the masters handbook

1THE MASTER’S HANDBOOK by Alton H. Case founder SHAOLIN WEST illustrated by Tom Mann copyright © 1982 by Alton H. Case 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS ! ! introduction ! ! The Martial Arts ! ! The Computer ! ! The Machine ! ! Energy ! ! Grounding ! ! Weight ! ! Body Alignment ! ! Coordinated Body Motion ! ! Internal Energy ! ! Legs ! ! Arms ! ! Hips ! ! Force and Flow ! ! Force ! ! Flow ! ! Explosions ! ! The Zen Double Punch ! ! Emptiness ! ! The Zen Stick Drop ! ! Form ! ! The Art as Religion ! ! Considerations ! ! Philosophy ! ! Ki ! ! The Basic Problem ! ! My Plans 3 Dear Reader; ! This Handbook has tremendous knowledge in it. Read carefully it can explain just about every phenomenon that there is in the Martial Arts. ! The key to this Handbook, however, is in its use. You do have to understand it before it becomes effective. Towards that end you will have to make sure that you understand all words and concepts. Use a dictionary liberally. ! The second thing to be remembered in the use of this book deals directly with the application. ! See how much weight you can feel in a stance, examine whether or not you will have more Energy for that weight. See if you can move your body parts as one in one direction. ! You see I could have written things out with particular technique and filled volumes. But the truth of the matter is that I am not overly concerned with pushing my Art on you, but rather how you can create your own Art, how you can make your own Art work. I am concerned with you knowing the theory, applying the theory, and understanding the Art. ! So if you really want to get the most out of this Handbook, remember that you must understand and apply. Good skill. ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ALTON H. CASE ! 4 introduction ! Hello, my name is Al Case. I have studied, read and done much in the Martial Arts. I have been around a very long time. I am here to bring the Martial Arts to the apex of their evolution upon this planet. ! It is now possible to learn the Martial Arts in months instead of years. You can learn them easily without the pain and bruising sometimes associated with their study. You can attain competence in the movement of your body no matter what the Martial situation or context. ! You see the Martial Arts are actually based on what works. An error is readily per- ceivable. The effects of bad computations in your actions are quickly understood. And what I have been doing, for a very long time, is to ask myself what works, what is the easiest way, and not in just the doing of the Art, but in the teaching. I have compiled and catalogued the Martial Arts until they made sense. ! And they do make sense. If you can realize that you are operating a body machine with certain limits and considerations, then it is very easy to actually program that machine to the fullest, so that it will function to the fullest within those limits, and perhaps stretch those limits a bit further. ! I have a feeling that there will be a certain part of the population that will object to what I say. It seems that there will always be people who object to the ordering of confusion. There has been enough of myth and mysticism in the Martial Arts. It is time that things were viewed in their proper perspective. ! When I had completed my initial studies, after IU had gotten my Black Belt, I looked back and was rather amazed. Why were the Martial Arts taught in such a haphazard fashion? Why were they arranged so maze-like? To me the Martial Arts had become so simple and easy. If a punch is thrown you block it. If you fail to block it, well, the results of your calculations are not hidden from view. ! So why the maze? Well the truth of the matter is, people don’t really understand what the Martial Arts are really all about. ! Martial Arts practitioners today do an unlimited variety of kicks, punches and dance- like steps, yet they don’t really understand what they are doing or why. This is a mad search 5 A Master is one who knows and can apply the rules. and so on. refers to a direction. trampled on. ! There are many meanings to the definition of the word Master. held in ill repute. rules of body usage. One meaning is ‘to become skilled or proficient in the use of. ! You still have to ‘practice your basics. there are rules in the Martial Arts. discarded. For over a thousand years the Shaolin Temple has been held up as the ideal and inspiration for the Martial Arts.for competence without much hope except for those elite few who have an inherent understanding of such things. ! You see a Master is not just one who can do the blocks and punches and kicks. and lends itself a little bit to the context presented by the Martial Arts. ! In changing the name of my Art my thought was that the ideals and intentions of those originally at the Shaolin Temple should be put forth again. ! I originally called my Art Universal Karate.’ Another meaning. West. For the trillions of 6 . and so on.’ ! In the past it has usually been understood that to gain a thorough understanding of something takes years and years. With Shaolin West that reality is no longer true. ! However. For that reason I changed the name to Shaolin West. one that seems to go just a little bit further. and that they should be available to all. of course. This Art is based on logic and common sense. It is truly a Master’s Handbook. ! Yes. is ‘to gain a thorough understanding of. rules of two and more body usage.’ but in Shaolin West your progress is sped up by the simple act of understanding your basics and your form. rediscovered. this time with the benefit of the advancements of Western culture. ! Shaolin is the name of a temple in China where the Martial Arts were practiced and developed with the utmost in determination and intention.’ and ‘do your form. These rules have been put aside. My thought was that the Martial Arts should be universal in their practice and application. Rules of motion and structure. I have decided that the situation is ridiculous. as my Art chanced and came to encompass all the facts and theories of the Martial Arts I realized that I would have to change the name. ! This booklet is the introductory booklet to the Art of Shaolin West. and so on. and it lives up to its title quite well. and have resultingly created an Art that would resolve this affair. perhaps even lifetimes. And. having the experience of the Martial Arts will give a person a terrific edge. They are the ones who have been responsible for the heights attained in and through the Martial Arts. VERY short period of time. an invaluable place in the Martial Arts. I intend only to put order in the Martial Arts. It is actually a set of rules for the operation of your body in a martial context.’ and the roots of the word refer to not knowing about something. praise and adulation. Order and logic and knowing the rules will certainly put an end to that. and that the rules. particular the rules for the bodies we are operating now. having confidence in the rules. in fact. mysticism means ‘vague or confused thinking. and yet nobody ever sat down and realized that anybody can survive. and those who are lost in rhetoric and steeped in mysticism have everything to fear. But there are rules. 7 . The guys who won were appreciated to the point of worship.years of human history people have fought and carried on and scrabbled for survival. fanciful speculation. But knowing the rules. ! So that’s what this book is really about: the rules. They are the ones who have passed down and refined for millennia what they have known. For according to one definition. ! Those who practice the varied systems of the Martial Arts have nothing to fear from me. So they deserve more than a passing word. Fighters have been held up to popular. They have a valuable place. very. Their systems will be enhanced by those who know the rules. I don’t really intend to dwell upon those who will shriek and cry about what I am doing. but those who are fearful of losing their culture and their heritage are deserving of more than a passing word. ! Now truthfully. anyone who has engaged in producing competent Martial Artists will find that this book will help them put order and logic in their systems. and sometimes not so popular. and when learned. are such that anybody can be a masterful fighter. ! To return to one thing before I go on. just learning the rules will not make a person win if he doesn’t have the prevailing desire to win. ! So those who practice a tradition have nothing to fear. The guy who fights the hardest will win. can result in a fighter who really knows what he is doing in a very. Just read the book. the reader.! And to you. And that will be my ultimate reward. That will be the proof of my words. Enjoy yourselves. I say this. You don’t have to believe what I say. ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Al Case 8 . get the rules. and observe how your Art improves. That is what they are. ! Your mind is like a computer. there are programs with cir- cular techniques. self-defense (combat) games. as contrary as that may sound. you are responsible for the program you feed into your computer. Engineering si a program. angular techniques. ! There are many ways of responding to a force and flow. sport. and so on. ! The purpose of the Martial Arts. ! Many people can take data and synthesize it orderly and accurately. the Martial Arts are a game of tag. And so on. straightline techniques. as an Art. ! Competence of programming depends upon clear and concise data that does not contradict. the Martial Arts are an aesthetic way of making war. This is called creativity. shed of all the ‘significance of life and death. To talk about the end product glibly or rhetorically and to not have a system whereby others can uniformly achieve that end product has a tendency to mush data together.’ and all the other mystical backwash. ! To sum it up. ! Specifically. This isn’t right as it stops the orderliness of other’s computers (minds). and they are a terrifically fun game.m programs are fun to do. Quite simply. passive techniques. 9 . ! Martial Arts are also a means of health. as a way of expressing the self. and the primary rule of the game is ‘To deliver a force or flow without receiving a force or flow. These people usually talk about the end product of the program whether they have achieved that end product or not. ! The purpose of the mind/computer in the Martial Arts is to analyze any incoming force and flow (direction) and to respond to that force and flow in a prosurvival manner. In fact. etc. Your mind and your body are responsive to the data you feed into your mind. It is a control system for your machine (your body). ! There are many programs. The better aligned the program is the more fun it is to do. This is called competence. ! Many people mush the data.THE MARTIAL ARTS ! Martial pertains to war and Art is self-expression. ! The goal is to do this aesthetically. Mathematics is a program. Housekeeping is a program. ! There is nothing wrong with programs. They make the mind/ computer extract random data from random programs and mush that data to confuse the here and now. look at the end product. when you elect to program yourself with the knowledge and the ability to defend yourself. What I am saying. ! There are many things in this life that we should be careful of. the Art you choose should make sense. ! Don’t play the Martial Arts when not well fed. In addi- tion. You have a delicate computer aboard a rather rubbery body/machine. This doesn’t mean that we should live fearful lives. don’t program your mind with a hammer. ! What is important is that when you sign up for the Martial Arts. ! Don’t go searching for ‘mind expanding’ experiences. see if you will enjoy yourself and possibly learn something. 10 . Quite simply. Quite simply. then do the thing that’s right for you. ! Don’t use hypnosis. Lifespring. drugs send the mind/computer spinning off into goofy-goof land. Observe how well a hardened drug addict copes with life and I am sure you will agree. It’s the same as trying to get some- where in a car with insufficient fuel. is this: don’t turn the programming of your mind over to somebody else. Hypnosis puts the computer on automatic. Drugs burn up the body machine or otherwise suppress it. but that the program may very well control you. You will run out of energy.. Psychiatry. but rather that we should use our common sense. ! There are many things to be careful of when you program your mind. become fatigued. etc. Quite simply. that you pick a school with aligned data. ! Don’t program by full contact. This definitely includes such bizarre practices as EST. ! Don’t use drugs. There is also the very real possibility of confusing and mushing other programs in your mind. drain the body/machine of reserves and actually weaken it. In the Martial Arts you trundle this computer around at high speeds and introduce it to high risk situations. but it just doesn’t make sense to open it needlessly to the possibility of impact and injury. This takes you out of the operator’s seat. etc. This means that you no longer control the program.As long as what you are doing works it doesn’t particularly matter what type of program you choose to use. When looking over the various possibilities of life simply ask yourself if the program you are looking at will be good for you. quite simply. 