And FIGHT!

Brought to you by the age old argument between myself and RJK (which resurfaced this past week, we're still discussing it)- Knowing how to use a sword is not pertinent to being a Jedi.

But I am curious, when you break it down, what form of physical fighting (for short range- within a matter of a few feet or less) do you feel is the most viable? And why?

There's an argument about if knowing how to use a sword is pertinent to being a Jedi?

Alethea Thompson wrote: Brought to you by the age old argument between myself and RJK (which resurfaced this past week, we're still discussing it)- Knowing how to use a sword is not pertinent to being a Jedi.

I disagree with this; it may not be pertinent to physical defense/offense, but it develops discipline and mindfulness.

Alethea Thompson wrote: But I am curious, when you break it down, what form of physical fighting (for short range- within a matter of a few feet or less) do you feel is the most viable? And why?

I prefer any form of hand-to-hand that fits your body, because you can never be disarmed that way. Except, literally...

Life and death?A knife, but getting into a situation that bad means you've failed in awareness and avoidance. For Jedi I like to think a more practical for diverse range of things can be dealth with a solid stick IMO... unless people have guns or swords, axes or shovels, in which case your at the costume party without a costume :ohmy:

The good thing about a good piece of wood is you can use it as a hiking pole, paddle, probe, fishing rod, jam, pretend lightsaber etc. So I think its a good exercise in developing hand eye coordination, and meditation for moving things around close personal space ie quantification of the end points and visualization of its movement in space in relation to an origin centered in ones body sort of thing.

I should clarify which side of the argument I'm on- since I brought it up: I don't support swords as being vital to the Jedi Path. RJK does. It's literally the only order I know of that believes it is important, which is fine, but the argument carries on none-the-less. lol.

Steamboat-I'd argue that any form of Martial Art develops discipline and mindfulness. The by-products are pertinent to the Jedi Path, but I feel you can find them else where. But I am now curious- do you feel it is superior in teaching those concepts to someone?

Learning a weapon art teaches you much more than just how to defend yourself. Making something an extension of your body, an extension of your soul... it's a valuable insight. It breaks down the demarcation between "you" and "it" - you become one with another small part of the universe.

On the flipside, unarmed forms are valuable in bringing your attention to your whole body, your movement, the potential energies within you, and those of an assailant come to that.

That said... neither are essential to being a Jedi :whistle:

Adder wrote: Life and death?A knife, but getting into a situation that bad means you've failed in awareness and avoidance. For Jedi I like to think a more practical for diverse range of things can be dealth with a solid stick IMO... unless people have guns or swords, axes or shovels, in which case your at the costume party without a costume :ohmy:

The good thing about a good piece of wood is you can use it as a hiking pole, paddle, probe, fishing rod, jam, pretend lightsaber etc. So I think its a good exercise in developing hand eye coordination, and meditation for moving things around close personal space ie quantification of the end points and visualization of its movement in space in relation to an origin centered in ones body sort of thing.

Canne de combat

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canne_de_combat

I've posted if before but I love it;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=SC3F7Vp7y38

Dude, I'm totally going to post this video in response to that thread ongoing at RJK :laugh:

I feel like there is something missing without the translation I love Japanese speech