Eric Tenn – Martial Arts, Mindfulness and Psychotherapy

 

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to give an account of martial arts training from a psychotherapeutic perspective.

It draws on many years of observation and reflection from personal experience in the martial arts world.

Parallel to my training has been a longstanding interest in philosophy and psychology, culminating in psychotherapy training and practice.

In this sense, this paper is a convergence of closely evolving aspects of my own development.

It also derives from a rich well of experience, insights and observations from many other martial artists that I have trained with over the years, including my current associates and teacher.

As such, this paper will sometimes present itself more as an essay than a quantitive and rigorous study.

I wish to convey a sense of the breadth and interconnectedness of human experience, as viewed from the perspective of the Martial Arts as a “Way” or path towards personal evolution.

Introduction

The martial arts have been practiced for thousands of years, originating from India and spreading through China and general East Asia. Both pragmatic and theoretical, it generally seeks balance harmony and awareness in the individual and collective senses of self. In particular, the body and mind are considered as complimentary mirrors of one larger, organic truth, with the awareness and development of both as being equally meaningful and important. It reaches into Classical and Zen Buddhism, Shinto, Hinduism, Daoism and into the myths and lives of prehistory.

Martial arts mythology explores balance and connection with inner and outer realms of matter and spirit, body and mind reflecting a quest for connection, meaning and inspiration.

In the west, During the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, martial arts exploded into popular culture and consciousness, and quickly began to be practiced by millions of adults and children in schools, community centres, church basements throughout the west.

In part, it was one birth from the struggles and contact of cultures and politics in Vietnam and Korea as veterans fascinated by martial arts practices brought back the ideas and methods as a kind of bridging/healing, including masters from throughout the east being invited to teach and satisfy and emergent hunger for alternatives to mainstream western culture.

At the same time, Spiritual practices from Hinduism and Buddhism rapidly emerged into western counterculture with transcendental meditation, and new spiritual Gurus offering alternative guides to balanced and harmonious living.

The philosophical influence of eastern spirituality had already began to insinuate into western intellectual thought, particularly with the absorption of eastern culture through Victorian  colonial imperialism – into all aspects of the arts, literature, philosophy and psychology.

“The theme of First, anyone who seriously intends to become a philosopher must “once in his life” withdraw into himself and attempt, within himself, to overthrow and build anew all the sciences that, up to then, he has been accepting.”
Husserl, Edmund. Cartesian Meditations. 1929.

Capitalism, religion and materialism would be energetically challenged as a new vision of human potential emerged from the fusion between east and west.

Archetypal, analytic and psychodynamic psychology offered a way of understanding and integrating a holistic, new age as interconnectivity where science, psychology and art, politics and religion merged to define each other.

“It is difficult to understand the universe if you only study one planet” 
― Miyamoto Musashi, A Book of Five Rings: The Classic Guide to Strategy

People are drawn to study martial arts for a variety of reasons, including:

• Self defence
• General fitness
• Social interaction
• Building self esteem
• Developing greater self confidence
• Greater self discipline and control
• Managing anxiety, anger, fear,

The martial arts world could be said to be broadly split into two camps – the first is straightforward competitive sports where the goal is most overtly to win.

The second is a greater emphasis on the development of one’s overall character, including one’s ethical and relational self.

Martial arts clubs will have predilections that are based on the character of the teacher and students, and can sometimes be more consequential than the precise style of martial arts.

Of course, the goal of winning, of prevailing and being the best will entail its own struggles, yet it is the literal goals that tend to affect the teaching methods.

Ironically, the father of modern karate wrote:

“The ultimate aim of karate lies not in victory or defeat, but in the perfection of the character of its participants” 
Gichin Funakoshi,

The various styles theoretically share much in common – each will emphasise different aspects and approaches to struggle, which reflects the idea that there is not just one indisputable truth.

Hard martial arts tend to reflect a more yang, “masculine”, with an emphasis on strength and power.

Soft martial arts will emphasis timing, efficiency and a greater sense or importance on overall character, more reflective of the yin or feminine.