11 . bones. ! Another system within the body are the bones. ! Please don’t misinterpret this. ! So when weight lifters or musclemen work out. It is rather surprising. just not at the expense of the rest of your body. When you consider the other machines within the body. the ropes on the pulley system. but rather the ability to deliver or avoid a force and flow. Look at your arm. however. ! Muscles must be built up in conjunction with all the parts of your body. jog. this is sometimes not so obvious. each arranged to do a job. People have a tendency to do things only with the muscles. whatever. It is important to have strong. yet i doubt if they spend much time concentrating solely on muscles.THE MACHINE ! The first thing you should realize is that you have a body. it is just different from the Martial Arts. see for yourself how it resembles a pulley. or whatever. or making thickere. solely through the expansion and contraction of muscles. Take a look at ballet dancers. They walk into things and never say ‘Ouch!’ ! The fact is. lift. of course. Consider that a slug has no bones. organs. The bones are girders upon which the pulleys are hooked. Where would you be without bones? 12 . dance. Bones are very important. the body is a rather wonderfully complex piece of machinery with atoms and molecules arranged in patterns to form blood. what they are primarily doing is strengthening. each needing attention and willing to lend themselves to the job. but many people do not know this. but ridiculous. They will move. observe it. ! Since I started out with muscles we might just as well analyze them fully. They are the framework upon which you hang your flesh. and so on. The Martial Arts not being concerned with the size of the pulley. the concept of using muscles only seems not only wasteful and difficult. ! There are actually a number of machines within the body. usually in conjunction with the rest of the bosy. well balanced ropes on your pulleys. Muscles are a system of pulleys arranged within the body to move the body. They have beautiful bodies. To watch people. ! This is not wrong. move it. it also supplies oxygen. ! And so on. ! And there are other systems within the body. the fuel line. ! Lungs for bellows.! Another system within the body is the fuel line. A very important system. ! Nerves for sensory apparatus. 13 . The fuel line feed fuel to the body. Some people call the fuel line blood vessels. ! A muscle called the heart for a fuel pump. one that deals directly with the body. is by breathing. ! If you have ever been light-headed or hyperventilated from improper breathing then you know the importance of proper breathing. and so on. ! Another way to improve the energy flows. uncluttered mind will result in a clean. so set your goals. ! I have found that Energy seems to follow basic rules. the faster and smoother it spins the better it will fulfill its function. We must select the right fuel for the best performance.’ It is an actual generator. We have the com- puter. and not in the least mysterious. since we are engaged in defining a body Art. ! Gross Energy is created by your machine burning fuel. ! In the dictionary are several definitions for the word Energy. It is like a gyroscope. ! In the normal human being the generator moves about as fast as you shovel food (fuel) into the furnace. a fire burning wood.’ ! I find this definition most useful. this is the reason why we should study such subjects as nutrition. you must align the Energy flows in and about your generator and your machine. the one that seems most applicable to the Martial Arts is ‘The capacity for doing work. 14 . uncluttered body. Here is an outline of these rules and the way that Energy is used in your body. and get sidetracked. ! There is a center for this Energy in the body. ! The faster and smoother your Energy flows become the better you can operate your machinery. and your balance will be better. very similar to electricity. Your machine will react to what you have in your mind. more able to drive for that straight line. You will become better able to hold a position in space. Incidentally. This is the simplest level. But just as you must align data in your program and in your computer. It is called the Tan Tien and means ‘The One Point. It is like a car burning gasoline.ENERGY ! The next subject to be taken up is Energy. ! One way to improve the Energy flows is merely by having clear and concise pro- grams. We have the machine. vitamins. and what is at the direction of the computer. make your goals. now let’s consider what we shall be running through the machine. A clean. etc. ! This is not to say that you should be limp. it ‘charges up. Again. feeling yourself as more solid. You just practice relaxing. ! Breathing should be in conjunction with the whole body. This helps the outward push and locks the generator in place as you project energy. being limber in body and mind. Don’t feed the chest or the lungs. ! One last thing you should be aware of is this. It is all a matter of viewpoint and direction. Energies flow positive and negative. Locking the generator in place is particularly important is you plan to project Energies of any large size. but rather the generator directly.’ If you let it be.must be able to accept any incoming Energies in as easy and controlled a fashion as possible.! Proper breathing is done by breathing into and out of the generator itself. ! You can Energy flow by being loose and easy. of course. it is capable of storing and discharging consid- erable amounts of energy. and let the Energy flow. This re- plenishes depleted stores and prepares the machine for the next outward push. ! The body is like a little power plant. ! You can use the Energy by being stiff and rigid. When the machine expands or directs Energy outward you should breath out. we want to be in charge of this ‘Charge up’ state. Limp is no Energy flowing and not of much use. your generator must be kept tight so that it doesn’t wiggle/ It . 15 . water will flow.’ You may better understand this by observing people that are all ‘charge up. ! When the machine contracts or pulls Energy inwards you should breath in. Positive is a push and negative is a pull.’ In the Martial Arts. actually ‘Charging up. If you crimp it. ! This can all be analogized to a garden hose. You should tighten the diaphragm and clamp down on the generator. 16 . Grounding is when you have a flow going into the ground. It is like he is pushing the wall. It is the electrical (energetical in this instance) connection with the Earth. Maintain a straight line through both arms. Make sure that they are pushing on the straight line that runs through your body and into the ground. and as long as you can maintain a straightline with the your arms you will maintain this effect. 