Lighter Side
Interesting Historical Facts
Editor's Note: A recent post on an internet discussion group by Gary
Gablehouse highlighted the type of misinformation that can be found
on the web. Some of history purported to be true was so funny that
I asked Gary if I could post it. He said "sure." Here is
his post:
Hello All,
Based on my web-surfing research, I have found the following to be
true. All of the following facts have been touted by various martial
arts sites on the web--so, they gotta be true, right?
1. Jesus taught the Okinawans what they referred to as "ti" and
is now referred to as Karate.
2. Buddha was such a good martial artist that he once subdued a charging
elephant and threw it hundreds of yards--the beast carving a long chanel
out of the ground. These ancient chitechniques are still secretly taught
by Buddhist monks at a "martial-training monastery" in upstate
New York.
3. The higher levels of Vajramukti (Thunderbolt Fist) teaches you
how to literally direct bolts of lightening out of the palm of the
hand, allowing you to subdue anyone or anything. At the highest level,
you become a thunderhead cloud--actually able to levitate and float
overhead, directing bolts of lightening out of your hands.
4. Bruce Lee learned to project his chi from space aliens sometimes
referred to as the Anukai referenced in early Sumerian texts. The one-inch
punch was only possible through aliens training Lee to properly channel
his chi/ki.
These were just a few really neat things I learned by researching
martial-arts web sites. I really like knowing these kind of things,
because it makes me feel good training in an art with such a mysterious
and romantic legacy.
Anyone else care to share facts they've found on martial arts web
sites? ;-)
Best!
Gary G.