In this sense, there are differences in martial arts approaches just as there are in psychotherapy, and to some extent, these reflect differences in world views.

Different styles and teachers will variously emphasise body, mind spirit, creativity, character etc.

However, I have observed that each individual will tend to have a natural predilection to a particular interpretation where the strict boundaries of styles become blurred.

Styles also describe a continuum in all these variables.

In Karate, as other martial arts, there is a basic balance and struggle between feminine and masculine principles – between action and non action, hard and gentle,

Karate means empty hand. Kara means empty – with many forms of emptiness:

• The first is the unknown as potential, as a source from which all things emerge. It represents the feminine.
• The second is of empty mind – allowing oneself to be still and calm and mindful as opposed to actively thinking.
• The third meaning is empty hand – a symbol of the strength and possibilities in vulnerability and openness.

“Te” means hand, form, action, event, manifestation – motion, emergence. It connotes action, motion and manifestation and represents the masculine.

Karate is an abbreviation of karate-do. “Do” is the “Way” or path to balance, perfection awareness and harmony. It is the extension of self into technique, and the extension of both into life.

The tradition of any spiritual path seeks to equip and empower the seeker to find their way to meaning and truth – to find meaning and heal the psyche. The dojo or office is a place where one seeks knowledge of the way.

In this sense, the goals of martial arts and psychotherapy are similar.

In the martial arts, as in psychology, there are differences in opinion and practice from of varying degrees.

The history of martial arts is also the long history of contact between different cultures as different influences flow from one style and generation to the next in styles and forms that are both evolving and discrete.

Martial arts culture, as any other is subject to all the potential shortcomings of any individual, or group that can include small mindedness, ignorance, isolation dogma, impropriety and even cruelty, depending on one’s perspective.

I say this as a cautionary note regarding the responsibilities following or leading in any group that seeks to explore the self.

The term “safe and effective use of self’ can apply to both Psychotherapy and Teaching Martial Arts.

 

The Martial Arts Container

Whether martial arts or psychotherapy practice, there needs to be a container into which the self can flow and emerge. This is a place where the struggle to heal and balance the psyche will occur, with support from others. It is like an epic voyage, like the hero’s journey, with its challenges, victories, and defeats in the pursuit of self actualisation.

The following are observations that are general aspects of most martial arts centres or “Dojos”:

Respect

It is expected that the student will come with an attitude of respect, open-mindedness and attention.

This starts with the uniform and general physical presentation. A teacher (sensei) will comment on how lapses may indicate lack of respect for self or others. Sloppiness and laziness are frowned upon, in presentation let alone martial arts practice. Preparedness, diligence and self respect are considered attributes required in order to undertake the journey.

Karate involves a lot of bowing! It is an act of respect, humility and awareness – of being in relationship with your surroundings. One always bows when entering or leaving the dojo, for whatever reason.

When classes formally start, there is a lot of bowing to the instructor, and to each other.

In essence, the dojo is like a church, and the class is like a religious service – it possesses the same type of humility and decorum.

Oos!

This is a term that means many things and expresses an attitude of attention, mindfulness and respect.

It can be used as a greeting, acknowledgment of having heard and understood something and a general sign that you are listening, teachable and engaged.

In a class, if the teacher corrects a student, the student says Oos. However, it is generally expected that everyone else then says Oos. This signifies that the teaching or correction is one that can be learned from by all: mistakes of the one can be mistakes of the many – as is the knowledge for the one is also knowledge for the many. It also has a levelling and co-empowering way of encouraging humility and highlighting that everyone has something to learn.

 Order and lineage

Most martial arts styles have some sort of lineage – direct or generic. This usually connects back to current and former teachers or masters and represents order, stability, transmission and a hierarchy that assumes and expects that wisdom is both available, striven for and revered.

Leadership

The role of sensei or teacher, especially at the higher levels, is like that of a wise person or priest. Their wisdom is expected to emanate not just from the karate movements, but from the way as a whole. In this sensei the teacher is like a wise person and parental figure into which the student can trust and learn.

