10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Usss!", January 11, 2005
This review is from: Moving Zen: One Mans Journey to the Heart of Karate (Bushido--The Way of the Warrior) (Hardcover)
As a newly minted ShoDan in Shiho Karano Karate, I have to be skilled in knowledge as well as technique. To that end, I've been reading a number of books on various aspects of the martial arts. One part of that genre are the autobiographical accounts of Budo practitioners. I want to gain deeper insight into my own path through what others have experienced, learned, and how they changed as a result of their martial arts training. "Moving Zen" is one such tale, written by a Welshman who rose to black belt level in Japan during the early 60s. C. W. Nicol, an adventurous twentysomething, decided to immerse himself in the study of Karate. So he moved to Japan and began training at the Yotsuya dojo in Tokyo. "Moving Zen" chronicles the two-year period where Sensei Nicol progressed from a brawny and temperamental white belt to a skilled and calm first-degree black belt. First released in 1975, this newer small-sized edition includes an afterword written by the author in 2001, plus some vintage photographs and simple pencil illustrations.
Sensei Nicol writes with a very pure and austere style, so "Moving Zen" is a fairly quick read. There's not a lot of detailed exposition, although at times he tends to wax eloquent about the spiritual aspects of Nippon, particularly Zen within Karate (hence the title). Sensei Nicol is quite taken with Japanese culture, so you won't see much Western cynicism or skepticism here. Instead, he "went native," marrying a Japanese woman and eventually becoming a citizen of Japan. Of course, Sensei Nicol has his share of trials both in and out of the dojo, due to his hot temper and, ironically, being a gaijin (foreigner) in the somewhat xenophobic society he loves. But his respect, perseverance, and eagerness to learn Karate impress his Sensei and Sempai (not to mention his neighbors), so he eventually wins over even the hard cases. As his studies continue, Sensei Nicol slowly but surely matures and comes to grips with his penchant for "impetuous courage." Despite some slips that would've probably landed him in jail over here, he learns to calm his inner rage and become more tranquil. Indeed, the inner workings of Karate upon his spirit (vs. external fighting ability) become the most precious aspect of the martial arts to him.
I was humbled by Sensei Nicol's unswerving determination and dedication, as well as the harsh training he endured and blossomed under as a Karateka in Japan. One would have to really love the martial arts to deal with the ascetic military-style discipline, exacting technical requirements, and physical pain meted out by Sensei Nicol's superiors. He even had to commute three hours a day(!) via train to his dojo. I'm not sure I'd want to endure all that, although I got a small taste of it as a young Marine under a Japanese Sensei in Yokosuka, Japan. He never abused us, but we sparred full contact (with pads) and performed some extreme exercises, like doing wheelbarrows on our bare knuckles up and down the gym floor. I haven't seen many American dojos that hardcore, including my own. I stand by my current school, but I sometimes miss the intense level of training I had in Japan.
I read "Moving Zen" in conjunction with "Iron and Silk" by Mark Salzman and "Angry White Pyjamas" by Robert Twigger to get multiple perspectives on martial arts training. It's interesting to compare and contrast Sensei Nicol's early 60s presuppositions and experiences with those of Mr. Salzman's in the 80s and Mr. Twigger's in the 90s. Each book is a fascinating snapshot of a particular era, culture, and martial art style (Karate, Wushu, and Aikido). But despite their different philosophies, motivations, and levels of immersion, all of these men demonstrated personal growth and maturation through practicing the martial arts in a persevering way. I found that to be inspiring, and so I recommend all three books.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Great Read!, May 9, 2006
This review is from: Moving Zen: One Mans Journey to the Heart of Karate (Bushido--The Way of the Warrior) (Hardcover)
This is a magnificent book and although I teach a Chinese martial art, I strongly recommend that all of my senior students pick up a copy of it. A classical story of a young man's journey along the path of the martial arts...we all see ourselves at different points in the book...this is a book that you just can't put down.
Until you read it again. And again.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A classic martial arts autobiography!, September 7, 2005
This review is from: Moving Zen: One Mans Journey to the Heart of Karate (Bushido--The Way of the Warrior) (Hardcover)
I have read this book probably about a half dozen times. Sadly it was out of print for a long time, but recently came back in to print with a new subtitle "One Man's Journey to the Heart of Karate". I never understood why it was out of print at all. This book is a classic, and is the one that all other martial arts autobiographies are measured against. And I should know because I have read them all (check out my book Martial Arts Biographies-An Annotated Bibliography if you don't believe me). This book is referenced in countless indexes of other books. It really gives a great history of karate in Japan during the 60s. Nicol describes living with other martial artists from the west such as Donn Draeger. If you haven't read it, I strongly urge you to pick up a copy, and read it today.
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