A Mystic Knight with a Crowned Heart
Practical Guide for Spiritual Warriors
Published by the Mystic Knighthood of the Crowned Heart In collaboration with F.Lepine Publishing http://www.MysticKnight.org 2008 publication ISBN 978-0-9783194-2-7
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« A Mystic Knight is a person engaged in a battle within. The outcome of the inner battle is always the bettering of oneself. One day, a group of Mystic Knights will believe in the necessity of fighting. This day will be the beginning of the end of the Mystic Knighthood. Until then, learn well how to fight, well enough to know how to turn away from a fight. » - François Lépine
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Table of Contents Table of Contents .................................................................................... 5 The Mystic Knight................................................................................... 7 The Mystic Knighthood.......................................................................... 9 … of the Crowned Heart ................................................................. 10 The Mystic Knighthood Code ............................................................. 15 The Training ........................................................................................... 22 The Body of a Knight ........................................................................... 25 Why We Do It ................................................................................... 25 Train Hard to Live Easy................................................................... 28 How the Body Adapts ...................................................................... 29 General Startup.................................................................................. 32 Cardiovascular Training.................................................................... 35 Interval Training................................................................................ 41 Resistance Training ........................................................................... 43 Sets and Reps ..................................................................................... 45 Exercise Selection.............................................................................. 48 Exercise Description......................................................................... 62 Nutrition.................................................................................................. 86 Kitchen Logistics............................................................................. 107 Recipes .............................................................................................. 117
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The Mind of a Knight ......................................................................... 147 Mental Training ............................................................................... 151 Recognizing the truth ..................................................................... 154 Observing the volcano ................................................................... 158 Resolving a problem ....................................................................... 161 The Spirit of a Knight ......................................................................... 165 Normal and Reversed Breathing................................................... 165 Radial Qi Gathering method ......................................................... 171 Feeling the Flow of Qi ................................................................... 176 Small and Grand Circulation ......................................................... 180 Implication ....................................................................................... 184 Karma and Dharma ........................................................................ 187 Basic Hand Mudras......................................................................... 190 Food, Air and Energy Mudras....................................................... 193 Martial arts ............................................................................................ 195 The Mystic Knighthood in Detail ..................................................... 200 Logo, Sigil and Decree.................................................................... 200 Logo vs. Sigil.................................................................................... 202 Sigil of the Mystic Knight .............................................................. 204 Logo of the Knighthood................................................................ 205 The Mystic Knight's Meditation.................................................... 206 The Mystic Knight's Ritual ............................................................ 212 Hierarchy and advancement .......................................................... 222 Lodges and meeting places ............................................................ 225 -6-
The Mystic Knight A Mystic Knight is a form of spiritual warrior. It is a personal path usually composed of martial arts and spiritual development. There are many variations of spiritual warriors. Some are hermits, others artists. The trait specific to Mystic Knights is the spiritual warrior who lives in society and upholds the values of the virtuous heart, in his relation with society. A Mystic Knight is virtuous and honorable. He/She behaves with integrity and always elects to act with justice over all other possible options. This can only be attained by knowing oneself, and sacrificing the egotistical desire of victory in favor of the rightful unfolding of events so that justice may prevail. The way of the Mystic Knight is a continuous path of physical, mental and spiritual self-development. Choosing to walk the path of the Mystic Knight will change your life for the better, empowering you with great abilities and self-trust. It will help you acquire acute senses, both physical and mystical. You will develop a sense of selfworth, a cunning mind, impressive physical attributes and a spiritual energy un-comparable to the simple warrior. It is not necessary to join a group or be part of an organization. Yet, studying and practicing with a group sharing the same goal can be very encouraging and insightful. To become a Mystic Knight, you must work on many aspects of yourself simultaneously. You have to take care of your body with -7-
good nutrition and physical training. You have to practice your mind to function correctly. While a religious activity is not required, you must also develop your inner self, spiritually. It is recommended to practice a martial art of your choice, combining both mental and physical training at once. Making progress is the most important part. Whatever level of strength, competence or spiritual depth you have acquired yet is of no importance. The main goal of walking the Mystic Knight’s path is to start at the level you are, and practice your self at becoming better. You are the one who selects how fast you will travel the path, and how far you will go. Mystic Knights usually follow a code. Some codes are rigid, directing the way without questioning, while other codes are flexible, requiring a certain level of wisdom to interpret. Such a code will be provided later in the book. It will be up to you to evolve its interpretation to discover its full flavor, and understand what it is to be a Mystic Knight.
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The Mystic Knighthood Joining a group of Knights is not mandatory. In fact, the base rule of a Mystic Knight’s path is that he takes care of his own development, assuming all his responsibilities towards his personal growth. True strength of the mind develops when decisions are made alone, without any encouragement from the outside. Yet, sometimes, we need encouragement. True strength of the heart develops when virtuous principles are upheld against the opinion of the crowds, even against one’s own desire. Yet, sometimes, we need to feel “the same”, part of a group of people who share the same emotions. On other occasions on the path of self-mastery, one might need guidance and resources. The Mystic Knighthood is devoted to this task, offering training to raise one's level of physical prowess, mental clarity, and spiritual depth. We exist to guide you on this path, and offer fellowship when you hit difficult areas in your life. Guided by the virtuous principles of our sacred Code, we live our lives for the betterment of the community. The Mystic Knighthood exists to provide guidance to those engaged in their selfdevelopment, providing the opportunity to help you develop yourself physically, mentally, and spiritually, all at one place. Our goal is to serve as shining examples of personal achievement, living our lives in service to the world around us. -9-
The Mystic Knighthood of the Crowned Heart is a group of people who gathered to give encouragement and guidance to those engaged on the path of the Mystic Knight. While some level of training is suggested, a Mystic Knight should keep on caring about his own training, in the specific fields of his choice. While martial arts are encouraged, the exact art belongs to the choice of the Knight. While spiritual development is required, the faith and beliefs of the Knight belong to him only. No indications will be made to point in any direction. The Knight must choose his own path.
… of the Crowned Heart There has been hundreds of Mystic Knighthoods thru the centuries. Although none are called "Mystic Knighthood" by itself, the terms "Mystic" and "Knighthood" often appeared in their name. We refer to ourselves as the "Mystic Knighthood", but for the purpose of differentiating ourselves from other knighthoods that existed before us, the official name of our Order is the "Mystic Knighthood of the Crowned Heart", referring to our goal to develop a pure heart of Humility, Strength, Justice and Compassion. There was a time when knights were proclaimed by royalty, and only thru such proclamation could one become a knight, for it was told that God had placed the king or queen on the throne, and only by divine intervention could one be proclaimed a protector and servant of the royal family. Thus, knighthoods were made out of a - 10 -
group of knights, all serving under the king or queen of a country. Today, with almost no more monarchic societies, we remember the valor and the power that knights represent. The knight is a symbol of any ideal to attain. Hence there came a group of people who wanted to share this opportunity with the world so that all could aspire to reach this ideal representation of a knight, serving with Justice and Compassion. Not proclaimed by a monarch, but by the shared will of a few idealists, the Mystic Knighthood was established in 2004. Offering training and support to our members, we encourage physical, mental and spiritual training, and the adoption of a code of conduct that we call “The Code”, which is a guide of values (that does not overrule your country’s legal code). Not every knight would want to join a group or fellowship. Why then, might someone wish to join such a group? Here are a few reasons that could help you decide if you wish to join a group or train on your own. The training of a knight works on developing all aspects of the self: body, mind and spirit. You might have questions about one aspect, and wish to be certain of the competence of the person who answers. To gain trust, we usually take the time to get to know someone. But in the case of sharing information, we might want to have the answer immediately. Thus, we need a way to identify trustworthy sources of information. Without believing in the - 11 -
concept of neither competition nor comparison, the Mystic Knighthood uses a system of levels that ascertains someone to have attained a certain experience on their personal path. These titles are of philosophical nature and are not bestowed randomly. A Knight must earn every title, which gives all the credit to our system. Each new member of the Knighthood will receive training support and guidance from more experienced members. When we speak of experience, we mean the real life experience as a Knight, and not the length of time spent as a member of our fellowship. We offer a platform of communication, a meeting place, but each Knight is on his own path and his experience counts more than his titles. There is also a phenomenon that we could call an “egregor”. The cumulative intention of every member to attain their high goals of self development will consciously and subconsciously support the development of every other member, in a synergetic mental and spiritual energy. Those who wish can even perform a personal ritual that encourages this link with the other members of the group. Our members can post support requests. It can be a request of assistance in training, or help in healing. In any case, the mandate of our Knight-Priests is to assist on a spiritual level, to help you in your endeavor. Other advanced members will try to answer your questions, or offer support in your trials.
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Our multi-cultural approach respects each member’s traditions, occidental and oriental, in their cultural, religious and spiritual beliefs. None of the Knights will judge other beliefs that are not their own. We also encourage the open-minded approach to try to understand the basis of all spiritual beliefs, and various martial arts. Although a Knight is responsible for his own training, we offer training programs suited for members to study alone or in a group. These training suggestions are there to help the newcomer as well as the experienced knight. What our Knighthood is... Training Studies Integrity Self-development Helping others What our Knighthood is NOT... Role-playing Fantasy Power-trips Comparison Judgment - 13 -
Joining the Mystic Knighthood does not imply anything else than the sharing of your experience with others. Those who wish to tie strong bonds are allowed, while those who wish to keep the whole of their autonomy are greeted with gladness. You may get more information on the website: http://www.MysticKnight.org . More information about the Mystic Knighthood will be offered at the end of the book.
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The Mystic Knighthood Code Humility in service to Strength in service to Justice in service to Compassion Our “Code” is a guideline rather than an actual restrictive rule set. Each member is encouraged to apply the virtuous principles of the code according to his/her own interpretation, and to remain openminded to other interpretation possibilities. You are encouraged to progressively integrate the “Code” in your daily behavior. These are the principles upon which our code is built. For those who join the Mystic Knighthood, all Novice Members should study the Code while all Knights are expected to act according to the Code. Humility Without Humility, we will restrict our growth in strength. Regardless of whatever level of strength we believe we may have achieved, we will not recognize it in any form when one is lacking Humility. Humility teaches us that no matter how great the man (or woman) they are still just one person. They still rely on others in some degree. No matter how wonderful a person is, no matter how - 15 -
powerful, they are no greater than any other of our brothers and sisters. When one cultivates the virtue of Humility, they can come to understand their own strengths and weaknesses. This will allow them to have a better understanding of the roles they can play in the Knighthood, but mostly throughout their daily lives. When one is ignorant of their own weaknesses they are robbing themselves of strength by making their weakness even more vulnerable. Through understanding Humility, one can come to understand and gain access to the true reservoirs of strength that can be made available to them. Strength Strength follows, being nurtured by Humility. Strength is the foundation of power. It allows one to act. When one lacks strength of character, of body, or heart, all of their works will be weak. When one is strong, everything of their creation, every word and deed will emanate with power. They will have stability and focus. Strength is the tool of Justice. When one acts in service to justice without strength, their action will be weak, and unable to succeed, often causing more harm than good. When you choose to walk the path of Justice, you must cultivate Strength. Each day add to it, little by little. Should you be called upon to serve Justice, you must not waver, and need to be able to act on the spot. Justice served weakly is a disservice to not only yourself, but the community at large. Strength can be manifested in the power of your speech, by the cunning of your mind, in the overcoming of your fears, in the tone - 16 -
of your muscle. Strength is the virtue that allows one to act. Strength allows free-will. Justice Justice rules the heart of a Knight. Born of Strength, you are in service to something greater than yourself. You seek to better the community, even the world, with the power of your actions. Not everyone is strong. To serve Justice, one needs to understand this. You seek to bring calm to the situation, not chaos. By speaking out against tyranny, by alerting authorities of wrong doing, you are serving Justice. Justice serves Compassion. The Code revolves around this fact. You must be able to look through the eyes of others. If you would not like to endure what others are being forced to, you should take appropriate action to help alleviate the situation. Above all, you need to use your common sense. If you act too boldly to serve Justice, your efforts can be twisted to further enslave and defeat the innocent. Actions should only be as bold as you are strong. Know your weakness. Justice towards one-self is free-will. Towards others, it is respecting their choices, even if you don't agree. Compassion Justice is driven by Compassion. Compassion is a loving understanding of the human experience. It shows the lessons hidden behind what seems to be pain. Compassion sheds light on anger and fear. Without understanding Compassion, the other virtues fall apart. Without Compassion, one will misinterpret Justice - 17 -
and blind his own heart. One needs to understand the point of view of all involved, and act accordingly. This is the Compassion that fuels the fires of our Knighthood. Things are often not as cut and dry as they may appear at first. It takes a constant development of Compassion, with unconditional love, to see without bias. Through the development of Compassion, we understand how to serve Justice, and how to apply our Strength. Compassion, as great and powerful as it is, serves Humility, and we come full circle. One will never have a complete understanding of every situation. You will never be done learning about Compassion. You’re understanding won’t ever be complete. This returns us to Humility. We need to be patient and kind with ourselves, Compassionate, and understand that we still have more to learn. We still have more to do. The path of those who wish to become Knights can be difficult at times, for we are never done. We must constantly polish our character, build our Strength, serve Justice, develop Compassion, and have enough Humility to accept that we alone cannot save the world, that we too have our own flaws and weaknesses. These are the virtues our Code is based around. There are still more qualities for us to develop to reach a better understanding of these. Each virtue that you develop will bring more power into your life. Each virtue can be developed infinitely. We ask that you work towards the development of each of these over time. The most powerful and direct links to power are the development of virtues. Your energy bodies continuously manifest according to - 18 -
the type of person you are. When you develop virtues, your energy system is more powerful than if you were continuously doing rituals and spiritual practices. With virtues developed, it is like if you were in a continuous state of ritual, of meditation, of contemplation of the beauty of the world. With virtues, you are always in a state of power towards the universe, and the universe obeys to those who have developed the means to command it. Although there are many virtues, here is a brief description of seven major virtues that have a direct implication with the seven aspects of our evolution. Some of these repeat parts of our Code. Temperance Do not give in to anger. Do not give in to judgment. Be compassionate. Endure the pressure when it can help others discover Love. Smile and be happy about what life has given you. Accept your role in the universe, and work to discover it. Do not be susceptible. Do not take anything personally. Be careful of your words when you answer back to some offense. When people offend you, tell them you are sorry if you have offended them. Justice Integrity, honesty, truth. Act in ways you know are right. Do your best to respect the human laws of your country. Over that, do what you think is best according to the laws of the universe. It can take some time to understand the laws of the universe, but deep within, all of us know what is right or wrong. Do not make decisions that - 19 -
would lead you to abuse. Do not be abused by anyone. Accept to earn less when it is right to do so, and defend your right to profit when it is right to do so. Strength Move! Do not stop unless it is necessary. Determine yourself to peaceful actions. Make a plan and deploy the necessary energy to accomplish it. Do some physical exercises to enhance your physical strength. Then, transpose the feeling of strength to a higher level, with analogy as a tool. This will help you understand the mystic symbolism of inner strength, of self-empowerment. Faith The universe, the great Love of the universe, will take care of you. Know that you are in a classroom, in an experience to learn to master yourself. Realize all of your projects with the assistance of God. Take care of the matters of God, and God will take care of your human matters. God is without shape, without name, without any definite identity. He is the absolute truth of the universe, and he loves you. You are never alone. Thus, all will be fine. Charity Give to others without any return. Do not expect recognition or payback. Give without any expectation. Do not ruin yourself. Do not give your physical means of subsistence; it would not be prudent. Give your time, give compassion, take care of others, and take care of yourself in the process. Give love only to give love. - 20 -
Give yourself the opportunity to love others more than you have done yesterday. Take care of your heart in the process, and do not play the “savior” game. Prudence Think about it before you move. Develop trust, and develop a sense of responsibility. Make sure of what you are doing. Be careful with any detail. Do not think that nothing will go wrong, take care of it personally. Study, set everything in place, and counter verify. Then act. Do not stop because of fear; hesitation is not prudence. Hope A higher version of having a positive attitude, hope is a more tangible expression of faith and self-trust. It is a determination to never give in to negativity, never to play the victim of the events that compose your life. Smile, trust yourself, be positive, and know that all will be fine. It is easy to keep this attitude alive when you know, deep inside, that every event that seems negative is only a lesson to go thru, an experience of knowledge sent by your higher consciousness.
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The Training A Mystic Knight's training is done alone or in group, using each their own means. Consult each training area below (Body, mind, spirit, martial arts) and practice, on your own, the trainings that are suggested. Once you log in as a member, new training techniques will become available according to your level in the Knighthood. You may train in the areas you feel more comfortable, but you should at least gain knowledge of every technique offered at your level, in every training area. The Mystic Knighthood does not provide official infrastructures or meeting places. It is up to each member or group of members to arrange their training area or lodge. The website is the main source of knowledge and serves as a communication link between members who are far from each other. Martial artists should follow class in a martial art school close to them. Body The body of a Mystic Knight is his temple, his home. It must be cared for with nutritious foods and exercises to keep it healthy. In this section, we will present guidelines to good nutrition and basic bodybuilding exercises.
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Mind It is suggested to practice your cunning either by studying various subjects, or by playing mind games. The more you study, the more you will become knowledgeable in many fields, either in wisdom or technical application. Spirit Spiritual self-development is the key to becoming a Mystic Knight. In time, it will help you develop extra-sensory perception, but first, it will set the grounds for spiritual improvement. Developing your spirituality will bring concentration. Martial Arts The practice of martial arts is the ultimate tool to assist in the integration of all other aspects of becoming a Mystic Knight. It will work on your body, mind and spirit. Any kind of martial art can be practiced. It is recommended you find a school near you.
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The Body of a Knight A Knight must care for his body, by training physically and having healthy nutrition habits. In the following pages, we provide basic fitness concepts to make the body stronger and more endurant, as well as a guide to help you understand the base of having a good nutrition.
DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this chapter is for information purposes only. While exercise is usually considered a safe activity, we strongly encourage you to consult a physician before embarking on any exercise program.
WHY WE DO IT Running, pushing, jumping, swimming, hiding, climbing, pulling… There was a time when those tasks were necessary for survival. Nowadays, they are not as much. In fact, many people find those activities to be a pain rather than a blessing. And yet… Our bodies were designed to move. It is only recently that our modern societies have the ‘luxury’ of remaining relatively sedentary. Yet, our genetic makeup hasn’t evolved as fast as our lifestyle. - 25 -
The reason we chose to include this part about exercise and fitness has nothing to do with aesthetics, even if your appearance will most likely improve. It has nothing to do either with performance, although you will undoubtedly find yourself being able to perform physical feats you never thought could be achieved before. It is not because of the well known effects of exercise on mood and energy either, even if you will feel able to move mountains while remaining joyous. No, it is not because of any of those single reasons, but because of all of them, and many more as you will yourself discover as you go along. It is a well known fact that the body affects the mind and vice versa. There is no need to develop an Olympian body to enjoy the benefits of being fit. Your body is a wonderful masterpiece that will adapt, within reason, to any stimulus you submit it to. What’s more, the body will always know how to adapt to make the job easier. For example, someone manipulating a lot of rough matter (earth, wood, etc.) with his-her bare hands will most probably develop calluses so that the task can be performed more easily. Over time, what was «hard on the hands» at first will barely be felt. Whatever you do for the first time may very well seem odd/hard at first, but provided that you give yourself a chance to adapt (in our case here, recover), you will most likely find it easier to do eventually. - 26 -
Similarly, the body will also adapt to the lack of stimulus. A fit human body which ceases to be stimulated for this goal will “retrain” itself to adapt to this new stimulus, or lack thereof. The body will not hold on to metabolically costly muscle if there is no need to keep them. Muscular atrophy inevitably results. It will not burn fuel just for the sake of burning fuel if it doesn’t need to. It will then store whatever fuel it doesn’t need in the form of body fat. The heart will not remain strong if it never has to pump harder to supply the moving body with fresh, oxygen and nutrient rich blood. And so on and so forth.
Of course there is a limit to the intensity, and duration, that you can apply a stimulus on the body, but the result will always be the same: the body will adapt. One thing you need to realize is that YOU decide what kind of stimulus you subject yourself to. Everyone has pretty much total control over what they decide to read, eat, talk to, think about, etc. No outcome should come as a surprise. It’s not just a matter of looking good. It is a matter of taking care of the very essence that allows you to live your human life. Exercising will make nutrient-rich blood flow throughout your body, oxygen will rush in to feed your brain, specific neurotransmitters will make you feel good and energized. Your stress level will go down, your overall energy will be up, your digestion will improve, your skin will be healthier, you will sleep better, smile more easily, have a more positive outlook on life, - 27 -
tackle perceived negative events with much more confidence and serenity, etc. Exercising will undoubtedly improve your life many times over!
TRAIN HARD TO LIVE EASY To many, the simple thought of beginning a fitness program is enough to discourage them right from the start. If BEING in shape is associated with all the wonderful benefits mentioned above, GETTING in shape is often associated with aching muscles, shortness of breath, smelly sweat, being tired, etc. In short, the exact opposite of whatever benefits exercise should deliver! Well, it may be like that at first. Until you adapt. However, getting there doesn’t necessarily have to be tough. It’s all a matter of respecting your own limits and gradually increase the intensity of the stimulus. Once you have adapted, even just a little bit, this small progress will fuel your fire to keep going at it. Many will even be looking forward to their next bout of exercise, awaiting it with joy and excitement instead of discouragement. The feeling of your running shoes molding your feet, air rushing into your lungs, oxygen being delivered to your brain and hard working muscles. Sweat that starts pearling on your skin to cool it off while you pick up the pace. Your heart rhythmically pumping oxygen-rich blood throughout your body. You feel alive. - 28 -
Everything will seem easier as you progress. Flights of stairs won’t be as much of a pain. Moving furniture could become fun. Getting out of bed won’t be an hour-long process anymore. Playing with the kids outside won’t be a chore anymore, but a great quality-time opportunity. In short: the few exercise sessions during which you will temporarily step out of your comfort zone will enhance and better everything else in your life, 24/7.
