Movement and the way of the warrior.

The Master has been thinking about the new experiences and movements he is learning from rowing, and pondering how his philosophy can be applied. Make no mistake; there is not an element of your life that could not be improved with the Master’s guidance.

Not one.

He has already noted some aspects of mental preparation which he will in future enlarge upon, but today the Master chooses to discourse upon his philosophy of movement, his kinesis.

As you are no doubt aware by now, the master views the life of the adept as that of a warrior. The adept, and even the most novice devotee, seeks to conquer every day. The mental struggles are evident in the philosophy of Master Yung Young, but the devotee may question the physical side, asks, “Master, you say that the race is a struggle within. How is the means, the outcome, the rowing stroke, analogous to war?”

After delivering a hefty buffet to the skull of the impatient questioner, reminding him to be patient and not question the words of the Master., the Master notes that of course the physical manifestation of the adept’s skills is war. There are a certain set of feelings and movements of the warrior, which are trained by the adept, as suggested by Flavius Josephus, who noted of the successful warrior that their

“drill are bloodless wars, and their wars are bloody drills”.

The warrior will attack their practice with the intensity of war, and perform their war with a skill learnt, thereby killing all his enemies. So, the Master turned his all-seeing gaze to the movement of rowing. But because he is all-seeing, he realised that there are certain things upon which even he is not ready to offer guidance. This includes the movement of the rower.

Mr. Ginn discourses frequently upon this. His philosophy is of course informed by the Master, but his experience is greater. But the Master is learning, and will soon overtake his protégé. But even from his brief acquaintance he has come to conclusions which set you immutable precepts.

The first of these is to puncture a frequently-held myth that the rowing stroke is an unbroken cycle, a conveyor belt of perpetual motion ebbing and flowing like a sin curve or the shape a whip makes before it cracks over the back of the Master’s more recalcitrant servants. This is rubbish.

An unbroken cycle cannot be entered into. The adept must find a point at which to enter the cycle. It is much like meditation. Once in a meditative state, there is no beginning, middle, or end. There is only “is”.

So the Master issues the following thoughts on where to enter the rowing stroke, and what the warrior should feel at each point.

The catch…or as the Master calls it: “Engagement” Like a butcher chopping cheap meat, the athlete swiftly and purposely bring their blade down upon with water with accuracy, intent and with the full purpose of separating what was previously joined. The disciple’s biceps should flair in anticipation…

The Drive…. In Master Yung Young’s monastery, this is referred to as "the challenge" - it is in the phase of the stroke you ask a simple question….can you separate your spin from your hips?

The finish….rip, spin. Removing your sword from your opponent’s carcass ready to drive it into the next foe.

The Master has blessed you with these thoughts. Do not waste them.