North Star Martial Arts
In depth discussions of internal martial arts, theatricality, and Daoist ritual emptiness. Original martial arts ideas and Daoist education with a sense of humor and intelligence.
Books: TAI CHI, BAGUAZHANG AND THE GOLDEN ELIXIR, Internal Martial Arts Before the Boxer Uprising. By Scott Park Phillips. Paper ($30.00), Digital ($9.99)
Possible Origins, A Cultural History of Chinese Martial Arts, Theater and Religion, (2016) By Scott Park Phillips. Paper ($18.95), Digital ($9.99)
Watch Video: A Cultural History of Tai Chi
New Eastover Workshop, in Eastern Massachusetts, Italy, and France are in the works.
Daodejing Online - Learn Daoist Meditation through studying Daoism’s most sacred text Laozi’s Daodejing. You can join from anywhere in the world, $50. Email me if you are interesting in joining!
This article about the teachings Wu Tunan in the IMOS Journal has an interesting definition of the Taijiquan term song 鬆. It is close to my definition. He also outlines a methodology, and further explains where the beginning of practice is in a rather unique way. Worth thinking about.
Read MoreMy website is finally up and working!!! Here is the abstract I'm presenting at the next Martial Arts Studies Conference: Baguazhang: The martial dance of an angry baby-god.
And we got some recognition on a list of the best Tai Chi blogs!
Read MoreI've been reading Daoism in the Twentieth Century, Between Eternity and Modernity, by David A. Palmer and Xun Liu. It is excellent and deserves a full review in the coming weeks. For today I have a juicy quote from the introduction which is by Kristofer Schipper:
Read MoreThe linkage between communities that are established and reinforced through the institution of fengxiang[carrying incense ashes from one temple to another creating a network] are important, and many historical networks such as the Mazu temples of maritime merchants are clearly linked to China's commercial expansion. But the economic role of temples was not limited to this function only
I am happy to announce the publication of the Journal of Daoist Studies volume 9 (2016), available at Three Pines Press. It is $25 for the paper book and $15 for the digital book.
Oh, and my article Daoyin Reimagined: A Comparison of Three Embodied Traditions, co-written with Daniel Mroz, is in it!
Read MoreA new (composite) thought about martial arts social movements.
There are three types of martial arts social movements. For the sake of neat categories we will call them Nationalist, Universalist, and Trader. I will explain each in turn. Each type of social movement contains a unique value system and has identifying characteristics that can allow us to understand most of the conflicts that happen between them.
Read MoreA few short paragraphs on the etymology the "martial arts." Excellent work.
Long time readers of this blog know that I've gone from ranting-and-raging to equanimity on the subject of Yoga overstreching and hypermobility. Finally the subject is getting some serious attention:
Read MoreI love practicing martial arts in the snow. There has been a lot of snow lately so I haven't had time to blog.
But here are some things I've dug up.
First off is a very straight story about Buddhist nun's practicing Kungfu. It seems so normal. That is what I like about the story. Kungfu Nuns!
Read MoreI've been watching the new AMC show Into the Badlands. I came across this article explaining how choreographer Dee Dee Ku works. He gave all the actors a crash course in martial arts, six hours a day for six weeks. During that period he had everyone doing wire-work and acrobatics too. He then started to choreograph for each actor based on their strengths and talents.
The article explains that it would be a disaster if the show was just martial arts with bad acting, and equally bad if it was just good acting with terrible martial arts. I wonder if it is occurring to anyone else that if you want to be in the movies these days, both acting and martial arts are a requirement.
Read MoreTeaching Circus Daoyin
We did three hours of intense animal Daoyin. It was good. People got so tired they naturally returned to stillness. Which is the point ofDaoyin, to discover and feel the spontaneous pull between movement and stillness. In that pull our form becomes pliable because it is freed from our story. And our story is freed from the limitation of our form. The movement is designed to push both sorts of boundaries. This type of class is a very positive experience for most people. It fully integrates strength, flexibility, body re-orientation, and locomotion.
Read MoreHere is a sample of the kind of secret Italian martial-dance that is slowly becoming available. This change in perceptions about the martial origins of dance, is a parallel-opposite of the transition happening in North Asian martial arts which are taking back their theatrical and religions roots.
Read MoreA place to train and learn about traditional Chinese martial arts, which are a form of religious theater combined with martial skills.
