Martial Arts as Meditation

[Prince...]

I started lurking on the Tao Bums about 10 years ago (Wow, time flies!) and this is something that would have been helpful to me at that time. Hope this will answer questions for those just starting out on this journey. 

[roger]

I started Tae Kwon Do when I was 7, got a black belt when I was 11, and quit when I was 18. I'm 41 now.

 

I was very poor at sparing (fighting), but I really loved doing forms, or what some call kata, which is like a meditation.

 

That was really my first experience with meditation. You weren't supposed to think when you did forms, and your body was supposed to remain still in between moves.

 

I really loved it, and have occasionally thought about doing the forms I learned as meditations. I haven't done a form since I quit Tae Kwon Do, but now that you bring it up, Prince, I might try doing them again.

[Rara]

Similarly, I did wing chun and left due to there being too much focus on other schools and how they "teach rubbish", plus I got hit in the head a lot.

 

The forms are the one thing I take away from it. Calm, meditative movements which trains the focus and breathing. Like tai chi.

[dwai]

Taijiquan - moving meditation. Daoist cultivation practice. Martial art. It depends on how good the training is and as mentioned in the OP video, is a means to an end. The end is not martial prowess but is total harmony with Dao.

[GreytoWhite]

[Prince...]

Do you know Ashe? 

[Yulaw]

Taijiquan, Baguazhang, Xingyiquan, and Dachengquan (Yiquan) all have Meditative practices

[GreytoWhite]

Do you know Ashe? 

 

 

We've met before but I wouldn't say he's someone I know well. Currently trying to organize a local push hands meet up with him and some of the other local internal groups here in Phoenix metro.