Today, I meditate on how we should face death. Inspired by a chapter from the Budoushoshinshu by Daidouji Yuuzan that I had previously passed over. Drawing further quotes from Seneca's essay "On Old Age", Marcus Aurelius, the Old Testament, and the Hávamál.
It can be dangerous to discuss politics in general, let alone in the martial arts world. Yet, Jonathan Bluestein wrote a book about it. I highlight some interesting discussion to be had from the topics in his book though I only scratch the surface. You can find the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Martial-Arts-Politics-Explained-History/dp/B0DHKS2XVS/ WWTT Episode: “Traditional vs. Modern” https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/walkingtengu/episodes/Traditional-vs-Modern-e3de4i...
Ever been told to use less strength and focus on technique?This is both true and not entirely accurate. What we need to actually do is learn to regulate our tension.Let's take a look at what the classics have to say about regulating our strength.The Book of Five Ringshttps://archive.org/stream/MiyamotoMusashi-BookOfFiveRingsgoRinNoSho/Book_of_Five_Rings_djvu.txtSupport Walking With The Tengu by purchasing the small pocket volume of classical quotes with musings and training prompts. Buy it here:...
What happens when you give monkeys 3 measures of acorns in the morning and 4 at night? They get angry. But what happens when you give them 4 in the morning and 3 at night? They are content. This is true with martial artists as well. Our perceptions of the same thing presented two different ways can make all the difference in the world. Find a vast library of classical Chinese works to read for free at: ctext.org Support Walking With The Tengu by purchasing the small pocket volume of classical ...
Have you ever been traveling, stuck somewhere, or whatever reason not been able to get in some training? Today I share for exercises for squeezing some extra training into your day that I've included in a little pocket volume that you can find here: https://www.lulu.com/shop/matthew-krueger/pocket-training-volume-1/paperback/product-e7pqmyv.html It contains a collection of short quotes from mostly classical works with a short meditation and paired with an overt and a covert training prompt. I ha...
What can one learn from a video instructional from a classical Japanese martial art? I think quite a bit, though it may not immediately be obvious. There are two ideas from the latest OHIR instructional that I think can be applied to any martial art. A lesson on initiative and a lesson on chaining techniques within the tempo of an encounter. Ono-ha Itto-ryu Volume 1: Kiriotoshi https://vimeo.com/ondemand/izt1d Classical Martial Arts Ideas https://walkingtengu.wixsite.com/tengu/post/classical-mar...
Today we look at just a small set of the lessons to be found in Jonathan Bluestein's book "The Martial Arts Teacher" These include assuming the best in different situations and the methods and ways of structuring a curriculum. You can find the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Martial-Arts-Teacher-Practical-Guide/dp/B0C6VWP6NP
Today we look at the first book from the "Secrets of Itto-ryu" by Sasamori Junzo and translated by Mark Hague. Ono-ha Itto-ryu is closely linked with Kendo and was one of the two styles of swordsmanship personally patronized by the Tokugawa Shogunate. In this text we learn some lessons from the life and mistakes of the founder of the Itto-ryu, Ito Ittosai Kagehisa. Lessons both relevant and important to every martial artist today. To sign up for new episode notifications and to receive the "Very...
When an atrocity is committed against someone, are they justified in committing an atrocity in return? We look at what is a justifiable response in today's episode. To sign up for new episode notifications and to receive the "Very Brief Introduction to Philosophy for Martial Artists" PDF as well as a full translation of Chapter 51 of the Budoushoshinshu about disciplined martial arts training... go to: walkingtengu.wix.com/tengu and scroll to the bottom to enter your email....
Today we have two short parables that contain big lessons for martial artists and we look at how this applies to determining if a martial art is useful. Find out how a bottle gourd, a hand cream, a twisted tree and a yak relate to determining how useful a martial art is. References: https://ctext.org/zhuangzi/enjoyment-in-untroubled-ease https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hui_Shi https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhuangzi_(book) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_raccoon_dog To sign up for new episode ...