HOW THE BODY ADAPTS When you exercise, you put a strain on your whole system: muscle cells are stimulated, then die; joints and ligaments take a beating, stored fuel (both fats and sugars, along with proteins) are used up for energy, etc. Your working cells dump waste products into your bloodstream and they need to be removed by the body’s filtering systems to keep your blood as clean as possible… The short term end result is that immediately after exercise, your whole body is weaker and more depleted than before. However, this “downside” is necessary in order to trigger adaptation. It is only then that the recuperative process begins. Fuel stores, especially glycogen (glucose stored in muscles and liver) are being re-filled, dead muscle cells are recycled and replaced with brand new and, most likely, stronger and more resistant ones. Your nervous
system
is
recharging
itself
with
the
proper
neurotransmitters that have been used to trigger muscle - 29 -
contraction. Once this recuperative process is completed (about 2448 hours later, depending on the intensity, duration and nature of the stimulus), you are ready for another bout of exercise, and so on.
Just like many other things in life, the body only gets better if it has a reason to. By being constantly pushed a little further than it is used to, and given the time to recuperate from the effort, it will adapt so that the task can be done more easily next time. But next time, you outsmart it: you push it a little further again. And so on. Of course, this doesn’t go on forever. Eventually you won’t be able to keep progressing. It is the point of diminishing returns: for twice, three times or even four times the effort, the results will only be a fraction of what they were at the beginning of your exercise routine a few weeks or months earlier. This is a great thing as it means that your body has done it’s job: it has adapted to the stimulus. The fitter you are, the harder it is to improve, just like most things in life. People may get great results from working out for several weeks and then hit a plateau, where no progress is possible. Their bodies have become accustomed to the new fitness level and no matter how hard one tries to push past this plateau, the body just doesn’t seem to ‘want’ to get better. So there you are, stuck. Unable to improve. Unfortunately, many people, even those people who find great pleasure in working out and are motivated to no end, can quickly - 30 -
become discouraged when they stop seeing results. But here’s something that should be kept in mind: Lack of improvement doesn’t mean lack of results. Suppose a 35 years old man runs a set distance in 30 minutes today. Fast forward 40 years, and find the same man, now 75, running the same distance in the same 30 minutes. Has this man wasted his time because he hasn’t improved (i.e. run a greater distance for the same time length, or the same distance in a shorter period of time)? Not at all! Even if his goal was indeed to improve (whether it be running for more than 30 minutes, or running more distance within that 30 minutes), he may not have reached his goal, but you can be sure he has kept all the benefits of being able to run for 30 minutes straight, even at 75 years of age! So you’ve been exercising for a couple of month, and now things seem to stand still, even if you try hard to improve. What can you do? Well, instead of increasing the intensity (or duration) of the stimulus, you can completely change it. What the body needs is to be "kept on its toes" and the best way to do that is not only to modify duration and intensity, but also the nature of the stimulus itself. You like jogging? Try swimming! You like rollerblading? Go for a jog! You usually ride a bike on a track? Get out in a hilly-mountainous area and enjoy a great hiking - 31 -
session! Any variation will call upon new muscles or make them work differently. Changes add up to continued results.
GENERAL STARTUP CAUTION: Although exercising is a natural and safe activity for most, we strongly advise you to consult with a physician before starting any exercise program. If you have never done it before, beginning an exercise program can be a daunting endeavor. Where do I start? What do I wear? What do I do, and for how long? How often? Here are three basic rules that apply to most people who want to undertake a physical conditioning program : - Make it enjoyable: Choose an activity that you like, first and foremost. There is no use in force-feeding yourself a weight training routine if you can’t stand the environment of a commercial gym, or to make yourself go on compulsory morning jogs that seem never ending if you hate running. The main idea behind it all is very simple: to move. As long as you do that, you’re on the right track. The rest is mainly a matter of managing the intensity of whatever you do to reach the goals you have set for yourself. - Keep it simple: At every corner you see a new “revolution” in the fitness industry “guaranteed” to provide results. A new machine, a - 32 -
new principle, a new way of doing things. I’ll reveal to you an important secret that is in fact not a secret at all: Everything that “works” has already been discovered. We are not saying that exercise science is not evolving (quite the contrary!), but the basics of getting and keeping fit are very, very old news. There is no revolution. No need for the latest ‘Ab-Whatever 2000’, the super program used by the hottest new Hollywood superstar or the revolutionary meal replacement that is supposed to turn you into a Venus or an Adonis. They’re not necessarily bad (although some are definitely useless), but no matter how revolutionary, scientifically proven or hip a new gimmick/activity/system seems, it is most likely wrapped in a nice package to get people to buy, but do little else than imitate something that you can readily do at no or little cost: move (or eat healthy if that’s the case). One of the reasons there is so much confusion out there is this: it is human nature to look for quick fixes. People seek a “lazier” solution to their physical conditioning needs. - Some is better than none: As a rule of thumb, 20 minutes 3 times a week is a good starting point (albeit a very basic one). Any less than this and it most likely will not be enough to provide lasting results, and you will constantly have one foot on either side of the fence, constantly dealing with the effects of detraining, constantly dealing with soreness and lack of true enjoyment. It would be like constantly straddling the transitional horse that you ride between being unfit to fit. This sounds like a perfect recipe for giving up. The real fun will begin once you pass those first initial few days - 33 -
(give yourself about 2 short weeks). Let me illustrate the point: Suppose you exercise twice a week, your first session being on Monday morning. By the time you get to your second workout (say, Friday morning, 4 days later), your body will have adapted, and then reverted back to baseline because the frequency of the stimulus was not sufficient (remember you recover from a workout in about 48 hours). Working out every other day allows sufficient time for recovery, but not quite enough time for detraining. Still, if twice a week is all you can do, then by all means try to make the most of it by increasing either the time, the intensity, or both, so that the stimulus is irritating enough to your system that it will take a little longer to recuperate and get better. Ideally, try to stimulate the 2 main components of physical qualities (not counting functionality: balance, precision, etc.) that can be improved thru physical activity: strength and endurance. Flexibility is also important, and we will briefly cover it a little later. This simple classification will be more than enough for our purpose. At their purest, strength and endurance are at opposite ends of the same spectrum: very high intensity that last only for a few short seconds (strength); and very low intensity but can last for hours (endurance). Just for the record, both are important for optimal health and both bring complementary benefits. As with everything under the sun, balance lies in the middle.
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CARDIOVASCULAR TRAINING Cardiovascular training is rather well tolerated by the body. Recovery from a cardio workout is achieved faster than a strength training workout, even if you will likely feel more tired afterwards. Cardio work doesn’t usually damage your muscles nor does it put a strain on your nervous system as much as strength training does. Cardio work can be divided in two classes: cardio vascular endurance and cardiovascular power. We refer to cardio vascular endurance when talking about activities that are done at a slower/easier pace but for longer periods of time. Cardiovascular power is almost the exact opposite: the intensity is higher and thus one cannot sustain the effort for very long. It is best to train both qualities (cardiovascular endurance AND power) rather than just one or the other. In order to know where you stand when training, you need to monitor your heart rate, which will tell you if you’re taking it too easy or training too hard for the quality you have decided to train. FAT BURNING CARDIO ACTIVITY: I will briefly mention cardio for fat burning since everybody always asks about it, but it should not be the focus of your workouts. The theory is that the lower the intensity, the more you body will use stored body fat as a fuel source. Now, this is true. So true in fact that when you are - 35 -
sleeping (which is about as low intensity as you can go) almost 100% of the energy your body uses to keep you alive comes from fat. The problem is not in the ratio of fat vs other fuel sources but in the absolute amount of energy used. Low intensity work is so “easy” to do that it doesn’t require a great deal of energy to be carried on. So in terms of health or aesthetics benefits, very low intensity work is not very productive. Most experts in the know will tell you that cardio work is over rated when it comes to losing fat and that the most efficient way to do so is to practice kitchen control (meaning that what you eat pretty much overrides any kind of training you happen to do). The fat burning zone is found at about 60-70% of your maximum heart rate. CARDIO VASCULAR ENDURANCE: Endurance begins to be trained at about 70% of your maximum heart rate. When you get to this level of intensity you will actually begin to feel like you’re exercising. Still, since the intensity is not yet very high, you can sustain this level of intensity for longer periods. We don’t suggest going any lower than this zone in your cardio work (although doing so will not hurt you, of course). CARDIO VASCULAR POWER: Cardio vascular power training is the best kind of training one can do to strengthen your heart. You will find yourself training in this zone when you reach about 80% of your maximum heart rate. Intensity being higher, you will not be - 36 -
able to sustain the activity for a very long time, but this is OK. There are ways to cumulate high intensity work and reap more benefits, namely in the form of interval training (we’ll get to it a bit later on). If you have never worked at such intensities we suggest NOT to begin working your cardiovascular power right away as it is a very hard form of training. DETERMINING YOUR WORKING HEART RATE How will you know if you are training hard enough? How do you know if you are at 60 or 80% or your maximum heart rate? First, we need to determine what your heart rate is when you get to 70, 80 or 90% of your max. Experts have theorized that the maximum heart rate in humans is 220 bpm (beats per minute) minus the individual’s age. So, for instance, if you are 30 years old, your theoretical max would be 190 (220 minus 30). Now, 70% of your max would be 133.
MAX HEART RATE 220 – AGE 220 – 30 = 190 WORKING HEART RATE (For 70%) MAX HR X % - 37 -
190 X 70 % = 133 So, 133 beats per minute is the “goal” you should aim for when training at 70% of your maximum heart rate. (Again, this example has been calculated using a 30 years old individual. Please make the necessary adjustments using your own age.) The graphic below should help clarify things for you:
HOW MUCH, HOW LONG, HOW OFTEN ? There is no rule set in stone as to how much cardio work you should be doing. A good start is 20 minutes 3 times per week at about 75-80% of your maximum heart rate, especially when combined with about as much resistance training. Here is another graphic to help you understand the dynamic between cardiovascular power and cardiovascular endurance:
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Much like resistance training, there are different intensities of cardios that you can use depending on your goal. If you wish to improve your cardio vascular power, (more intense performance done for shorter periods of time), then a more intense workout is recommended. If you want to develop your endurance (be able to sustain a low level effort for longer periods) then a lower intensity protocol should be used.
WHICH IS BETTER TO BURN FAT? There is a misconception among most people about what is the best way to burn fat. Any kind of physical activity will burn fuel. Depending on the intensity, some will primarily burn glucose (higher intensity drills), some will primarily burn fat (lower intensity drills). The reasoning that one has to go slow to burn fat stems from the fact that lower intensity burns fat as fuel. This logic is at least partially faulty when it comes to real world results in that low intensity activities don’t require a lot of fuel. In other words, yes you will burn fat if you ride a bike at low intensity for an hour, but your total energy expenditure will be relatively small. - 39 -
On the other hand, high intensity cardio, while it burns a lot of glucose, also happens to use a lot of fuel, even if you cannot sustain it for as long. Plus, your metabolic rate (the speed at which your body burns fuel at rest, to keep you alive) will remain elevated for a few hours after you’re done with your workout. Now, before any of you start doing bouts of very intense running like crazy, fat burning has less to do with exercise than diet. You can really sabotage a lot of physical work hoping to shed unhealthy weight only because your diet is not in order. Please refer to the chapter on nutrition for nutritional guidelines. Those guidelines will go a very long way to manage your weight (whether you need to lose or gain) and will put you way ahead of the average crowd when it comes to healthy eating in general. Just as it is better to try and develop muscular strength and muscular endurance, you should also strive to develop cardio vascular ‘power’ as well as endurance. The more balanced you can be the better. You want to be able to run full bore for a couple of minutes, but you also want to be able to jog for longer periods of time. In short, trying to improve the whole spectrum of physical performance is the best way to reap as many benefits as possible. As mentioned, you will probably never reach your true maximum strength potential, nor will you reach your maximum endurance - 40 -
potential. To do that, you would have to pick one and train only for it for years, neglecting the other. That said, with consistency and effort, you will become quite strong and endurant by improving both and, ultimately, this is the most desirable place to be. As with resistance training, I suggest that you vary the kind of activity that you do. While it is perfectly fine to jog and only jog, some will prefer to jog one day, rollerblade another day and ride a bike yet another day. The more well-rounded and complete you strive to be, the better.
INTERVAL TRAINING Interval training is a great way to spice up your cardiovascular workouts. Its intensity can be adjusted very easily to adapt to anybody’s current level of general conditioning. Simply put, interval training is composed of bouts of low intensity cardio alternating with bouts of higher intensity. It could look something like this Jog for 55 seconds Sprint for 5 seconds This is a «blokc». Repeat this bloc 15 times.
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Looks easy on paper, but if you take it for a test drive, you will notice that you will be jogging for a bit more than 13 minutes (13:45), and you will be full throttle for over a minute (75 seconds). Now, 75 seconds doesn’t sound like a long time, but when you’re running as hard as you can, 75 seconds is an eternity. No human being could sustain maximal intensity for 75 seconds straight BUT, with this protocol, you will be able to cumulate it. By pushing your body into this zone, you will gradually increase it’s cardiovascular power, raising the bar bit by bit. There are many ways to do interval training, too. Here are four: Option 1
Option 2
Option 3
Option 4
Walk
Jog
Walk
Walk
Jog
Run
Jog
Run
Run
There are also different ways to increase intensity. For example, for Option 3, you can decide to keep jogging time at 45 seconds and increase only running time. Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Jog
45 seconds
45 seconds
45 seconds
Run
5 seconds
7 seconds
10 seconds
… and so on. - 42 -
Alternately, you can increase both: Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Jog
45 seconds
50 seconds
55 seconds
Run
5 seconds
7 seconds
10 seconds
Yet again, you can decrease one to increase the other: Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Jog
45 seconds
40 seconds
35 seconds
Run
5 seconds
10 seconds
15 seconds
Note: the more intense the interval, the smaller you should try to increase its duration. I suggest increasing jogging time by 5 second increments and running times by 1 second increments, especially if you decide to reduce your lower intensity interval and increase the higher intensity one.
RESISTANCE TRAINING Resistance training is a little bit more complex than cardiovascular training in the sense that there are many more variables to play with. Of course, what is outlined here are the very bases. Many people (especially women) who begin a strength training program are afraid of becoming too big, or muscle bound, or ‘all veiny”. There is a lasting myth about using weight training as a means to strengthen the body which stems from competitive - 43 -
bodybuilding. Competitive bodybuilders need to combine the highest amount of muscle mass along with the lowest amount of body fat, resulting in the striated and vascular look that you see when a bodybuilder steps on stage. First of all, developing a lot of muscle mass takes years of very dedicated, consistent and hard training, training that is planned ONLY for this purpose. Then, once the mass is built, it takes weeks, often months of strenuous, very strict and very demanding dieting in order to shed the fat so that as much of the underlying muscle is visible to the judges. Very often, for many, many athletes (even those in the very low amateur ranks), a whole array of natural and chemical, as well as legal and illegal, compounds are required to remain competitive. To top it off, not everybody has the genetics to develop such a physique. So, in short: you don’t need to even begin to worry about becoming “too” this or “too” that. It just doesn’t happen this way, no more than taking up jogging will turn you into a scrawny marathon runner with boundless endurance overnight. Resistance training brings nothing but benefits to those who do it. It strengthens not only muscles, but bones, ligaments and tendons too. It helps prevent (and even reverse) the damage brought by diabetes. While it cannot reverse arthritis, it has been shown to decrease its progression, sometimes even stopping it. It improves balance and proprioception (the notion of knowing where your - 44 -
limbs are in space in relation to your body). It helps improve cardio vascular health (surprise!). It increases basal metabolic rate since muscles need energy to sustain themselves; an increased metabolic rate burns more energy 24/7, which means you can eat more while remaining lean. It makes everyday tasks easier, especially those that require some sort of physical strength. The list is endless.
SETS AND REPS In gym slang, a rep is when you do a movement, from beginning to end. For example, if you do a dumbbell curl where you hold a weight in your hand, bend your arms all the way up and then bring it back down, this is one rep. A set is a group of reps done one after the other, usually until the muscle can no longer contract strong enough ton overcome the resistance. This is called “muscle failure”, and you should strive to reach it on every set. A set is composed of at least one rep, but most sets count between 5 and 20-25 reps, depending on the goal. There IS such a thing as too much work (although this limit is seldom reached but by the most extreme individuals), especially if nutrition and recuperation needs are not met. Our goal here is to improve our overall health and physical condition, so while you should strive to push yourself harder and reach your limit regularly, there is no need to go overboard like elite athletes do. You cannot
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hope to perform as well as an Olympic weightlifter and, at the same time, perform well in a marathon. Balance is everything.
HEAVY WEIGHT VS LIGHT WEIGHT Heavy weights - allowing you to do about 5-6 repetitions - will be better suited to strengthen structures such as muscle, bones, ligaments and tendons. Light weights on the other hand – which will allow you to do 15-20 repetitions – will be better to learn new exercises and to increase your muscular endurance (which is NOT the same as cardiovascular endurance). Again, the wisest solution lies in the middle. By this, we don’t mean to limit yourself to sets of 12, but rather that a well-designed program, periodically using rep schemes from the whole spectrum, would yield the best overall results in regards to overall development. Just like cardiovascular training (cardiovascular power and endurance), resistance training can be divided in two main group: muscular endurance and muscular strength/power. The following graphic illustrates this well:
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EXERCISE SELECTION There are literally dozens (hundreds in some cases) of movements for each muscle group, to strengthen the muscles in your body. Entire books have been written on this subject alone. We are going to suggest a few exercises here for the main muscle groups, but this is by no means a complete list. Weight training exercises can be classified in 2 groups: compound movements and isolation movements. Compound movements are usually multi-joint movements, meaning that more than one joint is involved when performing them. Common compound movements include the bench press, the squat, the chinup and the military press. Compound movements are usually closer to “real life” movements bringing into action groups of muscle working together to perform a given task. Those are the lifts that you should focus on, since they are the ones that will help you most in your daily life. Those moves are also harder to do, for 2 reasons: First, they are technically more complex and require some learning. Second, considering the amount of weight one can lift for compound movements, they are more exhausting than the smaller isolation ones. For example, a hard set of squat is going to be way more demanding for your system than a hard set of leg extension. Isolation movements are usually movements involving only a single joint. Common isolation movements include the arm curl, the leg extension, the lateral raise and the triceps extension. Those - 48 -
movements are often favored by many (clueless) people because they are usually easier to perform: technically most of those movements are very easy, and they usually won’t leave you as exhausted as compound movements. The fact is, while many exercises can be interchangeable, compound movements will usually be superior to isolation ones (More details on this a little later).
PLANNING THE WEEK There are countless of ways to build a decent physical fitness program. There are no rules set in stone for this. Simply put: How much work you can recover from until your next workout? For the sake of simplicity, and given our purpose, we’ll go along with those very general rules: -
30 minutes of strength training, 2-4 times per week
-
30 minutes of cardio training, 2-4 times per week
-
1 to 3 days of total rest per week
What’s the best way to organize our workouts in such a way that we can improve both strength and endurance, and that would provide us with as many benefits as possible? For our purpose, there is no best way. Here are a couple of examples:
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EXAMPLE 1: Alternating resistance workout every other day with cardio workouts EXAMPLE 2: Doing one short resistance workout and one short cardio workout, daily. EXAMPLE 3: Doing a resistance workout immediately followed by a cardio workout, every other day. EXAMPLE 4: Resistance training in the morning, cardio at night, every other day Below is a chart that can assist you in planning your cardiovascular and resistance training, as well as your recovery periods:
Monday
Option 1
Option 2
Option 3
(1 day off)
(2 days off)
(3 days off)
Resistance
Resistance
Resistance + Cardio
Tuesday
Cardio
Cardio
Resistance + Cardio
Wednesday
Resistance
OFF
Thursday
Cardio
Resistance
Friday
Resistance - 50 -
OFF + Resistance +
Cardio
Cardio
OFF
Resistance +
Cardio Saturday
Cardio
Resistance
OFF
Sunday
OFF
Cardio
OFF
PLANNING THE WORKOUT So, you’re ready to start an exercise program but don’t exactly know where to start? Fear not, below is some basic information that will give you a great head start. While not specific enough to make you a threat to Olympic medalists, the guidelines below are more than sufficient to help you create a sound conditioning plan, which in turn will help you improve your level of fitness and keep your exercise sessions interesting and varied (2 keys to getting/remaining fit). A rule of thumb is to work the bigger muscle groups first and the smaller ones last, and to use the bigger compound exercises first and the smaller, isolation ones, last. So back, legs and chest would come before arms and shoulders in the workout, and bigger exercises such as squats for the legs would come before sissy squats and leg curls. There exists advanced techniques which involve the exact opposite (pre-fatigue, staggered sets, etc.) but we will not get into those. As mentioned, while the subject of getting fit is very vast, the guidelines below are basic, albeit sufficient for general conditioning.
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We will work the whole body during our resistance training sessions. Just for the record, it is possible to organize the workouts so that the body is ‘split’ into individual body parts, or groups of body parts, each having their own specific ‘day’ (Ex.: Chest and Back on Monday, Shoulders and Legs on Tuesday, etc.). All this is a little more advanced and numerous books and articles have been written on this subject, so we will not expand on it. For a very complete, well written and easy to understand reference on this subject, we suggest Christian Thoibaudeau’s The Black Book of Training Secrets. If you wish to further your knowledge in performance training, we highly recommend Theory and Application of Modern Strength and Power Methods, by the same author. Both books are available at MuscleDriveThru.com as well as in any good bookstore. Here is one way to organize a single workout: Use at least one compound movement for each major muscle group. In the chart below you will find 2 compound movements and 1 isolation movement for all the most common muscle groups in the body (exercise descriptions can be found at the end of this chapter):
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Muscle Group
Compound
Isolation
(multi-joint)
(single-joint)
movement
movement)
Legs
Front squat
Sissy Squat
(quadriceps
Lunges
dominant) Legs
Stiff-legged
(hamstrings
deadlift
dominant)
Hip raises
Back
Pullups
Leg curl
Pullover
Bent-over rowing Chest
Flat pushup
Flyes
Declined pushups Shoulders
Military press
Lateral Raises
Upright Rowing Biceps
Barbell curl
Concentration curl
Hammer curl Triceps
Close-grip
Kickback
pushups Bench dips Abdominals
Jack knives
Reverse ½ crunch
Twisted crunch Since you will work the whole body during your session, limit the number of sets to 20-25 to avoid overtraining.
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TRAINING VARIABLES As mentioned earlier, your body will adapt to any stimulus you subject it to. Keeping this in mind, you will quickly find out that eventually you will need to change your training program around a bit in order to keep improving and to keep things interesting. There are many variables that can be modified. The following chart shows the most common ones:
Strength
Muscle
Endurance
building Number of sets
4-5
2-4
1-2
Number of reps
4-6
8-12
15-25
Speed of
Down: 4-5
Down: 2-3
Down: 1-2
execution*
secs
secs.
secs
Up: Explode
Up: 1 sec
Up: 1 sec.
