Scriabin’s Symphonic Poem of Music, Color and Fire

Posted on June 7, 2016 | Leave a comment

Don’t ask me how I managed to avoid discovery of Russian composer Alexander Scriabin until just this week.  This is amazing, mystical stuff.

Scriabin composed music that was based on Gnostic and Theosophical concepts, and it was written to be performed on equipment that had not yet been invented in his day.  From what I’ve read, he used the best available at the time — color organs and such.

The colors and sounds of Prometheus: Poem of Fire are nothing short of mesmerizing.  Video below.  From the YouTube recap:

“In February 2010, Anna Gawboy, a doctoral candidate at the Yale School of Music and scholar of Russian composer Alexander Scriabin, attempted to realize the composer’s final work: a symphony of sound and light called “Prometheus: Poem of Fire”. To accomplish this, Anna worked closely with Toshiyuki Shimada, conductor of the Yale Symphony Orchestra, and Justin Townsend, an award-winning lighting designer.

Anna and Justin spent a year developing ideas and preparing for the performance, but a majority of the lighting work was done just days before the concert. This documentary covers the events of that week and the performance itself.”

 

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Cabal Fang WOOTW #7

Posted on June 4, 2016 | Leave a comment

No fancy preamble to this week’s WOOTW — with the passing of the champ, I’ve got little to say other than what I said earlier this morning.

Cabal Fang WOOTW #7

Half Pyramid to 15 of Knuckle Push-ups, Flutter Kicks, Zombie Squats, and Wall Touches (that’s 105 reps each.). Rest 1 min. Then AFAYC complete 250 strikes of your choice  — punches, kicks, stick/weapon strikes vs. heavy bag or forging post, whatever you please.

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That Jab, that Incredible Jab

Posted on June 4, 2016 | Leave a comment

Being a kid coming up in the late 60s and 70s, Muhammad Ali was an important figure for me. When my schoolmates were talking about white superiority, it was clear they had never watched Ali.

He was the pinnacle of human evolution, a natural leader who was handsome, charming and supremely athletic. Which is why most of my peers hated him with all their hearts.

Every time they hoped and prayed their white hope would dethrone him their dreams were dashed.

And when they bullied me, this doughy little white kid dreamt of being like him.  I won’t lie, I had a real tough time standing up for myself. But the day a bunch of white kids gathered around a little little black girl on the playground and started shooting off their mouths, I was finally able to put up my dukes.

Of course now we know that all of humanity is one race, or at least most of us do. Back then it wasn’t even close to settled.

Which is why I love Ali and now grieve his passing. Because he wasn’t just a player in my personal awakenIng to the oneness of race, he was part of the global awakening that began in the 60s and is still going on today.

He was the master of the jab, both verbal and literal. With a flash of the tongue or a flick of his left fist he set the world spinning like no other.

That jab, that incredible jab…

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Dispelling Bad Magic, The New Temple, etc.

Posted on June 2, 2016 | Leave a comment

The other day somebody asked me some questions about Cabal Fang, and those questions made it pretty clear that this somebody really didn’t understand who we are and what we’re trying to do with the martial art of Cabal Fang.

Time to cast Dispel Magic on any bad vibes that might be out there and clarify our position!

What is Cabal Fang?

The first and oldest Eastern temple martial art in the world may be Shaolin Kung Fu, but the first and oldest Western Temple martial art is Cabal Fang, an initiatory martial art based on Western martial culture, Hermetic concepts, and the wonders of the Western Mysteries.

CFFlyerP1only

So that you can see our vision, we’ve created a pamphlet that illustrates what we hope to create – as if the new temple was already here (click to view).

Our primary goal is to develop and nurture physically fit and spiritually fulfilled men and women capable of making the world a better place for themselves and all living things.

Our tools in this quest are the lessons we learn from realistic practice of the fighting arts and the sincere pursuit of the ageless, Hermetic wisdom of the Western Mystery Tradition.

The Cabal Fang Temple

We have a little temple (see below) but our dream is to construct a new temple, or to buy and convert an existing property to our purpose. Toward that end, we will be forming a non-profit corporation and filing 501©(3) paperwork in the near future.

So that you can see our vision, we’ve created a pamphlet that illustrates what we hope to create – as if the new temple was already complete (click to view).  If you look at the “as if” pamphlet you’ll notice that it says I’m an interfaith minister.  I ain’t, at least not yet, but I’m working on it.

To see pics of our existing temple and read more, click here.  And to support our temple-building efforts, pre-order your copy of the Cabal Fang book today!

