ABOUT THE PERSONAL STYLES In archery and in each art, even if exists many different methods and schools, at the end, everything its about our practical knowledge’s level, “here and now”. The ancient Mameluke archery treatises were the basic informational (and inspirational) source in my practice of shooting arrows, but not the only one. I used to read and study also Chinese, Japanese, Mogul and other traditional archery manuals as well… At the end its about to find a form of practice through which we can express in an optimal way our self… Since its not limited by a rigid form, our personal method of shooting arrows will reflect as well our self’s evolution, being a living mirror of it… And reflecting in a chronological order its peaks and valleys, victories and falls. Living Arrow Horseback Archery is not a particular way of shooting arrows, good just for myself, but a possible inspirational source for other archers and horseback archers. My best students are not trying to copy my technique, but to develop and find themselves… We are friends and travelers on the same path. On my turn, I try to give them such kind of advises according with their aspirations and compatible with their real level as well. Some of the students are interested just in certain aspects of our practice like for example: fast nocking methods, the use of different types of quivers, “Shower Shooting”, The Shot from the Heart, Furussyia, etc… Some people even declare themselves as my students…even if never I met them “face to face”. Why not? The Tradition has many different aspects… And different people are approaching them in different ways…according with their different tastes. The future Living Arrow students should know that, beyond the technical aspects, they need to study also how to awake, increase and keep under the control their inner strength… Then, WHERE and how to direct their personal power. They should learn not just how to transmit the power to their arrows flying to the target, but also how to use this knowledge in order to bring more efficiency in their daily life activities. The followers of the Living Arrow Horseback Archery should study not just the proper basic stance, the correct way of breathing, the specific archery- and riding techniques, but also how to bring their mind into the center of their hearts, which is the essence and the original source of all inner powers. The most important is to struggle to keep our hearts clean and protected from the bad thoughts. Then our “shooting” will become in a natural way powerful and effective. Because “if the root would be holy, so are the branches”… Cozmei Mihai
