War Chief Pt2

The uncommon mentor.......

He sees the weaknesses in you before you feel the pain of them. 

He sees an enemy before you discern him.

He has already experienced the pain of a problem you are about to create.

Mi kmaq isn't blood; its what is in the heart. 
The love of the land. The respect for it,those who inhabit it;
 and the respect and acknowledgement of the spirits and the elders.

Funny the 'white mans' ignorance calling the Mi kmaq feirce and warlike creatures.
Yet they came and raped the
She heard about a place people were smilin'
They spoke about the red man's way,
how they loved the land
And they came from everywhere
Seeking a place to stand
or a place to hide

The white men came and raped the land,
Nobody caught 'em
Put up a bunch of ugly boxes,
and Jesus people bought 'em
and they called it paradise
The place to be

We satisfy our endless needs and
justify our bloody deeds,
in the name of destiny
and in the name of God

The Eagles "The Last Resort"

I call this "Fierce, warlike creature"dad ; he is the most generous compasionate loving person I know and now Jim Maloney is a Judan....10th Degree Blackbelt.
They say you can't go any higher in Martial Arts than 10th Degree,  I disagree you could be a 'War Chief"........or a father, a grandfather, a husband, a mentor and a friend.
Thanks Dad for being all of those !!

War Chief Pt1

Maybe your not a protege' but a parasite.

A parasite wants what you've earned not what you've learned.

A parasite wants whats in your hands not what's in your heart.

Are you a protege' or a parasite ?

A mentors suggestion is a command for a protege'

Dr. Mike Murdock

Jim Maloney, 'War Chief' to The Mi'kmaq Nation, The Mi'kmaq are the original natives of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick parts of Newfounland, Quebec and Maine. 

To get Jimmy going when he was sparring, Bob Bethoney would pound out an Indian war drum beat on the floor louder and louder. It was as if to call the Indian Chiefs' spirits to come down and join Jim's body. After that jimmy was fighting like a God. When you look at the last scene in the movie THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS, where the father having seen his son killed, rushes up the mountain slaying dozens of Indians without breaking his stride and with the eye of the tiger in Mooshin , finally gets to the person who killed his son and is able to take revenge with violence of action, power and technique.......that is Jimmy.

Bruce Lee visited George Mattsons' Dojo once and Jim had a chance to fight Bruce; in fact there is a picture in Bruce Lee's book with Jimmy and Bruce squaring off.

Maloney's fighting speed in those days was phenomenal.

Bruce only weighed 127 lbs back then. He had a hard time against Jim who would charge him behind a wauke screen sweeping away his kicks.

In this shot you can see Bruce Lee about to be taken down by Maloney.

 Uechi has the 'straight blast' similar to WC but with open chain palms out of seisan that are extremely effective for short stop and take downs.

 Bruce wasn't used to that.

In a conversation with Van Canna, Jimmy said that the exchanges were many and Bruce used some of the photos for his book of the action shots. 

Van said, Bruce was trying to close the distance with fast kicks,
 but couldn't and that Jimmy had to take it easy on him because he weighed only 127 pounds. George Mattson was telling Jimmy ‘Take it easy’ for fear he’d knock him to the floor. Jimmy did confirm he got his wauke under his side and round kicks several time in a jamming fashion,off balancing him, but holding him up so he wouldn't fall.

I remember as a 14 year old kid going to Jimmys' seminars on (P.C.T.).

 His Pressure Point Control Tactics seminars are 'electrifying' to say the least !!! 

 No matter how many times he 'lit me up' I kept going back....... 
At 15 years old I returned to George Mattsons' Summerfest and demonstrated the skills he had taught me the year before. Sensei Maloney awarded me a beautiful certificate from the tribal justice institute, it became my prize possession.

Disenchanted with the politics involved in the testing process in Uechi Ryu,  I hadn't tested in 10 or more years. I had a discussion with Sensei Maloney about Rank and Titles in Uechi Ryu, To my surprise asked me to look at my 'material' the next day.

So I previewed my material for this motly crew. for hours in the hot sun...............

The Gi tore at my sunburned skin as I performed the test material on a wet incline of grass at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.

 Much to my surprise my board consisted of a host of legendary fighter / Grand Masters from Karates' Blood & Guts era ! 

I was surprised and empowered when these great men actually cheered me on.

"Stop looking up and look ahead, you've already arrived"

Jim Maloney

Don't look for someone to give you influence only as a mentor.

Your mentor should be a source of influence to your life,

not a channel of influence to societal wealth and power and prestige.

