Kokoro Do - Internal Martial Arts, Mentoring & Education stands for professionalism with heart in the dynamic interplay of confrontation and encounter.
Mindful confrontation leads to an encounter with yourself and your counterpart.
The natural phenomenon of "struggle" also affects people with their first breath. If this does not succeed, the fight is lost and life too. The archaic of “struggle” is inherent in life in some form, on many levels, from beginning to end. Combat is always exhausting and unpleasant, which is why it is only too easy to avoid it. But he still knocks on our door and persistently invites us to accept a challenge. Rarely does modern man take up the "gauntlet" consciously and purposefully. In the need for harmony, out of fear but also comfort, the "modern man" tends to avoid confrontations and challenges in life. Opportunities for inner maturity and growth are often not taken advantage of. Acting against one's own conviction and inner knowledge is often the result. The conflict that arises inside the human being disturbs the natural balance, which is reinforced in the long run by patterns of compensation and repression.
The Art of Fighting
… does not aim at victory over others, but over oneself.
… means to actively undergo self-education as a human being step by step.
… accelerates a person's path to inner peace and human maturity.
... encloses the whole person in its educational effect.
Kokoro Do addresses the natural interplay of confrontation and encounter within a conflict, both internal and external, and demonstrates, through the systematic, professional use of martial arts, the importance of mindfully accepting an emerging conflict. Options for dealing with human factors are demonstrated, opening up new perspectives in a natural way.
In contrast to competition-oriented martial arts, traditionally practiced martial arts do not pursue victory in a discipline as an end in itself, but rather focus on the personal development of the practitioner as a human being.
Most martial arts originally served purely as physical training and self-defense against enemy attacks, lacking any inherent martial aspect. From the observation of nature and its living beings, techniques and systems were developed that were primarily defensive in nature, taking into account the recognized (natural) laws. Control over life energy (Qi, Chi, Ki, Prana) always played a major role.
The alignment of posture and structure, the balancing of yin and yang energies, the practice of correct breathing and the creation of a clear mind were integrated into complex training systems with the help of a wide variety of movement and meditation forms, which would last for millennia. The self-defense aspect is based on a peaceful attitude that will do everything to avoid a fight unless absolutely necessary. In the 1,500-year-old Shaolin culture, which is also considered the cradle of martial arts, the practice of martial arts (kung fu) was always closely linked to the practice of Chan meditation and has always served the holistic development of humans towards a peaceful and compassionate being.
Other martial arts, such as Iai-Do, Ken-Do and Kyu-Do, evolved from the art of war in medieval Japan (Bujutsu). The warriors of that time (samurai) had to deal intensively with their (natural) fear of death (in addition to their martial skills) in order to be able to meet the requirements of a battle or a duel with courage. Through the intensive, mindful involvement in the depths of every moment of life, they practiced (also with the means of the fine arts) in a presence detached (from fears, desires and ideas). Out of the power of life you attained the ability to face death with indifference.
Nowadays, following the practice path of a traditional martial art (Budo/ Wudao: “The way to end the fight"Fortunately, prescribing a martial art (Kyoto) no longer requires practitioners to engage in bloody combat, as the actual battle has shifted to the inner being of the individual. Nevertheless, the pursuit of precise artistry, mental strength, and emotional balance requires the courage to confront oneself, a very high degree of self-discipline, and a willingness to learn, combined with maximum effort. One practices patience and determination, developing endurance, frustration tolerance, and composure.
Every serious martial arts practitioner knows, from personal experience, the comprehensively positive effects of consistent practice. For centuries, martial arts practitioners have voluntarily subjected themselves to a proven method of self-education and self-help that also supports them in their daily lives and allows them to shape their lives with self-competence.
Passionate martial artists know and appreciate the laws of nature and adapt to them respectfully. Aware of the close proximity of life and death, they consciously engage in (often fatal) combat techniques.
Aware of the dangers of combat, all traditional martial arts systems have always placed emphasis on the simultaneous development of an upright, ethically peaceful (inner) attitude in their students. This distinctive feature of traditional martial arts is reflected in partially codified sets of rules and values, but has also been and continues to be reflected in the methodology and teaching methods of the various martial arts teaching systems.
The experience of the preciousness of life unfolds casually. Growing gratitude and compassion for all living beings pacify the heart. The soul finds peace.
All Kokoro Do offerings aim to promote people’s mental, physical and emotional health and to promote peaceful coexistence.
