Heretics

The “Make Xing Yi Wild Again” podcast episode

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My last post, “Make Xing Yi Wild Again“, about how the global coronavirus pandemic is offering us a chance to reconnect with nature and change our approach to martial arts practice, inspired the latest episode of our Heretics podcast with my Xing Yi teacher Damon Smith.

Check it out.

In the podcast we discuss a lot of the ideas thrown up by the article including rewidling, degrowth and shamanic practice. Of course, we also delve into the martial art of Xing Yi and how it has changed over the years, what the 12 animals are really all about and we look at how we can approach rewilding Xing Yi again.

Heretics special episode: The Miasma and self-defence

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Image credit: Diogo Nunes

After smashing our first Patreon target on the Heretics Podcast we have delivered on our promise by providing a special podcast episode that’s exclusive to our Patreons.

The episode called “Self Defence and the Miasma” features Graham and Damon talking about a subject that’s close to both their hearts – martial arts. We view how its practice in modern times has become influenced by the Miasma, and where lessons from Shamanistic technique can be applied.

To get the episode you need to become a Patreon. Even $1 Patreons get access to the exclusive podcast episode! There are various tiers of membership, higher levels of which give you access to Damon’s copious episode notes, (which are really good) and we’ll soon be launching a private discussion area.

https://www.patreon.com/wovenenergy/

P.S. If you’re wondering what the hell this Miasma thing is then check out this new episode of the Woven Energy podcast:

Episode 33 – The Miasma (A recap on what sits between us, nature and real shamanic technique)

New Heretics Facebook page

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Just a quick heads-up. If you want to be notified when a new episode of the Heretics podcast is out I’ve created a Facebook page that you can follow. I think it will act as the ‘Homepage’ for the podcast until we get a website sorted.

So far we’ve managed a new episode every week since we started. The next one will be on… Xingyi.

Link.

Qin Shi Huangdi, the man who created China.

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In the last episode of the Heretics podcast for 2019 from Damon and I, we look at the deeds of Qin Shi Huangdi, the man who created China.

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“Qin Shi Huangdi’s name, Qin (Chin), is the origin of the word China, and with good reason – he was the man who unified the states that collectively formed China. A vicious madman, his dynasty lasted for only about 15 years, but set the tone and structure of China’s civilisation for more than two thousand years.”

Topics covered also include Taoism, Confucianism, Chinese Legalism and military tactics.

Heretics podcast episode 2

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Episode 2 of the history of Kempo and Jiujitsu is out!

Starts in 1850. Extensive discussion of Kano Jigoro, the evolution of Judo and beyond. Plus a lot on the political-cultural situation of Japan at the time. Plenty of martial arts Heresy as always 😉

If you found the first episode too history-heavy this one, while still having a bucket-load of history in it, is more conversational and has some lighter-weight elements, talking about BJJ, Chuck Lidell and other things. We take a slightly controversial listener question at the end.

iTunes link:

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/heretics-by-woven-energy/id1442072590?mt=2#

Spreaker link:

Coming soon: The Heretics Podcast

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Just wanted to give my readers a quick heads-up. I’m starting a new podcast!

Since I appeared on Ken Gullette’s Internal Fighting Arts podcast a couple of weeks ago I’ve been contacted by various people about different things and one of them was my old XingYi teacher Damon Smith who runs the Woven Energy podcast. He wanted to see if I’d like to help him out with his new Heretics Podcast.

The Woven Energy podcast is about Shamanism and contains frequent calls to action, so they give ideas you might like to try out and techniques. In contrast, the Heretics podcast is going to be a place where subjects that don’t fall under the banner of Shamanism can be discussed, like, say, martial arts. There will also be no call to action.

The name is in reference to the origins of the concept of heresy, back in Gnostic Christianity, and the fact that we will probably be talking about things that are against society’s commonly held beliefs. Starting with martial arts.

In the first episode, I make the mistake of asking Damon, ‘what is the history of Jiujitsu?’

Covers: Kempo, Jiujitsu, Japan-China trade, Yakuza, Samurai, Shoguns and much more….

Anyway, expect the first episode…. soon…