Developing the „piercing eye of insight", as one of the interviewees expressed in his interview, means learning to see passed the obvious. By Jung's words that means to look for meaning in the smallest of things. This book is an attempt at that, to see beyond the obvious and find out by investigation if MAs provide a framework for a journey of Self-realisation. Below, I present the conclusions reached in my exploration. ...
Jung says that, Self-realisation is a never-ending process of „mediation of opposites". ...
For analysis purposes, I introduced Jung's theories on certain conscious and unconscious aspects of the psyche‟s dynamics concerned with the process of Self-realisation separately, which unfortunately presents the internal psychodynamics as if they are separate entities working on their own. ...
From 1970's Western scientists have explored the various benefits that MAs offer though not directly linked with one's self-development. ...
Yet, the spiritual and the philosophical sides are an inherent part of MAs. The Ki, the spiritual journey of the MAs, the secretive chanting techniques and the philosophical systems of values are critical components underlying MAs practice. ...
The writings of the Donahue and Retivov are of special importance to both MAs as a discipline and Analytical Psychology and suggest a further opportunity to test and apply Jung‟s teachings. No other academic accounts that I reviewed focused primarily on the process of Self-realisation through MAs, but these two works do. ...
That said, I think the academic positions discussed earlier in the book and the results of this study point to certain aspects and means of Budo, the middle path of MAs that provide support for a journey of Self-realisation. ...
Recommendations for further research – It is unknown if the martial artists who have graciously agreed to participate in this study differ significantly from others who chose not to. I found no other similar study to review. Therefore, ...
A personal experience – Writing about such vast subjects can be a daunting experience and I am still so as I write these final words. On reflection, this work taught me that it is incredibly difficult to write about Self-realisation when its foundation is in experience not words. The same applies to the MAs concepts and principles I touched on. ...
That was then and this is now. As soon as this opportunity came to publish the research, I took it in the hope that I could share something that has interested me for quite some time and continues to do so for reasons I cannot explain. I hope that others will see the striking parallels between MAs and the journey of Self-realisation. ...
As Gichin Funakoshi, the Okinawan founder of Shotokan Karate-do wisely says, “The ultimate aim (of the martial arts)…lies not in victory or defeat, but in the perfection of the character of its participants.”
