Library

Mind, Body, Spirit.  The Triangle of Life

By Ferol Arce and Patrick McDermott.

Do you know who you are? Do you know what you want from life? Can you control and channel your thoughts, actions and feelings? This book will help you answer these questions. -All you need to know-terminology, lore, philosophy and motivation-to succeed at Karate, and at Life. -Brings East and West together, taking the best from each. -Master a toolbox of techniques, such as meditation and visualization, that will help you along the way. -What to do before, during, and after class to maximize benefit-techniques that are applicable to any learning situation. -How to work on speed, balance, and power, but most of all control: control your punches, but also control your emotions to control your destiny. -Lessons you can really use-proven in the dojo and in the world! -You will learn about yourself from this book, and what you are made of. Achieve balance in the triangle of life-your Mind, Body & Spirit-in life as well in the martial arts. You will find ways to improve what you know about yourself, feel about yourself, and what you think about yourself.

Karate Do, My Way of Life

By Gichin Funakoshi

Linking the time when karate was a strictly Okinawan art of self-defense shrouded in the deepest secrecy and the present day, when it has become a martial art practiced throughout the world, is Gichin Funakoshi, the "Father of Karate-do." 

Out of modesty, he was reluctant to write this autobiography and did not do so until he was nearly ninety years of age. Trained in the Confucian classics, he was a schoolteacher early in life, but after decades of study under the foremost masters, he gave up his livelihood to devote the rest of his life to the propagation of the Way of Karate. Under his guidance, techniques and nomenclature were refined and modernized, the spiritual essence was brought to the fore, and karate evolved into a true martial art. 

Various forms of empty-hand techniques have been practiced in Okinawa for centuries, but due to the lack of historical records, fancy often masquerades as fact. In telling of his own famous teachers-and not only of their mastery of technique but of the way they acted in critical situations-the author reveals what true karate is. The stories he tells about himself are no less instructive: his determination to continue the art, after having started it to improve his health; his perseverance in the face of difficulties, even of poverty; his strict observance of the way of life of the samurai; and the spirit of self-reliance that he carried into an old age kept healthy by his practice of Karate-do.

Moving Zen

By Hirokazu Kanazawa

A classic story of one man's confrontation with the self through Karate.

In 1962 at age twenty-two, C. W. Nicol left Wales to study Karate in Japan. He quickly found that the study of the martial art engaged his whole being and transformed his outlook on life. Moving Zen is the multifaceted story of a young man who arrived in Japan to study the technique of, and spirit behind, Karate. 

Joining the Japan Karate Association, or Shotokan, Nicol discovered that Karate, while extremely violent, also called for politeness and a sense of mutual trust and responsibility. He learned that the stronger the Karateka, the more inclined he was to be gentle with others. Those who have gained a measure of skill but have not yet achieved spiritual maturity are the dangerous practitioners. Studying kata, Nicol came to realize that these forms are, in essence, moving Zen and that the ultimate goal of all the martial arts is tranquility.

Through the help of many gifted teachers, C. W. Nicol gained his black belt, and moved progressively closer to his goal of tranquility. His story, Moving Zen, was first published in 1975 and has achieved the status of a modern classic.

The Weaponless Warriors: An Informal History Of Okinawan Karate

By Richard Kim

The Weaponless Warriors by Richard Kim is one of the most coveted books on the martial arts. After being out of print for many years it is back in circulation. Kim is a talented story teller, as many of his students will attest to, as well as a Judo and Karate black belt, and teacher of Shorinji-ryu Kenpo. The Weaponless Warriors explores the history of Okinawan Karate and its growth, told through vignettes about its most famous practitioners. Kim obviously did his research and included rare photographs of the earliest pioneers of Naha-te, the empty-hand style of self-defense. An entertaining read, with lots of info on all the great Karate Masters of the past, Kim also manages to teach the reader some lessons. The Weaponless Warriors is an essential addition to any martial artist's library

Zen and Meditation: Fighting Spirit of Zen & Holistic Meditation

By Duke Moore

Now back in print, these two classics by Raymond "Duke" Moore explore the power of Zen and the meditation in the Martial Arts. Fighting Spirit of Zen is Duke's 1974 treatise on how the spirit of Zen relates to the martial arts, and life generally. First published in 1980, Holistic Meditation tells how this powerful technique can help you succeed in your goals.* Jerry Kunzman: "Duke was one of a kind and, like the other 'greats of yesteryear', can never be replaced. But his words and teachings can live forever in his writings."* Rick Alemany: "We were all fortunate to have known Duke. He was way ahead of his time and it was a great loss to the Martial Arts world when he passed."* James Moses: "This text teaches meditation as a skill that can be learned, taught, practiced, and mastered."* Ferol Arce: "Duke always had a twinkle in his eyes, and always made you feel as though you were on the right track with what ever you were trying to accomplish