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Rickson Gracie: Comfort in Darkness Interview on The New Man
Is a lack of confidence your worst enemy?
What does it mean to develop mental, emotional, and spiritual strength?
And how does accepting death make you stronger?
Jiu Jitsu legend Rickson Gracie returns to The New Man, and we dive into the deeper topics from his new book with Peter Maguire called, Comfort in Darkness.
Rickson wasn’t just a devastating opponent in the ring, he’s also a teacher that draws from a deep well of wisdom and intuition. He goes far beyond the mechanics and fundamentals to help others face their fears so that they can discover just how strong and capable they are. Today we discuss what he calls “Invisible Jiu Jitsu” and how we can all utilize it to become mentally, emotionally, and spiritually powerful.
In this interview:
- Is your mind working for you or against you?
- Rolling himself up in a carpet to confront the fear of claustrophobia
- Orlando Cani and Biogynastica
- Being willing to accept any possible outcome
- The dangers of achieving success
Plus:
- Developing mental, emotional, and spiritual strength
- “Keeping the taste of defeat in your mouth”
- Fighting to win vs winning without a fight
- Loving our opponents
- Freedom and forgiveness walk hand in hand
About Rickson Gracie
A mythic figure in fighting and a legendary member of the “first family of martial arts,” Rickson Gracie is considered the godfather of what we recognize today as Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). Although Rickson’s three decades of total dominance in Jiu Jitsu is astounding, even more astounding is the serenity and spiritual depth of his approach to combat.
For Rickson, Jiu Jitsu is a metaphor for life. Some consider Jiu Jitsu a martial art, others consider it a sport, but to Gracie, it is a philosophical system he uses to face and evaluate life’s challenges and maintain happiness and mental balance.
Gracie wrote Comfort in Darkness after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, a terminal sentence which he views as the final fight of his life, one he knows he will eventually lose. This is Gracie’s defining life statement about his spiritual and technical practice.
For the first time, Gracie reveals his time-tested theories and techniques of invisible Jiu Jitsu, a combat system and life philosophy for life he developed over the course of his life. Anyone can use the principles of invisible Jiu Jitsu to awaken their dormant inherent power and apply it to their everyday lives. An indispensable tool for any fighter or seeker, Comfort in Darkness is a timeless book of strategy about aligning the mind, body, and spirit.
