Many of the crafts that we practice in the West originated from the Far East. Two of the most notable things which have been widely accepted and assimilated into the Western culture are martial arts and meditation. This is quite an interesting fact because these two crafts are rooted in the ancient religions of the East, but is utilized secular manner in the more modern West.
A very popular form of martial arts currently practiced by millions is kung-fu. It was popularized by masters from the East through movies which showcased the amazing range of motions by practitioners, the awe-inspiring power kicks and punches. The intricate and yet graceful way of how their hands move from one space to another and the magnificence of how they synchronize their upper body movement with the complicated steps of their feet movement patterns; these are just some of the elements of how kung-fu astounded us with a real sense of enthusiasm and wonder.
Kung-fu masters find meditation as important as any physical exercise regimen which they practice on a daily basis. Meditation is also a form of combat to them. However strong or healthy the physical aspect of the self is but the mind is weak and uninspired; winning will be impossible. This is why kung-fu experts meditate before training their body.
Meditation is their mental training. It gives them the motivation to further enhance their physical skills through rigorous mental exercises. Meditation relaxes their mind allowing them to be stronger during intense training. The mental clarity which meditative techniques bring allows practitioners to quickly master new and more complicated moves. Mediation also helps them after training. Kung-fu training will eventually wear the body out. Meditation acts as an energizer and an energy charger to the body. Meditation enables the body to recuperate from stress and exhaustion at a faster rate. Faster relaxation means the faster they can get back to training again.
The martial arts are not for everybody. It requires individuals to be holistically prepared for battle. Not everybody can do the extreme moves of martial arts. However, everybody can employ meditation in their lives as a form of energizer for the mind and body.