2-3 minutes
1 minute
30-45 secs
10-12
15
20
per exercise
Rest between sets Total sets per workout
*Down: When the load is being lowered towards the ground Up: When the load is being lifted
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Add to this exercise selection and cardio workouts, and you can vary almost indefinitely your exercise sessions. As previously mentioned, the idea is to work in the whole spectrum of stimulus: from strength to endurance, from cardiovascular power to cardiovascular endurance. As a rule of thumb, try to focus on one goal at a time, and change every 4 to 6 weeks. For example, you could increase your strength for 4 weeks, then work on building your muscle mass for 4 weeks, and then increase your endurance for 4 more weeks, and start over. The idea is to keep changing things around, but still giving the body enough time to adapt to the new stimulus. Below are sample workouts for each goal: Strength, muscle building and endurance. All three workouts use the same exercises, only the above training variables vary: Strength* Muscle
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Speed of reps
Rest
Lunges
4
6
Down: 4-5 secs
2-3
Up: Explode
minutes
Down: 4-5 secs
2-3
Up: Explode
minutes
Down: 4-5 secs
2-3
Up: Explode
minutes
Down: 4-5 secs
2-3
Up: Explode
minutes
Down: 4-5 secs
2-3
group Legs (quadriceps dominant) Legs
Hip raises
4
6
(hamstrings dominant) Back Chest Shoulders
Pullups Flat pushup Upright
4 4 4
6 6 6 - 55 -
Rowing Biceps Triceps
Barbell curl Close-grip
4 4
6 6
pushups
Up: Explode
minutes
Down: 4-5 secs
2-3
Up: Explode
minutes
Down: 4-5 secs
2-3
Up: Explode
minutes
* You may have to split your body in 2 days, since the total number of sets will be rather high. Muscle building Muscle
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Speed of reps
Rest
Lunges
3
10
Down: 2-3 secs
1 minute
group Legs
Up: 1 sec
(quadriceps dominant) Legs
Hip raises
3
10
Down: 2-3 secs
1 minute
Up: 1 sec
(hamstrings dominant) Back
Pullups
3
10
Down: 2-3 secs
1 minute
Up: 1 sec Chest
Flat
3
10
pushup Shoulders
Upright Barbell curl
1 minute
Up: 1 sec 3
10
Rowing Biceps
Down: 2-3 secs Down: 2-3 secs
1 minute
Up: 1 sec 3
10
Down: 2-3 secs
1 minute
Up: 1 sec Triceps
Close-grip
3
10
pushups
Down: 2-3 secs Up: 1 sec
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1 minute
Endurance Muscle
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Speed of reps
Rest
Lunges
2
20
Down: 1-2 secs
30 secs
group Legs
Up: 1 sec.
(quadriceps dominant) Legs
Hip raises
2
20
(hamstrings
Down: 1-2 secs
30 secs30
Up: 1 sec.
secs
Down: 1-2 secs
30 secs
dominant) Back
Pullups
2
20
Up: 1 sec. Chest
Flat
2
20
pushup Shoulders
Upright Barbell curl
30 secs
Up: 1 sec. 2
20
Rowing Biceps
Down: 1-2 secs Down: 1-2 secs
30 secs
Up: 1 sec. 2
20
Down: 1-2 secs
30 secs
Up: 1 sec. Triceps
Close-grip
2
20
pushups
Down: 1-2 secs
30 secs
Up: 1 sec.
RESISTANCE VS CARDIOVASCULAR TRAINING While both seem quite different (and in fact, they are), they both can be brought down to a single wide spectrum, as presented below:
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So, while an Olympic lifter would be very powerful, his cardiovascular endurance would be rather poor. The same can be said about endurance athletes: they can last for hours on end, but their strength is usually minimal.
CIRCUIT TRAINING The lazy man’s approach to training… NOT! Don’t let the word ‘lazy’ fool you: properly done circuit training is no walk in the park. On the other hand, it is a fantastic way to work every physical quality at once, albeit in an incomplete way. If you had to chose ONE kind of workout that would cover everything, Circuit Training is it. Circuit training combines both resistance and cardio training wrapped into one single approach. Time saving, no guesswork, relatively efficient, but brutal. The basic principle behind it is simple: do a few weight training moves, back to back without any rest. You can either do complete sets before moving onto the next exercise in the circuit, or you can do one rep per exercise and keep rotating exercises until you REALLY need to take a break. Alternately, you can squeeze in some quick bouts of cardio work, too, such as jogging in place or rope skipping.
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Example 1
Example 2
Legs X 10
Legs X 1
Chest X 10
Chest X 1
Back X 10
Back X 1
Skip rope (30 secs)
Abs X 1
Abs X 10
Triceps X 1
Triceps X 10
Shoulders X 1
Shoulders X 10
Biceps X 1
Skip rope (30 secs)
Triceps X 1
Biceps X 10
Repeat until exhaustion
Triceps X 10
Rest
Rest. We suggest you try to use light rather than heavy weights at first, and then adjust them to your level of perceived effort. As you get used to it, you will find the correct weights to use to be able to complete the whole circuit. The idea is to build exercise ‘complexes’ that allow you to smoothly move from one exercise to the other with as little preparation as possible in between exercises. Even though you will be using what is considered resistance training exercises, your heart and lungs will work overtime to supply all of your muscles with the blood and oxygen they need. For circuit training, you can forget about the guidelines regarding sets and reps - 59 -
presented above: simply push and pull until you can no longer do it, rest a little, and start over. QUICK NOTE ON COMMERCIAL GYMS We will not expand too much on weight training in a gym since this matter is beyond the scope of this book. We suggest using either calisthenics (body weight exercises) or exercises that can be done with regular household items. However, there are many advantages to joining a commercial gym, such as variety of equipment, knowledgeable staff (usually), social environment, as well as sufficient loading, etc. If you train without conventional free weights or machines, you will quickly find that you may be limited in the weight you can use for certain exercises such as squats. If you can afford it, we encourage you to at least visit a few gyms in your area and maybe try one or two of them, and then decide whether this is for you or not.
FREE WEIGHTS VS MACHINES Again, there are countless pros and cons to whether free weights (barbell and dumbbells) are better than machines when comes the time to begin a strength training program. Again, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. Free weights match perfectly the human body’s strength curves and motor pattern, and they stimulate all those little stabilizing muscles necessary to assist the big prime movers. On the down side, they require a bit more attention since one has to balance them and keep them under control at all times, - 60 -
but this can easily be learned (remember: the body will adapt to the stimulus…), just as you learned to stand up and walk. Machines are ‘self-guided’ and as such, maybe a little less hazardous to use since the weight is stabilized by the machine itself. Their main drawback (as far as health benefits go) is that they don’t stimulate your stabilizer muscles, which will eventually create imbalances between them and the prime movers. Machines ‘lock’ you into the same motor pattern, thus strengthening only this angle. What this all means is that your big prime movers will easily be able to, say, lift this huge shovel filled with heavy snow, but your smaller stabilizers, made somewhat lazy by the machines doing the work for them, won’t be able to keep up with your prime movers. This is an injury waiting to happen. This is like learning to ‘drive’ a powerful car on a track (like a train), and then expect to be able to keep the wheel under control on the freeway. The engine is powerful, but the driver just isn’t used to steering the car. In short: bluntly put, machines keep you somewhat safe in the gym, but “prepare” you to get hurt more easily outside the gym. In most cases, a properly designed resistance training program should never be designed exclusively with machines.
A WORD ABOUT TRAINERS You don’t need a trainer to improve your health and fitness levels. HOWEVER, just as there are construction workers to fix your roof, mechanics to fix your car, trainers are very often a goldmine - 61 -
of information that can help you achieve your goals faster and probably in a safer manner than if you play ‘coach’ with yourself. Of course, if all you do to remain fit is jog every two days, do pullups on some public park’s monkey bars and a few pushups upon awakening, you won’t really need a trainer. If you wish to push things a little further though, a trainer can be a good investment. The best advice we can give you is to try and decide for yourself.
EXERCISE DESCRIPTION
Legs (quadriceps) Front Squats: Start with your feet shoulder width apart. Your toes should be pointed slightly outwards, never inward or knee strain will result. You should look straight ahead, without tilting your head. The body tends to follow the eyes, so if you look down, there is a chance that you lose your balance. If you squat with a lot of weight, this could be hazardous. If you use a barbell, it should be placed high on the chest, resting on the shoulders. Ideally, you should cross your arms in front of you and always always always keep your elbows up, otherwise there is a high risk of loosing the bar, which will roll down your arms. If it doesn’t feel uncomfortable, you’re not doing it right. You will most likely feel some discomfort in the front of your neck, because the bar will slightly push against your throat, this is OK. - 62 -
Keeping your heels firmly planted on the floor, inhale and move your hips back as if you were going to sit down, but keep your back as straight up as possible. Remember: this exercise is hip-driven, this is where the main power comes from. Focus on your hips. Continue downward, by bending the knees. Make sure your knees follow your toes, and don’t let them buckle inwards. Keep both heels firmly planted on the floor. Go as low as you can WITHOUT rounding your back in ANY way (this is very important). Always keep your back flat. Rounding your back will put tremendous pressure on your lower back, especially on the intervertebral discs. Go as low as you can (the deeper you go, the more the hamstrings and glutes will be activated) in order to bring as much of the legs and hips muscles into play, making it a more complete exercise.
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The Front Squat Lunge: Stand upright with your feet shoulder width apart. You can hold a pair of dumbbells in your hands. Take a 2-3 foot step forward and begin bending both knees, as if you were kneeling on one leg. It is important to keep the torso straight and to make an effort to shift as much of the weight on the back leg as possible. As the set progresses, you may have a tendency to bend the back leg less and less, and to bend the torso forward more and more, which you should try to avoid. A good trick is to imagine your face hitting a wall, and then slide down. Better yet: do the exercise in front of a wall, so that your front foot touches the wall. That way, when your front knee touches the wall, you will have no choice but to shift your weight on the back leg. Lower yourself down until your back knee almost touches the ground, then return to the starting position. You may do several repetitions on a single leg before switching or alternate legs. - 64 -
The Lunge Sissy Squat: Don’t let the name fool you: this exercise is rather hard on the legs! Place your feet shoulder width apart and grab a solid object for balance. You can hold a weight close to your torso with your free hand. The idea is to bend the knees while keeping the hips as neutral as possible. Allow the body to lean back as you bend the knees. Let your heels come off the floor. Go down as low as you can, striving to go lower as you progress. Return back to the standing position by extending the leg, again keeping the hips as neutral as possible. Make sure the toes are pointing forward and that your knees don’t buckle in nor out.
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The Sissy Squat Stiff-Legged Deadlift: Stand with feet slightly narrower than shoulder width apart. Very slightly bend your knees (just so they’re not ‘locked’). The knee angle should stay like that as much as possible during the whole set. The movement is initiated at the hips. You bend the torso forward by bending at the hips, NOT the lower back. Bending the lower back will put a lot of pressure on your lower back, and the risk of injury increases greatly. So keep your back as flat as possible during the whole movement. A trick that will help you do this exercise correctly is to imagine that you are pushing your butt backwards, as if you were trying to touch an imaginary wall behind you. Most people lack flexibility in the hamstring area, so they will feel a deep stretch at the back of the leg. This is what you are looking for. Go down as low as you can (again, WITHOUT bending your lower back, keeping it as flat as possible),
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then drive the torso back up, again straightening the body at the hips.
The Stiff-Legged Deadlift Hip Raises: This exercise is done on your back. Lift your feet and put them on a solid surface that is about 2 feet high. Very slightly bend your knees and keep them at this angle. The idea is to lift the hips towards the ceiling using your hamstrings. Make sure you push up with the muscles at the back of the legs and that you do not end up bending the knees, pushing yourself up with the quadriceps. Lower yourself down without touching your hips to the floor before the set is finished.
The Hip-Raise
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Leg Curl: This exercise will require a machine. Lie face down on the machine and place your feet (at the Achille’s tendon) underneath the padded roll. The legs should be straight, and the knees should clear the pad you are lying on. Point your feet towards you (if you point them away from you, you will most likely get a cramp) and bend your legs until the pad touches your buttocks. Return to the starting position without letting the weight down.
The leg curl
BACK Pullups: You will need a bar that you can lift yourself up with. Grab the bar at shoulder width, palms towards you. An alternate grip, which is harder but isolates the back better, is to grab the bar with the palms facing away from you, a bit wider than shoulder width apart. Pull yourself up, focusing on using the back muscles instead of the arm muscles. Your arms will most likely give out first, but make a conscious effort to bring the back muscles into play. Avoid kicking and swinging yourself up with your legs as this will - 68 -
most likely result in your body balancing back and forth, which will ruin your tempo. If this exercise is too hard for you, you can use a pulldown machine, which is essentially the same movement, except you pull the bar, attached to a weight stack, towards you.
The Pullup Bent-Over Rowing: Bend the knees slightly and hold that angle, while keeping your back as flat as possible (imagine yourself pushing your buttocks against a wall). Grab a bar (or any heavy object) using a grip that is about twice shoulder width, palms towards you. Pull the bar towards your hips, rowing it using your upper back muscles. Bring the weight back down, without touching the floor, nor bending your knees, nor rounding your back.
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The Bent-Over Rowing Pullover: Lie on a bench (or on the floor) and grab a heavy object in your hands, that you will bring above your torso, keeping your arms straight. Take a deep breath, and hold it in, then bring the weigh back as far as you can. Bending the arms is acceptable, but try to limit this as much as possible, as it would take the stress off the back muscles (which is the goal of the exercise) and shift it onto the triceps.
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The Pullover CHEST Flat Pushup: The pushup is probably the most known exercise in the world. To make sure you hit the chest muscles as much as possible, make sure to use a grip that is wide enough, about twice shoulder width. A narrower grip would put more emphasis on the triceps, which is not bad, but it is not the purpose of the exercise here. Be sure to always keep your body as flat and straight as possible (don’t let your hips dip before your shoulders). To make sure the pectorals work as much as possible, make sure to keep your elbows out.
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The Pushup Declines Pushup: The declined pushup is harder to do than the regular flat pushup, since it shifts the stress on weaker parts of the chest-shoulder muscle structure. The same guidelines apply here (wider grip, body flat and stiff, elbows out, etc.). The only difference is that it has to be performed with the feet elevated. Use a bench or stool or any surface that is about 2 feet high.
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Flyes: The flye is done in a supinated (facing up) position. Hold 2 objects of the exact same weight in each hand, just above your eyes, arms almost straight. It is important not to lock your elbows straight as you do this exercise to avoid undue strain. Begin the movement by lowering the weights away from you. Try to bring them as low as possible and, at the bottom position, you should have your hands brought as much as possible to ear level, to maximize the stretch in the pectoral muscle.
The Flye
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SHOULDERS Military Press: From the dawn of time, humans have lifted objects above their heads as a demonstration of their strength. It can be hard to do, especially if you lack flexibility in the shoulder area. It can be seated or standing, although extra care must be given in this latter case to the lower back to avoid hyperlordosis (excessive curve of the lower back) which could lead to injury. If you chose to do it standing, make sure to tilt your pelvis forward to help flatten the lower back (although it cannot be completely flatten), which will create a much stronger support for the load that you hoist overhead. Use a grip that allows your elbows to create a 90 degree angle when the hands are just above ear level.
The Military Press Upright Rowing: This is an excellent movement for the whole shoulder musculature, although it targets mainly the trapezius and lateral head of the deltoid. Hold a bar at about shoulder width. Begin lifting the bar using your shoulders, NOT your biceps. To help you create the mind-muscle connection and make sure that the - 74 -
work is done by the shoulders and not the biceps, imagine two ropes that pull on your elbows, lifting them up. The hands and forearms are used only as hooks to hold the weight, but the work is done by the shoulders and traps. The elbows should always remain above the bar. If your elbows end up below the bar, you are pulling with your arm muscles (mainly the biceps) and this defeats the purpose of the exercise.
The Upright Rowing
BICEPS Barbell curl: The barbell curl is probably the first exercise one thinks of when hearing the words “weight training”. It is very easy to do, although there are some points to keep in mind to perform it properly. Start with a shoulder width grip, palms facing away from you. Simply bend the arm to lift the weight. Most people will have a - 75 -
tendency to move the elbows forward to complete the lift, making it easier towards the end of the range of motion. This is a mistake, since not only the front deltoid comes too much into play, but the resulting shift in levers releases way too much tension off of the target muscle (the biceps). To do the curl correctly, glue your elbows to your side for the duration of the set. If it helps, imagine that your elbows rotate around a single axle.
The Curl
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Hammer curl: The hammer curl is quite similar to the barbell curl, save for the grip. The hands are in a semi-supinated position (palms facing each other, as if you were holing a hammer, hence the name). The elbows still need to remain on either side of the body without going forward. The shift in grip brings the a lot of the forearm muscles into play.
The hammer curl
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Concentration curl: This exercise is done seated. You need to rest the elbow of the working arm on the inside of your thigh. Grab a weight, palm facing away from you. Lift the weight up, avoiding to swing or to use momentum by “pulling” with your torso. Make sure that it is your biceps that does the work. Also, you may have a tendency to recline back a bit to complete the reps as the set progresses, which you should avoid.
The Concentration Curl
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TRICEPS Close Grip Pushup: Very similar to the regular pushup, which targets the pectoral muscles, the close grip pushup shifts the stress on the triceps. To make sure you hit the triceps as much as possible, make sure to use a grip that is narrow enough, at most shoulder width, ideally narrower. Be sure to always keep your body as flat and straight as possible (don’t let your hips dip before your shoulders). Keep your elbows as close to your body as possible.
The Close Grip Pushup Bench Dips: This exercise can be done with the feet on the floor, or on a stool. To do it, sit on the edge of a chair or bench (make sure the surface is solid and stable enough so that it doesn’t tip over or slide away). Put both hands on either side of your hips, and lift the hips away, just in front of the bench. Keeping your elbows as close to you as possible, begin dipping as low as comfortably possible. You will feel a stretch, which is OK. You can put a weight on your lap for extra resistance.
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The Bench Dips Kickback: The kickback is done while the torso is as parallel to the floor as possible. The elbow is lifted up alongside the torso, and the upper arm is parallel to the floor also. Hold a weight in the working arm’s hand, and make sure to never bring your forearm forward anymore than 100 degrees (just short of being perpendicular with the floor). Doing so would completely take the load off the triceps. Lift the weight by “kicking” it back until your whole arm is parallel to the floor. Do NOT lower the elbow, as this would reduce the loaded range of motion.
The Kickback
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ABDOMINALS Jack Knives: This exercise is excellent for the abdominal muscles, but it does require a little bit of balance and practice. Lie on a flat surface (it can be done on the floor). Imagine that you are trying to get the ribcage and the pelvis to touch, “rolling” yourself. You will end up in balance (or lack thereof!) on your buttocks. Do not rest completely on your back upon returning, as this would release the tension on the abdominal muscles.
The Jack Knives Twisted Crunch: The abdominal wall is a simple, yet complex muscle structure. What is commonly referred to as “the abs” is in fact composed of layers of muscles, each with their own function: bend the torso forward, bend it sideways, or bend it diagonally. The twisted crunch works nicely the upper part of the muscles responsible for the twisting of the body, and it is relatively easy to do. Lie on your back (on the floor or on a workout bench), bend your legs to insure proper support and to alleviate the tension on your lower back. Simply lift the torso in a twisting manner, as if you - 81 -
were trying to bring the shoulder towards the opposite hip. Return to the start position without resting on the floor and do the other side.
The Twisted Crunch Reversed Crunch: When working abdominals, most people have a tendency to overwork the upper part of the abdominal wall, and neglect the lower part. The lower part deserves at least as much, if not more, attention, since it is it that mainly support the inner organs, fighting gravity that pulls them down and out. The way to do it is almost the same thing as the twisted crunch described above, except that instead of moving the upper part of the trunk, you lift and twist the hips.
The Reverse Crunch
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This is by no means a complete exercise list, FAR from it! There are several variations of the exercises described above, and there are hundreds of other exercises for the same muscle groups, plus their own variations. The above selection is just to give you a head start. A great book on this precise subject is called Getting Stronger, by Bill Pearl. It lists dozens and dozens of exercises that can be done for every muscle groups, each of them accurately illustrated.
A WORD ON STRETCHING Stretching is also a very important component of fitness, yet it is very often done haphazardly, if at all, after a 45 minute weight training or cardio session. We will not discuss it in great length here, but we strongly suggest that you do some research on it. As a basic rule of thumb, if you weight train a muscle, you should also stretch it. Many experts recommend to stretch a muscle for as long as you train it. As with resistance training, stretching can help correct posture problems, imbalance, undue tension caused by faulty compensation by the muscle structures, etc. The subject is too vast to cover here, but you should try to remain limber enough by stretching regularly. An excellent book on this subject, similar to Bill Pearl’s Getting Stronger, is called Stretching by Bob Anderson.
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A WORD ON POSTURE Posture is also very important. Again, improper posture often results from years of overuse of certain muscles, or simply by not paying attention to it. Excessive lordosis (the curve in the lower back), hyperkyphosis (rounded shoulders, the ‘caveman’ look), lack of tone in the abdominal muscles, poor feet positioning, faulty walking pattern, etc. are usually the visible consequences of poor posture, from which may stem unnecessary pains and ailments that could have been easily prevented. As a very basic rule of thumb, and by taking into consideration the most common posture mistakes, you should try to walk tall: lift your chin up a little, hold your head straight, and look ahead (as opposed to down). Imagine that you are a puppet and that you can stand up only because of a string attached to your head. The same applies when you are sitting. You should make an effort to throw your shoulders back and to tilt your pelvis forward (pulling the buttocks in) while pulling your lower abs in. If you try doing this, you will already be on your way to greatly enhance your posture. All this said, correcting a faulty posture pattern requires in depth analysis where many variables are taken into account. Some muscles are usually too weak, others too strong; some are too tight, others too limber. A skilled trainer will be able to analyze this and recommend the proper stretching and conditioning program.
