Projects: Self Defense

Vento training Gung Fu in China

The martial arts are relatively recent cultural developments in the human story. They have arisen in some cases to defend and expand the exploits of empire, and in some cases arisen to defend oppressed peoples and spiritual practices against the exploits of empire. What and where-ever the origin, in the modern world the martial arts and sciences are vital to our safety and survival. From rape to bar brawl machismo, the pathology of predation descends upon us. Awakening to the fact that we do not live in a safe world is often an experience that leaves deep wounds and scars.

Whereas our birthright was once to be free to live in a world where the worst the monsters would do was eat you, now it is our birthright to be preyed on by monsters with perversions and corruptions that were never encountered in nature.

As much as we love and yearn for peace, we have no illusions about its enemies. Whether our negative self-talk and thought patterns, a dark alley attacker, the media, the marketing industry, a lover/hater, a relative, we understand the need to be able to defend our sanctity. Any stimuli internal or external that throws the proverbial "rock in the pond" of mental tranquility must be guarded against. Beyond defensibility, training pro-actively develops kindness, restraint, respect, and confidence. It helps to reduce offensive harm that often flows unconsciously in behavior driven by an undisciplined mind.

Finding, inhabiting, and defending an inner peace is our hope. Uniting, aligning, and training our minds, bodies, spirits, and communities is our method.

Words from Vento, a Brazilian anarcho-punk studying Kung Fu in China:

Self defense is not only about "knowing how to fight", it's about knowing when to fight, and why you really need to fight. Fighting skills always walk together with responsibility. You must develop a good mind, and a sense of responsibility and justice. The Camponese people represent a historical model of these qualities. They learned that martial arts are for fighting back against oppression. They developed a culture of resistance.

Many martial arts began as a part of popular culture, and it always walks together with spirituality, always looking for a developed mind and conscience. In this way a people can start a process of evolution, and understand why to be vegetarian, why we don't need authority and so on. -Vento (edited by Ben Axiom)

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