Observations placeholder
Book of Five Spheres - On Rhythm in Martial Arts
Identifier
008299
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
A description of the experience
Rhythm is something that exists in everything, but the rhythms of martial arts in particular are difficult to master without practice.
Rhythm is manifested in the world in such things as dance and music, pipes and strings. These are all harmonious rhythms.
In the field of martial arts, there are rhythms and harmonies in archery, gunnery, and even horsemanship. In all arts and sciences, rhythm is not to be ignored.
There is even rhythm in being empty.
In the professional life of a warrior, there are rhythms of rising to office and rhythms of stepping down, rhythms of fulfilment and rhythms of disappointment.
In the field of commerce, there are rhythms of becoming rich and rhythms of losing one's fortune.
Harmony and disharmony in rhythm occur in every walk of life. It is imperative to distinguish carefully between the rhythms of flourishing and the rhythms of decline in every single thing.
The rhythms of the martial arts are varied. First know the right rhythms and understand the wrong rhythms, and discern the appropriate rhythms from among great and small and slow and fast rhythms. Know the rhythms of spatial relations, and know the rhythms of reversal.
These matters are specialties of martial science. Unless you understand these rhythms of reversal, your martial artistry will not be reliable.