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

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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

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