His influence should be towards achieving your dream and greatness.

Hide & Seek

Succeed or fail at our process there are two sets of footprints in the sand.

In fitness, life love and martial arts we hit plateaus and we meet with failures,
It's not trying that is unacceptable.
There is nothing wrong with celebrating success
but true victory comes from heeding the lessons of failure.

Again this week suffering from writers block I turned to

 Denise 'Blogger of the Heart' Davis, who said,

Expecting better relationships by doing the same thing over and over is failing. 
If you want true, unconditional love there's only 'ONE' who can give you that.
Everyone else will fail you at some point in your life.
At your lowest points it's frustrating to only see one set of foot prints in the sand.

I've been blessed with a large pool of mentors.
Each time I hit a 'sticking point' I turn to one for explanation and / or motivation.
More often than not the 'truth' we seek is not as mysterious
 as most would have you believe.The 'trick' is to not 'buy the popcorn'.

In sales we say 'keep it simple stupid'.
Art Rabesas' explanation of 'power in-fighting' is the same.


Simple - Direct - having 'Violence of Action'

Do not fear mistakes. You will know failure. Continue to reach out.

 In the mean time we should behold the rain that descends on our vineyards,

 it enters the roots of the vines and changes into wine;
 A constant proof that God loves us, and loves to see us happy.
 The rest will work itself out with trial and error ....

after all we are human and mistakes are what we do.

The Good Touch

In martial arts life and love we are all susceptible to the fantasy of 'the good touch'.

The old Kung Fu master touched his assailant, with no apparent effect. 

 Days later, the assailant died a sudden and mysterious death. 

 He was a victim of the legendary dim mak, the touch of death.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ar1yXYOsxQk#t=233

The Cantonese term 'dim mak' does not translate to 'death touch'.
A more accurate translation would be 'press artery'

There are pressure points on the body that when manipulated 
 cause immediate excruciating pain;
 also vital areas that require a small amount of force to inflict great damage.
As martial artists we are trained to protect these areas.

When it gets Intimate

Understanding the manipulation of these meridians allows for heightened awareness and
 states of arousal during intimacy actually creating a hungering for them.
This understanding leads to new sensations and/or states of arousal,
where we can achieve even more pleasure.


The Intimate Fighting Range

Though some pressure points happen to be located along arteries.
This does not make 'Dim Mak' synonymous with pressure point striking or grappling.
The 'Bubishi'  is the how and the where...

But is the practice of the how and the where a stand alone fighting STYLE ?

I think not .....
As a companion art I believe in the validity of Kyushu.
It's study is like a dictionary of striking points and methodologies.
As a stand alone defense system it's dangerous to believe in it's stand alone efficacy .

Martial Arts , Life and Love are all founded in part in Fantasy & Myths.
One such myth is that Kyushu alone will save you against a 'motivated assailant'.

Knowing how to hit,
 (boxing & kicking matrix, small circle ju-jitsu);
the development of interactive skills ie:
 movement vs firepower,controlling distance, 
set point control and aggressive defense,
ring generalship and controlling the pocket are hallmark attributes
 we train these attributes on a daily basis so as not to be vulnerable.

A Matter of Inspiration..a letter to a friend

A flower that continues to bloom in the face of adversity is the most beautiful of all.

Adversity, pain & heartbreak are all seeds for the improvement of ourselves,

 or those we mentor.

I remember as a 13 year old boy meeting you for the first time.

You were a pretty intimidating guy, the kinda guy I wanted to become 

after being repeatedly bullied on the school bus.

Children must be taught how to think not what to think....you did that.

The mind of a child is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled.

You were not so much a teacher to me but an awakener.

We live our lives between the act of awakening and the act of surrender.

Each morning we awaken to the light, an invitation to a new day in the world of time.

Each night we surrender to the darkness to play in the world of dreams,

 where time is no more.

Often the profound effect we have on others goes unnoticed by us.

As parents we want to be heros to our children.
As warriors we want to leave the mark of our will, our signature,

on the hearts and minds of our students, and all who's lives we touch.

You have done that in me Thank You, It is an honor to call you a mentor and a friend.

The pantless hermaphrodite

Winnie the Pooh was banned from a Polish playground for being an

 'inappropriate hermaphrodite'

Winnie the Pooh has been banned from a Polish playground

 because of his “dubious sexuality” and “inappropriate” dress.

This says something about us as a global community.

Humankind has an innate ability to find something wrong with everything.

My friend John Hall and I have always been of  the belief that wearing no pants

 symbolizes a day off, Doesn't Pooh deserve a day off too ?

