Ideas for gifts for martial artists
This time of year, there’s no shortage of people in your life that you’re thinking of, that you’d like to do something nice for. That said, there’s also no shortage of stress about finding gift ideas. We’ve got some recommendations below for the martial artists in your life (or treat yourself!) to help you find exactly the right holiday gifts no matter what you celebrate.
Recommended for Everyone
- Training gift certificates: call the dojo or contact us online to ask about training gift certificates. We’ll help you customize exactly the right certificate to fit your budget and the recipient. Call us at 617-789-5524 or use this form now.
Books
- Enlightened Self Protection by Stephen K. Hayes. Our top recommended book for beginners in the dojo, introducing you to basic techniques, ideas, and Japanese language phrases commonly used.
- Action Meditation by Stephen K. Hayes. If you’re looking for an in-depth introduction to meditation practices, this is the definitive book to have and give.
- See all other recommended books here…
DVDs
- The Complete To-Shin Do Black Belt Course by Stephen K. Hayes. This 12 disc collection is the ultimate gift for martial artists, covering all of the material in the To-Shin Do curriculum up to black belt. Hours of training and ideas for both practitioners and teachers!
- Togakure Ryu Ninpo Taijutsu Kihon by Stephen K. Hayes. If you’re interested in classical training, taught exactly in “textbook” form from the Togakure ninja family lineage, this DVD will give you a solid foundation.
- Active Meditation for Martial Artists by Stephen K. Hayes. Want to get started with meditation but need a guide? This DVD includes all the basics of meditation plus a 20 minute guided meditation you can use over and over again.
- Ninja Kuji Kiri by Stephen K. Hayes. At the pinnacle of the Togakure ninja family method is the kuji kiri spirit protection power method. Learn the prerequisites and rich lore of this once-secret method, including practical modern-day exercises.
- See all other recommended DVDs here…
Martial Arts and Habits
We live in a great system which provides us with several layers of structure and security. For example we have fresh water, stores for food and police to keep us safe. Very early in life we begin to form habits and ways of living that fit into these structures. Our very intuition, habits and reactions change to fit into these norms. Some martial arts systems teach students to break these old habits and replace them with something that may be helpful in situations which involve a great deal of stress. For example when I was training with Mr. Hayes at his dojo we were working on old school Jujutsu “Takagi Yoshin Ryu Jutaijutsu”. Mr. Hayes mentioned using the attacker’s energy against them to keep them from using your energy. When I went to see how this worked I noticed that each time I tried to grab Mr. Hayes my center was off and he was in a very good position to counter my attack.
In learning how to break free from old habits and structure we are also learning how to address new situations. When somebody attacks us they may have an expectation of how we will respond to that attack, based on their own self interest of getting what they want, even if it involves using force. Our system of martial arts deals with the redirection of that expectation. Something as simple as a technique that shifts our centerline out of the attackers path is enough to create a rupture in the reality of the attacker, just as if they tried to grab a ghost.
