This site represents my personal inner journey, including references to the innumerable experiences that have arisen out of study and training in the esoteric arts and sciences, as well as nearly twenty years experience in the martial arts. There are many paths on the inner journey, and martial arts is only one of them. I value other paths, and have walked on some of them. Sometimes I have found myself caught and bloodied in thorn thickets, and other times I have stood on high peaks, experiencing their buffeting winds or serene vistas.

Some travelers of the inner way are pathfinders or explorers. I am a simple hiker, making notes about the journey and stopping in at friendly trail houses along the way to share campfire reports.

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A little background

My religious background was Christian, and I was raised in an active church family. Later in life I became involved in the martial arts of Jiu Jitsu. While a student of Great River Institute I rose into the black belt ranks, and eventually became certified as an instructor. The path of the martial arts, along with the study of esoteric arts and sciences offered by GRI, has influenced me profoundly.

Jiu Jitsu is a self-defense art. It is highly effective, regardless of age, gender or size. While it can take a number of years to earn a black belt degree, even one class can make a huge difference in someone’s life. Sometimes that difference comes by learning to be less indifferent. Sometimes it comes by witnessing an amazing feat, a martial arts phenomenon. Sometimes it comes through realizing we CAN defend ourselves. Perhaps it occurs by observing an act of courage, such as a fellow student being open and honest about a deep obstacle in their life, and then watching them take their first timid step into the unknown darkness of self improvement.

But the martial arts is only one of many paths on the inward journey. Deeper awareness can be found anywhere, including the simplest of statements. For example, we often wonder why we are here. One day my Sensei (teacher) said, “You think you are here to study self-defense. Well, you are. The reason you are here is to learn about defending against your self. ”

The Samurai trained constantly to think about death every minute of every day, and to face its immediacy with calmness. Even today, martial artists train to cut straight to the point with certainty and balance. So each day I try to chip away, like the sculptor who sees art unfolding in a forbidding lump of rock. Each day I pull out the hammer and chisel, some days pounding and getting bruised and sore, and other days crafting and refining with satisfaction. Each day is, in some way, an attempt to move forward in my struggle to overcome ego, denial and selfishness. Some days are wins, others are losses. I just keep at it though, because “slow and steady wins the race”.

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Basic bio

Name: Mark Walter

Occupation: Self-employed

Born - 30 November 1950

Blogging since 29 April 2005

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