17 . not just to develop a good foundation. but to develop a good ground. even flow into the ground. You don’t want to be limp. The effect is that ofg grounding. Now have somebody push on you. but rather relaxed. Take a low stance and relax into the ground. ! Here is a very good example of grounding. This is grounding. ! Now you should try grounding with your legs. You are grounding the person’s Energies. Have somebody push on the hand facing away from the all. incidentally. Practice being heavy. let your weight sink into the ground.GROUNDING ! Grounding is one very important aspect of the Martial Arts. ! This is the purpose of stances. ! Stand with one hand on a wall and the other extended into space directly away from the wall. 18 .This illustration is turned and expanded on the next page for your viewing pleasure. 19 . WEIGHT ! Weight converts to Energy. Make sure you retain your ground as you direct the flow. As any good weightlifter knows. stay low and create weight. ! When somebody directs a force at you. ! So when you take a stance. but this time outwards from the body/machine. It’s all a matter of direction. You conduct it. ! If you are ‘Charged up’ then Energy is being held in place in your machine and you will not be heavy. of course) the more you can lift. and you will gain more Energy. the more you lift (follow- ing a sense of gradiency and proper weightlifting. be heavy. but rather rigid. 20 . you let that force course into the ground. This means you will have a better ground and more weight which will convert to Energy. If you are relaxed then you can direct the flow of Energy groundwards and be heavy. so to speak. This means that you have Energy (of a particular type in this instance) available to you. ! When you direct a force at someone you will again conduct. out of align- ment.BODY ALIGNMENT ! The last couple of chapters have touched on a rather interesting concept. ! There are other forms of ground and extending Energy. And if the elbow is bent improperly. Be it circu- lar or straight there is but one intention and your body expresses that intention. 21 . for instance. and you can ground with the left leg and extend Energy with either arm. ! If you strike somebody with a fist. ! If your body is out of alignment it will warp and bend under the force of the Energy being conducted. This is the concept of Body Alignment. power leaks out of it and the full amount of Energy is not transmitted. but these are the basics. ! There are four basic Body Alignments. then the wrist can break. and the wrist is bent. You can ground with the right leg and extend Energy with either arm. ! Body Alignment is when the parts of your body are in a line or direction. Practice walking without unbalancing. Here are some things that will help a person achieve Coordinated Body Motion. quite simply. Don’t go in two directions. It is not jerky or uneven. but just one. Usually there is a backswing of the hands. Practice extending Energy with breath exhalation. one direction. This is pureness of intention. or a tilting of the body and then the person is unbalanced enough to fall forward and do what we commonly refer to as walking. it is one unit. is when the body acts as one unit. ! Practice the theories I am outlining here. This is a lot of Uncoordinated Body Motion just to fall forward. Practice committing weight to the motion. 22 . Just fall forward with no backward or other extra motion. As I said.COORDINATED BODY MOTION ! Body Alignment leads us to Coordinated Body motion. but with the whole body weight. Coordinated Body Motion. Practice Grounding and extending your energy with proper Body Alignment. ! Practice moving the body without rocking it. Don’t hit with just an arm or leg weight. but smooth and well oiled. One thought. You don’t really have a good chance of developing Internal Energy until you have achieved Coordinated Body Motion.INTERNAL ENERGY ! Internal Energy is merely Energy on the inside of your body. 23 . ! Another thing that’s important to achieving good Internal Energy is the ability to work on straight lines and tight circles. ! At first your ENergy is very outside. This is because they actually deal with Internal Energy. SMall movements will create large effects. Once you havem though. This means that you practice initially with large movements. etc. After a while your computer gets pretty will programmed and your body starts getting smoother and smoother. You shoot your muscles around and slam your structure against things and/or the air. At this point your Internal Energy is starting to build. Practice getting the whole body and weight into the motion. You can shoot an arm out without unbalancing the body because the balancing is on the inside. you can really go to town. You can run that poten- tial back and forth and round and round. ! Such things as Grounding and Body Alignment are also very important to developing Internal Energy. straighter and purer. then make the motion smaller. then you are mobile. instead of walking. try falling. and here I particularly refer to the Martial Arts. sometimes referred to as walking (running. ! This means a tremendous amount to me. ! Here we get the idea of positive and negative. It not only means that he who holds the city collects the taxes.’ or. ! You see the lower you get the more eight you feel. Power being considered in the light of how well you can ‘Hold your ground. ! So now perhaps you have some insight as to the importance of grounding. If you relax and feel your weight go through your legs and into the ground then you become solid. 24 . position. You are not pushing your weight. and you can increase your Power by taking your opponent’s position. solidity or mobility. That’s mobility. strategically speaking. It is the process of falling as fast as you can stick out a leg (ground) to fall on. or projecting Energy. ! Consider this when you move towards someone: when you cover ground. you are letting it go. etc. The interesting thing is that this definition for solidity can lead one to an important little discourse on Power in the Martial Arts. The more weight you feel the more you work and the more energy you will have feeding into your body (machine). The better your ground the better your fall will be. And this leads us directly to the importance of stances. And the ‘capacity for work’ is the definition for Energy. ! So the lower you get the better will be your potential for mobility and solidity. Utilize your ground leg and push into space.LEGS ! Legs are the grounds for the structure. ! What stances do is make your legs work harder. This is negative. but that when the game starts. Power is when you can hold your position. ! Moving the machine around. The two main functions of the legs are solid- ity and mobility. There is a secondary function of kicking. If you push the ground. ! Now solidity is manifest in your ability to ‘Hold your ground.) is actu- ally rather humorous. but the main two functions are as I said.’ And this isw a very good reason for strong legs and good stances. and it is im- portant. But what is more important is understanding exactly what positive and negative are. ! It doesn’t matter whether you have one leg or two doing the work.! I know that many people get into the idea of a positive and negative leg. relaxing into the ground. or how you mix the two. 25 . What matters is that you understand whether you are pushing against the ground for mobility. for solidity. or letting your weight go down your legs. 26 . the major work is done with positives. the major work is done with negatives. ! That is about it on the arms. little thing about the arms. and when used in a coordinated manner they are capable of the neatest little tricks. Their primary action is to open and close. This means. ! In the softer Martial Arts. This means. I personally think it’s a shame that some people can only use them as clubs and bludgeons. ! In the hard Martial Arts. and they are very flexible. They are very handy once you have used the legs to move the machine close enough to your target. These extenders work in a clawlike manner. and they can be used in connection with the legs delivering the force quite cleverly. that your actions are towards your opponent. again following the basic rules of Energy.ARMS ! So now we go into the arms. 27 . the Arts dealing with striking (projecting a force) or block- ing (shearing a force). quite simply. quite simply. Go on--look at them. They extend out- ward and can be positive or negative. little extenders. the ones dealing with flow (guiding a force). Arms are the extenders of the system. You can transmit great Energy through them. but an additional bonus is that on the end of each hand there are five separate. ! There is a handy. that your actions are away from your opponent. and so must be perfectly aligned. One is with the legs. ! You see there are two ways to commit weight. ! In Body Alignment. If you are too close to step your feet. ! They are also the center for weight movement in your body.HIPS ! Hips are the housing for the generator in your body. Both ways enable you to strike with full body weight versus 10 or 15 lbs of arm or leg weight. and there were yet things to be learned. This is an early work of mine. This holds true for Coordinated Body motion. the Hips are the hinge between the legs and the arms. then you pivot your hips. 28 . This gives them a very central part in the function of your machine. the other is with the hips. is a very impor- tant function. this too. NOTE: the third way will be detailed later. 29 . yes. Shearing or diverting is again a matter of Force and Flow (direction). ! To be a defender one must analyze Force and direction. ! To have the game of the Martial Arts someone must first initiate a Force. If they are going to be the prime ingredients of the Martial Arts then we should do our best to understand them.) ! To be an attacker one must project a Force with a particular direction to it. Very Yin Yangish. but the truth of the matter is that there is onloy Force and Flow.FORCE AND FLOW ! In my study of the Martial Arts I came to a basic recognition. In the Martial Arts there are actually only two things to be considered. That Force will have a Flow to it. really. 30 . and shear or divert that di- rected Force. and we can build end- less theories. (I sometimes refer to Flow as a direction. These things are Force and Flow. ! Oh. ! At this point I am going to take some time to define these words. we can lose ourselves in the multitude of techniques. ! And that is all there is to it. but these are the ones that particularly pertain to what we are studying. of course. cause of motion or change. FORCE attack defense 31 . ! 4) to impose or thrust urgently ! 5) to achieve or win by strength in struggle or violence ! There are other definitions. ! 3) an agency or influence that if applied to a free body results chiefly in an accelera- tion of the body and sometimes in elastic deformation and other effects. compulsion or constraint exerted upon or against a person or thing. ! 2) violence.FORCE ! 1) strength or energy exerted or brought to bear. pertinent to what we are doing) a continuous transfer of energy. but these are the ones that particularly pertain to what we are studying. ! As I have said. ! There are other definition. This was my original cognition and I am fond of it. FLOW attack defense 32 . I sometimes refer to Flow as direction.FLOW ! 1) to issue or move in a stream ! 2) to proceed smoothly and readily ! 3) to have smooth uninterrupted continuity ! 4) to deform under stress without cracking or rupturing ! 5) (this is a separate definition. of course. It is sometimes left up to the Martial Artist to find and define them. the Martial Arts are a game. ! You have have a Force without a Flow. 33 .! Now that we have defined Force and Flow there are a couple of things that we should consider concerning Force and Flow. Flow it. like Karate or Tae Kwon Do rely upon Force. ! These are the rules for the game. A more pure game of tage we could not have. The True Martial will incor- porate both sides in a balanced effort. the game is that one Martial Artist pro- jects a Force or Flow towards another Martial Artist. ! You can’t have a Flow without a Force. ! Neither side of the Martial Arts is superior to the other. Force it. Here are the basic rules for the game. All the elements of the Martial Arts are in each and every Martial Art. ! As I have said. They merely empha- size particular technique or theory above other technique or theory. ! The softer Martial Arts. The second Martial Artist must avoid this Force or Flow and project his own Force or Flow. ! It is the various ways that you can intertwine and interact the Forces and Flows that make the game so fascinating. ! 1) If the other Force is greater that your Force. ! The differences between the Martial Arts are one of emphasis. like Tai Chi Chuan or Aikido. ! The harder Martial Arts. rely upon Flow. ! 