Hitting/Being Hit with sticks (maybe a pointed stick...)

What is it about percussive force that is so appealing to me?

There is something so satisfying in the simple act of hitting something with a stick. Its a strange sort of Therapy. Not only hitting, but being hit as well. Its not masochistic, so much as learning how to be hit, learning not to fear it.

In Martial arts, the basic principal when using any sort of weapon, is that it is simply an extention of your body. By that same right, the stick (or sword) or whatever will also conduct Chi, from your body through the stick when striking. More advanced forms of Tai-Chi involve actually drawing in Chi through the sword itself. This technique has always been intriguing to me, and it is facinating, to feel the stick become one with your hand, to feel energy flow from your heels to you hand and down the length of the stick, exploding into the target at the precise point of impact. It is almost energizing just in and of its self.

I wonder how far this goes back into the genetic memory. I am sure that if we did evolve from ape like creatures, over thousands or millions of years, that there was a great disicpline of the stick, for many ages.

There is something so primal about it, even if the stick is polished ratan. Holding a stick, knife, spear or whatever in my hand, actually makes me feel more complete, and at peace. Its as if my purpose in life is in full bloom, when I hold a weapon.

Its almost discomforting, or it would be if it did not make me feel so comfortable.
I often fear who I would be today, had I taken a different path in life, and joined the millitary, or a dark criminal lifestyle before reaching the level of spiritual awakening that I have achieved at this point.

Would I be a Killer by now?

Enlightenment?

I think that enlightenment occurs when that which cannot be truly known except through experience and a total consiouss understanding is realized. For example, I could say that we have an indestructible eternal spark of the Source within all of us, it is in fact what makes us, "us". But me saying and you reading it are nothing compared to the fully consiouss realization of that reality.

One of most interesting techniques I came across was in the Chan (Zen) buddhist school, in which you doubt your own existence. I think the reason this technque is effective, is because this question, asked repeatedly can help you refine your consiousness to the point where it is forced to acknowlege its own infinte eternity, above and beyond the transient thoughts and body that are constantly distracting you from that realization. That knowlege already exists within you, its just a matter of fully comprehending it with all your being.

In truth, there is absolutely nothing that cannot be learned by simply looking inward. To quote Bruce Lee "All knowlege is ultimately Self Knowlege."The difference is between an intellectual understaing of a concept, and the total awareness of it.

Supposed Words - Chuang Tzu

Supposed words make up nine-tenths of discourse, quotes make up seven tenths, and flowing words are brought forth every day, refined by the influence of Heaven.
Supposed words which consititute nine-tenths are similar to people who are brought in from outside. For example, no father is used a reference for his son, for the father cannot be as objective as someone not of the family. It is not my fault but the fault of the other people (who otherwise wouldn't listen to me), for otherwise people would only pay attention to what they already know and dismiss anything else. Thus they say whatever agrees with them is right, but whatever they dislike they call wrong.

Quotes make up seven-tenths and are there to stop arguments, which they do because they are respected as the words of sagacious elders. However those who are old but have not grasped the warp and weft, the root and branch of things cannot be quoted as sagacious elders. A person like this hasn't understood the Tao. Nor has he understood the Tao of humanity. He is just a sad remnant of another time.

Flowing words are spoken every day and they harmonize through the influence of Heaven, continuing for ever and so extending my years. If nothing is said about them, they remain in agreement, and agreement is not affected by words: words are in agreement, but agreement is not words. So it is said, 'say nothing'. Words say nothing, so you can talk all your life and say nothing. In contrast you can live your life without speaking and have said things of worth.