The Surrender of power to the teacher/hierarchy is symbolic of the willingness to learn, to openness and humility, and ultimately to be penetrated with/by the transmission of the teachings.

There is a sense and acknowledgment of being part of a group, order and journey.

This membership is one of honesty, visibility and vulnerability – where ones trials and tribulations are open for all to see.

The group is like a clan, or even a gang –for some it can offer a sense of belonging and even family, providing companionship, a feeling of safety, security and empowerment.

Rites of passage

The practice of karate includes rites of passage through exposure to adversity, for example in rigorous physical drills, training in the elements or for long periods, and the adversity explored through sparring. This is witnessed, valued and affirmed by others to engender elevated sense of membership and personal achievement.

Most styles incorporate rights of passages that reflect this journey, generally expressed and formalised in the belt system.

Belts symbolically represent wholeness and centeredness – around one’s centre/one point/hara – with the left and right ends representing polarity in synthesis.

Wearing the uniform too is a symbolic way of leaving one’s preconceptions and hindrances behind and taking on a new persona (the seeker/journey)

Typically one’s progression will be acknowledged and rewarded with tests/trials and the awarding of higher belts as symbols of one’s achievements and entry into a new layer of self discovery, expression and status.

Tests are usually done in regional gatherings further enhancing the sense of belonging and empowerment. It also increases the visibility and sense of expectation, enhancing the nature of the challenge.

Belt ranking usually starts with white (clear, pure intent, visibility) and progresses gradually to black (engaging with the unknown in self, others and life)

There is a theme of endings and beginnings representing and honoring the forces of life and death in the human experience, and the traditional black belt in fact wears and gradually fades back full circle to white again.

Each level symbolises a new stage of individuation and new sense of challenge and exploring ones edge.

Martial Arts Practices and Principles

At the heart of martial arts is struggle. Superficially it is about physical combat (within limits) and how to effectively gain control and freedom in certain situations. It is also question of what kind of struggle and what kinds of responsibilities and freedoms we bring to the struggles that present themselves to us.

Ultimately, martial struggle does not exist within a vacuum or outside of a context: Human life is full of struggles that range from survival to fulfillment.

The aims of martial arts, generally acknowledged, are to also seek the strength, stamina, courage and mindfulness to live an ethical life.

Most Dojos and associations have a simple moral code which guides the endeavor, such as seeking perfection of character, kindness, self discipline, endeavour etc.

Struggle is viewed as a challenge of knowledge and growth.

Struggle is not just defined as in physical combat, but in general attitude and approach.

I have elucidated generalities to the martial arts, all of which are practices that have relevance to our personal development.

However, here are some, in my opinion, key principles in the discovery and practice of good technique:

Repetition

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit.”
~ Aristotle

Each technique is explored thousands of times. This expresses the fact that there are numerous subtle parameters affecting each technique, many which are not obvious. This is a process of encoding the kinesthetic and aesthetic qualities of the techniques. In this sense, the perfect technique also possesses a certain feeling that expresses the balance in the technique, as well as the aesthetic in terms of elegance and beauty. In this sense, as a martial art, there is an exploration of creativity and spirit that extends beyond the mere physical dynamics – it becomes also an expressive art that involves creativity and beauty.

I have often heard it said that this is a kind of naturalness that becomes unlearned as we develop defences and resistances to adversity growing up.

There is a somatic quality to re-coding one’s physical responses that expresses a kind of de-armoring where negative and repressive emotions such as fear, anger, envy and control can be brought out and refashioned into a positive and empowering experience.

Emotion

The theme of emotional discipline and control is pervasive in the martial arts. The expression “mind like water” is a widely used to represent awareness and perceptions that are unhindered by simple fight of fight responses, but rather a more balanced response that allows mindfulness of the whole surroundings/event rather than just the internal responses formed in at a time where we are more in survival mode.

