By: Sensei Mike Savard

Usually we think we have control of all our actions and thoughts, until we close our eyes starting a Zen meditation, then we face something comes from the dark side which is uncontrollable and ruled by the thoughts parasites. This flow of distracting ideas creates confusion and brings feelings of discomfort and unrest that disrupt the meditative process. Within minutes, you begin to doubt the usefulness of meditation as a means to get somewhere. We are used to obtain some benefit whether physical, emotional or intellectual when we use part of “our time” and that conditioning-very exercised in the past, creates anxiety that is responsible for disturbing during meditation.
The mind is like an entity which is disturbing and dominates.

Later, the practitioner begins to feel the discomfort of the new situation and may “think” that all this has no purpose. Because both the past and the future cannot be in the present, in the here and now, the mind of the person feels lost and therefore the emotion that accompanies it is always anxious disorientation. This feeling and questions are faced by almost all martial artists during their practice, let’s see what Zen meditation can offer us as response.

The goal of meditation is simply to put the practitioner’s mind in the here and now, in the present. The state of consciousness is one with the present moment, which is the only one there and it’s where life unfolds – there is nowhere else this time than “now”. The name in Zen Buddhism has given the present state of consciousness is: the so-called satori, which is only a moment of full consciousness to the present, and the state of enlightenment, consciousness is full, permanent and natural way to each present moment. Zen masters always say: “Living in the here and now of each moment of life.”

The origin of the flow of thoughts that hinder parasite presence status, not the result of meditation, what happens is we begin to become aware of the mind, precisely from this new state of observation and quiet, we become aware of uncontrolled aspect of the mind of the emerging ideas constantly bubbling. Paradoxically, it is the quiet breathing induced by making us aware of the thoughts that have always existed in the mind, but we were not aware of them. This process has to be taken as a sign of progress. Before circulating the flow of thoughts without being noticed, perhaps for the first time, we contemplate our thoughts from a quiet space . It is a good sign, it is better to be aware of the occurrence of parasitic thoughts to have them and not be aware of them. Be aware, however unhelpful thought is, spiritually speaking, higher than the state of unconsciousness.

Do not pretend to control the thoughts, especially if you’ve meditated for a short time, they will always be imposed and the feeling of frustration that follows, can limit your progress and lead you on, think! Stick to contemplate the thoughts that arise, like clouds that change shape and volume between lightning and thunder.

Mike Savard, Windsor
5th  Dan Aikido

Today, the interpretation is Nan (seven) and Budo (martial arts), so it can easily be translated as the martial art of seven forces which I will explain in one of the next articles.

Energy, breathing, movement and mental attitude, their interaction and balance are inseparable elements that make the foundation for the improvement of the physical and psychological health. They are preconditions

for a sound self-occupation while to those most capable they are preconditions for practising a martial art and high-quality sport.

These elements, guided by the natural laws of the individual and the environment, help nanbudo sport and martial art to eliminate in its essence any form of force directed towards external world. However, it allows acquiring of internal energy, which concretises every day in the form of general positive attitude to life.

To live means to permanently renew that energy, by opening all senses in order to accept natural cycle we are in, and become intimately related to it.
Nature talks to us and therefore we have to turn to and communicate with it.

Three levels of the application of Nanbudo can contribute to a better understanding of the whole art:

*        The first level – technical level – which unites most efficient aspects of different martial arts;
*         The second level – physical level – aiming at sustaining and maintaining of health through strict control of body functions, especially breathing;
*         The third level – spiritual (mental) level – by means of which we learn to develop our own self-control, imagination and intuition.

It is clear, though, that a good understanding of all three levels can be achieved only through practice. It is very hard to describe by words a method, which is based on everyday practise.

However, let us at least try to analyse this system. Nanbudo is divided into three basic parts that pave the way to the development of the one who practises it. Their names are: BU DO HO, KI DO HO and NO RYOKU KAIHATSU HO.
These three parts include comprehensive methodology and reflect the phases of transformation of a being to its fulfilment and complete mastery over the art and sport of nanbudo.

BU DO HO

The first part is conceived for the purpose of development of KI energy and gives a range of exercises whose aim is vitalisation of the body and acceptance of the vital energy by practising a martial mart. Among martial techniques of

Nanbudo we find a wide range of possibilities of self-defence with one’s bare hands, but also with tools and weapons, i.e., with a stick (Bo) and a sabre (Katana).

To maintain the unity of mind and body, this part contains auto-suggestive meditative

techniques combined with work on movement and breathing. These are techniques of meditation – Nanbudo Mitsu No Chikara and Nanbudo Nantsu No Chikara. Nanbudo sport is a logical extension of this part, using all
the knowledge learned and used – in sport performance.