He's a mythical character made up by an old man, I imagine that must be pretty tiring.
Perhaps the 'old man' is suffering from Alzheimer's and forgot to draw the pants.

Winnie the Pooh is also 'dumb as a box of rocks' maybe he forgot to put his pants on.

I'm a big proponent of 'no pants' if it was socially acceptable I'd sure do it.

Wouldn't you ?

He eats alot of honey, maybe his pants are being washed from frequent spilling.

Maybe, he likes to feel the air on his 'Winnie'.........

or he 'poohs' alot and requires quick access.

Whatever the truth is I think the 'bear should be bear'.....just sayin.

They say life is so much sweeter

Through the telephoto lens of fame

Whether you're late for church or you're stuck in jail

Hey, word's gonna get around

Everybody dies famous in a small town

-Miranda Lambert-


It's said that when someone shares their favorite songs with you,
 embrace them, because they’re giving you a small glimpse into their soul.

I try to do this in my stories each time.
Why do we close our eyes when we pray, cry, kiss or dream?
 Because the most beautiful things in life are not seen but felt by the heart

The safety of being a 'big fish' in a small pond, is like living on an island.

No one will ever discover your pretense if you don't cross 'the bridge',
 never venturing from the 'safety net'  of a small town.

Pooh is safe in the 'Hundred acre wood' without his pants, 
without the judgment of the global community, with his honey.

Life is easy for him as long as he doesn't cross 'the bridge.'
He'll never develop courage, because he won't have to challenge adversity.



Every adversity, every failure,

 every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.

-Napoleon Hill-

Rotting on the Vine

Time you enjoy wasting, is not time wasted.
Iv'e been through 2 legal pads of notes trying to make this damn thing perfect.

At least I'm laughing at myself and my 'OCD shotgun' approach to this. 

I feel like a day spent without laughing would really be a wasted one.
At least I'm doing that !!!

Trying to live with a sense of urgency often makes things seem overwhelming.
Sometimes it's better when things aren't perfect.
At least that way you know 'it's' real.
Creativity, is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art, is knowing which ones to keep.

I'm working on a DVD project with one of my mentors, Art Rabesa.
We are highlighting Arts' encyclopedic knowledge of Power In-Fighting and training methodologies with an R.M.A. twist ......FEARS style !!!

Excellence is attainable, but perfection ?
In our profession, precision and perfection are not dispensable luxuries,
 they're necessary attributes.

I was doing my weighted walk through the cemetery today.
Leaves were blowing everywhere, Summer's death has completely given way
 to the decay of Fall: now too soon replaced by Winters frosty grip.

It reminded me of how we all hope for breakthrough rebirth moments.
My training went through a renaissance after experiencing the power of Art Rabesa.

Art said something interesting during a recent phone conversation.
He said, "I don't need to hurt anyone for them to learn this 'stuff'. "

O.K. but I sure remember pain......
I think we gain wisdom from mentors and pain and Art Rabesa provides both.
I'm sure thankful for it too because the experience changed 'my martial art' forever.

In Martial Arts, Fitness, Life and Love were are searching for
someone or something whose 'demons' will play well with ours. 

Arts' 'demons' play well with mine

A Matter of Cognizance

I received a message from a friend after the last blog post about writers block.

They asked if I was O.K. ?

I think they thought I was emotionally hijacked or something !!

Per-cep-tion

The state, process or ability to see, hear,
 or become aware of something through the senses.

I try when 'wordsmithing', to leave you with an opportunity to interpret
each sentence, paragraph or phrase for your own personal meaning.

For example the arrow through the heart goes back to Cupid .

It symbolizes the arrow finding love in ones heart.

But, the arrow also symbolizes that love can hurt as well.

A waitress at 'burger night' a couple weeks ago
 was getting off shift and saw me writing.

She asked, "Are you a writer ?"

I replied, " More like a 'wordsmith'....LOL"
She then asked if she could read something I had written.
I let her read what I was working on.

Her head started nodding, then shaking her head she looked up and burst into tears.
She said, "Oh my God this is my life."

You see, it's a matter of cognizance

There is a story of a old woman saying goodbye to her mother for the last time .

She said, 'I wish you enough', 
and the young woman burst into tears and hugged her mom.
She said through her tears, "You've given me more than enough mom."

To her the message was clear.....

I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.

I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.

I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.

I wish you enough pain to make small loves seem bigger.

I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.

I wish you enough loss to appreciate what you possess.

I wish you enough "hello's" to get you through the final "goodbye"

.