Mindfulness

In a sense, the mind and emotions, thoughts and feelings are linked in that feelings can invade the mind and make it difficult to receive accurate external (and internal) information outside of one’s own self. Meditation is a practice of letting go of certain feelings and thoughts, and instead engendering the state of emptiness or relaxation. Meditation is often observed the beginning and end of classes. Repetition of techniques can also have a meditative quality.

Without mindfulness there cannot be true receptivity, but instead a kind of neurosis of automatic responses emanating through experiential resistances.

Tanden

This is a Japanese word that means the centre of self – physical and spiritual. It is the physical centre of gravity and the source and fulcrum for all movement.

Every technique is focussed through this spot, about an inch below the navel, allowing the technique to possess a grounded-ness and centering wholeness where the sum is greater than the parts. This is also a reflection of holistic balance and harmony of all ones actions in all aspect of how we live our lives.

Kara

This is akin to mindfulness as an empty state allowing us to witness reality expressing itself as a process of being and becoming. It is like the potential, feminine principal or womb from which everything arises. It is not filtered or imposed by dogma, prejudice or ignorance – it is a sense of accepting even that which we may not generally welcome – in this sense it has free and uninhibited potential for experience, rather than being closed down by filters of habit and closed mindedness.

Kime

This means focus. It is the moment of impact of a technique. It represents contact, engagement and penetration. The idea is that all the movement leading to this are relaxed and feminine…that everything births the moment of spark or contact. Immediately following contact, there again is relaxed and mindfulness or readiness. This way there is no needless waste of resources that could be debilitating through the loss of stamina and power.

Everything reverts back to the relaxed and mindful centre again.

Stance

This is related to centring, but is more like stability. It is like the Mazlovian base which supports everything else.  On a more transpersonal level, it is contact with the earth and the (real or imagined!) earths own power or Chi. It expresses psychological resilience and grounding.

Chi/Ki

Vitality or Life force. This is how we contact and connect with the world – the force of our being/ personality. How we touch the world and how the world experiences us. Our chi represents our relationship with the world through mindfulness and centering, including our creativity, spirit, drives, aspirations etc.

Another name for it would be power. Power can be gentle or explosive.

The expression of power includes the use of breath and shouting as a way of celebrating and creating power – Ki or Kiai

This requires a level of emotional expression and commitment which many find difficult because expressing power and is often experienced and stigmatised. Chi or power here is having the freedom to allow power to arise as a martial, aesthetic/creative/expressive expression.

In general, it includes the idea of being able to choose the expression of power rather than being at the effect of it, for example in the legitimate expression of anger.

In society generally, power is a bivalent phenomena both coveted and reviled and embroiled in the human condition.

In martial arts, power is celebrated and respected- it is also controlled and allocated an appropriate place in ones ethical self.

Tension

Muscle tension indicated stress – it is clearly seen in the musculature, especially the shoulders. It is a form of armouring against some hidden experience. This is often accompanied by holding one’s breath and energetically locking up.

It is interesting to view karate practitioners from Wilhelm Reich and Alexander Lowen’s bioenergetic body- type classifications (character structures): Rigid defensiveness, Psychopathic control, defeated orals and repressed masochists and scattered schizoids.

Plasticity

Learning Martial arts drills require multiple attentions/awareness of different aspects of the technique. However techniques themselves will be taught in a myriad of combinations that seeks to mimic the chaos or disorder/unpredictability of life. This prepares for interaction with an unpredictable world and life!

Peripheral attention/vision

This is like mindfulness and generally encourages a general awareness of the field of experience rather than the specifics. It allows for greater attention to the unexpected or less noticed.

Breath

Expresses the dynamic flux of connection between our inner and outer worlds, between mind and body, between receptivity and assertivity. Each technique should be felt as a quality of “Pneumos” that is the interface and interpenetration between life and self.

Extension and penetration

This is where one does not hold back and reaches to contact the opponent with full commitment. It is an emphatic motion of full engagement with one’s movement, intent and focus. It strives to be free of doubt, indecision, and self- limitation.

