Our Classic Signature Film

This documentary is known as our classic signature film. Many of our viewers tell us that they keep this DVD at the top of the heap – on the front shelf. Looking back, I doubt this film could be made again. The challenge was to travel across Asia, from Japan to China and film some of the greatest names in martial arts today. Regardless of style or nationality, these masters are bound together with one desire, to achieve emptiness (Japanese: mushin) in their martial arts. The swordmaster Musashi termed this, "The Immovable Mind". This is something that is rarely spoken about and much less seen! In the thirty years we have been involved in martial arts, only a few exhibit an almost spiritual-like calmness, not only in their practice but in their whole life. For the average student, even one who practices everyday, the internal breath control and disciple of the mind is the elusive grail of martial arts – as master Moriteru Ueshiba states in the film -"It is not easy to achieve." Beside the spiritual, we do film some great martial arts practice and are allowed inside the dojos and training halls of Japan and China to film unrestricted. Inside the JKA karate headquarters and the JKS Hombu dojo to the world headquarters of the Aikido Federation. Even Shaolin tempel and Wudang Mountainare visited.

Featured in The Empty Mind are: Moriteru Ueshiba (Aikido) – Masahiko Tanaka (JKA) – Hirokazu Kanazawa (SKIF) – Masao Kagawa (JKS) – Teruyuki Okazaki (ISKF) – Monk Shi De Yang (Shaolin) – Zhao Ping (Wushu) – Priests of Purple Cloud Temple (Wudang) … and many more.

Winner Best Film 2004 Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival. Music by Richard Brookens of Yellowbel. Empty Mind Soundtrack is available from yellowbellmusic.com.

  Title: The Empty Mind

  UPC: 689076786423

  Length: 78 minutes

  Release Date: August 2004

  Director: Jon Braeley

  Production: Mark Ekesala/Genie Asessor

  Soundtrack: Yellow Bell Music