The Warrior Is Silent

MARTIAL ARTS The attainment of superior fighting technique is not the sole purpose of martial arts training. Just as a Zen Buddhist monk uses movement as a form of meditation, the refined martial artist uses the physical techniques of the practice to harmoniously merge individual energy with that of the universe. The stages of training required to realize this objective are arduous but necessary for an individual to become an enlightened being rather than simply an accomplished fighter. The Warrior Is Silent explains the spiritual foundation of martial arts practice in the East and its intimate connection with the perfection of the art itself. The author, a highly honored martial artist, takes the reader through a well-illustrated series of self-defense techniques that utilize ki energy to maintain one's center under any circumstance. More than seventy step-by-step photographs demonstrate exercises from breath control to physical deflection of an opponent. Mahayana Buddhism meditation techniques teach psychological control and action within no-action--vital for the spiritual warrior. The Warrior Is Silent will deepen the skills of experienced martial artists and provide a well-grounded introduction to the martial arts for beginners. This is an essential guide for anyone interested in a spiritually rewarding martial arts practice. SCOTT SHAW is a regular contributor to national martial art magazines and has a Ph.D. in Asian studies. He is the only non-Korean ever to be promoted to the rank of Seventh Degree Black Belt in Hapkido by the Korea Hapkido Federation. He is the author of Hapkido: The Korean Art of Self Defense and The Ki Process: Korean Secrets for Cultivating Dynamic Energy. He lives and teaches in Redondo Beach, California.