Your Dirty 'Ass'

Don't allow the Demons of your past

  unpack their baggage at the door of your future

This is the story of an old donkey and a farmer.

One day the farmers old donkey fell into his well.

Despite repeated attempts the farmer couldn't get the old donkey out of the well.

The well was running dry, and the donkey was old,

 so he decided to fill in the well with the old donkey in it.

The surrounding townspeople came to help but still couldn't lift out the donkey and finally were resigned to helping the farmer to fill in the well with the donkey in it.

The farmer would shovel dirt in the well and the donkey would shake off the dirt

 and then step up onto it until he rose up and actually stepped out of the well.... !

You dont develop courage by being happy

in your relationships everyday.

You develop it by overcoming adversity

 by surviving difficult times

and challenging adversity every day. 

-Epicurus-

O.K. so there might be one more lesson we can learn from this 'ass' .

The donkey bit the farmer in the ass and he got an infection and died.

The first lesson is obvious shake off the dirt and rise 

the second lesson ?

If you try to 'cover your ass' it'll bite you in the but in the end.

What do you see in his 'BUNNY EYES' ?

The eyes can tell you everything you need to know.

'

If dreams are lightning and thunder desire,
 this 'old house would've burned down long ago.
With Summer in full retreat, it feels sometimes that our shadow is casting us.

In Atlantic City, killing a buffet with my friend and mentor Joe Lewis;
I remember a conversation about the difference between being internally
and externally focused in fighting.

THE EYES HAVE IT !!

When you observe an adversary it is pretty easy to read someone by their eyes.
In the movie Stick  Burt Reynolds said,
"He's got 'bunny eyes' .

In Uechi Ryu they say, 'Glare in the Eyes with Fast hands'.

Outside Martial Arts it works the same way as in 'the fight game'.

You can read someones level of commitment or 'heart' by the same means.

In women 'the resting bitch face' is a good indicator to WATCH OUT !

They are ruled by emotion and rarely have 'Bunny Eyes'.

In men there is a BIG difference between 'a soulful look' and 'Bunny Eyes'.

It's easy to mistake this look as sullen or passive aggressive.

The eyes are the windows to the soul.

True Story

With an effective 'Thousand yard stare', you can make 

'ole bunny eyes' leave their 'place' and crawl back to the place where 

their weak and damaged soul used to hide.

Or as Joe Lewis would say, "Send 'em back home cryin' to their momma".

Joe would talk about an attitude technique, 'sitting an opponent down'

will go a long way in the crushing of an adversaries' spirit.

Bill Wallace used to 'talk' to Joe in the clinch to frustrate him

in an effort to break his concentration.

'True Victory' comes from defeating an opponent on all levels.

MENTALLY, PHYSICALLY 

 and  BREAKING their SPIRIT

Sophia and the Circle of Life

A friends daughter told me story about a week ago.

It's too good not to share, so here goes.

Sophia has dogs and cats but she wanted a fish.

After all kids love animals as pets.

They have a magical capacity to love unconditionally.

I think they see the word like an animal does.

Sophias' parents got her a fish,

and they set up a bowl as the fishes home.

Sophias' mom asked me to not use her name in this story'

you'll discover why in a minute.

Children are born with a love and affinity for nature,

Sophia loved her fish .

One day while Sophia was at school her mom decided to

'spice up the bowl' with some sea glass.

"Hey Lady I'm a fresh water fish, sea glass is from the sea".

But Sophias' mom apparently didn't hear what the fish was saying;

maybe she couldn't speak goldfish.......

The fish died almost instantly.

How was 'mom' gonna tell Sophia .....

'Mom' decided to feed the dead fish to their chickens.

'Mom' told me the upside was she got to teach Sophia about

'The Circle of Life'.

WHAT  !?!

In the future mom is only allowed to nurture Swedish fish....lol

It's easier to build up a child  than too repair an adult
so choose your words carefully.

I measure my life in moments not milestones.
My kids have taught me to be happy for no reason , always be curious
and to fight tirelessly for something I believe in.

While we try to teach our children something about life,
 they are teaching us what lifes' all about.

 The World of Kings and Liars

The 'Kings' are the dictators, 
those who would dictate to us what we are and are not capable of.

The 'Liars' are those who misdirect us for the sake of their own agenda.

In this brave new world we are the sculptor and the clay.

 As human beings we all develop emotional patterns.
These are mental or emotional states that tend to filter how we look at our lives.
You can change your emotional mood by a radical change in your physiology.

BTW  Sophia is just fine  and she has a wonderful  loving family.
She also has a friend named Robb Buckland !!