2) If the other Flow is greater than your Flow. So explode and let go of the explosion. One must use dynamite to clear away obsolete structures. exploding is fun. All you have to do is relax. and not of too much value. Now exploding with a purpose is all right. and we should try to use as few as possible to get the job done. I like that. 34 . ! One interesting thing I read while looking up definitions of words was that one defi- nition for the word focus is the place of origin of an earthquake. that is if you ridge through time. ! Another thing to remember is that you should strive to control the explosion. I prefer evolution with a purpose. Focuse the energy into a pre- cise point (in time) and pattern (ridge or thrust). and the end of life itself is merely the breakdown (slow explosion) of substances. So where’s the game? ! In life. ! There are a couple of things to remember when you explode. and if we don’t have Force then we don’t have anything to deliveer or negate. but exploding just for the sake of exploding is what we call destruction for the sake of destruction. then you will anchor your position in space. but the truth of the matter is that those who object the most strenuously probably exploded or were exploded once too often. also. Don’t try to sustain what is meant to be momentary. cars use gasoline to move. inhale. is exploding important. and coordinate the following actions.EXPLOSIONS ! Exploding is lots of fun. this will result in a decrease in mobility and balance. Exploding is the sudden generation of Force. Some people hold it in disregard. Not only that. that is upward growth. As I said. If you hold your focus too long. ! Breath out from your generator as you generate energy. ! It is actually very easy to explode effectively. But I won’[ insis t that anybody believe the way I do. ! In the Martial Arts. there must be lots of exploding. What it all gets down to is that the wedge is a primary tool of physics. to have a good game. Why explode in all directions when you can explode in just one? It is a waste when you break the rules for Economy of Motion (the least amount for the most done) and spend extra or unneeded energies. but an engineer who explodes his dynamite indiscriminately takes away more than just the obsolete building. ! The only thing to be careful of in your dealing with force is that if you destroy for no reason. And all body parts on the line of attack should explode in one direction simultaneously. by the nature of your being. will return to you in some manner. your energy. it just happens to be a ma- jor factor of this universe.! So you should wedge your structure and energies. there is actually nothing wrong with force. ! Just remember. 35 . Force should be recognized for what it is and dealt with accordingly. ! then explode into a Horse Stance and simultaneously extend both arms to the front in a double strike. move your muscles. 36 . Just sit and forget about things. Breath down and relax. sigh or be tense in any manner.THE ZEN DOUBLE PUNCH ! Here is a good exercise for exploding. Make sure your form is correct and that you have followed all the rules I have set forth. don’t twitch. Nothing in one position. ! Sit silently in the Zen position. ! The trick is to have a pure explosion. Don’t do anything. then everything in another. 37 . ! Anybody who has driven a car through heavy traffic has encountered static. no one else. ! In your mind (computer) that means no static (confusion from other programs). ! don’ t allow yourself to be distracted by any other of your programs or the one you are doing becomes distorted. that great building block of the Martial Arts. Your program will align and so will your abilities in the use of your machine. You are in charge of your program and it is up to you to change it.EMPTINESS ! Emptiness. ! Anybody who has been so engrossed in their work or task that the time just seems to ‘disappear’ has reduced static and created an emptiness which made their program very pure and easy to do. ! When there is no static you can run the program you want without interference. ! Static can be generated by yourself or by others. ! Don’t allow yourself to be distracted by other’s programs or your own program will become distorted. ! Emptiness means nothing.’ and the idea is to commit yourself so to- tally to the Martial Arts that there is nothing else. that great mysterioso of the Masters. is actually very simple. ! Just do one thing at a time. 38 . ! I used to call this concept ‘Doing Purely. no static. ! In your body (machine) that means again. 39 . you can drive your program through the Emptiness you have created. and the True Martial Artist will blend them together workably. Then. ! As I have said before.! The application of this concept in the Martial Arts is as follows. ! In the hard Martial Arts you empty your mind and machine. and on the physical side you want to empty the space in front of the force projected at you. In other words. The best way to achieve Emptiness is by streamlining your intention and ‘doing Purely. ! In the soft Martial Arts you again empty your mind and machine. you step aside.’ Meditating has a tendency to lose the meditator in his machine. when you ex- plode. 40 . and which can be used to create other exercises. they are just of different emphasis. It also has the tendency to open the computer to uncontrolled programs. In the following chapter I will give you a good example of an exercise which can help you to develop Emptiness. I really wouldn’t recommend meditating to create Emp- tiness. ! On thing before I move on. neither side of the Martial Arts is superior to the other. This makes for a very pure Art. ’ This means that you stay perfectly still before a movement. You will get to go through the pain in your legs. There should be the same naturalness and amount of insignificance as when you lift a glass ot turn on a light switch. and the stick is just barely held by the tips of your fingers. each of you with your legs folded in the zen kneeling posi- tion. Create silence and observe one another. but that relaxing will. The stick is held slightly below eye level by a horizontal and gently curving arm. ! Sit silently for a period of time. You will get to still yours and his tendency to guess at when the stick will be dropped. There should be no slapping or grabbing or sudden tightening of the muscles. You must reach out and hold the falling stick in one position in space. Realize that no amount of tensing will make the stick easier to catch. Have fun. The stick is dropped by the one holding it.THE ZEN STICK DROP ! Sit facing your partner. and is caught by the one opposite. 41 . no leaning or drifting in any direction before moving. You must stay in one place and let the stillness build and explode without forethought. One of you holds a small stick about the length of a pen and the thickness of a broom handle. Just sit. Let the static in your mind subside as you concentrate upon watching your opponent. ! Don’t try to build a rhythm for dropping or try to fool each other. You will get to still the jerks and twitchings of your partner. No attempt at concealment is made. This would be the practice of not ‘telegraphing your motion. ! You will get to still the ridges of readying muscles and energies and you will get to still the focus of the catch. ! As you do the exercise you will have ample opportunity to still the jerks and twitchs of your muscles and mind. ! The application of the can be very interesting. 