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NUTRITION Don’t have the time to eat right? Tired of eating the same old food day in day out? You don’t know which expert to listen to when it comes to nutrition? Yet, eating well is so simple and the “rules” of proper and healthy eating are already known to all. Many people are looking for the very latest discoveries made yesterday in the field of dietetics, and yet neglect the basics. The following pages go back to those basics, take all the guesswork out of preparing varied, healthy meals and, most importantly, present you with a method on how to do it in record time! Light a fire, sharpen your spears and re-discover how easy sound eating should really be! Would you have the necessary endurance and physical strength to go into the woods or atop a mountain to harvest your food or to hunt it? Many will say: "Why? We don't need to do that nowadays to survive!" They're right. They don't need to harvest nor hunt nowadays to survive.
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The modern man survives, even if he is less and less active and even if the quality of his nutrition has deteriorated quite a bit over the last decades. In fact, he survives so well that, despite poorer and poorer health, the modern man's lifespan increases. It is very sad, however, that those extra years aren't always quality ones... No, to survive, we don't need to run anymore, nor do we need to swim, climb, work hard physically, nor to eat healthy food. However, to FULLY live, our bodies still need to remain active and to feed off quality food, rich in good nutrients. Imagine yourself back in a time when grains weren't refined like they are today, when the plants we ate were naturally grown and the meat came from animals that were vigorous and leaner which lived free and needed to be hunted down. Human beings needed to move and perform, and so our bodies became the very tools needed for our survival. Well, those times aren't that far behind us considering the history of mankind, and our genes haven't really evolved since those last couple thousand years. What HAS changed way faster than our genes is our lifestyle. The modern man doesn't walk for long kilometers looking for food anymore. He doesn't climb trees to escape predators. He doesn't really have to make much effort to push, pull or move objects. He doesn't work hard physically at all.
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Modern life is easy. It sedates us. We seldom move, we seldom explore, we are much less resilient than we used to be. There are escalators everywhere despite the fact that 95% of those who use them could very well do without. We don't even have to get out of the house to get our food: we can have it delivered! The mere fact of walking seems like torture to many, despite the fact that our physiological make up is surprisingly well adapted for that exact purpose. Our bodies have gotten soft and, with it, our will and strength of character. Is it really that surprising that the modern man has a tendency to eat for fun rather than for healthy nourishment? Balance is off.
Back to the 21st Century
It is no big surprise that nutrition and physical activity are two components of healthy living that are probably the easiest to manipulate and put into practice. What's more, it is nutrition which has the greatest impact on overall health and on quality of life in the short, medium and long term, and it is also nutrition that will yield the greatest gains for those long hours you spend exercising.
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Unfortunately, it is this component that is most often neglected, either by ignorance, by lack of know-how or by pure laziness. This booklet addresses these issues precisely. One can still remain ignorant, incompetent and lazy if such is his/her desire, by simply follow what's in this booklet verbatim, that person will have all his/her nutritional needs covered. Joking aside, not only will you learn how to eat healthier and more efficiently all the while keeping an eye on your athletic goals without having to cook for days on end, but I have added a bunch of recipes that you will be able to prepare in 5 minutes or less! This guide is divided in 3 sections: BODY-PLATE SYMBIOSIS : A no-nonsense discussion about nutrition and food. The few general guidelines contained therein will allow you to kiss goodbye to all those never ending and complicated theories and recommendations about how to eat. KITCHEN LOGISTICS: Time for a plan of attack. Take out your stopwatch, I'll show you how to hop in and out of the kitchen in less than 120 minutes to take care of all your food for the week, all that with less than 10 basic foodstuff! MAY I TAKE YOUR ORDER? Here you will find a bunch of recipes, easy to prepare in less than 5 minutes, which will allow you - 89 -
to eat healthy without being labeled as a "granola health nut" by your colleagues.
BODY-PLATE SYMBIOSIS
The human way of feeding is the one that has changed the most compared to that of any other animal species over the last 10 thousand years, and even more so during the last century. Taking into account that human genetics has very slightly evolved during mankind history, 10 thousand years is very little time. A while back, the meat that was eaten by men came from healthier animals. Those animals were more active than today's, since we force them to overeat and stay as immobile as possible (much like modern men, in fact). Those ancient animals' meat was leaner than the one you find in groceries nowadays. Without over blowing the issue, we can't ignore either the "supplements" given to modern animals. Last time I checked, syringes loaded with anabolics and other chemicals didn't grow on trees 10 thousand years ago. Back then, people ate more whole plants, which provided a wider range of nutrients and more fiber. Soft drinks didn't stream down rocky walls, the beverage of choice was water. Sweets like honey were scarce (and you had to face whole armadas of bees to get it) - 90 -
and available only shortly in the year. So the ancient man ate healthier more by necessity than by choice. With all those "restrictions", one could believe that it is the perfect setup for healthy eating, right? Not so fast. Even if the food was more natural and less "poisoned" and transformed, life was not easy back then. In order to eat, one had to work hard! No nicely saran-wrap prepackaged juicy steaks. No buckets of fruits preserved by pesticides. No oatmeal by the pound. No protein powder. Only plants (some of which were poisonous) and undomesticated animals who probably thought that, you too, could be a nice meal. Not enough protein? No problem: go chop some fresh meat from that cave bear while it sleeps and, if you succeed to rip it off and escape, you can either eat it as is (raw, bloody and with a bit of hair), or cook it on an open fire: burnt on the outside and still raw on the inside. Scared of bears? Well, there must be some buffalo carcass laying around somewhere that hasn't totally rotted yet, which you can share with a few hyenas, if the stench doesn't make you puke too much. A bit low on blood sugar? Not enough carbs in your diet? Easy solution: guess which one of those colorful berries isn't poisonous and help yourself. - 91 -
You lack some minerals? No need to panic! Just reach down to the ground, cup some dirt and eat it. It contains all the minerals you need. As you can see, our ancestors’ lifestyle didn't have only advantages. However, today, we can take advantage of many good sides of this ancient diet as well as do without much of its inconveniences. The main "rule" we should strive to follow and imitate from back then is to eat a lot of nutritionally-dense foods, but which provide less total calories (the modern man does the exact opposite: few nutrients and way too many calories). Nothing in our environment is dangerous or bad in itself. A computer, a gun, a TV set, alcohol... EVERYTHING that surrounds us is totally neutral. The root of many problems is the misuse or abuse of those things. Of course, the same applies to food. I am not breaking any news to you by saying that our industrial world's diet is way too high in bad (trans and saturated) fats and refined carbohydrates (often accompanied by excessive calorie intake in general), while the amount of fibers, water and micro-nutrients is sorely lacking. Seldom did our ancestors have the luxury to eat 1 500 calories in a single meal, while we can do it easily (and many do so regularly). Add to that the increasing number of sedentary people and you have the two main factors for the current obesity crisis. - 92 -
It is a fact that we don't have to work very hard to eat. The whole tedious tasks of hunting, killing, butchering, cooking, harvesting, preserving, etc our food has already been done for us. No more milk? Butter? Chocolate chip cookies, potato chips, soft drinks? The only effort we need to do is to drag our feet to our car. Want a meal already prepared, which includes all the dressings, drinks and even those little paper napkins? You don't even need to walk to your car: a simple phone call and you're set! Very often, after a big meal, not only do we feel lethargic and sleepy, but our blood is loaded with glucose, fats and insulin, a devastating combination for whomever tries to remain healthy and lean. The body simply cannot use this much energy in one single "dose", so what does it do? It stores it. There is such a thing as essential amino acids (amino acids are the building blocks of protein). There also exists what are called essential fats. But there is no such thing as an essential carbohydrate. There are many ways to look at this issue, but to keep things simple: the amount of energy, especially in the form of carbohydrates, should be dictated by our level of physical activity. The less an individual is active, the less he will need carbohydrates in his daily diet. Carbohydrates (carbs for short) have a humongous impact on appetite and food intake, which makes them a double edge sword. Fats and proteins affect blood glucose levels only slightly. Carbs - 93 -
however, especially if they're of the high-glycemic kind (most refined carbs are), can send your blood sugar levels soaring. Zigzaging blood glucose is not an optimal situation to be in. Please don't get me wrong: carbs are NOT bad, far from it! See them as a source of fuel, which is what they are. Many experts will recommend up to 55% of calories from carbs (sometimes even more!). Others will claim that such a number is a bit high for most people (and I agree), even those moderately active. Again, it depends on the total amount of energy consumed.
Effects You Can Expect from Proper Nutrition
First, you should keep one thing in mind when you "hunt" your food: Your health. To be intensely active, you need to be healthy, right? Even if your sole goal right now is your looks, or your performance, and that your health is not a priority for you at this moment, it would be sad if your progress came to a halt, or was delayed, because your health is not optimal or suffers from any given deficiency. Your diet should also contribute to keep your metabolism high, provide you a steady flow of energy and increase the amount of energy spent in the form of heat thru digestion. A diet high in protein, fibers and essential fats will go a long way towards reaching - 94 -
these goals. Those macro-nutrients slow down digestion and energy is then slowly released into your bloodstream. The impact they have on blood sugar is thus less important, which allows for much more stable energy levels. To process proteins, the body must spend about 25% of the calories that they provide, making them the most "costly" nutrient to metabolize. In fact, proteins are the LEAST susceptible to be stored as fat. Because of this, proteins allow you to eat more (up to a point), making you feel less like you're depriving yourself, as well as limiting the amount of energy available for storage. This is a great advantage for those trying to control or lower their body fat. Indeed, many people trying to lose weight and who give up do so because of the constant need to deal with hunger. By eating a variety of lean proteins, essential fats as well as vegetables in their most unprocessed form possible, it is almost impossible to eat too much: the urge is simply not there. Blood glucose is stable, so is energy, and hunger is easily managed. Portion control follows naturally without having to think about it. Very often, here is what you will see if you analyze someone's diet logbook: - Chaotic meal schedule - 95 -
- Protein deficiency - Essential fats deficiency - Excessive carbs (very often of the high glycemic kind) It is not only a question of how many calories are eaten. The source of those calories is a cornerstone for any diet or nutritional program. In fact, many people could even lose weight by eating slightly more calories than they currently are by simply manipulating their macro-nutrient (protein-carbs-fats) ratio. Below is a summary of the advantages mentioned above. You have the right to request that your diet delivers all this, which would not be the case if you followed the "average man's" current diet: - Lower caloric density - Lower glycemic index - Lower consumption of chemicals - Increased energy expenditure thru thermogenesis - Increased feeling of satiety - Increased consumption of fibers - Increased consumption of micro-nutrients - Increased blood glucose stability - Increased or maintained metabolic rate - Increased or maintained muscle mass
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You can also pretty much forget about calculating portions. Your appetite will be linked more to your level of activity rather than being slave to an uncontrollable blood glucose roller coaster. The more you are active the hungrier you'll be. The amount of food you will eat will reflect your needs, not your gluttony.
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How Many Times per Day?
This subject is beaten to death, but since so many people still inquire about it (influenced by the traditional "3 square meals a day") we'll briefly talk about it here. Meal frequency is a key element that has a huge impact on your progress, and it is easy to manipulate. A while ago, people "in the know" discovered that eating more frequent, smaller meals was better than eating fewer, bigger meals, and this applies to ANY physical goal (performance OR aesthetics). What we're looking at here are 5 to 7 feedings per day. By reading these words, many will be surprised, wondering how it is possible to ingest that much food in a single day! The reason they are doubtful is because they thing according to their old habit patterns. For many people, eating to satiety means eating until one is filled up to the lid! HOWEVER, the 5 to 7 meals I'm talking about here are rather light meals. The idea is not only to eat less, but to eat less MORE OFTEN. (Keywords: less more often). If you follow this "less more often" nutrition philosophy, you will never really go hungry (since you will be constantly providing nourishment to your body). By having more stable energy levels, you will be able to perform at a steady rate thru out the day, and your training goals will be easier to be met, whether they be to lose - 98 -
weight, to maintain your weight, to gain weight or to perform efficiently in the field.
Prepare the Hunt
Just like your neanderthal ancestor, you are about to go hunting. In the following pages, we will discuss what "preys" will best serve your interests. The method I suggest you to adopt is surprisingly simple, and yet surprisingly efficient and beneficial. Forget what you have read in the "Nutritional Food Guide" (which is as influenced by true science as it is by lobbies).
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Foods can (should) be categorized in 5 main categories: - Fruits and vegetables - Beans - Nuts and seeds - Meats and eggs - Dairy Products That's it. And if you can forget whatever you learned from "modern" eating habits, those 5 "food groups" probably look a lot like the ones our ancestors have eaten for thousands of years, those on which our very species has evolved and developed. Fruits, veggies, nuts, meats, and sometimes eggs and milk. Think about it. Potatoes and rice (we're not even talking about pasta!) were probably available, but not by the kilo, and not every day, like we have now. Sweets (like honey) were seasonal commodities, IF you could find it. Bread as we know it has been invented only around 3 000 BC, and even then, the flour to make it must have been pretty coarse indeed (not as refined). So, if you MUST have bread, downsize your servings and choose multi-grain products. Rule of thumb: the more your food seems to be containing woodchips, the healthier it is for you.
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Beans are also great and are excellent sources of complex carbohydrates and fiber. Also, we find whole varieties of them at the grocery store, pre-cooked and canned, very easy to prepare. Vegetables are also a must. The main thing that seems to discourage people with vegetables however is their preparation. Washing, cutting, peeling, cooking... In fact, it can be very simple. In the next section, I will tell you about how to prepare a week's worth of food, including salads and vegetables. Mixed nuts also have many advantages: they taste great, are easy to carry around, are loaded with essential fats, vitamins and minerals. They can very well be used as a quick snack, and their glycemic index is very low, which prevents blood sugar peaks and crashes that are so common with most refined snacks. Given that they are still calorically dense, it is wise to consume them in moderation. As a rule of thumb, a handful of nuts is a reasonable amount. Fruits, nuts, meats, vegetables, eggs and milk or cheese. If you only have those food stuff handy, you won't be tempted by "glow in the dark" or other "radioactive", overly transformed foods, like pizza, chips, candies and cold cuts. (Please note: those foods are not bad by themselves, abusing them is). For some of you, the cultural shock may be a bit harsh; before long however, not only will you notice that you're not dying because you don't have your usual junk, but I guarantee you will get to appreciate your new way of eating - 101 -
and you won't want to go back to your old habits of your own free will! So, let's summarize: healthy foods, more protein, more vegetables and fruits, less bad fats and less concentrated carbs. All this is very neat, but preparing all this can become a real nightmare, right? Nope. Enters the "magic" with this little method here. The following infos are a real goldmine for those pressed by time. Also, you will find a whole slew of quick recipes classified by source of protein (chicken, tuna, eggs, etc...). All those recipes are ultra simple, low in bad fats, rich in proteins and made with healthy foods. While it is not a gourmet menu, if you use your imagination just a little you can spice and season your meals to make them perfectly palatable.
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The Hunt
I will pretend that your fridge and cupboard are both empty and that you're just about to leave to do the groceries. Of course, quantities will depend on you. Based on your experience, estimate how much you need to buy and prepare. Grocery List PROTEINS - Chicken breasts - Extra-lean ground beef - Water packed tuna - Eggs (and or egg whites, in cartons) - Lean cheese VEGETABLES - Onions - Peppers - Hot peppers - Crushed tomatoes (canned) - Tomato sauce - Tomato paste - Frozen and or dehydrated vegetables - Salad vegetables (celery, carrots, radishes, spinach, cabbage, cucumbers, etc.) - 103 -
CARBOHYDRATES - Pasta - Rice - Potatoes - Pita bread - Tortillas - Whole wheat (or multi-grain) bread - Fruits (varied) SEASONINGS - Salsa - Ketchup - Relish - Mustard - BBQ Sauce - Tomato paste
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Tips on How to Choose Your Game
Proteins Buy skinned and boned chicken breasts. Choose the leanest ground beef that you can get your hands on, or you may have to remove the fat from it (here's how to do it*). For tuna, choose the water packed version. For cheese, you have some choices: there are quite a few relatively lean cheeses to choose from in grocery stores. However, the leaner they are, the more rubbery they get, save for cottage cheese. That said, it's easy to get used to the taste and texture, and the advantages are worth it. For eggs, I suggest you to buy whole eggs as well as egg whites that come in cartons. Both will be handy for you.
Carbohydrates Do not choose the pre-cooked variations, ideally pick brown or wild rice. For pasta, pita breads and tortillas, choose the whole wheat or multigrain variety. Read the labels! A quick look to the ingredient listing will show you if it's genuine multigrain bread or a junk bread "disguised" as a healthy one. Is the main ingredient (first - 105 -
or second one on the list) ENRICHED wheat flour? If so, leave the bread for someone else to buy it: you deserve better nutrition than this, even if the bread's color is brown. It's too easy to add coloring to bread and call it "brown bread", giving it a healthier look. See it this way: the softer the bread, the softer it makes you.
Vegetables Save for canned tomatoes (crushed, paste, sauce...) other vegetables should ideally be bought fresh. That said, frozen vegetables are very handy when pressed for time or there's no other veggies left. You can buy them in big bags in grocery stores: California mix, Asian mix, peas, carrots, green beans, etc. A cup or two tossed in water and brought to a boil in the microwave and ta-daaa! A nice helping of hot vegetables! In some dishes, dehydrated vegetables are also handy and quite tasty, and can sometimes even be used as seasoning because their flavor tends to be stronger.
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*How to “Defat” Your Beef If you couldn't buy very lean beef, there's an easy way to take the fat out of it. Once it is cooked, throw it in a big bowl filled with very hot water. Stir a little and let sit for about 30 seconds. Notice what rises to the top: this my friend is saturated fat, almost identical to the one that graces society's midsection. Please give our warmest regards to your arteries who won't have to deal with it, since all you need to do now is to drain the water the same way as you would pasta. You can repeat the process once if you wish. Once this is done, throw the beef back into the pan, pepper some garlic over it and cook it a couple more minutes. This step is not essential, but it will GREATLY enhance the meat's flavor and won't give you the impression that you're eating boiled meat.
KITCHEN LOGISTICS Grinding, Cooking, Preparing… OK, now that you're back from a generous hunting quest and that you have everything handy, let the fun begin. Choose a time when you have two free hours at your disposal (you won't believe how quickly they'll go by!) Those two hours will not only save you a lot of time later in the week, but they'll also save you a lot of hassle. The goal is to prepare and cool enough meat, vegetables, rice, pasta, - 107 -
etc., to last the week. With some coordination, preparation and a test-drive or two, you will easily be able to do all that all at once. You will need 4 boiling pans, one frying pan and a big cookie tray. Save a little meat, some potatoes and vegetables as is, in the fridge or the freezer: you never know. Pop in your favorite CD (whatever inspires you). Ready? 1- Pre-heat the over at 350 degrees Farenheit. Drop the beef in the frying pan (if you don't have non-stick pans, use some cooking spray). 2- Fill 3 boiling pans with water and turn up the fires to the max. In the first pan, put your eggs while the water is still cold. The best way to hard cook eggs is to start them in cold water and as it begins to boil, turn off the heat. The water will remain quite hot for a while and the eggs will keep cooking. Once the water has cooled down, you'll have perfect hardboiled eggs. Not too hard yet is it? Soon you'll be able to join your fellow nanderthal buddies and play at guessing what the weather will be like tomorrow by throwing squirrel bones on the ground. But for now, take out your stone cutting board and ivory knife (or food processor): time for some chopping! 3- Wash your potatoes and slice them in thick slices (do not peel them). - 108 -
4- Display the chicken breast on the cookie tray, without butter nor margarine nor oil. The oven should be hot enough now, throw the chicken in. it will need to cook for about an hour to be ready. 5- In theory, the water in the boiling pans should be boiling (or about to). Once it is, throw in your potatoes and rice (We'll do pasta last). Make sure nothing spills over, burns or sticks to the pans! 6- Fill your sink with water and throw all your veggies in it to wash them. Simply rub all accessible surfaces either with a soft brush or with your hands. 7- Peel your onions and chop them. Chop some peppers. Store them in the fridge in separate containers. 8- Do the same with your various salad vegetables: radishes, carrots, cucumbers, etc. A food processor comes in handy here, but it can be done with a knife too (practice makes perfect, and perfect is pretty quick!) Throw them all together in a big plastic container and store them in the fridge. 9- Potatoes should be cooked by now. Drain the water and put them in a container to let them cool (don't burn yourself!) Put some - 109 -
water back into this pan and set it to boil: when it does, throw in the pasta. 10- When your pasta is cooked, drain it. Almost done! The remaining step is to store the food.
Storing Now that everything is cooked, we'll need to store the food, but not any ol' way. You'll need to let everything cool down first, otherwise the food that goes into the freezer will have a tendency to get floury and mushy when you'll de-freeze it. Place your food in several small containers, ideally one or two servings per container, instead of one big one. That way, you can take out only what you need at any given time, as you need it. Empty 250 grams cottage cheese containers are great for this, and will allow you to pack about 1 serving of food. Leave a few servings in the fridge for the next couple of days, and put the rest in the freezer. If you want to be picky, pasta, rice and potatoes should be measured at about a half cup, and meat at about 2/3 of a cup.
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WELCOME TO NEANDERTHAL NUTRITION! MAY I TAKE YOUR ORDER?
At last! The step many were waiting for. In the following pages you will find quite a few quick and easy to prepare recipes that should help you answer the eternal "What are we eating?" that drives mums crazy. Keep a head of lettuce (ideally make it Romaine lettuce) in the fridge. With most meals, chip off a couple of leaves and throw in a handful or two of the vegetable mix you did earlier. With a little light salad dressing (better yet: balsamic vinegar and some olive oil) you'll be able to make yourself pretty decent, vitamin and minerals packed, fiber rich salads daily, and very quickly at that.
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About Ratios and Quantities
What seems like too little for someone may seem like a lot for someone else. Don't go believe that those general guidelines are tailor-made for everyone, BUT, for the needs of most moderatly active people, try to keep an equal ratio of protein to carbohydrates for all your meals. Again, for the sake of simplicity: 1 portion of carb: 1/2 cup of rice, pasta or potato; 1 slice of bread, 1 pita; 1 tortilla. 1 portion of protein: 2/3 cup of lean meat. A cup of uncooked egg whites, an ounce of cheese. Again, keep your goal in mind. As mentioned earlier, the amount of carbs that you consume should reflect your level of activity. If you are into physical performance, you should increase your carbs slightly (2/3 cup or about). If you are VERY physically active (marathon runner, etc.) you can double your carb intake. If, however, you are training to lose weight and maintain your muscles but don't do much more activity than that, you can go by the general rules outlined therein. Lastly, if you have a lot of bodyfat to lose, or if you gain fat easily, you can start with the guidelines given here, and see what happens. - 112 -
You "should" lose fat (since your weight is probably the result of foodstuff not recommended here, combined with lack of physical activity). If not, try reducing slightly your carb intake. There is no such thing as eating too much salad vegetables, so indulge at will. The more the better (within reason). 2 nice, big salads a day is a pretty good start!
