One who trains the physical body should also cultivate the mind!

By Singha-siddh S.

"Overcome the angry by friendliness,
overcome the wicked by goodness,
overcome the miser by generosity,
overcome the liar by truth...

He who neither punishes,
nor makes others punish,
He who neither steals,
nor makes others steal,
who in friendly goodwill
shares with all that lives,
such kind gentle one meets
no enmity anywhere...

Train yourself in doing only what is good,
that will last and bring great happiness!
Cultivate generosity, a peaceful living,
and a mentality of infinite friendliness..."

(Taken from the Dhammapada and Itivuttaka)

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Mind over matter! Sometimes, people tend to 'relieve' themselves of stress through vigorous training and physical activities. However, in truth, it is simply a momentary channeling of energy and thoughts.

Training moderately, with focus on physical objects are simply for our physical well-being. Training the mind helps us balance our lives, physically and mentally.

There will be occasions where we must observe and 'listen' to our inner voice and find solutions with overcoming negativities , differentiating which should be beneficial or not, in terms of actions. In this way, we also train ourselves to be a better listener, understanding our inner selves (note: this is not about following or feeding your ego, being indifferent to others or simply not wanting to adhere to specific rules and regulations, etc.).

Regardless of being an athlete, sportsperson or 'Martial Artist', a good mental foundation equates to a better quality of life. With this, we can truly achieve a balanced life with a healthy body and mind.

สิงหสิทธิ์ ศรียะพันธ์
Singha-siddh Sriyapant @ H.M. Khen
Web Manager,
WWW.JAKICKBOXING.COM

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The cake and the mold...

By Singha-siddh S.

Kru Jak encourages us to think and introspect or examine the precious knowledge that were taught to us. As the studio's tagline says, our system is based on "where science meets tradition...” He used to explain to me how a relationship between a teacher and student is like. He likes to give me the classical example of how a cake is made; the mold or 'cup' is what one's teacher is like and the cake is the result of the mold (a student is molded by his/her teacher the way he or she is trained). A freshly baked cake is often 'soft' and may not bear much obvious resemblance to its mold but if left for a long time, it hardens and takes more resemblance to its mold.

In the past, local community used to gather in groups for protection and discuss among their family in times of need, to share knowledge and experiences. In order to survive, strict adherence to certain codes and beliefs, usually as lessons learnt from past mistakes which may have caused danger and loss of life were said to be followed almost religiously.

Perhaps this was also how Martial Art training first begun. Society in the past had kept such knowledge as family secret and passed on from one generation after another (orally or in written), usually protected even if it means that one’s life is sacrificed to guard this treasure (which is something that may or may not be tangible). With this, family values, ethics and code of honour were an integral part of the community.

At our studio, we maintain this principle of enshrining family values in our tradition. Tradition is where culture and spirit of the art's philosophy lives on. It is not simply about the techniques alone. In fact, this part of training isn't something that can simply be learned from books. We don't change what was taught to us as what was taught by the masters of the bygone days. What makes it seem to appear different is due to the different kinds of approach different instructors take in conducting the class (individual styles and personal understanding within their own capacity). This works both ways. Students who receive instruction of certain drills by their respective instructors should always strive to comprehend what is being taught to them instead of blindly following what was being instructed. This is where the 'science' comes in.

"Never give up!"

สิงหสิทธิ์ ศรียะพันธ์
Singha-siddh Sriyapant @ H.M. Khen
Web Manager,
WWW.JAKICKBOXING.COM

Read More