42 . ! One of the different modes of existence. action or manifestation of a particular thing or substance.FORM ! In the Martial Arts a Form is a pattern of movement. ! In other words. in relation to the Doing of your Form. however. where the sights are. etc. ! Idea. if you move your body around you will learn what it can do. ! The structural element. ! The word ‘form’ in the dictionary has quite a few definitions. you learn balance. I would advise you to look up the complete definition for yourself. ! Simply speaking. plan or design of a work of art. It is a series of steps or move- ments which teach one about the mechanics of the Martial Arts. 43 . agility. Operating your body. ! If you travel a road day after day. ! So what exactly is the function of the Form. what corners to watch out for. Here are a few. the longer you do your Form. ! The essential nature of a thing as distinguished from its matter. ! Doing your Form programs your Form. ! Now the reason I bring this all up is because the essence of the Martial Arts is in the Doing of your Form. ! Orderly method of arrangement. and so on. ! There are many other definitions and sub-definitions to the word ‘form. it becomes familiar. That is what the art is all about.’ but these seemed particularly applicable. ! This is to say that doing your Form will give you data input as regards manipulation of your Form. Expressing yourself through the motion of your body. ! Let’s go a little deeper. You learn how fast you can go. the more you will see in it. ! Established method of expression or proceeding. Repeti- tion of movement through a precise pattern will give you depth of movement. strength. ! The shape and structure of something as distinguishable from its material. ! If a piano player can’t perform a piano piece by Beethoven. ! Of course it is. a program for your computer to run your machine. A Form means nothing unless you fill it up. A Form is a set pattern or sequence of moves. ! Many people claim that a Form is rigid. The Form isn’t dull or uninteresting. It just lays there. and you will find some interesting reading..! If you move your body day after day. drive. What is dull or uninteresting is the person doing the Form. And a Form explored for practical applications is incredible. etc. A form done with energy and enthusiasm is very real. Open the Form. and it will teach you much as you build familiarity with your program. ! They are right. ! That is not to say that when a Martial Artist has become thoroughly familiar with a piece that he can’t create variations on a theme. as long the Martial Artist is variating and not proposing No Form because he doesn’t understand and can’t do the Form. ! Many people say that a Form is not applicable. You will learn how fast it can go. ! ! Many people say a Form is unreal. Is competence non-applicable? 44 . energy. Nonsense. A Form teaches compe- tence in body action. etc. should he change the notes to suit his inabilities? ! That is the way many Martial Artists are these days. is very unreal. And now it is time to say a few words about those who disagree with Forms. how much power it can generate. This is okay. particularly in a set pattern of motion. ! Many people claim that a Form is static and unmoving. A Form done without interest. how agile it is. ! A Form is like a book that has not been opened. ! So a Form is a pattern. and Form will only become interesting if you become interested. un- derstanding. Do it. you will become familiar with that body. and unless you input the data into your computer. Unless you read the encyclopedia. 45 . it will have no value. unless you strive for understanding of the data therein. an encyclopedia of the Martial Arts.! A Form is nothing more than an encyclopedia. On the contrary. giving general rules for operation in the MArtial context. ! The source for this confusion is easily explained. as a religion is falling into quite a trap. It is perfectly okay with me if you go further. be they passive or active. 46 . it merely provides a platform so that we all may properly achieve spectacular feats. I am outlining the body machine. ! So now that I’ve warned you properly. then that is just great. ! You see thus far I’ve been outlining the theories of movement. new bodies of action. and to worship it and its movements as divine or nirvhana or heaven or whatever. As one becomes proficient in an artform he expresses his self. and so on. ! I would like to say at this time. People can practice it like a religion if they wish. I’m going to go into some of the more spec- tacular aspects of the Martial Arts. The Martial Arts are no more a religion that ballet or gymnastics or painting or the theater. Upon inspection of his product or his particular way of expressing his self he sees his self manifested. But this does not pre- clude the possibilities of great feats through the MArtial Arts. is like becoming a car mechanic to find God. A religion is a religion and an Art is an Art. I would like to say right now that the Martial Arts are not a religion. A religion is a form of finding the self. that if my writings do not include something. An Art is a form of self-expression. the body is a machine. you drive it. As I said. I describe the vehicle. but that does not make it one.THE ART AS A RELIGION ! Many people consider the Martial Arts as a religion. But seeing the room illuminated does not mean that you have found the bulb. ! Anybody who does consider the MArtial Arts or other similar body studies. or if you have found ways of doing things that are not covered or are even beyond. or are able to synthesize or create new ways of doing things. ! What has occurred is that through the continuous pounding upon the hand or palm. ! A finer example of this ‘Changing of the Universe’ is the ‘Iron Palm. that is. ! Also what is so deadly about this type of hand is that the fellow considers it deadly. and a lot easier on your hands. iron filings and the like until it feels no pain. he isn’t. if not. by changing your consideration of the way things are or should be. the Martial Artist has lost his consideration for it. thrust into sand. He may have attained extra energy through practice and a certain degree of hardness. ! What I used to do to achieve this type of thing was much simpler. if you con- sider that you have imparted your energy and force and not received your opponent’s. ! Gross examples of this are demonstrated by such things as board breaking and the like. 47 . But the fact is that the fellow has just undergone a terrific training regimen that probably deadens all feeling. It is not that the hand is actually all that deadly. You can do this with thought. The person performing the feat must ‘think’ through the object he is breaking. The effects are rather devastating. So when he throws it. and threw that hand like a rock. The Martial Artist is then able to hit somebody with it and totally devastate them. he throws it without consideration. do it by your consideration. then you will get bruised. but the main thing is that he is no longer scared of hurting it. unpon impact. ! If his considerations is strong enough he is successful. ! I simply took out all the Energy. ! Another example is when you project a Force at someone. not by the maul- ing and disfiguring of your hands. ! So if you want to develop deadly hands. pebbles. stood back. actually. Quite a trick. then you don’t get bruised. and no he can deaden feelings in others with it. muscular and otherwise. because it is just a piece of a rather fleshy machine. If you don’t consider this.CONSIDERATIONS ! You can actually change the way this universe is. or dropped that hand upon my opponent with the idea that it was heavy.’ This is a hand that has been beaten and scourged. got real relaxed. The purpose of war is not to destroy things. I’d better tell you why you shouldn’t. 48 . you can’t hurt somebody else without hurting yourself.PHILOSOPHY ! If I’m going to tell you how to hurt people. the purpose of war is peace. ! So don’t be so anxious to use your Art. ! Go out and do something nasty to somebody. See how long people say hello to you on the street. See how long you have friends. that is the ultimate Art. Choose a friend. And after you have hurt them look them in the eye and examine your feelings. or somehow developed a good. Do something mean that really hurts somebody. if you do mean things to people you will rapidly lose your zest for life. And if you can create peace without war. Even if you don’t know the person you do something mean to. ! You see. ! This is why those old guys who spent lifetimes doing the Martial Arts ended up with proverbs and taught only deserving people and preached the good life. clean life. someone you really like. They knew that they never would have made it if they hadn’t lived. you will still have the same effect upon yourself. Your life will work and you will succeed at what you do and have lots of friends and so on. I. ‘Do Purely. Energy is the capacity for work. which refers to Doing. A perfect ex- change of flows. or some sort of action. When you 49 . ! There is a further definition of Ki. Ki is the stuff of which life is made. Your actions. ! It’s just like feeding data into a computer and getting back an answer. one which can’t be compared with steam rising except on a gross level. make it do things much the same way you op- erate your body. ! If you think life is miserable. is a symbolization of Energy coming from your generator. don’t consider it very difficult in the way of choices. ! You see life is a vehicle.’ The little pig pen let- ters that the Japanese use to write with show stove with steam rising.’ When you talk to people be sincere and honest. or causes and effects. you operate it. ! So Spirit Flow. ! You can have good Ki. is what you do. But where you operate your body with muscles and Energy and such.’ It would seem that the American counterpart is Do. then good things happen to you. When you do something. ! This is a very interesting little commentary on The Way. If you think that life is good. of course. which is ‘Do. you operate life by thought. but this is not necessarily a manifestation of Ki. of course. or Ki. ! And you can have bad Ki. You.KI ! The Japanese word Ki literally translated means ‘Spirit Flow. Ki must be present. in which case you get sick have accidents. reflect your thought. ! Spirit pertains to the total self. ! The way to have good Ki is through your intentions. do only that thing. Rather amazing really. for one. This. ! But to get back to Ki. ! You see Energy is generated by the body. but the emphasis is on Energy. Ki is generated by the self. ! Flow pertains to movement. then miserable things happen to you. You can build Energy. ! Ki is thought. Ki is what you do. There has been some confusion of these two concepts. if you think good thoughts. and so on. There is a difference. 50 . Your life will reflect the purity of your Art. make sure that you get whatever it is you set out to do done. and when you decide to do something or get somewhere. draw straight lines and circles without corners. and make sure you get to wherever you decided to go.practice your Art. if you learn the rules before you play the game. ! If you do it this way. a machine. It was always emphasis on hands or legs. Never mind that the concept is hazy and general and known only on a body level. My God! You can imagine the joy of somebody who. an engineered device. after a lifetime of searching through a vast amount of technique. It was always a piece of the machine. They get into the general philosophies. ! You see the Art is so physical that people haven’t really gotten into the concepts. ! So let’s look at the other side of it. or a particular concept or idea that was used. 51 . Instead of letting the technique and the experi- ence define the concept. usually to the virtual exclusion of all other ideas and pieces. No one had ever taken the human form and analyzed it for its potential in structure and motion. because it becomes ap- parent that a m an with a gun will attack with the gun. maybe a rule. And it’s no wonder that Martial Artists tend to be labeled fanatics. but no one had ever cataloged a system to fit the machine they were using. any rule. No wonder we have such true believers in the Martial Arts. circles or straight lines. and I trust that you have some understanding of the theories and concepts in the Martial Arts. Find the basic rules and thousands and thousands of techniques will be right at your fingertips. and etc. you will have some idea of what you are practicing and why. but they don’t define or understand the concepts. once you know the rules.THE BASIC PROBLEM ! Now that you have read my book. And a man trained in a particular concept or part will attack or defend with that concept or part. then the time required for mastery will be short indeed. if you define the concept. ! It’s true that people had put together various systems. grabbing. Never mind that the concept is just a single concept in a universe of rules. No one had ever taken the human body and considered it for what it really is. People will wallow through thousands of techniques until a concept is defined. ! You see there has been on basic problem with the Martial Arts. a single rule. why not define the concept right at the start. weapons. finally finds a concept. ! It can actually be quite humorous. ! May you have nothing but good skill with your Art. ! ! ! ! ! ! Al Case ! ! ! ! ! ! founder ! ! ! ! ! ! Shaolin West 52 .