About Dressings There is a limit to the amount of dressing you can "safely" consume. Since they're usually made with sugar and/or fats, they can easily supply a lot of the wrong kind of calories. Here are a few suggestions.
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GO EASY WITH:
GO MORE FREELY WITH:
Ketchup
Pickled beets, onions, etc.
Sweet Relish
Salsa
BBQ sauce
Light "clear" salad dressing
Light "creamy" salad dressing Mustard
About Seasonings Like dressings, they aren't necessary but greatly enhance the taste of the food. The difference with dressings is that they don't supply much calories at all. They can be, however, loaded with salt, so moderation is still key here. Also, only small quantities are needed, so they can be used relatively freely (save the salty ones). "Liquid spices" Worcestershire sauce, tabasco, soy sauce, vinegar (balsamic, etc.) "Dry spices" Garlic, basil, chili powder, curry, oregano, pepper, parsley...
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Other Tips - I have purposely avoided the subject of food supplements as supplementation is not the subject of this booklet, nutrition is. It is true that milk that has been lactose reduced, vaporized, dried up, powdered and flavored is not the most "unrefined" foodstuff there is, but if you have the choice between one such protein shake and a half dozen glazed donuts, the pick is easy.
Very decent protein
shakes are available nowadays and can be pretty convenient when traveling or when time is really short (even for those with a week's worth of food already prepared!) - Even with all this food already prepared: prepare in advance! It's too easy to take 5 to 10 minutes the night before and prepare meals for the coming day. That way you won't have to rush in the morning (as is the case with most people.) The next day, all you'll have to do will be to grab your thermos bag and leave for school or work (I suggest getting dressed first however.) Another bonus of this is that the food will taste better! You probably already noticed how sometimes re-heated dishes taste a bit better than when they were just prepared, as if the various ingredients "shared" their respective flavors, making the meal taste richer. This is particularly true for beans since their taste is rather bland and a bit hard to cover.
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- Marinate meats, even if they're already cooked. Cover them with some light salad dressing, tomato sauce with balsamic vinegar or some other dressing (lemon juice, hot mustard, etc.) The meat will absorb some flavor. - You know that tuna is an excellent food but you can't stand the taste nor the smell of the canned variety? No problems: here's a little trick that will make the smell and the taste vanish. Simply boil it for about 2 minutes, then drain it and let cool or rinse it with cold water. You'll end up with extra lean protein that's almost tasteless and odorless. - 0% Cottage cheese is great with almost any recipes. - For a lean "mayonnaise", mix some plain yogurts, garlic powder, a few drops of vinegar and a little sugar. You'll be surprised with the taste, and it can be used with about any recipes. - For cooked meats, always choose roasted meat over fried meat. If you absolutely need to cook your meat in a frying pan and don't have the non-stick kind, use a little cooking spray.
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RECIPIES You are now ready to make any of the following recipes in 5 minutes or less! You'll quickly discover that with a little imagination, you'll come up with a whole array of your own recipes, and you'll be able to make up your own varied menu containing very tasty, healthy meals, even if your grocery list doesn't contain cream cheese, chocolate spread, hot dog sausages or the like. 1- Chicken Fajita Chicken Tortilla Sweet peppers Onions Tomato sauce OPTIONAL : Cheese, hot peppers, lemon juice Cut all ingredients in strips, heat and place in a tortilla.
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2- Soup Chicken & Noodles Chicken Pasta Sweet peppers Onions OPTIONAL : Chicken broth. Finely dice all ingredients and put them in a bowl of water. Heat in microwave. 3- Chicken Cajun Chicken Rice Tomato paste Chili powder OPTIONAL : Hot peppers Dice chicken. Heat ingredients in a pan. 4- Chicken Sauce Potato Chicken breast (shredded) Onions Chicken broth Potato Mix chicken, onions and chicken broth in a frying pan. Place on a sliced potato.
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5- Chicken Creole Chicken breast (shredded) Onions Canned tomatoes Rice OPTIONAL : Chili powder Mix ingredients in a pan and heat. 6- Chicken Marinara Pasta Chicken breast (shredded) Canned tomatoes Tomato sauce Pasta OPTIONAL : Oregano, basil and garlic Mix ingredients in a boiling pan, pour over hot pasta. 7- Chicken Sandwich Chicken breast (shredded) Onions Pita OPTIONAL : Vegetables, salad dressing Place ingredients in pita.
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8- Chicken & Tomato Rice Chicken breast (shredded) Onions Canned tomatoes Rice OPTIONAL: Cayenne pepper, garlic Mix ingredients in a boiling pan and heat. 9- Chicken & Fries Chicken breast Potato Slice potato in strips and place on cookie tray. Broil in oven until brown. 10- Sloppy Joe Chicken Pita Chicken breasts (shredded) Onions Tomato sauce Pita OPTIONAL: Chili powder, hot peppers Mix chicken, onions and tomato sauce in a pan (along with spices) Heat and place in pita.
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11- Chicken Burrito Chicken breast (shredded) Onions Hot peppers Tortilla OPTIONAL : low fat cheese Heat ingredients and place in tortilla. 12- Italian Chicken & Potato Chicken breast Potato Italian dressing Marinate chicken and potato in dressing for about an hour. Heat. 13- Chicken & Rice Soup Chicken breast (shredded) Onions Rice Chicken broth Mix ingredients in a pan and heat.
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14- Spanish Rice & Chicken Chicken breast (shredded) Rice Canned tomatoes OPTIONAL: Chili powder Mix ingredients and heat in a pan. 15- Hot Pepper Chicken Stew Chicken breast (shredded) Onions Potato Hot pepper Chicken broth Mix ingredients in a pan and heat. 16- Pasta & chicken salad Chicken breast (shredded) Pasta Onions OPTIONAL : Dressing and vegetables Mix ingredients in a bowl.
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17- Chicken paprika Chicken breast (shredded) Onions Tomato sauce Rice Paprika Heat ingredients and serve on rice. 18- Egg & Chicken Soup Chicken breast (shredded) Chicken broth Egg whites (in carton) OPTIONAL: Onions Bring broth to a boil, pour in egg whites white stirring vigorously. Add chicken. 19- Chicken & potato casserole Chicken breast (shredded) Potato Onions Chicken broth Heat ingredients in a pan.
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20- Sauteed Chicken Pita Chicken breast (shredded) Potato Onions Pita Heat ingredients in a pan and place in pita. 21- Spanish Omelette Chicken breast (shredded) Onions Canned tomatoes Tomato sauce Egg whites Pour egg whites frying pan and cook as an omelette. Add other ingredients and fold. 22- Chicken Casserole Chicken breast (shredded) Onions Canned tomatoes Rice OPTIONAL : Cayenne peppers, garlic Mix ingredients in pan and heat.
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23- Chicken Enchiladas Chicken breast (shredded) Onions Hot peppers Tortillas OPTIONAL : Low fat cheese Place ingredients in tortilla, then roll and eat. 24- Spicy Chicken Dish Onions Potato Pasta Canned tomatoes Chicken broth Cayenne pepper Mix ingredients in a pan and heat. 25- Potato and Sauce Chicken breast (shredded) Onions Canned tomatoes Tomato sauce Potato Mix ingredients and pour over a baked potato (4 minutes in microwave), sliced and opened.
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26- Garden Chicken Soup Chicken breast (shredded) Dehydrated vegetables Rice OPTIONAL: Vegetable broth Place ingredients in water and bring to a boil. Add shredded chicken. 27- Simply Chicken & Rice Chicken Rice OPTIONAL: Basil, Olive oil Mix ingredients. 28- Turbo Chicken and Beans Salad Chicken Beans Light dressing to taste Mix ingredients.
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29- Pepper Lemon Chicken Chicken Rice Lemon juice Pepper OPTIONAL: Garlic Place ingredients in as small a container as possible and leave in fridge overnight. Heat in pan the next day. 30- Mediteranean Chicken Chicken Pasta Diced Tomatoes (canned) Diced onions OPTIONAL: Pesto, garlic, olive oil Mix ingredients in a pan.
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BEEF 1- Meat loaf Ground beef Potatoes 2 egg whites Onions Tomato sauce OPTIONAL : Worcestershire sauce, pepper. Dice potatoes and mix all ingredients and make into a loaf in a Pyrex pan. Cook in oven until eggs are cooked. 2- Steak-Fries Ground beef Potatoes OPTIONAL : Ketchup (better : Tomato sauce) Slice cooked potatoes in strips, put them on a cookie tray and put in oven until golden. Eat with steak. 3- Pasta sauce with meat Ground beef Pasta Tomato sauce Tomato paste Sweet peppers Onions OPTIONAL : Basil, Parsley. - 128 -
Cook onions and parsley in frying pan. Add other ingredients. 4- Pasta With Meat Sauce Ground Beef Onions Sweet Pepper Canned tomatoes Tomato sauce Pasta OPTIONAL : Oregano, basil, garlic Mix tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef and spices and pour over pasta. 5- Country Pie Ground Beef Potato Sweet pepper Onions Diced tomatoes (canned) Low-fat cheese Place ingredients in a microwaveable pan, in layers in the order in which they appear above (meat at the bottom, cheese on top). Heat until cheese is melted.
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6- Chili Ground beef Kidney beans Diced tomatoes (canned) Tomato paste OPTIONAL: Chili powder, cayenne pepper. Mix ingredients in pan and heat.
EGGS 1- Egg sandwich Hard boiled egg (1 yolk for 5 whites) Sweet peppers Onions Pita bread OPTIONAL : light mayonnaise (better : the one described earlier) Dice sweet peppers and onions. Put ingredients in pita bread. 2- Hen’s Burrito Egg whites Tortilla Onions Hot peppers OPTIONAL : Chili powder. Slightly cook onions. Add in egg whites and stir. Put in tortilla. - 130 -
3- Huevos Picantes Egg whites Rice Hot peppers OPTIONAL : Tabasco Cook egg whites in a pan while stirring. Add rice and hot peppers. 4- Egg Dish Potatoes Egg whites Onions Tomato sauce Mix ingredients in pan until eggs are cooked and cover with tomato sauce. 5- Egg Enchilada Egg whites Tortilla Salsa Low fat cheese Cook eggs while stirring lightly. Put ingredients in tortilla. 6- Garden Omelette Egg whites (1 yolk) Mix of varied vegetables, diced. Cook ingredients in pan. Flip to cook evenly on other side. - 131 -
7- Egg Dip Pita Egg whites Salsa Hot peppers Diced onions Broil pita in oven until crispy. Cook eggs and mash. Add other ingredients.
TUNA 1- Tuna Giovanni Tuna Pasta Tomato sauce OPTIONAL : Olive oil, basil, parsley. Mix ingredients.
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2- Pepper Tuna on Bed of Rice Tuna Rice Hot peppers Sweet peppers OPTIONAL : Lemon juice Mix tuna and peppers and place on rice. 3- Pasta and Tuna Salad Pasta Onion OPTIONAL : Light Italian salad dressing or light mayonnaise. Mix ingredients in a salad bowl. 4- Tuna Burrito Tuna Onions Hot peppers Tortilla OPTIONAL : Low-fat mayonnaise, low-fat cheese Heat ingredients in pan and pour over tortilla.
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5- Tuna and Rice Casserole Tuna Rice Onions Optional : low-fat mayonnaise Mix ingredient in pan and heat. 6- Tuna & Pasta Salad Tuna Onions Pasta OPTIONAL : Vegetables, low-fat Italian dressing or mayonnaise. Mix ingredients in salad bowl. 7- Tuna Sandwich Tuna Onions Pita OPTIONAL: Low-fat mayonnaise Place ingredients in pita bread.
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8- Tuna on Rice and Pepper Bed Tuna Rice Hot peppers Sweet peppers Put tuna on rice and peppers. 9- Tuna patty Tuna Potato Onion Egg white OPTIONAL: pepper, parsley Mix ingredients and make into patties. Cook on both sides in pan. 10- Akino Tuna Tuna Tortilla Onions Mustard OPTIONAL: Low-fat mayonnaise Mix ingredients. Place in tortilla.
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11- Tuna & Beans Tuna Diced tomatoes (canned) Beans OPTIONAL: Olive oil Heat in pan while stirring. 12- Sweet & Sour Tuna Tuna Pita Onions Celery Mustard OPTIONAL: Lemon juice, artificial sweetener Mix ingredients and place in pita. 13- Texan Tuna Tuna Tortilla Onions BBQ sauce Mix ingredients and place in tortilla.
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14- Roma Tuna Tuna Pasta Diced tomatoes (canned) OPTIONAL: Olive oil Heat ingredients in pan. 15- Atlantic Fried Rice Tuna Egg (1 whole) Rice Diced onions Mix ingredients, except tuna. Spray non-fat cooking spray in pan and heat ingredients while stirring often, until the egg is almost cooked. Add tuna and finish cooking. 16- Tuna Fiesta Tuna Potato Diced tomatoes (canned) Onions Hot peppers OPTIONAL: Lemon juice Mix ingredients.
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CHEESE 1- Cheese Mexican sandwich Cheese Tortilla Hot peppers Onions OPTIONAL : Tomato sauce Put ingredients in tortilla and microwave until cheese has melted. Careful : it’s hot! 2- Amino Fruit Salad Cottage cheese Diced fruits OPTIONAL : Artificial sweetener to taste Mix ingredients in a bowl. 3- Country Salad Cheese Salad (various vegetables) OPTIONAL : Light salad dressing Dice cheese and mix with other ingredients.
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4- Potato Dressing Potato Cottage cheese Spices (to taste: parsley, oregano, basil...) OPTIONAL: Lemon juice Mix ingredients, serve on cooked, sliced open potato. 5- Cottage Cheese Pasta Cottage cheese Pasta Diced tomatoes (canned) OPTIONAL : Basil, garlic and olive oil Mix and heat. Place on pasta. 6- Turbo Yogurt Cottage cheese Yogurt Diced fruits OPTIONAL : Artificial sweetener Mix ingredients. 7- Fruit Dip Cottage cheese Diced fruits OPTIONAL: Vanilla, cinnamon and artificial sweetener. Mix cottage cheese in blender, dip on fruit pieces. - 139 -
8- Lasagna Cottage Cheese Pasta Ground beef Tomato sauce OPTIONAL: Low-fat cheese, spaghetti spices Place pre-cooked ingredients in layers in over suitable pan. 9- Cottage Pancakes Eggs Cottage cheese Oatmeal OPTIONAL: cinnamon, vanilla Mix ingredients in blender (in that order) until texture is smooth. 10- Nachos Cottage cheese Ground beef Tortilla Sweet peppers Onions OPTIONAL: Tomato sauce. Place tortilla in over. Mix cottage cheese and tomato sauce in blender. When tortilla is crispy, break it into pieces and pour cottage cheese mix over it. Add other ingredients.
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11- Cheese Chocolate Cottage cheese Cacao Artificial sweetener OPTIONAL: Vanilla, ground nuts Mix with hand mixer. 12- Cotta-jell Sugarless Jell-O Cottage cheese Mix equal part of either with a fork. 13- Indu Cottage Cottage cheese Beans Shredded spinach OPTIONAL: Curry, garlic, pepper Mix ingredients and heat in microwave. 14- Cottage Desert Cottage cheese Apples, diced (as finely as possible) OPTIONAL: Artificial sweetener, cinnamon Mix ingredients.
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15- Tapioca Pudding Cottage Cheese Vanilla Artificial sweetener OPTIONAL: Field berries Mix fruits in blender. Add other ingredients, mix with fork. 16- Bruschettas Low fat cheese, grated Pita Diced tomatoes, canned OPTIONAL: Parsley, basil, olive oil. Mix tomatoes and spices, place on tortilla, ad grated cheese. Grill.
MIXED PROTEIN SOURCES 1- Chicken Omelette Tortilla Chicken breast (shredded) Egg whites Onions Hot peppers Tortillas Cook eggs and place in tortilla. Mix other ingredients and place on eggs. Roll.
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2- Hot Chicken Omelette Chicken breast (shredded) Hot peppers Onions Tomato sauce Brown onions and chicken. Pour in egg whites. Place omelette in plate, pour some tomato sauce. 3- Olé Chicken Chicken breast (shredded) Eggs Low fat cheese, grated Onions Tomato sauce Tortilla OPTIONAL: Chili powder Brown chicken and onions. Beat eggs and pour over chicken, without stirring, until eggs are cooked. Flip over with spatula, add grated cheese until melted. Place on tortilla. 4- Calypso Eggs Cottage cheese Egg whites Beans Sweet peppers Onions - 143 -
OPTIONAL: Pepper or Tabasco sauce, brown onions and peppers. Mix other ingredients with hand mixer and cook with onions and pepper. 5- Egg Casserole Egg whites (1 or 2 yolks) Cottage cheese Rice Mix and cook in pan. 6- Presto Breakfast Oatmeal Eggs Low fat cheese, grated Mix eggs and oatmeal and cook in pan. Flip over, ad grated cheese until melted. 7- Oriental Eggs Eggs Tuna Rice OPTIONAL : Soy sauce Mix eggs and tuna and cook while stirring. Place on rice.
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8- Amino Shreddy Hard boiled eggs Chicken breast (shredded) Beans Vegetables OPTIONAL: Ultra light mayonnaise Shred all ingredients. Mix.
The Fitness and Nutrition parts of the book are written by Simon Lacouline. Simon has pursued University studies in Kinesiology and has been working in this field since 1991, for major health clubs and gym chains at first, as a trainer as much as a manager. In 2000 he launched his own fitness consultation and training business, buying his own gym equipment. In January 2005, having always had an interest in publishing and graphic arts, he has co-launched and developed Drako Medias and it’s numerous networks in various fields.
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The Mind of a Knight Mental development is every bit as important as physical. The traits of clarity and discipline can carry over into all areas of life. In martial arts, one needs to cultivate discipline to maintain a calm mind when faced with danger. When your mind is unbalanced, your body becomes unbalanced. The opposite is not necessarily so. When you have this calm mind, you can see the attacks coming in, you can move more efficiently. Even if you have perfect technique and timing, when your mind is unbalanced, your technique will fall apart. When you are seeking to develop your physical or spiritual power, you need to have discipline, or else you're severely limiting your growth. With a lack of discipline in physical training, you will not push yourself to grow. In spiritual training, you will stop doing "boring" or "simple" exercises, cheating yourself of the development those practices offer. When faced with uncomfortable situations, we call upon our mental strength to see clearly, to solve the problem, to evaluate our options. When our mind is clear, without doubts, or fear, all of our actions will be more focused, powerful, and effective.
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Mental clarity is a key to spiritual practice. You cannot have a stray thought in mind, or you will be robbing your operation of its power. Some spiritual practices invoke powerful forces, and a lack of focus is a disservice to these mighty forces, sometimes with negative results. When you begin to cultivate these wonderful qualities of the mind, your workouts will be more beneficial, your operations will be more powerful, and your day to day life will be easier to handle with comfort and grace. Mental training is also a tremendously healthy practice. It will greatly reduce, and possibly eliminate stress. In today's go-go-go world, we all could use less of that. When you lack training, on any level, it drags down your development in all fields. If your body is sick, it will be mentally draining, rob you of focus. If your body is weak, it will cut out a valuable avenue to develop discipline, coordination, and confidence. When you lack mental training, your physical actions will easily be unbalanced, your spiritual efforts will lack effectiveness (i.e.: your meditations will be less profound, you will waste more time trying to stay on task). When spiritual training is ignored, you miss out on your intimate connection with the world around you, the upper limits of your development of other fields is restricted. On the opposite side, when you are developed on all levels, in harmony, you can begin to tap into your extraordinary potential. - 148 -
When your body is strong and healthy, you are more confident, your energy is not drained by the efforts of healing. When your mind is focused and clear, your physical training can be more productive, and your spiritual efforts become more powerful. When you have developed a level of spiritual depth, you will be in touch with levels of wisdom and might that otherwise would have been out of reach. It is also vitally important to develop your knowledge. The more knowledge you have that can be applied, the more powerful you become. The more skills you have developed to a higher level, the more valuable you become to the community. I'm not saying you need to be everyone's Mr. Fix-it, however, being able to fix a car when you break down, knowing how to administer first aid, how to tell which plants are poisonous to eat, and other skills could prove life-saving. You're not always able to rely on someone else, so it is important to have at least basic level skills in a lot of areas. However, when you know too little, you can do more harm than good, so make sure your information is well founded before you apply it. Knowledge is nothing if not practical, practical knowledge is worthless if not applied. This is another key to power. Seek knowledge in your fields of interest, it will give you power. Even if you never have the occasion to use a certain skill set, or knowledge, you can have conversation about it, if done in a non-bragging way, you can give your guests a favorable impression of you. - 149 -
Comprehension is a key. Did you ever read a book and come across a word you don't know? Did you ever hear a song lyric you don't understand? Understanding information that is being conveyed to you will help you get more out of it. It will make life and communication much richer. You'll be able to express yourself, and perceive expression on a much deeper level. Memory retention is important. We've all forgotten a name, directions, what have you. But without memory retention, your knowledge will fade, especially without use. Some people naturally have a great memory, others can only remember things of interest, and some others still have a hard time recalling the previous day. This is fine, wherever you're at, training mental clarity can help with this. However practicing memory games can quickly build this area. Take a deck of cards. Lay each card face down, flat on a table. Shuffle their order. Then pick two, flip them over and try and get a match (two aces, for example). If you don't match, flip them back, face down. Keep going, and try to remember where the previous cards are located. This can be frustrating, but little games like this can boost your recollection greatly. Mental training is a valuable, often neglected part of selfdevelopment. Do not think it is a waste; it is a key to unlocking your potential. Do not judge yourself with the level of knowledge, memory or mental abilities you have. Accept yourself as you are now, and work your way to learn how to better use your mind. - 150 -
Mental Training The following is a series of exercises to train your mind. Do all of these at least once, to understand their principles. If you wish to attain good results, you should do these often, until you can observe results clearly. #1 To start, you need a small white object, preferably a rock (up to an inch in size) and a square black cloth, no larger than a standard sized wash cloth. Place the object in the center of the cloth. Next, stare at the white object, trying to keep your eyes from blinking or roaming about the cloth. Just relax, breathe normally, and look at the object in the center. If you catch yourself thinking, just label it as "thinking", try to clear your mind, and go back to focusing on the white object. If you can stare unblinking for 3 minutes or more, you're making excellent progress. The purpose of this drill is to develop the ability to focus your mind on a single thing, and to be able to direct your thoughts without distractions. #2 This technique builds discipline. Simply move your back up against a wall, and slide down until your thighs are parallel with the floor. Cross your arms over your chest, breath naturally and relax. While being a great physical exercise, this is also a good way to develop discipline. Combine with focusing on your white pebble. - 151 -
#3 For this exercise you need to find a trail where you will be able to safely walk for a good distance without risk of injury. (Example, do not do this in the city where you could walk into a person or traffic). Relax your gaze, breathe naturally. Stare towards the horizon. Now, just walk. Do your best not to let your eyes focus on anything. Just relax, take an un-focused wide-angle of vision. As you walk, simply try to be aware of the world around you, without thinking, or focusing your vision. #4 You can practice this while you get things done around your house/office. If you're cleaning, or straightening things, this is perfect for this exercise. Relax, and breathe deeply. Count your breaths from 1-108, and then backwards. This should take awhile if you are breathing deeply. If you lose count, don't worry about it, just simply restart the exercise. This will stimulate concentration on multiple tasks. #5 To get used to stressful or chaotic situations, one must break routine. If you brush your teeth with your right hand, use your left. If you take a certain route home from work, take another (don't get lost.) If you always put your clothes on in a certain order, change the order. If you always eat the main dish, then one side dish, followed by another, eat them simultaneously. By breaking routine like this, you will more easily be able to deal with stressful or extraordinary situations. This will allow you to remain more calm - 152 -
and flexible in life. Change makes the mind uncomfortable, so this drill is designed to make change a comfortable part of life. #6 For this drill, you will need to go to a public place. Perhaps a mall. Then, pick a trait, perhaps "green eyes" or a certain type of sneakers. Walk around, with wide angled vision, and try to spot these things. It is important that you are discreet. Don't bother people. If you stare at others, it will make them uncomfortable, or make you seem suspicious. That's not what we're shooting for. This will develop awareness, and observation skills. A slightly more advanced version (after the previous is no challenge) you can look for quirks in body language. Some people slouch their shoulders when they walk, some people look upwards while they walk. Practice, but above all, be courteous. #7 Advanced concentration. The goal of concentration is not really to focus on something, but to eventually to be able to stop focusing on anything at all, which is the great ordeal of such an undertaking. Obviously, the first step is to develop your concentration on a single thought. Set yourself in a relaxed position, so that you can focus on a single idea, and set your eyes on a single simple item that will not be likely to trigger more thoughts; like a pebble or a crack on the floor. Calm your mind so to remain mentally unwavering for at least 10 seconds. Once you achieve a few series of focused 10 seconds, try with longer periods. Your mind might fight with the - 153 -
process at first. In fact, not only is it inevitable, but it is also healthy for your mind to have time to clear itself out. When you achieve focused thought and focused gaze, drop the thought process completely and try to lose yourself in a gaze. During this process, start by paying attention to what your consciousness is, as abstract as it can be, and then drop the thought of it progressively so to transcend in an open-eyed gazing meditation.
