The Shou Dao is not a true martial art as it is usually understood: sometimes its esoteric and philosophical traits seem to present it more to us as a development system of being particularly attentive to secrecy . The only texts not secreted by initiatory codes are Russian books that tell the story of the "Shou" .
This discipline would have been introduced in China, the cradle in which it developed for centuries, by an unspecified Indo-European people that would appear to be connected to the Kurgan culture.
After a period of prosperity, the Shou were persecuted both in China and in India, and because of this they began to hide and use secret codes to pass on knowledge and art .
Meaning of the Shou Dao
Shou Dao is an expression that in Mandarin can change meaning depending on the pronunciation : in one way it means "way of the fist", or martial art, in another, the esoteric one, means " way of tranquility ", that is mystical art.
Martial arts are in fact only one aspect of Shou mysticism, to develop which it is necessary to also master the artistic disciplines (generally music), medicine, esoteric alchemy . Through these codes of pronunciation and gestures, the Shou could recognize each other avoiding being persecuted.
Philosophy of the Shou Dao
The Indo-Aryan discipline merged, in the Chinese cradle, together with Taosite philosophy and Chinese esoteric alchemy, developing a system that is at once mystical and martial.
Alchemy is fundamental for the knowledge, domination and development of inner energies, for the transformation of the elements and for the ignition of a certain fire in the energy center called "Dan Tien" .
With the development of these subtle energies, the use of muscular strength is gradually reduced and this is why the archetype of the classic unbeatable old Chinese master exists: in "muscular" martial arts, effectiveness is always linked to good physical form, but when one gets older or gets injured or stops exercising, much of the effectiveness is lost; when subtle energies are used, they never disappear again.
The contribution of Taoism is precisely the typical equanimity of those who renounce strength and no longer see opponents, even combat is no longer a fight: there is only the universe in movement and victory or defeat and life and death are alone a superficial game of opposites.
This inner condition helps the body not to defend itself and not to contract, essential elements for the use of the powerful inner energies developed with the alchemical processes.
Martial arts: which ones to choose?
Application of the Shou Dao
Each Shou Dao practitioner develops his own innate characteristics and generates his own style, so much so that it is almost impossible to recognize the students of a master so much they fight differently between them; in fact the inner principles of the Shou Dao can be applied with the techniques of any martial art.
Having developed mainly in China, the Shou Dao has used many Taijiquan exercises (revising them according to their own principles), especially the exercise known as "Tui Shou" (pushing hands), which is generally the basis of the practice.
But in the Shou Dao are also incorporated exercises taken from Shaolin, from Baguazhang, from Xingyi, from Shuai Jiao, etc. Therefore it is very difficult to recognize the Shou practitioner from a non-practitioner.
Where do you practice?
In Italy the Shou Dao was imported by the Georgian master Amirkhanov, who began to practice this art to recover from a terrible spinal accident. After asking for and getting political asylum, he found a home in Livorno, where he teaches Sambo and Kung Fu .
The only Italian student of Shou Dao who obtained permission to teach this art is Francesco Collesano, Master of MMA who teaches in the province of Pisa, in the Shou Dao School and in seminars and workshops throughout the national territory.
