Flaming Waterdrops

There is plenty of evidence that interest in martial arts has been declining over the last decade. This is apparent, and I believe the reasons are the internet, globalization, and changing trends. People who are drawn to combative activities and want to explore and develop their own InFi style simply don’t stay in schools for long. They train for a while and then move on. The internet opens the eyes of the open-minded. You can watch anything you want online, and masters can no longer keep their secrets the way they could 30 years ago. As a result, teachers are no longer seen as authority figures; they’ve become more like customer service providers. Changing trends are another factor. The popularity of martial arts fluctuates. MMA, Krav Maga, and tricking are the current trends. In my opinion, it’s just fashion. The fact that these are popular doesn’t mean they’re better—they’re simply newer and heavily promoted through the media. When it comes to individual fighting styles, some tr...

You can scoop water, but you cannot grip it or crush it. Water makes no effort to be high; it naturally seeks the lowest point. If you try to raise it or strike it, it resists and pushes back. It has no will to serve what is claimed—it simply serves. Water nourishes all things. It waters flowers, sustains living beings, cleanses, softens, and embraces. Water always tries to come to rest, yet it cannot be stopped until it reaches its final destination. If you place something in its path, it finds a way around. It can bring down barriers. It seeps through the smallest cracks. Water clings stubbornly to some things, yet it only serves: washing, carrying, softening, cleansing, and shaping. It can evaporate or freeze when influenced. It is unbreakable and invulnerable. It has no shape of its own, yet it can take any shape. Water is clear and transparent—it conceals nothing. If undisturbed, you can see yourself reflected in it. But if you stir it, your reflection becomes distorted—just as ...