The Woman Warrior: What Does That Even MEAN?

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Tachibanna-hime ukiyo-e — Tachibanna-hime fighting a dragon under a bridge

As you might’ve guessed, I’m a woman (10 Awesome Points for you if I didn’t need to tell you that). And, I’m a martial artist which puts in the category of warrior (if you’re someone who believes that the term warrior is only reserved for people who have experienced actual combat, that’s not what I’m talking about here. I’m interested in discussing mindsets. So, put your diatribe a side and just listen), because I’m training very closely to the ways ancient people did to fight each other in battles and wars. Also, I’m philosophical so I like to think about things and find answers to my questions. Questions like, I represent a minority in the martial arts, why is that so? Why are many women not-so-inclined to become martial artists? Is it too male? Too violent? Too… something? I’ve spent many hours researching the warrior mentality, what it means to be a martial artist as a woman, and etc.

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The Moral Center of Martial Arts: Emotions, Beliefs, and Spirituality.

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When people talk about the martial arts, most of what I hear is how cool this move was, or that kick, or how flexible or physically skilled so and so was in their competition. Training to hit, kick, take down, and otherwise incapacitate someone is the basic premise of martial arts. Necessity being the mother of invention means she birthed warrior training, and for obvious reasons.

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Taking the Road Less Traveled (Part 2): Fear, Panic, Anxiety, and the Calming Effect of the Martial Arts

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I remember sitting on my knees on the mats to the far left, Mark Sensei was beside me asking me what was stopping me from successfully executing ukemi (safely falling). I had been at it for weeks by that point. Fear stiffened my body, either preventing a decent roll, or stopping me altogether. I had to keep going no matter what, but man oh man, was it difficult to push myself into this art.

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Taking the Road Less Traveled (Part 1): From Victim to Victor, Within the Context of the Martial Arts.

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As I sit here on my couch, I find myself reflecting on my past. A lot of things people normally experience in their youth were lost to me: happiness, security, a sense of purpose, and so on. It wasn’t until I became acquainted with Jesus that I got on the true path to recovery. He usually sends me on an unusual path, unusual even in Christian circles, to find healing and wholeness. Like a surprise laid out long ago for me to find at the right time and place.

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The Battle Has Just Begun

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I’ve heard rumors that once a person reaches a black belt, they’ve only just begun to train. All of what happened before was preparing for the next level of training which is sort of like starting fresh at something. Not say that all of the previous belt levels are useless, but they are essentially basics. Many of the black belts I know seem to be on a different plane of learning. It seems they’ve achieved something, are more aware of themselves and their capabilities, they can think a little more out of the box. However, there is an understanding that the real work is just beginning. In a blog by the Budo Bum, when speaking of budo (武道 “way of war”) he often refers to how budo is a journey, in other words it’s not a means to an end, it’s a way of living. The ideas behind budo translates well into the notion that a black belt is just getting started.

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