Timing

This reflects one’s awareness of the interaction and the freedom to act rather than react, but more from a culmination of centeredness through training, through developed muscle memory and awareness than emotionality. It requires moving beyond the ego and ego defences and resistances in order to allow a freedom of action that represents action flowing from wisdom, ethical propriety respect and compassion.

Philosophy, practice and Cross training

There are many other principles that are formally and diligently incorporated in to martial arts training.

However, they are practiced literally and also metaphorically as a preparation for integration into the flow of daily life. The sentiment is oft referred to in the practice and literature around “Zen and the Art of”…..many things.

“It is difficult to understand the universe if you only study one planet” 
― Miyamoto Musashi, A Book of Five Rings: The Classic Guide to Strategy

The physical encoding of these practices becomes part of how our sensations/perceptions/cognition and affectations express themselves in life.

From the perspective of psychotherapy, these practices mirror the idea and practice of self awareness, meeting/experiencing/overcoming struggle and the feeling of moving through resistance towards a greater degree of satisfaction.

Psychotherapeutic Approaches in Martial Arts

Some practitioners don’t really care about the origins and scope of the martial arts in balancing all aspects of human experience and more interested in sparring and tournaments. Others are more interested in the strict pragmatic and existential martial experience of combat – the nitty gritty real world pragmatics of mixed martial arts which goes beyond points to actual submission or knockout.

There are even no holds barred illegal arenas of anything goes that reflects a more shadowy exploration of human emotion.

Across this wide historical and pragmatic arc, the various approaches to psychotherapy can find relevance in the martial arts.

The continuum ranges from the deeply spiritual and more close to the source of the traditions of the east, to a more superficially pragmatic and competitive embracement in the west.

Cognitive behavioural  –  does not root itself in concerns regarding the ultimate nature of reality or human experience, but more in general, obvious and tangible patterns of behaviours per se that may be reinforced or changed. Such an approach is more geared to more straightforward goals, such as focussing on technique and kinesiology than spirituality.

Most western commercial martial arts centres teach in this way and reflect the host culture predominant values.

Somatic –Martial arts’ training is largely somatic, where it is assumed that by perfecting technique and endeavoring through physical and emotional challenge, that body and mind will become re-orientated to a greater sense of awareness, confidence and harmony.

.“Bioenergetics is an adventure in self-discovery. It differs from similar explorations into the nature of the self by attempting to understand the human personality in terms of the human body. Most previous explorations focused their investigations on the mind.”
― Alexander Lowen, Bioenergetics

Relational – the whole culture of the dojo is one of challenge and support in group settings. It reflects learning as part of a group or family.

It is common for all kinds of relationships, real or imagined, to be experienced over the course of one’s practice – experienced through range of corresponding thoughts and feelings. The idea is that character can become more balanced and less reactive through constructive exposure, engagement and finding an appropriate and respected role through the inevitability of the wide scope of interaction.

Humanistic psychology – encourages one’s own inner wisdom and authority to emerge through a supportive environment. In this sense, martial arts are less defined by combat or tournament and medals (external values) than they are of whatever satisfactions and accomplishments that each person may feel in the development of character. The student is encouraged to find their own insights about how to achieve desired technique and what resistances might prevent this.

While not the predominant approach in a hierarchical system of teaching, ultimately it is for each person to translate the credos of training from the dojo and into their lives through the development of character.

 The human observer constitutes the final link in the chain of observational processes, and the properties of any atomic object can be understood only in terms of the object’s interaction with the observer.” 
― Fritjof  Capra, The Tao of Physics

At black belt and again at higher levels, it is not uncommon to have a prerequisite essay describing “my path to karate”, an introspection and recapitulation of physical and character challenge.