Did you know the Vikings had their own version of the crazy cat lady? Except his nickname was "the Sledgehammer" and his twenty magical cats were his bodyguards? Find out how Thorstein and his brothers handle their next challenge and why unnamed Norwegians in the sagas are Star Trek "red shirts." Plus, I talk through a simple headlock defense for the next time you have a crazy Viking cat man trying to drag you headlong into a swamp where you'll both sink to your deaths. Maps of locations mention...
I've talked about a few of my confrontations over the years and how they all amounted to nothing happening. Today, I relate the story of the same thing happening to a training partner of mine and how he lived his martial art in his daily life and was able to face physical violence and achieve an acceptable "win condition." To sign up for new episode notifications and to receive the "Very Brief Introduction to Philosophy for Martial Artists" PDF as well as a full translation of Chapter 51 of the ...
The bad neighbor Hrolleif finally gets justice served after killing Ingimund. Though Thorstein uses quite a bit of strategy to bring it about. Find out how Jokul hiding in a wood-pile brings about the wretched Hrolleif's demise. Maps of locations mentioned in the Sagas: sagamap.hi.is To sign up for new episode notifications and to receive the "Very Brief Introduction to Philosophy for Martial Artists" PDF as well as a full translation of Chapter 51 of the Budoushoshinshu about disciplined martia...
I again tackle the topic of etiquette in the martial arts, why American culture is dying, why etiquette is a reflection of the health of a society, and how this relates a the stability of human society. Can the martial arts help? To sign up for new episode notifications and to receive the "Very Brief Introduction to Philosophy for Martial Artists" PDF as well as a full translation of Chapter 51 of the Budoushoshinshu about disciplined martial arts training... go to: walkingtengu.wix.com/tengu an...
We have another story from the Zhuangzi today. About a little frog in a well and a turtle who tells him of something impossible called "the ocean." I also give you a bonus Chinese idiom known as a cheng yu that I think works well in English too. 坐井觀天 - zuò jǐng guān tiān - Which I might translate as: "To sit in a well and look at the sky." Listen to today's episode to find out what that means! To sign up for new episode notifications and to receive the "Very Brief Introduction to Philosophy for ...
We return to the Zhuangzi today where we hear the tale of a monkey who showed off to a king and got some unintended consequences despite his very real skill. To sign up for new episode notifications and to receive the "Very Brief Introduction to Philosophy for Martial Artists" PDF as well as a full translation of Chapter 51 of the Budoushoshinshu about disciplined martial arts training... go to: walkingtengu.wix.com/tengu and scroll to the bottom to enter your email....
In this episode we look at a new book coming out in November in the US and December 2023 globally. It is being published by YMAA. I have several of their books on my shelves. This new book is called "Blurred Boundaries: A Martial Arts Legacy and the Shaping of Taiwan” by Hong, Tse-han and translated by Chris Bates. It is a deeply philosophical and yet practical book relevant to all martial artists. I relate a short story about the Hong brothers confronting an organized crime group that was inter...
We meet Hrolleif and his mother Ljot who are the worst neighbors ever in this section. Find out how salmon fishing brings about the end of dear old Ingimund and how seppuku, ritual suicide, relates to this section of the saga. Maps of locations mentioned in the Sagas: sagamap.hi.is To sign up for new episode notifications and to receive the "Very Brief Introduction to Philosophy for Martial Artists" PDF as well as a full translation of Chapter 51 of the Budoushoshinshu about disciplined martial ...
Ingimund finally gives in to "fate" and moves to Iceland. We find out he's pretty boring at naming things and that he's not above manipulating people on legal technicalities to get what he wants. Find out what happens when you bring a weapon into a Norse temple. Maps of locations mentioned in the Sagas: sagamap.hi.is To sign up for new episode notifications and to receive the "Very Brief Introduction to Philosophy for Martial Artists" PDF as well as a full translation of Chapter 51 of the Budous...
Our saga takes us through the battle of Havsfjord, a kind of Norwegian battle of Sekigahara, and into the fate and destiny that eventually drives the reluctant Ingimund to move to Iceland. Plus there are some shamans. Some who predict Ingimund's future and in a moment of petulance transports an amulet of his all the way to Iceland just to prove a point. Plus some others who are hired to track it down, while locked in a shed, and are to be paid in butter and tin. We get a little more insight into...