The Cabal Fang Temple in the morning fog.

The existing Cabal Fang Temple in the morning fog.

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My NASA Pictures and Cabal Fang WOOTW #6

Posted on May 28, 2016 | Leave a comment

If you’re here for the Workout of the Week (WOOTW), just scroll to the bottom.  But if you want some really cool rocket porn, stick around!  While we are on vacation the wife and I stopped to visit the NASA Wallops Flight Facility Visitor’s Center.  Here are a few shots.  I highly recommend the visit if you’re ever in the vicinity.   How cool is it to see Little Joe — the rocket that was used to test the Mercury mission capsule back in 1959-60?

Here’s a photo set and a map to the facility.  There’s tons to do and see, way more rockets than pictured here, actual satellites and demos and such, an observation deck, and you can even time your visit to coincide with an actual rocket launch! Entry is free and the gift shop is deluxe (bring money my nerds, bring money).

Little Joe
This is me, standing next to either a Nike Orion or a Nike Apache (not sure which)
Entrance sign
The Truth is Out There
Hey look, I’m in space!
Oh man, my tether isn’t connected…help!
More about Little Joe

And now for your Cabal Fang workout of the week — WOOTW #6 to be precise.

Set timer for 8:00.  Complete as may sets as you can before the timer beeps of (8) Medicine Ball Push-ups, (8) Med. Ball Jackknifes, and (8) Med. Ball Jump Squats (I made 7 sets, see if you can make 8).  For the next 8:00 cycle, shadowbox with 1 lb. hand weights.

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Is There Such a Thing as Universal Wisdom?

Posted on May 26, 2016 | Leave a comment

When people start talking about universal truths I get antsy and start using words and phrases like dogma, penny wisdom and fortune cookie prophet.  The search for universal truths between and among a given group of viewpoints often leads to the lowest common denominator.  To quote Emerson,

“A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.”

And yet…

My devotion to the fighting arts compels me to look for universal truths.  What prompted this post was a conversation I had with a friend about a video starring the very impressive Doug Mercaida.   In said video, Doug makes some excellent points about training with realism, and I liked what he had to say.  What I didn’t care for is the grip that was displayed in the video.  As you can see by the below montage, the grip is rather loose.

Yes, I understand that their knives have retention rings, and that helps them avoid losing grip of the knife altogether.  But in my mind, even that is kind of an issue.

There are two universal truths I have arrived at in weapon training.  (1) Train with a readily available weapon, and (2) Hold on to your weapon with a death grip.  In the event you have to arm yourself from your surroundings, you need to be able to use what you find.  99% of knives you find in the real world will not have retention rings.  And anyone who trains with real force against heavy bags and forging posts quickly learns a death grip on the knife is required to avoid cutting yourself, especially if you stab.

I’m not dissing Doug — he and his team have wicked flow! — I’m just looking for those universal truths.  Maybe all I’ve found is the lowest common denominator of practical weaponry and a firm grip.

Yesterday I shared a story told about the Desert Fathers.  I shared it because it seemed so universal. It reads as though it might have been written by a Buddhist.   All the wisest men — the Christian and Gnositc Desert Fathers, Buddhist monks, and even the greatest martial artists like Musashi who wrote The Book of Five Rings while in seclusion — very much prize the ability to divorce themselves from attachments.  That’s another universal truth for me.

“Generally speaking, the Way of the warrior is resolute acceptance of death.”  

~Miyamoto Musashi

What does Musashi say about about grip?

“As you cut an enemy you must not change your grip, and your hands must not “cower.”  Above all, you must be intent on cutting the enemy in the way you grip the sword.”

~Miyamoto Musashi

Maybe there are no universal truths.  People are really good at seeing patterns where there are none.  Who am I to think I’m above being deceived?

And yet…

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Sayings of the Desert Fathers

Posted on May 24, 2016 | Leave a comment

This tale of the desert fathers (Christian monks and hermits) sounds like something you’d hear in a martial arts school:

“They told a story of a hermit who was dying in Scetis. The brothers stood round his bed, and clothed him, and began to weep. But he opened his eyes and began to laugh; this happened three times. So the brothers asked him, ‘Abba, why are you laughing when we are weeping?’ He told them, ‘I laughed the first time because you fear death; I laughed the second time because you are not ready for death; I laughed the third time because I am passing from labour to rest, and yet you weep.’ As he said this, he closed his eyes and died.”

Outstanding!

