| “Old age? There is no such thing!” Mme. | | | | honey for supper. |
| Jeanne Lieberman replied in response to a query | | | | Mme Lieberman’s dedication paid off |
| whether her age of 92 plus was weighing on her. | | | | abundantly. She achieved such a level of prowess |
| She was martial arts Grand master who lived in | | | | that she was able to perform unbelievable feats. |
| France. This was her response to a question by | | | | She has demonstrated her prowess in several |
| Claude | | | | ways: In one demonstration she pinned a trained |
| Bobin. He was interviewing her. Check the 1978 | | | | (black belt), 1.8 m tall, 200 kg athlete to the |
| September issue of the Indian Reader’s | | | | ground in less than one second and then repeated |
| digest and you can read the article. The summary | | | | the feat nine times! |
| is given here. | | | | Pretty tempting skill to acquire isn’t it? This |
| Mme. Jeanne Lieberman started learning martial | | | | should be inspiration for young and old alike. |
| arts at the tender age of 63, when most of us | | | | Mme Lieberman is not an aggressive person. Her |
| would prefer retiring from the armchair to the | | | | personal philosophy is rooted in silence, tolerance, |
| sofa- watching the antics of our grand children. | | | | understanding and love. |
| But for her, it was the beginning of a newlife- a | | | | She returned to Paris and started her own martial |
| life of conquering and self –discovery plus a | | | | arts class. She developed her own synthesized |
| whole new vista ofopportunities and healing for a | | | | style based on the three martial arts and Yoga. |
| lot of people past 60. She had prepared herself | | | | Most of her disciples are in their sixties or |
| though. She was a regular practitioner of Yoga. | | | | seventies. Some of them have had |
| And she had-Inspiration-lots of it! | | | | extraordinaryexperiences. One seventy year old |
| She joined a Judo Dojo (martial arts school) in | | | | student was attacked by two young muggers in |
| Paris. When she went to enroll, the joke goes | | | | the dark side alleys of Paris . She was able to |
| that the instructor asked if it was for her son or | | | | ward off their attack easily and hold one of them |
| her grandson. | | | | in a paralysing arm lock, with him begging for |
| Imagine his surprise when she replied it was for | | | | mercy. |
| her!Her astounding progress soon put an end to | | | | At a time when we keep hearing stories of |
| the apprehensions of her instructor and her | | | | estranged and isolated old people, who have been |
| younger classmates and she completed her black | | | | abandoned by their children, Mme. Lieberman’s |
| belt in sharp five years! Inspiration to her | | | | story is heartening in that it gives inspiration to |
| classmates! | | | | stand up for ourselves, dig into the resources |
| She didn’t rest on her achievement, though. | | | | within ourselves and prove to ourselves and the |
| She went to Japan and started polishing up her | | | | world that we can take care of ourselves, and |
| Aikido skills that she had started learning in France. | | | | much more! |
| Aikido is a non-violent form of self-defense. She | | | | Martial arts are a sure fire way to keep oneself |
| practiced under Master Tadashi Abe for four | | | | fit and old age at bay. Martial Arts also help to |
| years before she secured her black belt in | | | | maintain peace of mind and to develop suppleness |
| Aikido(!). | | | | of the body. |
| No, that is not the end of the story. At the age | | | | Martial arts are one of the best ways to spend |
| of 72, she started learning Kung fu (Wing | | | | ones excess time. Of course this statement |
| Chun).She received her black belt in Kung fu at | | | | would not appeal to the enthusiastic follower, who |
| the age of 80, from Master Hoangnam at the | | | | has dedicated his life to perfection in martial arts. |
| famed Shaolin temple, China! Astounding | | | | The lives of people like Jeanne Liebermann |
| Inspiration, isn’t it? To think how much an old | | | | convey Inspiration in us to achieve all that we are |
| lady would exert, pushing herself to the limits. | | | | capable of. They give inspiration to transcend our |
| Her diet is very simple: a carrot for breakfast, an | | | | limits . |
| egg for lunch and a potato and a spoonful of | | | | |