“There is nothing outside of yourself that can ever enable you to get better, stronger, richer, quicker, or smarter. Everything is within. Everything exists. Seek nothing outside of yourself.” 
― Miyamoto Musashi, The Book of Five Rings

Psychodynamic – ultimately we bring our whole world into the dojo – it sneaks in despite putting on a uniform, and meditating on leaving the everyday world behind! It is provoked by the existential nature of confrontation to emerge with or without intention or even cognition and can make a real emotional mess that is (usually) firmly contained by the instructor. Again, traditions that place value of the exploration f the whole self through the martial arts will be more likely to give more attention to the perfection of character (vis a vis personality issues inside or outside the dojo)

Transpersonal – many martial arts take inspiration from the qualities of the world around us – the elements, animals and even spirits. Training outdoors in all weathers seeks to allow the qualities of the elements to penetrate and reinforce us – sometimes, as in water there can be a purgative effect. Other times it can be inspirational, for example practicing at sunrise or under waterfalls.

Some of the techniques are directly named after these transpersonal phenomena or identities and there are whole styles in Kung Fu that draw on the ways in which different animals engage with their environment.

It is an acknowledgement of the location of the self in a vast and miraculous existence, where humility and wonder are part of the martial arts perspective.  It is also an affirmation of the contact and connectivity between a person and the whole word it is influenced by.

 Applications in Psychotherapy Practice

Fundamental to martial arts training is sparring. This activity represents the process of existential struggle and is unique in art and sport in that it has undertones of the archetype of death. In sport, winning or losing has a symbolic sense of death; however the martial aspects of martial arts flow from a lineage of actual conflict which is not a game or sport.

This relates to the psyche too as aspects of our personality must face each other, experience and redefine itself. In sparring activities, deep-rooted experiences, traumas, resistances, defences and attitudes can become activated in a struggle to move forward with the aim and goal of rebalancing the self as a process of individuation.

I tend to view sparring as a process of Contact – between self and the world – intra and inter.

It is the process of engagement as/with life – of interpenetration. The dynamics of sparring from a martial arts perspective mirror the dynamics of this engagement with life. The outcome can be viewed as the application of will as it relates to life.

Any of the principles of martial arts training can be practiced in individual/group psychotherapy.

Here are some examples from my own practice:

Stance

The possibility ability and freedom to remain rooted and grounded even in the midst of struggle and flux. This can be fluid where a person’s movements and have a balanced physical and psychic strength and integrity. For example, a schizoid person may react to energy by dissociating and losing contact to their physical body. In sparring it can result in being easily toppled through lack of connection to the ground.  It can also speak to a general sense of grounded-ness in the physical body and physical care and well being rather than physical/environmental imbalance and dissociation.

Tai Sabaki

This is the art of deflection – in stepping to one side rather than a linear response of offense or defence. It is to allow the momentum of an event to continue rather than the need to engage or control it. It is an alternative to fight or flight, to reactivity – more an awareness that comes not from the wounded child or the victim, martyr etc, but from more of an un-embroiled and free observer.

Boundaries

In a recent workshop, I explored the enactment of boundaries through physical distance. We faced off, and I would move either forward or backwards, the client invited to mirror the movement to maintain a constant distance. The client consistently found it difficult to achieve the distance, finding themselves crowded upon and feeling infringed.

We talked about the struggle to put up and enforce appropriate boundaries with certain people and how this can cause anxiety and a sense of helplessness.

Power

The expression of power through expressive release can be of anger, grief, excitement, joy – and frequently these are inhibited and unexpressed.

The simple exercise of clapping, or slapping, sometimes with support, can help to release this.

Using the breath, voice and other movements can empower a fuller release.

Visualisations and even declarations can further bring the expressions into a kind of somatic release that approaches psychodrama. This is a literal and figurative struggle to allow repressed feelings and thoughts to emerge in a safe and contained environment, and with appropriate support and integration.

Some aspects of psychodrama will include the therapist, by agreement, as a participant and provocateur in the drama, with all the appropriate checks and balances.

Surrender

We are not omnipotent and have to sometimes accept the limits to our influence and control. Martial Arts provides opportunities to enter into struggles even where it is likely that you will be vulnerable and without much hope of overcoming an opponent. Nevertheless, it is a controlled and generally co empowering culture that allows us to face our limitations and even celebrate and be inspired by the successes and achievements of others. In the dojo, there is a kind of surrender to the rules, ethos and authority of the teacher, and to an extent, those more advanced than us.