Continue reading HERE.

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Cabal Fang WOOTW #5 Starring The Manassa Mauler

Posted on May 21, 2016 | Leave a comment

JD_CaptureIt’s really hard to learn how to box from a book.  Videos are better.  In person instruction is better still.

But if you have to learn the sweet science from a book, you should use Jack Dempsey’s 1950s classic entitled Championship Fighting: Explosive Punching and Aggressive Defense.   Go figure — a guy with 83 wins and only 6 losses knew a thing or two about boxing.  Miracles never cease, eh?

In Honor of “The Manassa Mauler“, the Workout of the Week is…

Max Power Endurance Drill.  Warm up thoroughly.  Set timer to beep every 30 seconds.  Hit heavy bag with as much power and evil intent as you can for :30 and then rest for :30.  Then hit the bag with max power shots for two cycles, a total of 1:00, and then rest for :30.  Continue until you finish the 6th round which is 6 cycles of :30 or a total of 3:00.  13 minutes total — see table below.  Get ready, you’re gonna be gassed.

MAX POWER ENDURANCE DRILL Hit duration (seconds) Break (secs)
Round 1 30 30
Round 2 60 30
Round 3 90 30
Round 4 120 30
Round 5 150 30
Round 6 180 Finish (13 mins total)

 

 

 

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Book Update, Writer Advice and a Friendly Request

Posted on May 18, 2016 | 15 comments

 

coverBook Update (11/13/16):  [PRE-ORDER LINKS BELOW!] We finished taking the last of the photos yesterday!  All I have to do now is crop, edit and add them to the manuscript, do another  quick re-read and a final spellcheck before sending the file to the formatter.  I’ll have that done by 12/1.  Allowing time for cover creation, formatting and holiday delays, the eBook should be available  no later than 2/1/17.   Hardcopies should be available shortly thereafter!

Here are some pics from the photo shoot yesterday.  Wicked eh?

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Book Update (5/18/16): Draft copies of Cabal Fang: The Complete Study Course from Querent to Elder are now in the hands of my editorial team (a.k.a. the three people I could talk into critiquing it).

Writers Advice: Below find the instructions I gave my editors.  If your editor isn’t as compassionate as a meat cleaver and if you don’t have the courage of a .357 magnum, you need a new plan.  You can’t create art if you’re afraid of what people will think, and puerile criticism is a waste of time.  Smile at the executioner and put your neck in the rope.  It’s the only way to go.

A Friendly Request to my Friendly Friends and Devoted Readers: This book is going to be epic.  When you read it, you’re going to weep magical tears of joy that cause flowers to sprout up from the earth wherever they land.   So you should pre-order it immediately.  Here are the links:

Pre-order my the Cabal Fang Book on iTunes

Pre-order at Barnes & Noble

Pre-order it on from KOBO

This is the back cover of one of my favorite books. Check out the cool blurbs at the top.

This is the back cover of one of my favorite books. Check out the cool blurbs at the top.

And if you know of anyone notable in the martial arts or esoteric fields whom you think would be willing to read an advance copy and give me a book blurb, something like “If this book was a movie, it would be It’s a Wonderful Life – starring Steven Seagal!” please hook me up in the comments.

Now, if you excuse me, I’m going to go convince my wife to take a couple of hundred pictures of martial arts techniques and persuade my daughter to create fifteen gorgeous illustrations — all in time to get this thing to the formatter by July 15th so I can hit the Sept 1st. release date.

Adieu!

———————————————————

Dear Editor:

I’m not looking for criticism of grammar and spelling and such.  What I’m looking for is insight into how to make this book as inspiring as possible.  I want this to be the most original, groundbreaking, and compelling martial arts book since Bruce Lee’s Tao of Jeet Kune Do in 1973.  It needs to launch a movement to put spirituality back into Western martial arts for the first time since chivalry died.  I don’t need notes about verb agreement. 

So I need you to be BRUTAL AS @*#! and circle paragraphs and make notes like, “This is boring” or “This is the most pompous bat piss I’ve ever sniffed in my entire life” or “This made me want to Mike Tyson the Hermetic Quaternary on my face!”  

Thanks for your help,

~Mitch

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Cabal Fang WOOTW #4: Static Slow Kicks

Posted on May 14, 2016 | Leave a comment

Nobody kicks slowly in place any more, but they should.  These really help improve your kicking form.  Cabal Fang Workout of the Week #4 is as follows: 50 to 100 static slow kicks per leg.  Video below!

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