Recognizing the truth Truth, honesty, integrity. To recognize the truth, you must first understand it. And as we will explain it, you'll understand that it is hard to grasp. Truth refers to a state of mind, while honesty refers to the communication of facts. Integrity refers to respect of self. Truth, the philosophical truth, is beyond the physical reality of facts. It is the absolute expression of what IS, both at a spiritual and human level. It is a place without doubt, without darkness, where there is no communication between two parties. It rather is a completeness, a communion. Recognizing the truth has nothing to do with affirming actual facts, confirming physical events. It is the recognition that we are "all", that we are everything, that we ARE.
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Down to earth, recognizing the truth means that we accept every possible aspect of the human existence as a part of us, as a possibility, and not necessarily as an actual fact. You must not judge what is Truth. If you can say to yourself "I am a liar, I am egocentric", then you are in truth. It does not mean that you lied, right now, about a particular subject, but that you recognize the truth. If you lied only once in your lifetime, you are a liar. You must also be able to accept that you are honest, since you told the truth at least once in your lifetime. If you lacked charity and goodness at least once in your lifetime, you are egocentric. Of course, you are also charitable and kind if you helped out someone for free at least once. Without actually hurting anyone, can you recognize that "I am a killer"? Again, do not judge truth. Truth is everything. You might have killed a living creature in your life. If someone asks you if you just told the truth, don't answer "I am a liar" if you did not lie. Truth has nothing to do with what others perceive of you. In truth, we both know that you are a liar, and it only concerns your personal open mindedness towards your own acceptance of self as a whole. In the same line of thought, we also know you are honest. To answer someone with honesty or not, if you told the truth or lied, concerns your integrity and does not mean you should tell the truth, but rather respect yourself. Usually, telling the truth is encouraged. With each truth follows a manifestation in each plane of existence. A truth brings up a thought; a truth brings up an emotion. It might - 155 -
motivate action, but we will look at the emotional aspect for now. With a calm deep breath, remember that you are a thief, and feel what emotion it awakens. Recall from your past events where you stole things, time or space. Take your time to think about it, and feel the emotion rising up. Don't go playing a victim game here because this kind of practice will inevitably bring up emotions of guilt. However, don't think you are invulnerable to stealing. Recognize the truth and feel what you are. Accept the emotions linked to your Truth. Once you felt, once you are aware and conscious, forgive yourself and admit that you are a thief. There is a space that will liberate within you when the guilt smoothly dissolves, while you breathe softly. After taking a few minutes to elevate the emotion, fill this space with joy and compassion, the fruit of forgiveness. This will not change that you are a thief, but it will fill the hole where guilt took place before. You are what you are, recognize the truth. If you react strongly towards this practice, then you need to develop humility and open your mind. Smoothen your heart and accept all that you can possibly be. Expand the limits of your perception of self. The stronger you react to a truth about yourself, the deeper you are in bullshitting yourself away from truth. You cannot be complete while you flee emotions deep with yourself. You cannot go further without accepting the truth that you are everything.
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After you finish one step of the process, take time to remember that you are honest, kind, charitable, happy, young, relaxed, and joyful. If you find it difficult to accept your positive truth after this exercise, you are playing a game of "victim" (O, poor you). Be humble and accept your virtuous beauty, without transforming this acceptance into vanity. Do the same with lying, being arrogant, hypocrite, aggressive, pretentious, egocentric,… 1- Think about a truth 2- Call back some clear memories or faded impressions from the past 3- Feel the emotion, breathe the emotion 4- Forgive yourself with compassion 5- Uplift yourself with your beautiful truth Repeat this experience often, so that you will deepen your sensibility to perceiving the truth, rather than perceiving the simple facts of coincidental events of life. With time, you will not perceive good and evil, beauty and ugliness, but simple consecutive experiences of life. Be happy simply because you live. You are not great because of what you did, or bad because of what you did. You are great simply because you live. The goal is to be conscious. Be aware, focused, honest with yourself, and recognize the truth. Forgive yourself your mistakes, - 157 -
since you are here to experiment. You can be sorry for a while, then, you have to take command of your emotional life and be happy, while still being aware of the depths of your human experience.
Observing the volcano Anger plays a big part in our reactions towards other people, our environment, and our own life. As we awaken the energies of power within our body, and as we unveil the hidden abilities of our subconscious mind, we will be more tempted to become angry. Therefore, it is important to understand anger and to master it. Master your anger and you will be able develop yourself quicker. The emotion/energy of anger is exactly the same as joy. It comes from the same source and goes in the same direction, but it simply is not of the same emotional polarity. Anger and joy come from the perineum, at the base of the spine, and it rises into our body to produce an exterior reaction. As you gain self-confidence, you will be more and more tempted to express your joy outwards, as well as your anger. It is important to develop self-confidence, and it is also important to be aware of the consequences and to master the way it is expressed. Trust yourself, and remain aware of yourself.
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Anger is a fire that rises into your body, to give you the moral and physical power to defend yourself in case of attack. In the polarity of Joy, it is a power that can feed your energy bodies to manifest into exterior effects. It will give you more strength, more speed, and faster reactions. It will enhance your occult practices. Anger will most likely overwhelm you and bring upon yourself your own defeat, causing you more pain. Although it comes with pain from inside, anger is not to be let loose; it must be mastered. Look at anger like a spring of lava coming from the earth. It erupts like a volcano, and it takes great courage to sit beside it and relax. But this is exactly what you should do. Even if you are standing up, within yourself, sit on the ground, right beside the lava river and contemplate it. Breathe deeply. Contract your abdomen and relax it. Give further attention to the moment your abdominal muscles release themselves in the relaxation part. Notice how your body does it. The same way you can relax your abdominal muscles, you will now relax your anger. It will still be there, it will still be painful, but it will stop being active. Relax your “anger muscle”. Relax the tension within you. Do not try to become comfortable, because in this moment, you can’t be comfortable. Just relax, sit by the lava river, and contemplate the anger volcano erupting, without doing anything. Breathe deeply and calmly. On the outside, make like if nothing was happening, in the inside, know that it is happening and contemplate it. - 159 -
By mastering this technique, you will be able to master the anger within, and the power will be able to rise within you even more. It will push some more anger and joy. Express your joy aloud, anyway you wish, with respect for others. But you know what to do with anger. Calmly, peacefully relax it. Some people try to do this technique, but the only thing they do is build up more and more anger within them, refraining its expression and causing themselves damage on the physical and nervous level. If you feel a buildup inside you, you are not relaxing the anger, but only containing it. You should let it out without hurting anyone including yourself, without breaking anything. Do not keep it inside. You will know when you are successfully contemplating the volcano. There won’t be anymore pressure inside, even if there will be conflict and pain, and you will feel the energy available from anger without the destructive aspect attached to it. The virtues of compassion and humility will help you master the technique, and you will be able to raise your power level even more. If you fail just once in this technique, you cannot pretend to be a master, since you cannot even master yourself. Do not discourage yourself, all masters were not born with complete control of their emotions. The real war comes from within, the real power comes from within, and the real Joy comes from within.
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Resolving a problem When facing a challenge in life, our human ego is always tempted to react quickly according to a preset conditioning that promotes conflict and failure. With time and practice, we can develop new reflexes that are virtuous and focused on peaceful resolution and mutual success. Although these positive reactions can register quickly in our mental processes, at first it will take some patient observation of our innate behaviors. The first step is to learn how to refrain the instant destructive reactions. We call this virtue Temperance. By temporarily stopping the inner impulses that are strongly calling forth from within to destroy all the people associated with the subject of conflict, and by using an equal force to maintain a peaceful attitude, you are also developing willpower, which will be very useful in the development of your own inner power. While deep breathing is recommended, you may also want to develop forgiveness and compassion. As long as you keep the false thoughts that “I can’t forgive him” or “it’s his fault, not mine”, you are fleeing your inner power. A powerful master is one who can choose to forgive if he wishes to, even the most outrageous offences. This virtue is called Justice and reflects goodness of heart. It does not mean the other had the right to oppress you, but it means that you are powerful enough to be in charge of the situation, and that you have faith that all will be - 161 -
resolved according to the Divine Justice. Faith is also a virtue to develop. Know, deep within, that all will be fine. There are three roles used by the human ego in a situation of conflict, and they are usually used to attract attention. These are the roles of persecutor, victim, and savior. The persecutor takes pride in its superior but false strength, by oppressing the victim who seeks attention, hoping to attract a savior, in this deceitful dance of the human drama. Without the intervention of Virtue, only suffering will come out as a result. We recommend you stop playing the role of the victim when a conflict occurs. Do not silently wish for the pity of others. Be strong and assume your responsibility in every situation. Strength is a virtue that will lead you out of any conflict, without anyone getting hurt. Strength is the will to act according to the ways set by Justice. In the same manner, you should stop playing the role of the persecutor and you should not use Strength to oppress others. This would only be the vice of anger and pride. Finally, do not play the role of the savior when acting according to Justice. The role of the savior only serves the human ego, seeking attention and credit for the application of Justice. In most cases, the savior behaviors are not done according to true Justice and serve only the vice of pride. When facing a conflict, as you master your temper with Temperance, process the situation with intelligence and seek the solution that is right, according to Justice. Be humble enough to let - 162 -
go of your end of the stick. Without kneeling before injustice, make sure that it is not your own envy, avarice or gluttony inciting you to act in any way. Once you have identified the true Justice in a situation, express it and act according to it; but is it always the wisest way to act? Another virtue is Prudence. Do not put yourself in danger even if Justice would incite you to “take back that gun in the hand of that thief!” Do everything you can to live long enough to develop your virtues. Many times, we would like to confront any and all injustice we see around us, but that would only be pride, as virtue is not intended to make you lose your wife or husband, your job, or even your life. Be grateful for what you have, make sure to protect it, but be humble enough to kneel before the events of life, and think twice before you act, even when you feel you are accompanied by Justice and Strength. In some cases, should you be developing the virtue of Charity and Faith? When you see fit to discuss a problem, do it with peace and all parties should give a chance to each other to express their own point of view. If a war is at hand, calculate if the possible casualties are worth the fight. It is rare that Divine Truth will agree to any kind of war, but it will always encourage the application of Justice.
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The Spirit of a Knight The spiritual training of a Mystic Knight is a long process that cannot be covered in a single book. It sometimes is necessary to meet a competent teacher that will be able to guide you on your path. However, spiritual practices all have a few things in common, and this will be outlined in the following pages. The spiritual training of a Knight starts with the training of proper air breathing, followed by the training on Qi breathing, or the gathering of Qi, the energy that pervades the body. Once the Qi flows in the body, more advanced practices will lead to the development of spiritual abilities.
Normal and Reversed Breathing Normal Breathing: Normal Breathing is very different from the automatic breathing cycle that keeps you alive when you are not thinking about breathing. The reason is simple: no one really breathes correctly without thinking about it. Most people take in only 11 ml of oxygen per minute, far below the minimum oxygen your body needs to be healthy. A Normal Breath is a healthy breath.
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An inhalation should fill your lungs almost completely without straining your abdomen or diaphragm. The breath should naturally fill your abdomen, without raising your upper torso. A deep breath should not even make your upper ribs move. Place your hand over your heart, where your ribs connect to your sternum, between your solar plexus and your throat. Take a deep breath and feel to see if your ribs are moving. If they do, you are filling your upper lungs too much, and not enough air is getting to the bottom of your lungs. Although it is impossible to keep your rib cage totally immobile (which is not the objective) it should move as little as possible without requiring too much effort. When you exhale, let your abdomen rest until the air doesn’t come out naturally anymore, and then pull your abdomen in slightly without force. It won’t completely empty your lungs. If your ribs are moving inward or downward too much, it means you had to lift them upward when you inhaled, or that you filled the upper part of your lungs too much.
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Breath out Abdomen normal Upper chest normal
Breath in Abdomen out Upper chest normal
When you breathe normally, it is your abdomen that pushes out slightly and pulls in slightly, (as you inhale and exhale). The breathing cycle should not require excessive force, but it should fill your lungs up to 80% of your maximum capacity. To fill your lungs to 100% of their capacity requires effort, and it is not natural. Breathing out with force and pulling in your abdomen slightly at the end of the breath empties your lungs to 10% or 20% of their capacity. Just as it is not healthy to fill your lungs to 100%, it is not healthy to empty them completely; to empty your lungs totally requires the application of more force than to bring them to a natural state.
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To learn this for yourself, try filling your lungs completely (without hurting yourself), while keeping your rib cage as immobile as possible. Then, hold the air in for 10 seconds and breathe out completely, holding your breath out for 10 seconds. Let all your muscles relax and allow your body to breathe without influencing it, while you think about the difference between these two ways of breathing. Now, take in a Normal Breath, filling your lungs down to your abdomen with only a slight effort. Hold the air in for 3 seconds, and then let it out without any other effort than a slight pulling inward of your abdomen at the end of exhalation. This is what is meant by a “Normal Breath”. Normal Breathing will be used in all of the techniques that focus on the elevation of self, such as meditation, mental and Spiritual training. The Reversed Breath is used in physical development, to open the channels of energy in your body and to enhance your ability to manifest your Qi on the physical plane.
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Reversed Breathing To clearly understand the principles of Reversed Breathing, you must first practice accurate Normal Breathing. It is important to keep your rib cage almost motionless while doing the Reversed Breathing. You should also understand the principles of Jin, Qi and Shen in order for this practice to be effective. The Reversed Breathing cycle is used to concentrate or compress your Qi in a way that will make it denser, compressing it, so it can become available on the physical plane. It is used to produce Jin from your Qi. When you compact the Qi, you will feel heat. This is the Jin. To clarify this for you, forget about the Normal Breathing method for a moment and let yourself breathe instinctively. Imagine yourself in a situation where you are very alert, perhaps needing to defend yourself, thus requiring that you are ready for immediate action. While closing your fists, take in a quick, deep breath without thinking. Most people will notice that the abdomen automatically pulls in when you are breathing in, and it pushes out slightly when you exhale. Experiment a bit with this breathing. When in Danger, the body automatically does a Reversed Breath, getting ready to pour energy into physical action. The quick breath mentioned above was only meant as an example. For the Reversed - 169 -
Breath method, the breath should be drawn in as smoothly as the Normal Breath unless stated otherwise.
Breath in Abdomen pulled in Upper chest normal
Breath out Abdomen let out Upper chest normal
When we are working with methods that focus on manifesting physical phenomena, we will be doing Reversed Breathing. The upper rib cage still doesn’t move, and you should still breathe slowly and comfortably. As you breathe in, contract your abdomen, pulling it in slightly. As you breathe out, release your abdominal muscles completely, pushing out slightly at the end of the exhalation, without force.
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Radial Qi Gathering method Before you do anything that utilizes Qi, you must have Qi reserves to work with. Working without reserves of Qi will deplete your own life force, which should be avoided at all cost. Gathering Qi is quite simple, and you can do it just about anywhere and anytime as long as you aren’t doing something that requires concentration. For example, don’t do this when you’re in a moving car. When you gather Qi, you and everyone around you will get a little bit more prone to lose their concentration. For example, everyone could get sleepy, or hyper, or feel strange sensations in their body, especially if they are not used to feeling Qi. Moreover, you will need to be able to use your concentration for the visualizations that are necessary to successfully gather, store, and move Qi. The energy that you envision is real and it will follow your concentration. As you visualize it traveling with your breath down to the area below your navel, the Qi will be moved to your Dan-tian. When you visualize compressing it in your Dan-tian, this too will actually occur. You may use the pictures as a guide, and you will find it useful to think of the energy you are moving as a white cloud which flows like a stream wherever you direct it.
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Storing Qi in your Dan-tian To reify this for you, place you palms on your Dan-tian, which is just below your navel (fig. 1). Men should have their left palm inside, touching their Dan-tian, with their right palm over their left. Women should have their right palm inside, with their left palm over their right. If you are standing, bend your knees slightly. If you are sitting, try to keep your spine straight, and do not cross your legs. As you inhale, visualize white light coming from all around you, penetrating all the pores of your skin, flowing into your body and filling your inner Dan-tian. Remember that what you visualize is actually occurring. As you exhale, all of this white energy is condensed into a concentrated ball of light in your inner Dan-tian, in the middle of your body just below the level of your navel. Gather Qi by breathing normally, deeply, and calmly. Take in Qi from all around you and concentrate it in your inner Dan-tian.
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Active Gathering Stand up, take a few Normal Breaths and relax. Slightly bend your knees and begin. As you breathe in, imagine a white light coming from above you, which enters through the top of your head rather like a white wind, descending in a continuous flow to your Dan-tian. Please refer to (fig. 2) below.
You may use this figure as guide for your
visualizations. As you breathe out, the energy remains in your lower abdomen and becomes a ball of light. Take nine relaxed breaths, absorbing Qi (the white light) from the area above your head. You may find that you tighten the muscles of your abdomen and arms when you try this for the first time. That is a normal reflex. Practice using just your will to draw the energy down, while keeping your muscles relaxed.
Fig. 2
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In the next exercise, you will draw energy into both hands, through the trunk of your body, and down into the Dan tian. You will inhale, and draw energy in through both hands simultaneously. To do this, extend your arms out to your sides, with your palms facing away from you; absorb the energy through the middle of your palms, drawing the energy through your arms, the trunk of your body, and down into your Dan-tian. Repeat this sequence, (inhale and draw the energy down to the Dan-tian) nine times. Relax your body and make this entire process as effortless as possible. Next you will repeat this process with both of your feet, drawing the wind-like energy up into the soles of your feet, and up through your legs, directing the flow to your Dan-tian. When you have the energy centered in your Dan-tian, visualize the white energy ball growing stronger and stronger with each of the nine breaths. Once you’ve taken nine breaths, while drawing the energy into your Dan-tian through each of the 5 centers, (filling your abdomen from the area above your head, and from both of your hands and feet), you will proceed to draw energy through all 5 centers at the same time, using all five entry points simultaneously, and filling your Dan-tian with nine breaths of energy. (fig. 3) Finish this exercise by placing your palms over your Dan-tian and taking a few Normal Breaths. This will help to store the energy you have gathered. - 174 -
Fig.3
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Feeling the Flow of Qi While your body is taking in oxygen and circulating it, it is also naturally circulating bioelectric energy. This energy is used to manage bodily functions and to sustain life. The calmer and more smoothly this energy flows, the healthier we are and the more clearly we think. Our emotions are influenced by this bioelectric energy flow as well as by our hormones. In the same way that we have learned to draw energy into the Dan-tian by concentrating on our breathing and visualizing the bioelectric energy as it follows our breath into our Solar Plexus, we can also concentrate on our breathing and direct the bioelectricity in other ways. For example, we can make this energy flow through our body simply by desiring it to do so. When we wish to lift an arm, we don’t need to know how the blood flows in the veins and the how the neural energy stimulates the ADP of the muscle fibers to make them contract… all we need to do is “will it” and the arm lifts. A baby can lift its arm as well as a scientist. It only has to desire to do so. In order to cause this to occur according to your desires, you simply need to imagine where the energy is and where you want it to go, and the Qi will behave accordingly, following the motion of your mental image. With time and practice, you will be able to feel this movement of Qi as if it was a wind flowing through your body. - 176 -
Some people describe this as a feeling that water is flowing from the source of the Qi to wherever they direct it. The traditional name for the art of causing this energy to flow in accordance with your desires is Qi Gong, meaning “the practice of moving Qi.” Breathing will enhance the movement of Qi. Visualization alone will also cause Qi to flow, but not enough to make your practice truly efficient. In order for this practice to be truly effective, you must breathe properly, mentally visualizing the flow, then you must desire that the bioelectric energy move to the specified location. This is similar to wanting to move your arm; you desire it and it occurs, even though the rest of your body remains motionless. It is an isolated action, affecting only that part of you that you desire to move. Breathing normally is essential to the development of your energy channels and to the use of Qi in its many applications. When you breathe in, you are drawing energy into you, and when you breathe out, that energy will flow to wherever you direct it. Clear visualizations, proper breathing and the proper use of desire are crucial to effective movement of the Qi. It is important that you follow the basic training process outlined here so you can correctly train your mind to visualize the good energy moving according to your desires. We strongly recommend that you never imagine any chaotic or disordered energy moving through your body, because it might disturb your regular bodily functions. - 177 -
A step by step approach is necessary to develop your mental ability to control Qi in your body. As you acquire the necessary knowledge and experience in the art of directing this energy flow, you will be able to feel the effect of your training and understand the different applications of Qi-Gong more quickly and more completely.
