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Product Description
While technical prowess and physical power are essential characteristics of a martial artist, true mastery of the art comes by cultivating one's inner strength. Here, Kenji Tokitsu—an authority on Japanese and Chinese combat arts and a respected karate teacher—shows how cultivating ki (life force) and understanding the principles of budo (the martial path of self-development) can make training in martial arts more meaningful, effective, and personally and spiritually rewarding.
Tokitsu emphasizes the mental aspects of martial arts practice including:
• The importance of ki development
• Seme, or capturing your opponent's mind
• Understanding ma, the spatial relationship in combat
Studying these concepts, he explains, gives martial artists the tools to train for a lifetime and at the very highest level. Tokitsu also gives a historical and cultural survey of budo, and explains how the Western view of budo training is different than the Japanese—a perspective rarely available to Western martial artists.
Tokitsu emphasizes the mental aspects of martial arts practice including:
• The importance of ki development
• Seme, or capturing your opponent's mind
• Understanding ma, the spatial relationship in combat
Studying these concepts, he explains, gives martial artists the tools to train for a lifetime and at the very highest level. Tokitsu also gives a historical and cultural survey of budo, and explains how the Western view of budo training is different than the Japanese—a perspective rarely available to Western martial artists.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I first read this book when I had just started Karate and founf it quite confusing, id did however spur me on to read up on the subject of Ki etc. I have since read it a few more times and each time I find it easier to understand and more falls into place each time I read it. V Good
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
At first the language used throughout the book is often complex and hard to read. This in itself can be off putting however in some ways it is almost like the first hurdle; one must have patience as the subject of Ki isn't one that can be easily translated into any language nor simply ‘taught’. I feel it is more a case of a book that begins to make more sense and takes on a greater meaning the more the reader develops and explores the subject area and martial arts.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
5 reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
A great take on the intangibles of budo
25 Oct 2006
Format:Paperback
Kenji Tokitsu is a very experienced martial artist, with knowledge of both Chinese and Japanese systems. He shares with the reader many insights gained by four decades of practice. Key to this discussion are the terms budo, ki, seme, kizeme, ma, ritsu zen, zazen and kiko.
This read like an extra appendix to the author's book "Miyamoto Musashi: His Life and Writings", also available from Shambala. I was already interested in the concepts of seme and kizeme from reading that book, and this book more than sated that particular thirst for more information on the subject.
I find it tremendously important that the author is appropriately vague when it comes to defining the term "ki", for that is what ki is. He also reminds us of the fact that words in the Japanese language often have several meanings that are almost unfathomable to someone who does not know Japanese. There is also the fact that two seemingly opposed terms, such as love and hate, can still mean essentially the same thing or at least contain elements of each other within them.
He makes some interesting points as to why kendo is more suited than other budo forms to cultivate kizeme, but does not dismiss the other forms and in fact describes how he feels some might even have more potential in this area.
The author also describes various training methods as employed by a number of sword masters to develop one's self beyond mere technique, especially relating to Zen.
The importance of this book and others like it is a great one. For those who are to spend decades in dedication to the martial arts, it is worthy of consideration to go beyond merely being a little better than the next practitioner.
Highly recommended on its own or in conjunction with the author's other book. I hope he'll write some more for us.
This read like an extra appendix to the author's book "Miyamoto Musashi: His Life and Writings", also available from Shambala. I was already interested in the concepts of seme and kizeme from reading that book, and this book more than sated that particular thirst for more information on the subject.
I find it tremendously important that the author is appropriately vague when it comes to defining the term "ki", for that is what ki is. He also reminds us of the fact that words in the Japanese language often have several meanings that are almost unfathomable to someone who does not know Japanese. There is also the fact that two seemingly opposed terms, such as love and hate, can still mean essentially the same thing or at least contain elements of each other within them.
He makes some interesting points as to why kendo is more suited than other budo forms to cultivate kizeme, but does not dismiss the other forms and in fact describes how he feels some might even have more potential in this area.
The author also describes various training methods as employed by a number of sword masters to develop one's self beyond mere technique, especially relating to Zen.
The importance of this book and others like it is a great one. For those who are to spend decades in dedication to the martial arts, it is worthy of consideration to go beyond merely being a little better than the next practitioner.
Highly recommended on its own or in conjunction with the author's other book. I hope he'll write some more for us.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
a book for true martial artist
31 Jan 2010
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
PLEASE COMPLETELY DISREGARD THE REVIEW THAT GIVES THIS BOOK 1 STAR... DO NOT READ IT, SAVE SOME TIME... LIFE'S SHORT :)
This book is for true martial artist only. this book is for people who seeks more than punching, kicking, and grappling. I'm a 2nd degree Black Belt in Karate Shotokan and currently praticing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and I can tell you that what you will find in this book goes way beyond just practicing martial arts as sport.
It is a very deep book, you can tell the sadness of the author in some parts as the true essence of the unification of mind and body among other important aspects are neglected by the majority of western martial arts masters.
Do not buy this book if you see martial arts, as punching, kicking, and/or grappling.
This book will guide you... explaining the meaning of the book goes beyond intellect.... but again... don't buy this if you are just a regular martial artist, you wont enjoy it like I did.
This book is for true martial artist only. this book is for people who seeks more than punching, kicking, and grappling. I'm a 2nd degree Black Belt in Karate Shotokan and currently praticing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and I can tell you that what you will find in this book goes way beyond just practicing martial arts as sport.
It is a very deep book, you can tell the sadness of the author in some parts as the true essence of the unification of mind and body among other important aspects are neglected by the majority of western martial arts masters.
Do not buy this book if you see martial arts, as punching, kicking, and/or grappling.
This book will guide you... explaining the meaning of the book goes beyond intellect.... but again... don't buy this if you are just a regular martial artist, you wont enjoy it like I did.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
A Rare Gift
10 Nov 2011
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Arigatou Tokitsu Sensei...at last an articulate, accessible exposition of the essence of budo, built from the ground up, underpinned by rejection of the cliche false dichotomy between the physical praxis and moral imperatives of MARTIAL arts...binding, though, is atrocious....mine fell apart (literally) by the time i got to page 4....absolutely unacceptable....WILL SOMEONE PLEASE PRINT A STITCHED, HARDBACK EDITION of this watershed, groundbreaking text which is destined to become a recognised classic...
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