Can martial arts help to dissolve racial tension?

posted in: Culture, Inclusion | 14

Some of the terrible things happening right now in the name of racial tension and hatred can make us feel utter despair.

But martial artists can and do make a difference in their own community – by creating safe, inclusive spaces where people from all ethnic backgrounds can come together with a shared purpose . . .

Is Defence Lab the future face of martial arts? Here are ten reasons it could be . . .

If modernity represents a devastating attack on the popularity of martial arts, then perhaps we should consider taking an “Aikido” approach and blending with that attack, rather than bemoaning and resisting it. Whether you like what they’re doing or not, Defence Lab has blended with the values and reality of the modern Western world, and turned these to its advantage, to a stunning degree . . .

“Discover Who You Are” – Nine lessons for martial artists from Disney’s Moana

posted in: Movies, Self development | 9

If you haven’t seen it yet, you might be tempted to dismiss “Moana” as just a fluffy “Disney Princess” movie. But popular children’s stories can express human truths in powerful ways; and the themes this tale explores are very familiar to many of us who train in the martial arts:

– Who am I?
– Is there more to life than what I see around me?
– Am I being selfish to focus so much on my own personal development . . . ?

Is Lightsaber Combat a real martial art – and what can asking this question unlock for us?

“You’re starting to come to the realization that there’s less difference than one might expect between the experience of practices that are hyper-real versus those that are historically grounded. You’re taking your first steps down an interesting path. Keep taking the additional steps, and move beyond questions of definition. What do you see . . . ?”