Technique for Learning to Sense Qi: Once you’ve practiced the Gathering Qi method, your body has a little more Qi than it normally does, and this makes it easier for you to feel the Qi. Never do any Qi exercises without filling yourself up with Qi beforehand, otherwise you could use up your basic lifeforce or Bioelectric reserves and this can lead to undesirable sideeffects, such as fatigue or illness. Take a few natural breaths. Put your right palm over your left arm without touching it, maintaining at least a distance of one inch. You will now use the Reversed Breathing technique. As you breathe in and contract your abdomen a bit, fill your right hand with Qi by imagining that your hand is filled with white light/wind. As you breathe out, let your abdomen relax, visualize the Qi emanating from your right hand to the surface of your left arm. Use your will/desire as well as your imagination to achieve this effect. Move your right hand over the skin surface as you begin to notice a light sensation emanating directly from your right hand.
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Qi can trigger sensations of heat, cold, a windy sensation, a tickling, or nothing at all when you are first trying this. After taking a few breaths, and using your palm to emanate the Qi, try to emanate Qi by pointing with your fingers. To do this, keep your right arm straight and point the fingers of your left hand at your right arm, moving your left hand over the fingers of your right arm and up to the elbow, then very slowly back and forth while you continue Reversed Breathing and the visualization. Eventually, you will feel the Qi flowing.
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Small and Grand Circulation The following is a limited summary of the Small and Grand Circulation. There is an enormous amount of knowledge available on this subject, and we recommend that you learn more about it after you learn these basic practices. There are two main passageways of Qi, and these run down the middle of the front of your body and up the middle of your back. The channel in front is called the “Conception Vessel”, and the one in the back, along the spine, is called the “Governing Vessel”.
Small Circulation
We will use the Reversed Breath for this technique, as we visualize white light flowing through your vessels. Figure 6 will help you understand the trajectory for this visualization. Using the reverse breathing, you will inhale once while you perform steps #1 to #4, and then exhale at step 5. Take a few Normal Breaths and relax.
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Begin your inhalation, and visualize white Qi emanating from your inner Dan-tian. As you contract your abdomen, visualize the Qi moving down into your Conception Vessel (#1). The Qi keeps flowing gently down and under your groin as you contract your sexual organs and your perineum (#2). The Qi flows back into the coccyx and up as you contract the cheeks of your buttocks. (#3) Next you complete the inhalation as the Qi moves into your spine at the level of your inner Dan-tian (#4). As you breathe out, letting go of your abdomen, the Qi moves back in your inner Dan-tian (#5). Start with a few consecutive small circulations and try to feel the Qi flowing. It is recommended that you do nine complete loops at a time, and then relax. Perform these exercises slowly and Fig.6
comfortably.
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Grand Circulation
Using figure 7 as your visualization guide, complete one inhalation while you perform steps #1 to #5. Exhale naturally, without visualization. Take a few Normal Breaths and relax. As you begin your inhalation, contract your abdomen, and visualize white Qi emanating from your inner Dan-tian and moving down into your Conception Vessel at (#1). The Qi keeps flowing gently down and under your body as you contract your sexual organs and your perineum (#2). The Qi flows back into the coccyx and up your back, as you contract the cheeks of your buttocks (#3). Keeping your abdomen, perineum, and buttocks contracted, visualize the Qi flowing up your back to the top of your head at (#4). Finish your inhalation as the Qi starts moving back down your forehead and nose (#5). As you breathe out, let go of all contractions, and the Qi will naturally move back down the front of your body, through the Conception Vessel, and down to the point at #1 again.
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Perform nine circulations at a time, then relax. Always do these exercises slowly and comfortably.
Fig.7
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Implication The concept of evolving quickly and easily is a common topic in this “New Age”. Many people wish to develop tremendous power while taking little responsibility for the consequences of their use of that power. They want to invest very little time and energy, while reaping huge rewards. It is possible for you to evolve very quickly, but it is also necessary that you develop personal responsibility before you achieve these gains. This cannot be avoided.
Value and a Fair Exchange It is important to demonstrate your appreciation of the value in the sacred knowledge that you will acquire here. You must learn how to cherish this knowledge and understand that you must not give it freely to someone who might then destroy or mutilate it. This occult knowledge is too important to be treated as anything other than your most precious possession. You must keep it for yourself, and reveal it only when the seeker before you has shown signs of understanding and respect. There is a Spiritual cost to revealing occult secrets of great value to someone before they have shown the mandatory respect. When a monk wanted to learn something from his Master, he had to work hard all day, and bring some food with him (to give the Master). Then, the Master would see that there was a balance in the exchange, and he would reveal some esoteric knowledge to the seeker. There must not be any abuse in - 184 -
this exchange. The exchange must be fair and balanced. You must never destroy your life to acquire occult knowledge, but you surely will not acquire any knowledge of great value without some kind of effort and sacrifice. You will develop great power only when you feel within yourself that you value and cherish this sacred knowledge, and when you behave in ways that will protect this knowledge. We call this attitude the “Sense of the Sacred”. This “Sense of the Sacred” is a required prerequisite to the achievement of the greatest power in any occult system.
Time and Willpower You will not develop any psychic powers by trying a method once for five minutes. You will not even attain anything by trying some technique for an hour, and then immediately quitting because of a lack of results. To develop great power, you must practice a minimum of five minutes per day, every day of the week. Once a week, you must practice for at least one full hour. Do something everyday, even a simple salutation to your altar, but do it. To evolve more quickly, you may practice the exercises twenty minutes each day. All of those who have acted with determination to make progress on their own Spiritual path have achieved some - 185 -
transformation and elevation from within, with this kind of consistent effort. If nothing happens inside, you might not be infusing yourself with a “Sacred” attitude, with respect for the value of the knowledge you desire. Nonetheless, you should give yourself time for the results to manifest in you. Some very uncompromising students, who are very committed to getting results, have used these techniques for thirty minutes every day. After only a few months, these devoted students are feeling intense flows of energy, getting results in their personal life, and becoming aware of patterns in their behavior they had never noticed before. In addition to these practices, the most uncompromising students studied esoteric knowledge, kept a sacred attitude, and took care of their bodies. Gather your determination, and then do it. If you practice only five minutes per day, everyday, you will get results.
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Karma and Dharma We will not write an extensive essay about Karma and Dharma here, since a lot of documentation is available on these subjects elsewhere; Instead of a long diatribe, we will summarize the main concepts and give you a daily exercise to practice for your own personal growth. Karma is the result or consequence of your past deeds. You get from life what you put into it; you reap from the field in the fall what you sowed as seed in the spring; you receive an eye for an eye. Every action you take will result in a reaction in the Universe, and that reaction will eventually rebound back to you (as Karmic justice). To perceive your life on a Spiritual level, you must begin to understand that any action you take, even those you took in a past life, will reproduce itself in your life today in the form of a lesson that may include a bit of suffering. These lessons occur so you become more conscious of the need for compassion in your relationships. Karma is therefore a tool to teach you whatever lifelessons will most effectively help you evolve. Suffering is not necessary in life, but we must accept it when it occurs because it is designed to help us evolve. At the same time, while we must be accepting of whatever trials come to us; at the same time we must learn to free ourselves from negative Karma.
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Dharma is also a tool for learning and personal evolution. Assuming you did not steal, murder or lie in another lifetime, your Higher Self may still decide to experiment a bit, perhaps in order to better understand life as a human being. To facilitate that understanding, your Higher Self may create trials and events in your life, so that the desired learning can take place. There is usually less suffering in the lessons of Dharma than in the lessons of Karma; sometimes there is no suffering at all. Even though you are seeking personal evolution, you may have suffered some trial or injustice that seems unbearable to you. When this is the case you may wish to call upon the Great Justice of the Universe to manifest itself in your life and the lives of those directly around you. We are not talking about invoking simple human justice here; rather we refer to calling on the Divine Justice that sets experiences in place so that our Karma will be resolved, in order to free the soul of its burden. If you believe you have suffered injustice at the hands of another, you can call upon the Great Justice to set things right. Then, the Great Justice will cause the occurrence of events that will definitely force your aggressor into a lesson, to help him relieve his soul of its Karmic burden. On the outside, the “target” will probably seem to suffer, and the events will appear to lead to the correction of the situation so that you receive the justice you feel you were denied. It might even ruin his/her life. In truth, these events are set up in a way that is designed to relieve both of you of the Karma that probably binds - 188 -
you together, and this correction might even ruin your own life. If the (named) aggressor is in the right, and it is you that is in the wrong, then get ready to experience an unpleasant major lesson, while the smiling face of your innocent companion mocks you. High levels of compassion and forgiveness will also transmute your Karma so it is released without you having to face those difficult experiences. Developing an attitude of loving compassion will elevate your Karma until love dissolves your Karma completely, thereby removing the necessity for unpleasant lessons from your life. Compassion can prevent painful lessons from occurring; then again it will also prevent the lesson from being received. Perhaps, in that event, the lesson was not necessary for you to evolve, and the events you are experiencing may have just been the extra weight of your past Karma, from a time when you were less virtuous than you are now. The key here is to find a balance between accepting the lessons of life on the one hand, and forgiving and developing compassion as a tool to relieve the pain of your existence on the other hand. The practice of compassion consists of identifying the lessons in your life by getting a perspective that is external to your normal point of view; it is as if you were a Spirit flying above your human self. As you look down on the problems in your life, and the people you are having trouble dealing with, you must actively work on forgiving the other parties that you have been angry with, at the same time seeking understanding of the lesson itself, and its meaning in your - 189 -
life. Breathe deeply and do not be afraid of experiencing the emotions from your past. Replay your life in your mind, and ask your God to guide you through the steps of your Karmic lessons and your Dharmic path. In time, you will learn how to call upon the Great Justice to manifest itself, without negative repercussions, but don’t do this technique until you are comfortable in your heart, since it will bring up old memories and it will manifest events that may cause you to suffer, if you have not first developed enough compassion, and the ability to see your life from a higher perspective.
Basic Hand Mudras A “mudra” is a hand gesture, just as a “mantra” is a sound and a “mandala” is an image or thought. A mudra is a particular position of your hands that connects the energy channels in your fingers in certain ways, in order to produce a precise and beneficial effect. When the tips of specific fingers touch, this action activates energy relays which, in conjunction with the normal flow of energy through your straightened fingers, produces specific desirable effects in your physical and energetic bodies.
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Some mudras are designed to stimulate their beneficial effects in your physical body, while others are designed to affect your Spiritual bodies. Effects of the physical mudras range from rebuilding your bones and cartilage, to healing your kidneys, to clearing your mind, to helping you to get up more quickly in the morning. Spiritual mudras have a broad range of elevating effects that can enhance your psychic abilities, help you forgive, reduce anger, raise your energy level, etc. In fact, there are hundreds of different mudras. From these you may create all the effects you could possibly wish for, but it is recommended that you learn them one at a time.
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Prana Mudra This mudra stimulates the base Chakra, the channels of energies in the legs, and the minor Chakras in the middle of the feet. This mudra is called “Mudra of Life”. It elevates the energy level, reduces fatigue, and clears your eyesight. It will enhance your determination and self trust. It is also used in conjunction with treatments for eye disorders. Straighten your index and middle fingers; place your thumb against your ring and your little fingers at the tips, forming a circle. Take deep, slow,
Normal
Breaths.
Concentrate on your base Chakra and the soles of both feet. To begin: After a minute of breathing normally, begin Reversed Breathing and continue for several cycles. Breathe in and tighten your abdomen, sexual organs, perineum and buttocks. Hold your breath in for five seconds and then release everything, except the mudra. Breathe normally again and repeat this cycle for five minutes.
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Food, Air and Energy Mudras The Food, Air and Energy Mudras are utilized to improve the assimilation of the food and fuels you consume. When the strain of assimilating the food you eat is markedly reduced, your health will naturally be enhanced. Moreover, your energy level will soar. This mudra is designed to help you process food, absorb the nutrients from that food, and then to eliminate the waste products more efficiently. The Food, Air and Energy Mudras offer all of these benefits, and they will also help you to resolve digestive problems.
Assimilation Mudra With the left hand, link your thumb,
middle
and
ring
fingers. This will link the circulation of energy with the assimilation/elimination process of all your bodies (physical and Spiritual). With your right hand, link your thumb, index and middle finger, which will enhance the assimilation process at all levels. Breathe for two to five minutes, keeping your hands in this position. Relax and empty your mind.
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Elimination Mudra Keep your left hand in the same position as the previous mudra, so you stay in touch with the flow of energy from the assimilation process just established. It is only necessary to change your right hand position, linking your thumb, ring and little fingers, while keeping the index and middle finger straight. This mudra will enhance your ability to eliminate waste and toxins, help to heal digestive illnesses, and is especially beneficial for intestinal upsets. Breathe for a few minutes with your hands in this position. Concentrate on the flow of the energy, relaxing your mind and body completely.
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Martial arts Few things in life hold as many powerful lessons as the martial arts. They allow us to develop physically, mentally, and spiritually all at the same time. Initially, one may not appreciate this, however, with training over several years, you'll begin to gain a better understanding of what I mean. At first, you're learning movement. Making it smooth, breaking bad habits, understanding the cause and effect of each technique. You will certainly make mistakes. By continued practice of the martial arts you'll begin to develop the first of our key virtues; "Humility." After enduring many mistakes, after getting hit, or landing incorrectly, you'll start to understand that we all make mistakes, every one of us. It sounds simple now, but this lesson becomes more and more profound. You'll become more accepting of other people, and in the process, yourself. As you progress, you begin to get stronger. If not in the form of physical strength (which often you will) then in coordination, flexibility, balance. The enhanced flexibility will make you healthier, and allow more energy to circulate through your body. You'll begin to understand better how the body works, and cause and effect, deepening your skill in other physical areas. It will carry over, the better you get, the more it unfolds. - 195 -
Time goes on, and your mind develops, as you gain discipline by holding stances, by sparring, by repeatedly refining your technique until it is effortless and powerful, and then refining some more. You will begin to relieve more stress in your life through your training. You will gain a sense of focus as you repeatedly try to correct bad habits, try to pick up every little detail. Every move either makes you better or worse, so you must have awareness, be alive, alert, awake. Spiritual lessons will begin to unfold. The principles of martial arts carry over into all areas of life. Let me give you some examples. The principle of getting off the line of attack. In martial arts, if someone is going to try to hit you, throw you, unbalance you, you want to move in such a way that their original intent is not possible. Let's examine this principle in depth. If I'm crossing the street, if I'm not where the car is as it drives, it won't hit me. If I am, it will. But as we look deeper, we can apply it to non-physical threats. If someone is speaking ill of me, I can allow it to affect me, upset me, or, I can change my point of view to something like "they don't mean that, they're just frustrated" or "I was mistaken to trust them" or "yes, it is my fault, I should try to correct it so it doesn't happen again." See what I did? I changed my point of view, I got out of the way. In doing this, these words did not hurt me. Another martial arts principle: “If you destroy an opponent's weapon, they can no longer attack with it.” If my opponent hits at - 196 -
me, and I hit his kicking leg in a nerve so that he cannot stand, he won't be able to kick at me with that leg. So, how can this be applied? If you are having an argument with people, and they start to get upset and yell, if you yell back, or simply take a submissive posture, this will end up hurting everyone, and lead to the issue not really getting solved. Facing opponents while battling with words, as you see them start get upset, you need to detach from your emotions, use that well-developed discipline, and look at their point of view. Talk in a calm voice. It will immediately begin to take the sting out of their words. Describe your point of view in a calm voice, looking into their eyes, this will eliminate aggression. They will no longer yell at you. In these last few examples, I showed the development of the rest of our key virtues. Strength, Justice, and Compassion. Strength was found in calm, decisive action to find a resolution. Not by shouting, but accepting. Justice was served as you did not overreact to the problem, or cause greater chaos in your response. Compassion weighed in as you took their point of view, understand the truth of what they were saying, and acted from there. As you practice the martial arts, you will develop Humility by enduring mistakes. You will build Strength as your train, push yourself physically, or endure the uncomfortable. You will understand Justice when you come to realize that not all attacks can be met with a lethal response. Sometimes you may need to hurt the person, sometimes you may be able to stop it without hurting them. - 197 -
At times you might be able to stop it before a fight begins at all. There is no one-size-fits-all to Justice. Through the martial arts you will build Compassion, it will teach you how fragile you, and everyone else is. You will become less aggressive and forceful, and more understanding of other people. While the martial arts are an incredible part of one's training, we cannot offer to teach them ourselves. Training through pictures, or notes, or videos can be tremendous aids to your progress, they can in no way teach you what you'll need to know. You won't grasp timing, you'll miss the finer little details that make techniques effective. I've known people who had great teachers, but still had a great deal of difficulty grasping what their instructors were showing them, even after years of training. Even with teachers there, with immediate feedback, they had a hard time smoothing out their flaws. Books, DVD's, they can't even correct you, and they're so 2 dimensional. While they could point out a few details you missed/forgot yourself, you're missing a huge key here. Many people will argue some people learn by reading, some by seeing, some by being told something, some by actually doing it. However, since this is a physical skill, and answers can be yes/no depending on a situation, it's not so cut and dry as 2 + 2= 4. We suggest that you embark on some sort of martial art when possible. Please, don't think we want you to live like an ascetic monk so you can afford lessons at the best schools in your area, - 198 -
that's not what I'm saying. But if you can afford to train, find a style and a teacher that appeals to you. DO RESEARCH! Research style/teacher/school. Try an introductory class, if possible talk to other students. This may not be the place for you. Once you find an art, be it Kenjutsu, boxing, karate, mixed martial arts, kung fu, ninjitsu or whatever else, make sure you're happy, and do your best. The greatest thing about martial arts, they'll teach you a million things. Most of them are not about fighting.
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The Mystic Knighthood in Detail
Logo, Sigil and Decree By developing the four virtues of the Mystic Knight in our heart and mind, we can touch the subtle truth inside us, an unspoken truth where we become the king/queen of our own experience of life. The contemplation of the Mystic Knighthood sigil, and pondering the virtues of The Code will bring you closer to this ideal of self-mastery and free-will. The sigil will set an image in your mind to support the concepts of The Code and encourage virtuous behaviors in your daily life. Affirming the decree will also nourish the ideal presented by the Knighthood. The Decree Humility in service to Strength Strength in service to Justice Justice in service to Compassion Compassion in service to Humility I am a Mystic Knight of the Crowned Heart
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OR… Humility in service to Strength in service to Justice in service to Compassion I am a Mystic Knight of the Crowned Heart Speak each virtue with a corresponding attitude. Speak "Humility" with a soft yet decided voice. Speak "Strength" with a powerful voice. Speak "Justice" with a swift and clear voice. Speak "Compassion" with a tender loving voice. When you say softly utter "I am a Mystic Knight of the Crowned Heart", you are focusing on attaining this goal, and once you are declared a knight, you nourish the goal it represents. Note that we are not speaking of the Knighthood itself in the decree, for we wish you to develop yourself as a knight more than your actual affiliation with the organization. Speak the decree once, and then gaze on the sigil for a moment. Print the sigil and use it as a talisman. Speak the Mystic Knighthood decree and gaze upon the sigil for a few minutes. This will assist you in attaining the heroic ideal you wish to attain, and it will also strengthen the bond you have with the unconscious collective thoughts of the Mystic Knighthood of the Crowned Heart. If you wish, you can also use it to pray for the development of all members of the Knighthood, or use it to invoke the spiritual - 201 -
support of the Knighthood when you need it. Specialized Knights receive advanced techniques to nourish the egregor/collectiveunconscious of the Knighthood, and use its power to amplify their work.
Logo vs. Sigil There is a difference between the logo of the Mystic Knighthood and the sigil of the Mystic Knight. When we address ourselves to the general public, or to other members of the knighthood, we use the logo with the enunciation "Mystic Knighthood of the Crowned Heart". It is used in our activities, on material like clothing, posters, the website,... anything that relates to the knighthood itself. But when you contemplate the symbol for personal development, we want you to focus on yourself, and not the actual organization. Thus, the sigil contains the affirmations "Mystic Knight" and "Crowned Heart", nourishing the ideals they represent inside you. If we asked you to use the logo of the knighthood in your meditative practice, we would be amplifying your bond with the organization itself, creating a sectary movement, more than helping you develop yourself. We promote self-mastery and free-will. You are free to choose the intensity at which you associate yourself with the organization. Consider that the sigil is yourself, or printed on your shirt, so that the orientation is reversed from when you look at it in front of you. - 202 -
All aspects of the sigil are built according to occult rules of talisman creation.
Virtue
Humility
Strength
Justice
Compassion
Down /
Left
Right
Forehead
Solar plexus
Shoulder
shoulder
Direction
North
South
East
West
Element
Earth
Fire
Air
Water
Season
Winter
Summer
Spring
Autumn
Texture
Cold
Hot
Dry
Wet
Orientation Up /
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Sigil of the Mystic Knight Use the sigil to meditate and contemplate the decree.
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Logo of the Knighthood Use the logo when it is shown to the public or used for the knighthood activities.
