In the past, disciples endured trials by fire, or today in the case of martial arts they have to endure endless sparring practice, where they are ground down and crushed at times. This is necessary at times, because the essence of Martial Arts is not to be spared the torment and relentless testing that life heaps on us. This is why Masters are considered very harsh, and even sadistic, but in truth it is not cruel to simply reflect what life throws at us. For them, it is also necessary to develop some kind of philosophy of teaching to this end.
That is all a real master is, a reflection of Nature, an embodiment of it and one who has harnessed its energies and truths into an act of creative expression. This does not mean he is cruel or arrogant necessarily. And so, within this new framework, or methods and tests, guidance is offered, and training can be given to those in need of being pushed. Without such guidance, we can be left to flounder, never understanding why we suffer so much and are unable to overcome our problems of existence. If a trial of some kind kind of trial brings us closer to the truth, then it can be considered constructive. If it is merely a way to tell your friends how you beat some other guy up or endured a marathon, then it just encourages vanity and pride. and this is what so often happens.
Of course there are many charlatans in the industry who do not possess any real answers, and many schools which do not provide much in the way of preparation. personally, I no longer worry about this, because I am unable to see experts and instructors as anything more than signposts, symbols of authority who replicate the authority nature holds over us. And I am the first to benefit from this attitude because I see instructors everywhere, some who might test my patience, some who might challenge me directly, and others that will enlighten my understanding. I simply try to work like nature, constantly evolving, trying to overcome obstacles or using them as a means of developing will power and tenacity where needed.
I am quite aware that I would achieve nothing outside of this process of following natures guidance. And so even though some instructors have shown me hostility, as if I were encroaching on their turf, they risk nothing with me, I would not succumb to the temptation to follow a particular man made system of any kind. Only when I work within the framework of constant vigilance and other laws do I notice a change in my abilities, because I have seen it is the life we lead and the attitude we have that ends up sculpting us and improving us, not theoretical ideas from an expert.
Obtaining credentials and looking for authentic systems need not worry us because it is in the work and the struggle that meaning is to be found, not objective results1. In this way, the whole of ones life can become a form of initiation, rather than just a few scrapes here and there before cosy retirement. When you begin to adopt this perspective it becomes clear that ones every moment is an opportunity to learn, consolidate, and expand where necessary. Certainty that you have arrived at a final destination robs us of this everlasting work.
Personally, I have been involved in a few exceptional moments where I don’t believe I would have been able to project the same amount of force under any other circumstances, and certainly not during run of the mill exercises. These situations are few and far between, and it is those that we can prepare for, which can come at any time. That doesn’t mean we have to live in a constant state of anxiety. No, all the more reason to develop harmony and equilibrium. And if you develop love for what you do1, and strengthen your hara centre2, recuperating where necessary3, this will help prepare you properly when the time comes, rather than destroying your nerves.
In Taekwondo competitions I frequently found myself in matches where I was not only smaller but also outclassed. What should I do? Use my techniques? No, they would not be enough to defend me, my understanding was too poor, and also I would risk having my teeth knocked out. I had little to expect from anybody and their technical advice, because I frequently lost in the training hall and never managed to embody any of these methods. And so, I had to seek safety from within, and in this way I was able to fight with tenacity and as though my life depended on it. Each match was as though it were my first. I am unable to say whether I would be able to do summon the same power, motivation, and drive again, but I feel attuned to the same powerful truths as some of the Masters I have trained under or studied, and that enough convinced me of the truth revealed in my reactions to these moments.
However, coming back to work ethic, all you need to do is work in the right direction, whether there is resistance against you or not, all that matters if you keep moving and working on your own inner development. Life will never be so easy that you don’t find challenges, they are there if you look. A master is a symbolic figure, who even if they are not very knowledgeable is still useful because life shows us that it is full of good and bad, you just have to know how to convert one to the other. For example, if an expert turns out to be a liar, or your team betrays you, all they have shown you is to rely more on yourself for truth, and in this way the situation expresses truth and progress – even if it initially seems bad. You can only rely on your own efforts, principally.