In therapy sessions, there can also be a surrender or self acceptance of perceived problems and issues rather than a relentless inner conflict that can be characterised by the pace and expectations of modern life and values.

“The true science of martial arts means practicing them in such a way that they will be useful at any time, and to teach them in such a way that they will be useful in all things.” 
― Miyamoto Musashi, The Book of Five Rings

Surrender can also be acceptance and acquiescence into something. For example, that aspects of depression or anxiety, stress or even non ordinary perceptions may have value and meaning rather than being pathologised.

The acceptance and redemption of pain and suffering can foster depth, humility and empathy.

Many spiritual traditions have used extreme experiences as a way to gaining spiritual insights into self and the world.

Limitations

Naturally, there will be huge variations in the knowledge, expertise and character of teachers and how the dojo and organisations are run.

A significant aspect of this is the culture of the group – some can be very macho, others very sensitive and gentle. Some can be both!

Martial arts culture is heavily anecdotal and stories of abuse, impropriety both within and outside of the dojo abound. Moreover, there is often striking asymmetry between a person’s skills in martial arts that does not transfer itself to their everyday life.

There can be a disconnect or barrier between martial arts practice and integration into the whole self through a greater knowledge of the unconscious self.

This is alluded to in martial arts practice and mythology around confronting the inner self or inner demons. This can include the inner abuser/victim self.

There is a famous scene in Bruce lee’s “Enter the Dragon” where he must enter a labyrinth of mirrors to find the elusive enemy – a metaphor for the inner self and the neuroses associated with illusion and truth.

Another modern myth is from Star Wars where the hero must face the limitations of ignorance, limitations and inner fears in order to become self actualised. In Luke Skywalker’s case, this was a conflict with his shadow and father (Darth Vader), and a struggle to connect with the universal mother through “The Force”.

Conclusion

The practice of martial arts can reveal and illuminate many aspects of character – desired or unwanted – and offer a way to work with them to achieve positive change.

However, as a psychodynamic exploration, the principles of martial arts training can be more deeply explored by including a deeper sense of a person’s character structures.

I think about the possibilities of martial arts training as a form of group therapy led by psychotherapists whose training includes the wide, integrative expertise that once was more characteristic of priests and shamans in offering wide guidance and perspective to the process of individual and collective growth.

I have known of martial artists who were considered to be very accomplished in tournaments and sparring in general. However, this did not necessarily translate into similar freedom and successes in their personal lives.

It may be that this expertise could have been more fully integrated into their personal lives with and even greater prowess in the struggle of sparring and combat.

In my own case, there is a reciprocity of attempting to encode relaxation and fearlessness into my techniques and life, to and from my training in the martial arts and depth psychotherapy.

I have become more convinced of the need to more fully explore the psyche in this endeavour, and consider my training in both areas as mutually supportive and revealing.

 

Selected Readings

 

PILOT STUDY INTO THE

PSYCHOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES

BETWEEN MARTIAL ARTS

JAMES R. REDDIN

CARLETON UNIVERSITY

THE MARTIAL ARTS

CHARLES M. TERRY, MD, FAAPMRA, B,*

ASAINT LAWRENCE REHABILITATION CENTER

 THE ORIGIN OF “KARA-TE” WENDELL E. WILSON (2010)

FROM ESSAYS ON THE MARTIAL ARTS

 PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC ASPECTS OF THE MARTIAL ARTS.

WEISER M, KUTZ I, KUTZ SJ, WEISER D. (A GOOD LIST OF ACADEMIC STUDIES IN PSYCHOTHERAPY AND MARTIAL ARTS)

MIYAMOTO MUSASHI, “THE BOOK OF FIVE RINGS”

GISHIN FUNOKOSHI “KARATE DO KYOHAN”

ALEXANDER LOWEN “THE LANGUAGE OF THE BODY”

Julius-Cezar Macarie and Ron Roberts “Martial Arts and Mental Health