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The Mystic Knight's Meditation The meditation we practice is a means for our Spirit to inhabit the body, encouraging the integration of virtuous behavior in our daily lives. Its regular practice will build up a radiating Mystic Knight's aura, as you progress in the teachings of the Knighthood. Using the contemplation of virtues in order to provoke a positive change in our human self, we allow a passage to take form so that the Spirit may come into us and merge with our human self. The Mystic Knight’s meditation is a series of 5 easy mediations. In order to progress in the Mystic Knighthood, it is necessary to complete this series at least once, each time you advance to a new level. It is recommended you do it more often if you wish to emanate a powerful Mystic Knight's aura, but only once is necessary for you to follow the progressive spiritual teachings of the Mystic Knighthood. You should print the Sigil (not logo) of the Mystic Knight on a white sheet or poster. It is available on the website. Place the poster on a wall, at a height where its center is a bit above your eye level, so that you gaze upwards just a bit while you are seated for meditation. Sit comfortably, either on a chair or on a pillow on the floor, at a distance where the important details of the Sigil appear clearly. Keep your back straight without effort. Simply try not to bend your back forward too much. - 206 -
Each time you do this meditation, you will repeat the name of one virtue for the duration of the entire meditation. The virtue will change once per meditation, one after the other, covering 5 meditations in a row. We suggest you have one meditation per day for 5 days, then change technique or rest for 2 days. Yet, you can meditate twice a day if you wish. Your meditation should last between 5 and 45 minutes each (20 minutes is good). Use your imagination to fill an area of your body with a set pattern of colors. Keep a special focus on this specific part of the body. 1st Humility Forehead and brain Glowing blue + golden sparkling 2nd Strength Solar plexus Glowing red + golden sparkling 3rd Justice Throat and shoulder band Glowing blue + golden sparkling
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4th Compassion Heart Glowing blue + far blue radiance 5th Truth Entire body and above the head Glowing white + far white radiance Start by placing your eye focus on the Sigil for a few minutes while doing a natural, relaxed, conscious breathing. Clear your mind progressively, without shocking your mind. Then, let your eye focus become a gentle gaze while you relax even more. At this point, start repeating the daily name of a virtue, once every 5-6 seconds. Use the name of the virtue as a mantra. After yet another few minutes (2-3), close your eyes and focus on the corresponding area in your body, and visualize it glowing with its corresponding color. For example, on the second meditation of this series, mentally repeat the word “Strength” while visualizing your solar plexus glowing with red light, with golden sparkles. Keep this visualization as long as you can.
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When you wish to stop your meditation, slowly open your eyes and gaze at the Sigil again. Softly declare the Decree once, and gaze for 30 seconds. Then, get up and have your body move. If you can, try to feel the energy in your body. This meditation series can be done a few times when you join the Knighthood. It strengthens the principles we teach and it prepares your physical and energy body for more intense meditations of the Mystic Knight, that will be presented later on, if you decide to progress along with the Mystic Knighthood.
Amplifying the aura Once you did the introductive meditation at least once, although the more the better, as an apprentice, we suggest you re-do the entire set of 5 meditations, in 5 separate meditation periods of at least 10 minutes each. Although we do not impose the regular practice of this Mystic Knight meditation, since it is obvious you already have lots of techniques to learn, practice and integrate, we do recommend you do them from time to time, so to develop the Mystic Knight aura, later in your training. This aura will radiate from within you, and it will touch the people around you. It will become a blessing for all. While following these extensions to the novice meditations, do not be in such a hurry to imagine the rest of the process for higher - 209 -
levels. For example, do not imagine that the next step for the humility meditation would be the blue light emanating from your body, because it will not be the next step for this meditation. Take it step by step and do not try to go faster than the natural process. Humility meditation: Once your forehead and brain is filled with radiating blue light, let the blue light flow down to fill your entire body. Once your body is filled with radiating blue light, add to the visualization, the golden lightly sparkling light. Repeat the word “Humility” every few seconds, like a mantra. Try to let your consciousness transcend. Try to let your spiritual self take over, while your human self rests in this meditation. Strength meditation: Once your solar plexus filled with the red light, let it expand up and down, as to fill your entire body. Add the sparkling golden light. Repeat the mantra “Strength”. Try to remain present in your body, in consciousness, while the strength comes from a higher spiritual plane. Don’t try to understand the process as much as living its experience. Justice meditation: Once your throat is filled with blue light, let it expand to fill your body. Add the sparkling golden light. Repeat the mantra “Justice”. Compassion meditation: Fill your heart with the blue radiating light. Then let it fill your body. See the blue light radiate a bit from your - 210 -
body. Mantra and attitude, same as the other apprentice meditation upgrade. Truth meditation: In the novice meditation, you already filled your entire body with white light. This time, try to feel the spiritual vibration of the white light. Try to go beyond visualizing it, but into feeling it, even only from your imagination. Eventually, your energy body will awaken its sensitivity.
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The Mystic Knight's Ritual for Protection and Spiritual Support Some people would like spiritual protection and support simply by filling out a form on the web, uttering a few mystic words and believing it is enough. Well, such a superficial process could have a drop of effect, technically, but is nothing compared to an entire pool of resources, spiritual protection and energy amplification. A bit more implication on your part will provide so much more helpful results. The following process is used to anchor the protective and enhancing effects of the Mystic Knighthood egregor on yourself and your immediate environment. It takes more than a few minutes to build the link and acquire the beneficial effects, and this serves as a filter where undisciplined or un-sincere users will not profit from the egregor's energy, and only perseverant people will participate, ensuring efficient results to everyone. The use of this ritual meditation will not replace your own sense of responsibilities in your daily life. It will support every action you take, and defend you against un-welcomed outside influences. First, print out a copy of the Mystic Knight Sigil, found on the website. You will use it as a focus image. The effect of this ritual will be more efficient if you also did the introductive meditation - 212 -
process above. Do this ritual each time you need a burst of protection or spiritual support. It will remain active for a while after the practice itself, and in time, will become a permanent effect. Before you start the process, you are asked to choose for yourself a symbolic name as a Mystic Knight, made out of 2 names like a first and last name, that will represent you in action. It should not be your Knighthood username unless it really represents you as a Knight of Strength and Justice. It should not be your true spiritual name, but a symbolic name made out of qualifications you aspire to. For example, François Lépine’s Mystic Knight name is Geburah Tzedek, which means Strength-Justice in Hebrew. Your name could sound like Lightning Sword, Dominion Vajra, Humble Rock, Shield of Valor,… anyway you wish to personalize your way of representing Strength and Justice. Yet, you should not use a name like Mamothhead Bonecrusher, since bone crushing is not the application of Justice, but anger. Select a name suited for you, as a Mystic Knight. While you select a symbolic name for yourself as a Mystic Knight, also select an image where you have a glowing shield in your left hand and a flaming sword in your right hand. The color of the shield’s glow and sword’s flame should be symbolic, inspired in the same way, which will denote your difference and authenticity as a Mystic Knight. Try to identify your complete looks. Oriental amateurs could have a Kanata in both hands, and a set of bracers attached to their forearms. The important thing is that the left side - 213 -
will protect and the right side will enact the will of a Mystic Knight, with compassion. The shield is the shield of Justice that will reflect any hostile spiritual force back to its author, and provoke the resolution of the karmic lesson for the author, sooner than expected, and in a more powerful way. The right-hand sword is a sword of compassion, with a strike that releases obsolete binds, ropes, attachments, chains or traps. It is not used to hurt, but to cut down any limitation of animal and lowly, un-virtuous nature. All this preparation is the first component of the ritual, for it amplifies your mental, emotional and spiritual implication in the process. Do not hesitate to decorate your armor and apparels. Women must feel comfortable to wear shielded robes of extreme beauty, while men are encouraged to have full plated armors, or agile dressings. Let your imagination go, and set yourself upon an image that you will keep henceforth.
The Ritual Sit comfortable, and set the Sigil image so that you can gaze upon it while looking just a bit higher than your eye level. Breathe deeply and relaxed for 2 minutes, while you gaze on the Sigil itself. On the Sigil, there are 2 blank spots below the heart, left and right. On the lower-left blank spot, visualize your first and last name, so that you can gain compassion and strength in this process. In the lower-right blank spot, visualize your symbolic Mystic Knight name, which is the combined effect of Strength and Justice, the name under which - 214 -
you actively participate in the process of Protection, Rectification and Support.
Self-Defining Close your eyes and visualize yourself as the Mystic Knight you are, sitting in the same posture you currently have. You are seated on the Sigil itself; everything else is pitch black darkness. See the Sigil drawn on the floor, around 2 meters in diameter, with the humility/upper part behind you, and the strength/lower part in front of you, thus the justice part on your left and the compassion part on your right. You are sitting over the crowned heart of Truth, and your base chakra is pulsing in the middle of the heart. On each of your breaths in, your left shield (or bracers) glows. On each of your breaths out, your right sword (or two-handed sword) flames up higher. The Sigil glows a bit, and its central heart is shining red. Many believe that Justice is a sword, used for action, but it is a shield that reflects evil back to its origin, and provokes the manifestation of karmic lessons. Many believe that compassion is a shield, but it is a sword that transmutes pain, anger, evil, regret, guilt, sorrow… into their true form, transmuting them into unconditional love and forgiveness. Breathe and visualize for a few minutes. Go over each aspect of this visualization, one by one, so that you don’t forget any aspect. For one breathe, remember there is Humility behind you. On another - 215 -
breath, there is Strength before you. Justice on your left, Compassion on your right, and you are seated on a crowed heart. The crown of Truth aligns with your coccyx and spine, and your base chakra is in the center of the heart. Your human appellation is on your front-right corner, while your Mystic Knight name is in your front-left corner. Behind you is the declaration that you are a Mystic Knight, and that you have a Crowned Heart. After reviewing each of these aspects, let the image become a whole, without concerning yourself if you will miss out bits of it afterwards. The more you will do this ritual, the more the full image will remain complete, self-sustaining itself.
The Summon Now that you have strengthened yourself as a Mystic Knight, You will create the spiritual bond with other members of the Knighthood. In your spiritual visualization, stand up in a relaxed manner. Your breath keeps the alternating glowing of your shield and flame waves of your sword. Utter in your mind, in a silent yet decided attitude: “Knights of the Mystic Knighthood of the Crowed Heart, I Summon your presence”. Immediately, see appearing in the distant dark, blurry images of other Knights of many shapes, forms and colors, each standing in their own Sigil manifestation. Do not pay attention to their exact symbols or names. Keep your full attention to your own Sigil and Mystic Knight presence. Breathe now knowing you are not alone. This part of the ritual summons the energetic presence of the egeregor/collective-unconsciousness - 216 -
of each other Mystic Knight of our Knighthood, at the level of which it is sustained; hence the different levels of clarity and blurriness since not all Knights are actively sustaining their aura at the same time. Sometimes, you might see shining white light stream descending on another Knight. This is the next part of the ritual.
The Joining The next process is done in about 30 seconds, and nourished for about 5 minutes. At the next step, uphold your shield and sword more firmly while you utter mentally in a powerful attitude: “Under One Truth” and visualize a powerful stream of white glowing light descending at you, entering your head, but the stream is much larger than your head and it enters the whole of your body, yet it radiates even larger, filling all the area inside your sigil with a white glowing aura. Immediately keep on uttering “We Serve!” while a stream of white light comes out of your general Sigil/White aura, at the level of your torso, and beams towards another knight, who will receive it. At the same time, from a random direction, coming from another knight receiving the white light from above, a stream of while light strikes you and nourishes your own aura even more, letting another stream project out of your Sigil/Aura to another knight, that continues to another knight, to yet another knight, as you feel another stream come from somewhere else, throwing out yet another from yours,… in a continuous manner until all the Knights you see are receiving a stream of white light from above, and all are linked together in this collective white web of glowing light of - 217 -
Truth. Nourish this visualization for about 5 minutes. You are collaborating and receiving the spiritual protection and support of the entire Knighthood, while you are also contributing to it yourself. The energies exchanged this way are only the white light of truth that comes from above each Knight. Your own life force and personal energies belong to yourself, and it is so for every other Knight. It is normal that most Knights you see close to you are those who resemble your own self-definition as a Mystic Knight. As you progress in the knighthood, you will get to see various images of Knights, Samuraï, Ninjas, Sorcerers, Priests, Monks, men and women, that you did not notice before. Some are the projection of your imagination, and some are real perception of other members, but all link to a real Mystic Knight.
The Binding Keep your entire body relaxed but tighten your hands, both physical and visualized, like you are holding your spiritual tools. You will now use your willpower to bring this energy in your physical reality. With a strong intention, bring both your visualized and physical hands upwards and breathe in strongly. Open your eyes while, looking down at the floor, you bring your hands down close to your body, tighten the whole of your body, and breathe out a strong “Hhhhahahahahahahahahah!!!”. In a single out breath, you tighten your belly, legs, arms, shoulders, face and willpower, bringing all the - 218 -
spiritual and mental energies in your physical reality. Your mind is still in the meditative state, but your eyes are opened to your physical environment while you mentally uphold the visualization. The next breath in keeps the body high with energy, and breathe out while spreading your arms wide, releasing all the energy around you, releasing the muscles, letting the energies flow freely. The flow of white light is continuous, your aura radiates, you may feel the windy flow of light in your body and around you. The first breath brings the spiritual energies in your physical body, the second one opens the doors to let the flow outwards. It is a process done only once per ritual, to connect the dimensions together, then the flow can continue on its own for a while. Breathe strongly a few times and relax. Pay attention to the energy you may feel. Speak aloud if you can, whispering if you must, or simply move your lips without sound, but you speak physically a declaration of yourself as a Mystic Knight, describing yourself and your intentions. It should be an improvised calling that sounds something like "I hold up the sword of compassion, transmuting all pain with forgiveness; I uphold the shield of justice, reflecting all evil; Humility supports my back; Strength is a my feet; I am a Mystic Knight, and I declare myself as such in Truth, to serve, for the good of all mankind". The energies of the Mystic Knighthood are now available to your concrete experience of life. This strong process will be required from time to time, to strengthen the bonds between the spiritual - 219 -
Knighthood, and your physical reality. Note that when you open your hands, your tools, shield and sword remain in your hands, connected to your palms. They are spiritual extensions of your actual arms. When you are done with the entire ritual, they store their own symbolic forms in your spiritual self, and only their energy keeps flowing inside and around you.
The Salutation Close your eyes again and relax completely. See the visualization in a self-sustained manner, and don’t put any more energy into it. The final salutation is not a request, but a blessing bestowed on all other Knights. Mentally salute the other Knights in a manner that suits you, calling a general blessing to every other Knight. Relax and let yourself dwell in meditation as long as you wish. The final relaxation is very important, so that the intense energy summon does not damage your nervous system. It is like doing a powerful physical exercise, where you give a chance to your muscles to recuperate afterwards. When you exercise a lot, the muscular pain you feel is a little damage done to your muscles that will repair itself so that you will become even stronger. If you don’t mentally recuperate after such a ritual, the damage done to your nervous system will not repair itself so that you can become mentally and spiritual stronger.
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Drink water and eat a little something, if you can, right after the ritual. You are invited to post your Mystic Knight name and the description (or drawing) of your Mystic Knight form in the member's forum, on the website.
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Hierarchy and advancement The more a knight progresses in the Knighthood, the more he/she should be in service to those with less experience. Titles are there for recognition, not authority. The authorities in the Mystic Knighthood are the Head Knight and the Head Priest, with rights limited to the management of the Knighthood's operations. This organization does not encourage elitism and sectarism. All members must remain free to act as they wish in every situation. We promote self-mastery and free-will. Progress within the knighthood is done with patience and determination. Members have to train by themselves, and share their knowledge in group when possible. From novice to knight, it takes at least 2 years, unless you had previous training in the concerned areas. Members must succeed in their progress evaluations to advance to another level. Each knight specialization requires many years to attain, but we will do evaluations requests after 1 year of training in each, recognizing those who already had the competence prior to their participation in the knighthood. Obtaining 2 specializations will also grant an extra title in the knighthood. The title "Master of the Mystic Knighthood"* is granted to members with 3 specializations. Martial arts training should be done by each member individually, in a martial arts school of their choice. For this aspect, the - 222 -
Knighthood cannot provide sufficient training on-line, and martial arts are best learned directly from a competent master. Your martial art certification or fee invoice will serve as proof for your evaluation of this aspect. Yet, it is not required to be a martial arts expert to become a member of our knighthood and to progress. You only need to practice at your rhythm. Guest: Browse thru the website to familiarize yourself with the Knighthood. Novice: Start with the basic knowledge of the knighthood, integrating the knowledge and practice of all aspects: body, mind, spirit. Apprentice: To become an apprentice, you must show some level of comprehension of The Code. As an apprentice, you will keep going thru every aspect of the knighthood's training. Adept: To become an adept, you must show great signs of integration of The Code in your daily behavior. As an adept, you will be encouraged to select an area of predilection between body, mind or spirit. Knight: To become a knight, you will have to prove you have integrated The Code in your daily behavior, and you will have to demonstrate your competence in the training areas you selected as - 223 -
an adept. Your title of Knight could be suspended if you act in ways that are totally against The Code. Protector: Knights who proved themselves in martial arts. Scholar: Knights who proved themselves in mental training or academic knowledge. Priest: Knights who proved themselves in spiritual depth and application of competence in handling ritual processes. Servant: Knights who proved themselves in social implication and service to their community. There are special titles given to those who develop more than one competence: Keeper
Protector + Scholar
Cleric
Protector + Priest
Defender
Protector + Servant
Sage
Scholar + Priest
Guide
Scholar + Servant
Minister
Priest + Servant
Master *
3 specializations
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* The title "Master" refers to one's own self-mastery, and does not entitle one to any authority towards others. The Knighthood's authority is reserved to the Head Knights and Head Priests, and this authority is limited to the management of the Knighthood's operations. We are all free people.
Lodges and meeting places The Mystic Knighthood's lodges are places where many members of the knighthood decide to meet. Without being secret, it should have some level of privacy, like any other respectful study environment. It can be a sporadic meeting in a member's living room, or a well organized lodge with a schedule and meeting place. To ascertain the quality of the teaching and the training, only Knighted members are entitled to uphold the Mystic Knighthood affiliation in an official lodge. However, remember that we are all free, and that anyone may organize a study group. Thus, we only show reserve for the affirmation of affiliation with the Mystic Knighthood of the Crowned Heart. Members are invited to organize their own lodges and to handle their meetings according to the following rules. A Knight certification entitles a Knighted member to pass on to other members and non-members (guests), the knowledge that is - 225 -
pertinent to their level in the Mystic Knighthood. When a guest wants to become a member of the Mystic Knighthood, you may guide them in their training up to the level of Knight. A new member usually starts training from the novice level. If new members already have some experience either in physical, mental, spiritual arts, or martial arts, they may enter the Knighthood at the apprentice level. In rare occasions, a member may start as an Adept, if he/she shows some competence in most fields of training, and has at least 5 years of spiritual experience. The Knight title is never given at start, whatever the reason. A Knight presents the knowledge of the Mystic Knighthood to their class, adapted to their own experience, and respecting that each student will do the same. We do not believe in controlling the beliefs of our members, yet, a student that shows great sings of improvisation might find a hard time advancing in the Knighthood; it is also important to respect the experience and wisdom of elder members. Knowledge from the level of Knight and up is to be learned from a more experienced Knight, or by one-self, following the Mystic Knighthood training plan. Remember that the Mystic Knighthood does not provide all the training, but indicates a training plan for each member to acquire the knowledge by their own means, until sufficient Lodges are made available. A Lodge lead by a Knight Priest may not be able to offer martial art training, or the other way around, a Lodge lead by a Knight Protector may not be able to - 226 -
provide adequate spiritual training. Knowledge, experience and guidance are to be acquired from where it is available. It is not necessary for a Knight of the Mystic Knighthood of the Crowned Heart, to display their affiliation to the Knighthood, in any situation. This display is only necessary when activities are held in the name of the Knighthood. Many teachers will keep on teaching their knowledge like they did before, not even implicating the Mystic Knighthood. A Knight may fill in the on-line application for another introduced member that is not comfortable with the Internet. Advancements may be asked directly to the Knighthood, via email, when the member does not participate to a local Lodge or study group. Members of a study group should request their advancement from the presiding Knight of the Lodge or study group. Lodges or study groups may be organized by Knights only. If there are fees attached to the organization of the event, the presiding Knight may ask a reasonable fee to cover the expenses. When a Knight teaches or gives class, the fee may contain a reasonable remuneration for the Knight, in exchange for the training, or the performing of a service. These fees are to be managed and kept by the presiding Knight. Fees must imply an exchange, and must not be taken if no training is given, or no service performed.
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New members must pay their lifetime membership fee (10$) to the presiding Knight, who will pass it on to the Mystic Knighthood in totality. The advancement fees will be separated between the presiding Knight (for his teaching and evaluation) and the Mystic Knighthood (for management and certification). All members, of every level, must be allowed direct contact with the Knighthood thru its website, if they so desire. Members do not belong to the Knights, and a teacher-student relationship must be built on trust. We are all free people, studying together for the benefit of everyone. You can see a list of active lodges and study groups on the website.
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Terms and Conditions
Legal Implications Your country's laws always come in priority to the knighthood's Code. The Code is a suggested behavior, and although mandatory to progress further within the knighthood, your country's laws will always have to pass in front of our Code. Your participation to the Mystic Knighthood can be modified or stopped anytime if we believe you acted in ways that could be harmful to another member, or if your actions destroy the credibility of the knighthood. You can cancel your participation to the knighthood anytime you wish. Simply contact us. All funds invested in the knighthood are non-refundable.
Health and Physical Limitations If you are physically limited or handicapped in any way, please be cautious about your training. We do not wish any of our members to suffer from the physical training we suggest.
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Nowadays, it is not an absolute requirement to participate in intense physical training in order to progress within the knighthood. Many other aspects can be worked on: mental, spiritual, and social. As long as you are doing your best, we will consider your physical limitations while evaluating your advancement requests. The Mystic Knighthood of the Crowned Heart will not be held responsible if you go further than what is right for your health. If you have any doubts, please consult a physician about it. For more information about the Mystic Knighthood of the Crowned Heart, visit www.MysticKnight.org .
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A Mystic Knight with a Crowned Heart Practical Guide for Spiritual Warriors
Published by the Mystic Knighthood of the Crowned Heart In collaboration with F.Lepine Publishing http://www.MysticKnight.org 2007 publication ISBN 978-0-9783194-2-7
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