Date post: | 10-Mar-2016 |
Category: |
Documents |
Upload: | keith-banfield |
View: | 260 times |
Download: | 0 times |
MARTIAL ARTS TODAY
C hoi Kwang Do is known as a ‘Holistic Martial Art’, meaning that it caters for the complete development of the individual, i.e. the mental, physical and spiritual aspects of a human being.
At the beginning of each class we have a Korean practice known as “Mook Yum” which literally means ‘Meditate’. The word ‘meditate’ can infer a number of different practices depending on the context in which it is used. In a Choi Kwang Do class, “Mook Yum” means to sit silently and focus your attention.
Students often ask, “Why do we have to sit silently? and what is the benefit in doing so?”
SILENT SITTINGWHY DO WE PRACTICE THIS IN CHOI KWANG DO?By Master Keith Banfield
9 MARTIAL ARTS TODAY
HOLISTIC HEALTH FEATURE O
PTIM
UM H
EALT
H - S
ELF
DEFE
NCE
- PER
SONA
L DE
VELO
PMEN
T
The practice of Silent
Sitting and the process of
focusing your attention,
on the breath, for
example, will improve your physical and mental
health. It reduces stress,
which is extremely toxic
to the body and the brain,
it also reduces high blood pressure and improves
your mood. The practice
of Silent Sitting, need only
take a few minutes of
your precious time and when performed over a
long period of time has
cumulative benefits.
Silent Sitting produces
cognitive, psychological and physical benefits that will
last for many hours after it
has been practiced. When
you perform the Silent
Sitting exercise at the beginning of a Choi Kwang
Do class, it mentally and
physically prepares the
student for learning. When
performed at the end of a class it naturally relaxes,
calms and produces an
overall sense of holistic
well-being.
The practice of Silent Sitting
and focusing your attention
on the breath or on
something specific is known
as ‘focused attention’ or ‘mindful meditation’.
Neuroscientists have
recently discovered that
mindful meditation actually
produces physical changes to certain structures of the
brain; this proves how
powerful your thoughts
really are. The structures of
the brain that scientists have so far found to
undergo physical changes
are as follows: the
hippocampus, the posterior
cingulate cortex, the temporo-parietal junction
and the cerebellum.
However you may be
wondering:
“How do changes to
these structures of the brain benefit me?”
Well, the simple answer is
that these brain structures
are involved in learning and
memory, control of emotions, increase sense of
self worth and perspective
taking. In other words, all-
important attributes which
enables one to live a more socially adjustable,
balanced and productive
life.
Here are a few more benefits of Silent Sitting:
“IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE
BENEFITS OF SILENT
SITTING, START BY CLOSING
YOUR EYES.”
10 MARTIAL ARTS TODAY
Improved Focus: Having good
focus enables us to stay on a set
task for longer periods of time
without getting distracted. When
you perform the Silent Sitting exercise you are focusing your
attention; you therefore become
more aware of when it drifts.
Having this awareness actually
improves your focus not only when you are performing the
Silent Sitting exercise but more so
when you are engaged in your
day-to-day activities where focus
and attention is required.
Better Memory: Silent Sitting
has been linked to improving rapid
memory recall. Researchers found
that individuals who practiced
Silent Sitting were able to alter the brain wave that screens out
distractions and increases their
productivity. This explains why
individuals who practice Silent
Sitting possess the ability to rapidly remember and incorporate
new facts.
More ‘Grey Matter’: Scientists
have found that Silent Sitting
increases the practitioners ‘Grey Matter’ in the hippocampus and
frontal areas of the brain. This
may not sound so important at
first glance, but more grey matter
can lead to increased focus during
daily life, longer lasting emotional
stability and more positive
emotions.
Reduced Stress in Stressful
Environments: A study
conducted in 2012 found that
managers who practiced Silent
Sitting for just eight weeks where able to perform better under
pressure than those that did not.
Not only did they out perform
their peers they also felt less
stressed when it came to being tested.
It has also been proven that Silent
Sitting before a stressful situation
such as an exam, can help reduce
stress during the examination, thereby creating favourable
conditions for exam success.
My recommendation for all Choi
Kwang Do practitioners would be, if
you want to see the benefits of Silent Sitting, start by closing your eyes.
For more information about Choi
Kwang Do and its benefits
contact Master Keith Banfield on 0208 819 3436 or please visit:
www.choikwangdouk.com
OPT
IMUM
HEA
LTH
- SE
LF D
EFEN
CE -
PERS
ONA
L DE
VELO
PMEN
THOLISTIC HEALTH FEATURE
11 MARTIAL ARTS TODAY