Internal Karate: Mind Matters And The Seven Gates Of Power

Internal Karate! I have been searching decades for a book of this nature, and this exceeds my expectations. Hayashi Tomio delivers on a practical book about an esoteric topic. Through his years of research and personal discovery Shifu Tomio clearly lays out philosophies and principles like “The Spiritual Nature of Karatedo” and “Understanding Your Subtle Energy Body”. He grounds the discussion in explanations about the role of “Right Brain vs Left Brain” and practical “Qi Principles in Martial Stances and Strikes”. Internal Karate is an enjoyable read with exciting martial stories while giving me tools to further my own exploration of karate including unique martial arts based meditation techniques. I have already read it twice and it takes a prominent place in my dojo library. This book is a great read for anyone seriously or casually studying a physical or spiritual discipline and will enrich any martial artist's practice.

I have 25+ years of martial arts practice; I am a licensed Siljun Dobup instructor (Korean Iaido); Kaizen Aiki Jitsu Ka and a lifelong learner of martial arts; a bushi by choice. I must say, it is such an affirmation to read through this book. Thank you for putting this together Hayashi-San. It is beautifully written, thoughtful and illustrative; full of knowledge. A highly recommended read for any serious martial arts practitioner - it will show you that there is more, much more than what meets the eye beyond this physical body.

Really great book, valuable for any martial artist who is looking deeper into what it is they are actually doing. To transition to internalizing their art.

The general idea is ok. However,the whole concept is a bit tired. Are there really Karateka who don't realise there is more to the art than kick,punch,block? This book will be relegated to our dojo library for beginners to read.

For a brief introductory book it is ok I guess but it's very short in the "how-to" department. I have bought more detailed internal energy books by Mantak Chia (Universal Tao) with illustrations and guidance for less money then I paid for this one. Hayashi has EXCELLENT videos on his YouTube channel so I will stay with that.

Hello and Namaste to all who read this message:I have been in Martial, Holistic & Spiritual Disciplines for 57 years. I have been Blessed into meeting and coming into contact with some very experienced Budo-ka over these many years. Each in their own right, offered much in the way of providing valuable information that supported my quest in maintaining and more so, Evolving in what I have chosen as ' The Path '.I have been known to travel far and wide to find ' Ancient Mentality ' that will ultimately lead me further to discovering Way's of the Path that once existed. Walking the Path has been difficult at times however, fruitful and meaningful in meeting those TRUE Master's that were/are willing of giving of themselves, proper and viable information that is relevent to clarifying and validating Mastery.I met Hayashi, Shifu many years ago 17 years ago. It was a time where I was literally distraught at the modern-day condition of the Martial Arts community in general. As I met and became more involved in our relationship, I found that not only was he was not only an accomplished Practitioner; he also possessed a mentality that few of us come into contact outside of Asian countries; in areas far in excess of Asian Teachers who were, at that time, Passing on and leaving their Transmissions and Lineages to younger Asians, who have long since, began diluting and filtering their Ancient Teachings, for more modern-day- commercialized Teachings.Hayashi, Shifu is a composer of many books. This, one of his most recent, is a example of what YOU, the Reader, are looking for. I thoroughly recommend this book, as with ALL of his writings, to any Practitioner interested in furthering their knowledge in becoming a "Serious Student" of The Path !Tenshin Ryushin-Ji Buddhist TempleTenshin Dojo / Tao ChangArakawa Tenshin, Shifu

Information regarding the physical side of the martial arts is easy to find. Just about every martial arts book ever written concentrates on the technical and self-defense aspects, or perhaps the historical. Conversely, there is a relative dearth of information available on the non-physical or inner traditions, the philosophical and spiritual nature of martial training; an imbalance which the books by Hayashi Tomio seek to redress.Shifu Tomio’s latest offering, “Internal Karate,” raises such questions as Why were the martial arts created? In the age of firearms, why do some still choose to train in such a seemingly redundant art? Conversely, why don’t we all train in a martial art? What is Qi, how can it manifest, be developed and directed? What are the Qi principles in martial stances, in strikes, and blocks? Is Qi real or a trick? What is the role of the mind in martial arts training and in street assault, and why is its importance so overlooked and ignored? What is the role of meditation, of the subtle body, and the lower dantien? These are but a few of the matters raised.To answer these questions, Shifu Tomio draws heavily from his own experiences and observations as a long term martial arts practitioner and full time teacher, as well as those of his most senior students, and upon the ongoing experiments engendered by those experiences. These are often discussed in relation to traditional concepts and practices from India and China, which are explained in a clear, easy to understand manner. The information on page 139 regarding the circulation of the Small Circle Orbit, for example, is amongst the best I’ve come across.“Internal Karate” is highly recommended to the advanced and beginner student alike.

An interesting way of looking at the internal side of Karate. Indeed not enough instructors talk about it and we, as students, miss a lot. It's not an easy book to go through, but that's what makes it so useful, because it teaches ideas you probably never thought about if you trained in the western cultures or only for competition.

I consider myself very lucky to have found this book: it verified my suspicion that there is more to karate than mere kicks and punches. In it's most original form, karate also contains an "inner art," which works with the manipulation of the body's subtle energies. This "inner art" is almost completely forgotten today, but can be reawakened through experimentation and inner work, to which this book is a wonderful inspiration.