If you are a long-term, expert practitioner of martial arts... and you are interested improving your martial skills in real life combat application... If you are an experienced student... and you want to know how to become an "inner circle" student of a martial arts master... If you are a beginning student... and you want to understand the foundation necessary to be a long-term, accomplished martial artist... If you are interested in self-defense or are simply curious about martial arts... This book is for you... Gary Lescak has studied, practiced, and taught martial arts since 1967. He has had the good fortune to study with five different senior martial artists; two with more than 60 years experience, two with more than 50 years experience, and one with more than 40 years experience. You cannot have someone else's experiences, but you can learn from them. This book is a compilation of treatises on topics that every serious, long-term martial artist needs to ponder, define, and actualize; your understanding of these subjects will need to be periodically reevaluated and will change as you age and mature as a martial artist. If you truly want to increase your level of ability and understanding, these are ideas that will be a necessary part of that process. In addition, all of the fascinating short stories are based in fact; these colorful tales from the dojo of the adventures and experiences of a number of senior martial artists illustrate some important ideas, concepts, and philosophies in real life situations and are sure to fascinate and entertain the reader. The lessons contained in them are for you to discern. The lessons to be learned in martial arts are the lessons of life; so in a broader sense, the ideas and topics in this book are important to all of us on our journey through life.