Martial Development
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Everything posted by Martial Development
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Have you tried interlibrary loan? Or contacting the authors of the books, and asking them directly to sell or give you a copy?
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It is useless to discuss the value of pushups without referencing counts. The cost and benefit of training to complete 5 pushups is different than for 50 or 500. How many is not enough? How many is too much?
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Should the more advanced training methods continue to be held in secret? If so, why? What is the benefit of doing so, and what is the cost?
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Started to study Tai Chi on my own. Suggestions?
Martial Development replied to DalTheJigsaw123's topic in General Discussion
I know the subject has been done to death, in this and other threads, but I have something more to say. Honesty is a virtue, but not the only one. Stephen Hawking is honest AND a genius...who in their right mind would take Tai Chi Chuan lessons from him? Maybe you just want to teach yourself, for your own reasons. OK, fine, but why stop at one person? You could accept a room full of students, and teach yourself and everyone else at the same time. It's more efficient and more fun that way! My point is this: if you aren't qualified to teach that room full of people...then maybe you aren't qualified to teach yourself. If you think these students deserve better than to follow a guy who admittedly doesn't know what he is doing...then maybe you deserve better too. If you don't want to perpetuate a fraud...then don't accept one either. And so on. You wouldn't take a class from a "master" that copied all his moves out of a picture book*, would you? So why are you willing to be that guy? * Maybe you would take the class, if that master was totally awesome. Well, sorry, I've met him and he ain't. -
Started to study Tai Chi on my own. Suggestions?
Martial Development replied to DalTheJigsaw123's topic in General Discussion
Apologies for hijacking the thread, but I have a question too. Hey guys, I've decided to learn Mandarin Chinese on my own. Not interested in going the "traditional" route by taking a class, or practicing with native speakers. Those are unnecessary because we live in modern times. I do have a book with the principles of speaking Chinese. So I'm just going to dive in, and do what feels right. Any tips? -
Penn and Teller: Two Morons Learn Martial Arts
Martial Development replied to DalTheJigsaw123's topic in General Discussion
fizix, you are missing the point. This is not about taking offense, or believing yourself to be above it . You are a citizen of this world, and if you don't live by its rules then you will die by them. So you shouldn't be encouraging anyone to abstain while the rules are being made, based upon the "facts" on the record. Here is a quote, by a man who changed the world: "The victor will never be asked if he told the truth." I promise that is forum-relevant, but if you can't see how, there here is another one: "Ask not for whom the bell tolls." There must be a difference between "spiritual" and egotistically self-absorbed. P.S. Real wolves aren't impressed by solipsism, they will bite you all the same. -
Penn and Teller: Two Morons Learn Martial Arts
Martial Development replied to DalTheJigsaw123's topic in General Discussion
It's just entertainment, you say? Fine, but I am not obligated to let theirs be the last word on the subject. I found that composing a response was every bit as entertaining as, and quite a bit more gratifying than watching the show. It was fun. If any of you think you aren't entitled to reply to such a media hack job, then you (and not I) are taking it too seriously. Seriously though, you ought to be concerned when your peers are labeled as criminally insane grifters. Whether or not you personally consider the teachers in that show to be your peers, the public probably will, and one day you may be judged guilty by association. People still consider the original "Karate Kid" to be a documentary! They don't know the difference between disingenuous entertainment and education until you show it to them. -
It is widely believed that the GLD ETF doesn't have the gold it is trading. It has only promises to deliver gold--over-leveraged promises that could never be fulfilled even in the best of times. There are also credible rumors that many of the solid gold bars in trade, are actually gold-plated tungsten. So buyer beware!
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your favorite Immortal or Qi Gong Master?
Martial Development replied to Magia's topic in General Discussion
Not all immortals are Chinese, folks... Scientists to study the 'modern miracle' of Ozzy Osbourne's survival -
your favorite Immortal or Qi Gong Master?
Martial Development replied to Magia's topic in General Discussion
The favorite one we've met, or the favorite one we've heard a story about? -
Two of a trade never agree. It's not a Taoist problem, and it's not a problem at all unless you take it too seriously.
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The best chi kung healers in the world?
Martial Development replied to salaam123's topic in General Discussion
salaam123, you can't necessarily rely on your own diagnosis of the problem, because it was your judgment that created it. I am a little skeptical that your depression stems from "too much energy in the chest"...but maybe so. Spring Forest Qigong offers distance healings, so you could call them and get an expert opinion. Someone has recommended Tai Chi, but frankly, you might (inadvertently) take that in the same wrong direction as your last practice. Do you play soccer? I would recommend that instead, at least for a few months until you are straightened out. You never hear soccer players complaining about their imbalanced chakras, right? -
If every artist was required to agree on the definition of their craft before proceeding, then we would have no art in this world.
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Who is responsible for building temples for you to meditate in? I understand you don't want to pay, but who exactly do you expect to pay instead?
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American teens getting involved in shamanism
Martial Development posted a topic in General Discussion
News story... http://tinyurl.com/2b74wrh -
Thanks for posting the note, but the study is not concluded. As the article explains, the observation phase is concluded, and the conclusions phase has only started.
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Which foundation for what? Whatever the circumstances were 300 years ago, people are teaching different regimens under that same name today.
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This proves... it's really hard to invent a new kind of hat.
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I'd say the uncut version was about 15 minutes too long, but pretty good anyway. What I can't figure out, is why cross-dressing is such a major theme in Chinese cinema.
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I agree with everyone else, it was a better movie than you might expect. (And yes, there was Karate in it too.)
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yoga inc. the documentary
Martial Development replied to voidisyinyang's topic in General Discussion
http://www.martialdevelopment.com/blog/monk-gloats-over-yoga-championship/ -
Critical Thinking, Taoism, & Agnostic Buddhism
Martial Development replied to Encephalon's topic in General Discussion
The chosen terms themselves are not the problem. I am not interested enough to deconstruct the entire piece, only to point out that the foundation and basis of all their reasoning is desire, which they reframe as faith, the significance which you then de-emphasize, a stance which seems inappropriate in a thread discussing "Agnostic Buddhism". How about applying a little critical theory to this love letter for critical thinking? Or, at least a few self-directed rounds of the "5 Whys" game? -
We need to start from the beginning. First convince people they need to buy a zhan zhuang mat, zhan zhuang stretch pants, and a zhan zhuang DVD set. Then you can use the profits to launch Zhan Zhuang Magazine, which publishes a half-dozen articles on zhan zhuang every month. Problem solved?
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Critical Thinking, Taoism, & Agnostic Buddhism
Martial Development replied to Encephalon's topic in General Discussion
Faith In Reason? That's check and mate, pal.
