Karate is a weaponless martial art, which finds its origin about 500 years A.D. in China. Chr. in China finds. Chinese monks, who were not allowed to carry weapons, developed from gymnastic exercises over time a special martial art for self-defense.(Source: The Berlin Karate Association).
Observation at the karate world championship: The vice world champion had a board about 4 cm thick given to him, concentrated on this material for a second and then chopped it apart with an edge blow of his right hand. He immediately added a second experiment. Three masonry blocks measuring 7 x 12 x 24 were placed on top of each other on a solid stool. A single edge stroke of the hand, and the stones broke apart all three. An amazing feat of the human body. The arms and legs of karate fighters are murderous weapons. A shallow edge blow to the root of an opponent’s nose, and he’s dead.
Karate took a turn into the metaphysical in the first century B.C. through its fusion with Zen Buddhism. The union between the physical training karate and the mystical background of Zen was so intense that in the descriptions appears the equation: karate is Zen, Zen is karate.
What ideas has karate taken from Zen Buddhism? First of all, the basic principle of the unity of spirit and body, even with the supremacy of the spirit over the material. Here, concepts are echoed that can be found in modern medicine in psychosomatics. The total union and fusion of mind and body is achieved through meditation. For this reason, meditation exercises play a major role in karate training centers. The training will begin each day with a full hour of Zen meditation.
For example, in the karate lessons are taught 1000 points of the human body, where a small pressure can cause painful or even serious reactions. With the perfect knowledge of the anatomy of the body, the lessons are far from being exhausted. The essential and uncanny thing about karate is the fighter’s contact with the metaphysical. Zen Buddhism teaches that human consciousness is one with the universal world consciousness. The human spirit is a part of the great cosmic spirit. The main part of karate training is strengthening contact with the supersensible world. A Zen textbook states, “Zen also creates the conditions in which one can surpass the limitations of the flesh and enter a realm that is more nearly divine.” That is, Zen creates a condition in which man transcends the limits of the body and enters a realm that can almost be called divine. We are here in the center of karate training. The fighter must develop psychic, metaphysical, mediumistic powers during his long training, which may last 20 years or more.
Almost all Asian fighting styles have, apart from the physical training, a medial side. Mentioned are: the Chinese Kung Fu or Kempo, the Japanese Jiu-Jitsu or Aikido.(Source: “Occult ABC”; Dr. Kurt Koch).
“Today karate is often taught in conjunction with Transcendental Meditation and yoga in order to develop psychic, mediumistic powers in the aspirants. Meditation is the essence and places these exercises in the group of occult religions. In ways we do not fully understand, the training opens the way for the intrusion of demonic spirits, which then burden the trainee.” … “Because karate is heavily mixed with the occult, trainees come under a curse that can continue into the third and fourth limbs.” (Source: “Battling the Hosts of Hell,” Win Worley)
