Comfort in Darkness: The Invisible Power of Jiu Jitsu

by Rickson Gracie, Peter Maguire

Overview

A masterwork about the art of combat and the invisible powers within us all from Rickson Gracie, the world’s greatest Jiu Jitsu fighter and New York Times bestselling author of Breathe 

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.

 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780063264847
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	11/12/2024
Pages:	208
Sales rank:	184,189
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.77(d)

About the Author

Rickson Gracie is the New York Times bestselling author of Breathe. The leader of the most prominent martial arts family of all time, Gracie reigned as world Jiu Jitsu champion in both the middle heavy weight and open divisions for almost two decades. Since retiring with an undefeated record, he has focused on unifying and spreading his family martial art through his Global Jiu Jitsu Federation. 

Peter Maguire is the author of Law and War, Facing Death in Cambodia, Thai Stick, and Breathe. Maguire has taught the law and theory of war at Columbia University, Bard College, and University of North Carolina at Wilmington. He is the founder and director of Fainting Robin Foundation. Maguire received his blackbelt from Rickson Gracie and has been his friend and student for over 30 years.

 

Editorial Reviews

A fluid mind-set is required to excel in both combat and life. Rickson Gracie is the embodiment of this mind-set. I don’t know of any athlete, in any sport, who can perform in ‘the zone’ or ‘the flow’ the way that Rickson Gracie did.”  — José Padilha, director of Bus 174, Elite Squad, Robocop (2014), Narcos, and Entebbe

 “Rickson Gracie and I had a match in the BYU wrestling room in 1992. He made me tap out twice and told me I was the toughest guy he’d gone against. Rickson was the best fighter I’d ever seen. He still may be.”  — Mark Schultz, wrestler and Olympic gold medalist

“Breathe: A Life in Flow is at its best when it tells beautiful stories illustrating this truth about how Gracie moves through the world, as a fighter, a surfer, and a man doing his best to be his best.”  — Carolyn Lee Adams, Bloody Elbow

“There is Jiu Jitsu, and then there is Rickson Gracie. All others fit neatly below. The presence of mind and body to make micro adjustments in order to occupy what he calls 'The Middle' and his deep understanding in the form of Connection and Balance sets him apart from other Masters of this so called Gentle Art. Gentle, my ass. You keep what you kill.” — Maynard James Keenan, martial artist, winemaker, and lead singer of Tool and A Perfect Circle

“His approach to martial arts, to the game of unarmed combat is well beyond his years. He is definitely an inspiration of mine.” — Conor McGregor, UFC double-champion

From the Publisher