But how many experts feel insulted and refuse to work with you if you do not copy their technical moves unquestioningly! They fail to realise that any objective results you obtain, for example technical skills, are merely vehicles for practicing the law of success – which is to rely on your own work. Most of the time, experts want their system promoted, or their idea to be famous, their name in the bright lights. And it is this need for possession outside of themselves (if they have failed to marry the inner and outer aspects), that causes such contention between the different experts. Otherwise, they would relate to each other better based on what was inside of them, rather than the differences of appearance.
Technical advice is a brilliant aid, but it’s empty if you don’t inject something of yourself into it. So I tend to avoid advising on the purely technical level. On the other hand, if you emulate an individual with an unfailing work ethic, and a quest for truth, then you are resonating on the same wavelength of that person. Whereas if someone is constantly accusing you of stealing from them, or gossiping about you to all and sundry, then they resonate with nothing but the outer shell of things. So, associate with all that is true, and you will then progress whether your model knew or achieved anything technical or not, and you no longer ask whether they are technically gifted as a criteria. The technically gifted are often cold analysists criticizing and dissecting people and one comes away feeling jaded and sapped of energy just by talking with them if they aren’t careful.
The trouble is most people expect the answer to be found within some kind of technique, rather than within themselves and the work they unceasingly put in. In other words they mistake the method of study for the answer, and try to remember all the right answers to spare themselves the work. No, a person is not the outer shell, he is the inner aspect first of all. I could be working with the most inept of all athletes and I would be happy to see that they had the right attitude and character, which would spur me on to progress. Anyway, there are so few great examples to be found; because most people are content to just copy outer appearances, and do not bother asking whether the example they follow is still working, still evolving and advancing – in other words alive. They end up following an avatar.
It is very rare to find one whose work continues even when they have reached an advanced age and reputation. Although this is the only example worthy of exaltation. However, when such an example is found, the disciples thoughts and knowledge merge with those of the master, and there is an emulation which is at the same time an authentic reality rather than mindless imitation based on fanatical praise. Yes because their model is a representation of truth and therefore it kindles something alive in them. And yes, some people become embittered as they get older, however many of them also retain their warmth and inspiration. And to copy a great example is no sign of weakness, You are merely showing truth and you are just observing and resonating with it. Because if you have absorbed good fundamental truths, from there you can make a few tweaks and modifications, but not before.
The trouble is, people often want to retain their individuality first, which is not a problem in itself, but it can be problematic if it gets in the way of resonating and reaching certain wavelengths. This is why as a group, it is essential that people relate to each other via truth if you want a good cohesion. And I’m not saying they should all smile and get along all the time, no, in fact it can be beneficial to be around people who test your patience and you personally dislike at first. This forces you to develop and find some positive aspect to focus on, and there’s always something. See, even if the company you keep is completely disagreeable, this forces you to work, and in the process improve the attitude of those around you.
There is a tendency to think that one must develop solely as a unique individual in order to progress. This is true, everyone has their calling, but in my opinion it is better to progress as an individual within a framework of sound practice. It is within this sound practice that people can then relate better. In other words, it becomes necessary to bind yourself to certain rules, rather than rebel against them, in order to be truly free to operate properly. Freedom requires constraint. This is why unless Martial Arts practice is bound to certain principles and laws of Nature, it will not work satisfactorily, even if in the technical domain of skills, it is highly effective. You can only spare yourself the trials at the expense of being compelled to work.
References
1 Training is its own reward https://intuitivemartialarts.com/2021/01/17/training-is-its-own-reward/ and The force of Love https://intuitivemartialarts.com/2021/02/07/the-force-of-love/
2 Stay in the Centre https://intuitivemartialarts.com/2021/01/28/stay-in-the-centre/
3 Active Relaxation https://intuitivemartialarts.com/2020/04/27/active-relaxation/
