welcome for the help! Thanks for the link. Let me know if there is anything I can do for you though, I am never more than an email away!
Jonathan Bailey’s last blog post..Site Down Time
Thanks for revealing some personal things from your life. It’s always nice to see that with your blog buddies. It makes them more “real”. Congrats on the special someone; hopefully, it is all you’ve dreamed and more.
Opal Tribble’s last blog post..Smoothies: So Hungry I Could Drink A?.
It’s a difficult situation, but you never know. I can only hope for the best Baron
Thanks Jonathan! It’s nice to know. I wish there was a way to get Google more actively involved being that they own feedburner. It seems to me that they could do much more in that area if they wanted to.
Thanks Opal…I don’t really have a very exciting life filled with fun vacations and family…I am just going for the basics. I still have a lot of problems to work through and one dream to accomplish
This is so funny! When we were kids, my brother who was studying martial arts always asked me to hit him hard with a big stick wrapped in some material. No matter how hard I hit him, he always wanted me to hit harder. I just couldn’t because I loved him, and for me it seemed strange that somebody would want to hurt himself to blood.
Regarding your thoughts and ideas for the blog, I’d like to invite you to join my group writing project. It is about the best blogging achievement, and the deadline is December 4th, at midnight. If you have the pleasure to write about your biggest blogging achievement, this will bring added value to my project and will make me happy to introduce your blog to my readers.
Simonne’s last blog post..My Best Blogging Achievement - Group Writing Project
Hi Bobby, just dropping by to wish u a great weekend. Is it snowing there?
Genie Princess’s last blog post..All Aboard the Linky Love Train!
I’m sorry I missed it Simonne…I have been very busy lately and barely have time to write an occasional post
Thanks Marzie! Snowing? hahaha…no…it’s actually warm and humid here
I think it snowed only once that I know of which was caused by the famous Storm of the Century, a winter storm that covered the Eastern US in snow!!!! 
Oh really? No snow? He he he… anyway I built a snowman for u at Facebook lol…. and I cant see ur chat box today!
Genie Princess’s last blog post..All Aboard the Linky Love Train!
I hope the snowman didn’t melt before I see it…LOL!!! Thanks Marzie