Martial Arts, Magic and the Stories we tell ourselves

It’s amazing that it’s already been 20 years since the publication of the first Harry Potter story by J.K. Rowling. An incredulous adventure filled with magic and awesome accomplishments in the face of incredible odds – which if course reminds me of the martial arts journey.

Photo 1: Kuk Sool Won Girls

Martial arts is the key to the magic of the body in motion. It unlocks so many avenues of development – mentally, physically and spiritually.

Anyone who has practiced their art in the great outdoors knows the feeling of connecting  the energy within with that of the environment. It is a timeless, spiritual experience which opens the mind to calmness and control.

The basis of Kuk Sool is the development of “Ki” (Internal Power) and therefore Kuk Sool is considered an internal martial arts system. Meditation forms part of the curriculum and it’s wonderful to observe the effect of controlled breathing and mindlfulness even in the youngest students.

Often it is thought that the martial arts journey is reserved for the young and agile and there are certainly distinct advantages to starting early. Maturity however is not an excluding factor – your body is still in motion and there is still magic within.

When I look back over the last few years I’m amazed at the things I’m doing now that I never thought I’d be capable of. We all have stories that we tell ourselves about what we can or cannot do and it takes courage to move beyond the boundaries that we set in place. I recall the nervousness at my first “falling” session where just rolling over backwards induced incredible fear – now it’s the quality of my back falls that I need to work on.

If you are seeking some positive martial arts encouragement try the blog by Andrea Harkins “Change your Life in One Day”.

Harry Potter was the “boy who lived” and was one of a kind. At our martial arts school we are continuously encouraged by our Chief Instructor Master Saidi to do our best and push ourselves. I am not however the only mature student at his school – there are several adults at our dojang who challenge themselves and persist in their training – to be better than they were the day before.

It’s never too late to make a difference or take a leap – you have the magic to make it happen.