Published Works
Mindful Body Fueling
A practical guide to nourishing body and mind with clarity, presence, and energetic awareness.
Ken’s foundational wellness book explores the relationship between energy, mindful eating, breath, embodiment, and daily habits. Grounded, accessible, and designed to help readers reconnect with their natural rhythms.
Status: Published 2025
Summary
“Every choice you make around food carries an energetic signature. It’s not just what you eat, but how you approach the moment — rushed or present, tense or curious. When you slow down, breathe, and listen, the body reveals what it truly needs. Mindful fueling isn’t a diet. It’s a relationship — one built on awareness, self-respect, and trust.”
The Secret to Winning Big (Co‑Author with Brian Tracy & Contributors)
A collaborative success and leadership anthology featuring insights from top coaches, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders.
Ken’s contribution focuses on mindful discipline, presence, and the energetic foundations of achievement.
Status: Co-author/Published 2012
Summary
Ken Marchtaler’s contribution to The Secret to Winning Big introduces the early foundations of what would later evolve into Karate 5.0™ — a holistic, human-centered approach to martial arts and wellbeing. In his chapter, Ken reflects on the challenges of modern life, the consequences of poor lifestyle habits, and the importance of cultivating balance across mind, body, and spirit.
Drawing from his extensive martial arts background and personal experiences, he explored the idea of Martial Wellness®, a model emphasizing seven key dimensions of life: Mind, Body, Spirit, Relationships, Finances, Happiness, and Time. While this model became the seed of his teaching philosophy, Ken’s understanding has since deepened.
Today, that early framework has matured into Karate 5.0™ — a modern evolution of Okinawan Shorin-Ryu that integrates yoga, qigong, breathwork, mindfulness, trauma-aware practices, and energy regulation. The core message, however, remains unchanged: true success requires internal alignment, emotional balance, and the courage to live with presence and integrity.
Ken’s chapter captures the beginning of this journey — a glimpse into the ideas that would eventually shape his life’s work.
Your Old House – Paint
Nationally recognized by Heritage Canada Foundation and permanently assigned to their National Trust Archives.
A specialized guide offering clear, practical information for homeowners restoring or preserving older homes. Includes techniques, materials, and heritage‑aligned approaches to painting and maintenance. Full version available through Victoria Heritage Foundation, click on button below.
Status: Published 2000
Summary
“Older homes teach patience. Their surfaces speak in layers — each coat of paint revealing a chapter of history, craftsmanship, and care. Restoration is not just technique; it’s respect. When we work slowly, choosing materials and methods that honour the original builders, we become part of the ongoing story of the home itself.”
Forthcoming & In‑Progress Titles
Little Warriors: The Book of YoFu
Book 1 of the Little Warriors™ series — a children’s martial‑arts‑inspired adventure teaching character, courage, and mindful movement.
Status: Out for tender (Traditional Publishing/Hybrid)
Excerpt
Download excerpt here: Little Warriors: The Book of YoFu book exert
The 8‑Dimensional Path to Self‑Regulation
A modern reinterpretation of the yogic eight‑limbed path, bridging mindfulness, somatic awareness, breath, energy, and daily life.
A practical and philosophical framework designed to help readers regulate stress, cultivate clarity, and build inner resilience.
Status: In progress
Summary
“Self-regulation is not about control. It is about relationship — to breath, to sensation, to emotion, to thought, to the subtle energy currents that shape experience. When even one dimension becomes steady, the whole system begins to shift. The path is not linear. It is a circle of practice, returning us again and again to presence.”
The Essence of Karate 5.0
A deep exploration of the evolution of Karate from India to China to Okinawa to Japan to the modern world — and how Karate 5.0 returns non-military martial arts to its original purpose: an embodied, mindful, life‑enhancing path.
Includes history, philosophy, movement principles, energy awareness, and Ken’s integrated approach.
Status: In progress
Summary
“Karate began as a way of life — a disciplined study of breath, posture, awareness, and human potential.
Somewhere along the journey, technique overshadowed meaning. Karate 5.0 returns to the source: movement as meditation, strength as compassion, power as clarity. When body, breath, and intention align, technique becomes effortless.”
The New Centurion
A longevity‑focused guide to living well beyond 100 through energy regulation, mindful movement, qigong, breathwork, stress reduction, and lifestyle design.
Inspired by Ken’s personal practice, research, and lived experience.
Status: In progress
Summary
“Longevity is not an accident. It is the natural outcome of living in rhythm with your energy, your environment, and your purpose. The Centurion is not defined by age, but by vitality — a quiet steadiness born from mindful movement, restorative breath, meaningful connection, and a refusal to give up on joy.”
More to Come
Ken continues to write, refine, and expand his published work. Future books will further integrate mindfulness, energy awareness, movement, and conscious living.
For inquiries, speaking opportunities, or publishing collaboration, please visit the Contact page.