order viagra 130 mg without prescription ordering cheap inderal 80 mg purchase tablets protonix 40 mg, 20 mg ordering medicine januvia (sitagliptin) purchase strattera (atomoxetine) order relafen 500 mg purchase cheap furosemide purchase cheap cafergot (caffeine ergotamine) order prednisone 10 mg no prescription buy tablets clomid (clomiphene) buy no prescription levitra 20 mg, 10 mg buy pills cephalexin (keflex, keftabs, biocef) sale strattera 18 mg without prescription buy generic misoprostol sale vermox (mebendazole) no prescription buy tablets propecia 5 mg, 1 mg ordering pills cephalexin (keflex, keftabs, biocef) 500 mg, 250 mg, 125 mg, 5 mg ml online buy hydrochlorothiazide online buy plavix (clopidogrel) order tablets zocor (simvastatin) buying generic hydrochlorothiazide 25 mg, 12.5 mg purchase online fluoxetine 20 mg buying generic accutane (isotretinoin) buy doxycycline 100 mg no prescription tenormin online order cipro 750 mg buying medication cipro 750 mg ordering tablets lasix (furosemide) buy generic doxycycline 100 mg purchase pills flomax (tamsulosin) 0.4 mg, 0.2 mg purchase clopidogrel without prescription

The Empty Mind


 

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.

BLACK BELT MAGAZINE, April 2010. by Robert W. Young, executive Editor, Black Belt.

Every now and then you round a corner in life and get smacked in the face by a couple of ideas or products that share a common theme. In my case, it was a pair of DVD’s one of which is titled, The Empty Mind: The Spirit and Philosophy of Martial Arts. Some might say it was serendipity that brought them to my desk on the same day, but I prefer to think it was more mundane: The Martial Arts have come of age!

I’ll talk about The Empty Mind first. Several weeks ago, a Kenpo black belt named James Bennett dropped off the DVD for me to watch. I asked him if it was another one of those amateur efforts. He insisted it wasn’t. So I gave it a look. I must say I was impressed. It certainly wasn’t a collection of home movies. It is a coherent production that was professionally filmed in Japan and China. Crafted by Jon Braeley, of Empty Mind Films, it profiles practitioners of Aikido, Karate, Kendo, Kyudo, Shaolin Kingfu, Tai Chi and Wushu as they plied their trade in the dojo and at tournaments. The styles were presented as artistic endeavors that steel the character and build the body no matter what age the student. The production was proof positive that filmmakers now view the martial arts as legitimate pursuits that are worthy of the finest documentary treatment. This could be shown on the National Geographic Channel tonight and no one would suspect that it was not a multi-million dollar project helmed by Hollywood heavyweights. On a more personal note, this documentary rekindled my fire for the Asian ways of combat. In this age of mixed martial arts, when all that matters is the destination, this film reinforces the notion that in life it’s the journey that really counts. Editorial from Robert W. Young, executive Editor, Black Belt Magazine.