We continue the saga of the people of Vatnsdal today. Thorstein gets married, has a son and we learn a bit about naval combat between Viking groups. As well as what characteristics can be inferred from the text about the qualities of a good warrior and the basics of good strategy. Maps of locations mentioned in the Sagas: sagamap.hi.is To sign up for new episode notifications and to receive the "Very Brief Introduction to Philosophy for Martial Artists" PDF as well as a full translation of Chapt...
We begin the saga of the people of Vatnsdal today. As we see how standards about great deeds, some backhanded comments, and a very large bandit results in a marriage suggestion. We look at some of the tactics used and talk a little about the morals and ethics we can infer and interpret from this part of the saga. Maps of locations mentioned in the Sagas: sagamap.hi.is To sign up for new episode notifications and to receive the "Very Brief Introduction to Philosophy for Martial Artists" PDF as we...
We lay the groundwork for looking at the Icelandic Sagas today. What philosophical ideas did they hold about ethics, violence, and the intersection of the two. What makes the Sagas different from other literature of the time and what biases do we need to be aware of? Why were serious duels called "going to the island?" Let's take a look at these questions and get ready to jump into a world oddly both very different from our own and yet also more familiar to us than the rest of Europe at the time...
What is the "art of fighting without fighting?" Where did Bruce Lee get the idea for this story and what classical Japanese work did it originate in? We explore these ideas in today's episode. For more information check out: https://sourcingbrucelee.blogspot.com/2020/12/where-did-bruce-lee-get-idea-for.html To sign up for new episode notifications and to receive the "Very Brief Introduction to Philosophy for Martial Artists" PDF as well as a full translation of Chapter 51 of the Budoushoshinshu ...
When we suspect things are going to go bad more than is realistic then we are susceptible to the pessimism bias. Find out how car tires and martial arts training relates in this micro-episode. MSD - Mental Self-Defense To sign up for new episode notifications and to receive the "Very Brief Introduction to Philosophy for Martial Artists" PDF as well as a full translation of Chapter 51 of the Budoushoshinshu about disciplined martial arts training... go to: walkingtengu.wix.com/tengu and scroll to...
How could iaido, a solo form based method of sword-drawing, have any practical impact on my jiu-jitsu training? Having freshly returned from an iaido seminar in the Pacific Northwest of the United States I make an attempt in this episode to articulate better the answer to that question and provide some thoughts on my experiences at my first iaido seminar. Plus, what are hopefully some helpful constructive criticisms that can help other newcomers better navigate the iaido waters for the first tim...
When we judge the likelihood of future events based on how often they have occurred in the past we engage in something that can be called The Gambler's Fallacy. This incorrect thinking can impact our ability to make good choices be it in training, sparring, self-defense, or life. MSD - Mental Self-Defense To sign up for new episode notifications and to receive the "Very Brief Introduction to Philosophy for Martial Artists" PDF as well as a full translation of Chapter 51 of the Budoushoshinshu ab...
Inspired by Randel Davis from the Kung Fu Conversations podcast (@kfconversations) Dean Suter of the Musha Shugyo podcast (@mushashugyopodcast) and I discuss the question: "What is the difference between the ancient and modern warrior?" Other participating in this collaborative effort with their own unique take and martial backgrounds include: The Dirt Wasp Podcast Budo Etc Talking Fists Way of the Fist Budo Brothers Martial Thoughts Podcast Whistlekick Martial Arts Radio...
Today we return to our origins with a short story or parable from Issai Chozanshi's Daoist work the Inaka Soshi , sometimes translated as "The Hayseed Daoist." The story today is about a rat who prayers fervently to the gods that all the cats in the world be kicked to death at once. He's got some thoughts about why this prayer is reasonable and then an old toad gives him some feedback on his prayer request... and a story about free market economics and salt monopolies. This story has some import...
This first bias we look at is known as "fundamental attribution error." This is when we judge others differently than how we judge ourselves when we do the same thing. It's pretty common and I relate examples both from general life and the martial arts. Plus with some bonus Stoic quotes for good measure on how to guard ourselves from this bias. To sign up for new episode notifications and to receive the "Very Brief Introduction to Philosophy for Martial Artists" PDF as well as a full translation...