KI DO HO

The second part of the progression is directed towards the development of higher abilities, which is achieved by energy exercises, breathing exercises, use of traditional medicine, as well as by handling the Earth magnetism and its control for the therapeutic purposes.

This group includes the following exercises: Tenchi Undo, Taiso respiratory gymnastics, Genki kata and Ki Undo.

The third part unites three philosophic levels of perception and understanding of the world, which by concentration of the person on him/herself and his/her natural environment help the development of the “sixth sense”.

The first level or Ten No Noryoku is the reflection upon the philosophy of Budo, and is directed towards the development of intellect and perception.

The Universe and its energy supplement this level.The second level, Chi No Noryoku or the philosophy of nature is intimately related to the Earth and is represented as the ability to discern the elements from nature, such as sun, waves, wind, rocks. These exercises bring about the development of human values that participate in the formation of the global man.

The third level, Ki No Noryoku or philosophy of life teaches the abilities related to Ki and vitality of a human being.

Renshi Petar Turkovic, Zagreb
7th Dan Nanbudo.

Pour moi, le Karaté et le Nanbudo représentent la matérialisation du concept Yin et Yang,   c’est le parfait équilibre que les Budoka cherchent à avoir, le Karaté pour le conditionnement du corps et l’acquisition des techniques de compétition et d’auto-défense, et le Nanbudo pour la relaxation, la respiration, l’harmonie, la visualisation et la méditation active, l’un ne peut faire le travail de l’autre, sinon le karaté ne sera plus le Karaté et le Nanbudo ne le sera plus, ils ne sont pas antinomique ni antagoniste mais plutôt complémentaire, deux éléments qui cohabitent en relation de symbiose, l’un ne peut dominer l’autre, si on pratique un on doit sortir et  entrer dans la bulle de l’autre qu’on veut pratiquer, mais on ne peut pas les faire de la même façon, chacun a sa philosophie, son environnement et ses perspectives, qu’on peut les superposer pour atteindre « l’euphorie martiale».
Il est important de souligner qu’ au fil des ans notre pratique de Karaté change, notre perception et vision change, on passe à ce qu’on appelle « la sagesse de la pratique», c’est à dire le vrai intérêt au Ki, et c’est là où les arts martiaux qui mettent l’action sur le travail interne comme  le Qi-Quang, le Nanbudo, le Taichi-Chuan, et autres se montrent en évidence, il faut garder en esprit que le Ki de Karaté peut se ressembler à ces dernières disciplines, mais n’a rien avoir dans la réalité avec eux, et c’est pour cela je disais en haut, et j’aimerais bien le répéter qu’ils sont complémentaires et que l’un ne peut faire le travail de l’autre mais doivent vivre en relation de symbiose.

De même pour les Nanbudoka avec le temps ils s’aperçoivent qu’il manque l’aspect d’auto-défense,  et ce n’est pas pour rien qu’on remarque quelques dojos de Nanbudo qui annexent d’autres arts martiaux, selon le choix des instructeurs.

C’est un cheminement inéluctable pour ceux qui travaillent avec une réflexion, pour ceux qui cherchent l’accomplissent de soi pour ceux qui sont en quête de la sagesse Martiale.

En guise de conclusion je vous invite à  admirer et méditer quelques citations du grand Philosophe Confucius, qui ont une relation avec le sujet de cet article.

« J’entends et j’oublie, je vois et je me souviens, je fais et je comprends »

«Après une faute, ne pas se corriger, c’est la vraie faute»

Montréal, Octobre 2009.
Mehdi Naguib


Setting in motion certain energy flows in the body and the increasing of one’s own sensitivity to that flow are very important aspects of the practicing of nanbudo.

Ki Undo technique develops sensitivity of the Rokyu point (inner part of the palm), which is very important for the communication (inflow and outflow of the energy); of the Hyakue point (top of the head, called the point of  “A Hundred Meetings”) which enables the reception of the energy from the space (sky); of the Shintei / Sankon point (between the eyebrows ) whose stimulation enables the development of creativity, and the Yusen point (the point in the middle of the foot, which is the correspondent of the Rokyu point in the middle of the palm).

By regular practicing the whole body becomes a big “sensor” capable of detection of the smallest changes not only within its own system but also outside it.

On the one hand, what we are talking about is sensitivity to the signals of one’s own body – indirectly, i.e., the development of one’s own system, which takes care of its own health, and on the other, about a “radar” system for reception of all, even the smallest stimuli from the environment, which announce any kind of approaching.

The exercises consist in easy movements of arms and legs with the simultaneous imagining of the energy flow through the body and certain energy points.