Martial Mysticism Solved!
The Martial Arts are often obscured by mysticism and mystery. In researching the martial science of matrixing I tried to analyze the various myths with physics. This is not an article about Matrixing, but it does show the thought process I was undergoing.[l:2:J]
In the Chinese Martial Arts there is a thing called a pentagram. This a representation of the five elements of the universe. The five elements are generally considered to be: wood, water, metal, earth, fire.
The five elements can be arranged in an order that is thought of as generative. To be generative means that each element makes the next. Earth, for instance makes metal which makes water, which makes wood, which makes fire, which makes earth.
They can also be arranged in a degenerative sequence. Thus, each element destroys the next. For instance: wood is destroyed by fire is destroyed by water is destroyed by earth is destroyed by metal is destroyed by wood.
Generative or degenerative, there is an order to the series, and, according to ones viewpoint, there are different ways to consider the order. If metal is considered as a tool like a shovel, or a weapon like an ax, this can create a whole different order. One can see how different viewpoints result in arguments over the arrangement of the sequence.
In the martial arts, however, I believe the sequence to be arranged according to motion. Wood is immobile, fire is aggressive or towards, earth is downward, water is flowing or clinging, metal is a weapon. To understand this we need to consider each element as part of martial motion.
Wood is motionless. Wood doesnt move. Wood waits for the attack.
Fire is an aggressive attack. It moves towards wood. It destroys wood.
Earth is a downward motion. When somebody charges, they are taken to the earth. This is the way that earth can destroy fire.
Water flows in the direction of the attack. Somebody attacks, you flow with to manipulate. Water can thus manipulate earth.
Metal is considered a weapon. A weapon stretches the reach of the attack to overcome somebody who is being liquid. Metal can, in this manner, destroy water.
Wood has no motion. Attack with a weapon can be handled by the simple act of assuming no motion, and thus letting the attack pass by. This is the manner in which wood can defeat metal.
This is how motion, and combat, would relate to the Chinese pentagram. Relating motion to element makes for an understanding of the element. Unfortunately, the comparison is somewhat loose.
I would have preferred to leave metal out as it is a product of civilization and not natural. This would leave a square, which would be a bit more manageable. Or perhaps replace metal with spirit.
Mythology, ultimately, must give way to science. Mystery is at the heart of mysticism, which is merely a way of saying we dont understand something. Thus, the confusions of mythology should fall to the analysis of force and direction, which is what Matrixing ultimately is.