higherself – Intuitive Martial Arts

A lot of people argue about which the best Martial art is, but the truth must always be looked at above form, in a high ideal. Of course, it is possible to practice a system and to bring it to life with years of dedication and sacrifice, but if you do this it is always thanks to the work you put in which reaches above and beyond mere form. Because the form is just an empty shell, a representation of truth, and a weak one at that. It is the inspiration behind the form that counts.

Whilst it may be possible to smash someones head in with a few moves, it is hardly a way to inspire the greatest dedication to an important cause. Work of this kind is completely unimportant when weighed against self development and longevity. It is only possible to relate to the greatest goals by channelling our own immediate desires and instinctive tendencies towards something greater. But that all depends on what you want. We can substitute immediate gratification for long term satisfaction, which on balance is a good trade off. This is true humility, which involves identifying with a self in the future. But this future work starts now in the present and in fact is inseparably linked to it 1.

Through ideas and forward thinking it is possible to transcend present limitations. That is why it is a mistake to put so much stock in dead mechanical forms, or even what can be achieved under present conditions. Much has been said about living in the moment, but most of the time people mistake this for living recklessly on borrowed time. Instead you should view ‘the moment’ as a part of the future which begins here and now. Even with all the progress that has been made in psychology and mindfulness, people often overlook this simple fact. Controlling your thoughts in the present so that the future perspective is represented in reality is the real work. This is the perspective of the true self. By adopting this attitude this you will be able to tread any path in life unwaveringly – Martial Arts or otherwise.

Present limitations are an aspect only of the past, so leave them there. Try and imagine yourself, to feel even, this ideal self in action, understanding that it is only possible to relate to this self by your own unceasing efforts. Many people say they lose inspiration and give up, but in fact it was them who abandoned the future perspective in the present. Yes, because we are inseparable from inspiring ideal thoughts, which represent our higher or true self, and what we will become. To the extend that this faculty is not exercised and practiced, it can be said to not exist. In that case, it is as if there were no imagination at all.

There is simply no point in bemoaning and living in the past, since it was you who chose to relate to it now instead of detaching yourself from it and living now. Instead you must think of all the gifts, talents and abilities that you posses in your mind through your ideas, so that they one day materialise. You of course then physically practice these. It all starts with a seed, an idea. Be awake to this reality, this is what the Buddha Symbolised, the meaning of the Name Buddha is “Awakened”. When you live the high ideal, everything begins to work, the chakras, chi, the energies, motivation, however you wish to view it.

By living in that moment ceaselessly, we may identify with our own progressive evolution as it unfolds and contribute to it actively. We are otherwise at the mercy of events and definitions made by others. This is why it is so important to watch your every move. Of course this is exhausting and even the best struggle at this and lose contact with this ideal, so don’t delude yourself. But the key is to notice when this starts to happen and take action. So it is not a problem to make mistakes, provided you are aware of them and seek to rectify them. In any case, even a brief encounter with this state of mind can have a lasting impression and can even enhance your motivation to go about the more mundane activities in your life.

What will protect you is the state of mind imprinted within you following years of dedication to a high ideal of perfection and the conviction that this can be achieved. This is true self defence. This work does not demand that you actually reach perfection, only that you never stop reaching. So develop a taste for the work of achieving this high ideal, day after day, night after night. Learn to rest and sleep properly, so that you emerge the next morning revitalised a new individual3.

Nothing is more important than identifying with this high ideal through our words, thoughts, gestures, actions, and behaviours, as this is how we relate it to ourselves. Every one of these has repercussions which contribute towards enriching or impoverishing our motivation, and therefore our abilities. Because it is always lofty ideas that precede meaningful results, not mindless activity.

The true meaning of Martial Arts is to strive towards the highest of all goals2. It is the intensity of this effort, not the time it takes to reach that counts4. Very few who practice martial arts or anything else manage to reach this summit. And only the greatest among them manage to dedicate all their energy across their whole life to get there. This is what the “Martial Spirit” is all about.

It is said that the famous Swordsman Itto Ryu had his entire style revealed to him after meditating for 7 days and nights at the Grand shrine at Mishima. Not twenty or fifty years of repetitive mindless work. And the process is the same for everyone. This is an incredibly important subject, which is well worth reflecting on. During seclusions of this kind, avoid all negative influences which may sap you of your vitality and willpower, so that you dont lose self confidence. You will then feel like making grand hopeful plans.

When someones whole concentration and will power is absorbed in one high ideal, closed to other influences, he is capable of almost supernatural abilities. He must serve this one ideal. However, suppose you give up most of your time to aimless activity with people whose attitude is flat and uninspiring, offensive even, you have the impression of being soiled and left unfocused. Just think of how powerful a suspicious glance can be! On the outside nothing has changed but inside there has been a weakening of energy. It is occasions of this sort which, which although unavoidable, you should guard against. It is the mental equivalent of being punched in the gut. You think I am being overly sensitive. No, I am just highlighting how every action has a powerful consequence on the road to true success. You must be constantly vigilant. Analyse these feelings and you will see that the real meaning of martial arts is to guard against these assaults as you would a physical attack.

From now on, I highly recommend you have nothing to do with a system of fighting which emphasises beating others, winning titles, or strutting about arrogantly. Why bother with this kind of life? The methods I recommend on this sight will never lead to a mindset of that sort. However, you shouldn’t believe that people who do any of that go about it consciously or deliberately. Far from it, it’s often just that they never received proper guidance from a higher ideal. To them, impressing others and personal ambition is the goal.

Think of all the people out there who take drugs and socialises with people that they know are bad for them. We see that same thing with many martial arts organisations, symbolically speaking. Their practices, which emphasises mechanical routines, end up destroying joints and even cause burnout amongst athletes. They were told that if they just give themselves over that a particular system, it holds the truth and will supply them with all the knowledge and skills they need. However, the methods advocated by many organisations are too short term. The work towards high ideal of perfection goes hand in hand with long term development, an idea we must ceaselessly work on, day and night.

Admittedly, this idea of long term work seems very far fetched, particularly if one is accustomed to hearing about all the promises of quick results, and perfect systems. It is much easier to supposes that with modern advancements there is no point struggling to find meaning in our training when all the technical aspects have been worked out for us in advance. However, the worst thing that can happen is to adopt this attitude. Instead, you must look at the situation as it is, saying “The temptation to believe in a system outside of myself is just a manifestation of my inner laziness, which I must work at subduing. It is absurd to suppose I can be good without constant work. It is the spirit that must take first place, not a mechanical system”. In this way you will develop your inner convictions and confidence.

Unfortunately, the situation we have in the market place of ideas is pretty dire. You see many so called masters out their stubbornly determined to keep their positions in the food chain, a position which they are quite unfit to represent. And what’s worse is they are quite proud of this stubbornness, thinking that it shows toughness, and that nothing and nobody can move them aside. However, with such a low aim in life, and such an uncompromising attitude, they are likely to bring about their own fall sooner or later. And who can blame them? One sees examples of this everywhere, so they say “Well, if you can’t beat them, join them!”. To overcome weaknesses of this kind is the sort of work I’m talking about when striving towards a high ideal. For work of this kind can go on every moment of the day. As you can see the temptation to succumb to this mentality is everywhere!

Picture now a great master such as Miyamoto Musashi, or outside of martial arts someone like Pythagoras, or Buddha. Obviously there are many others, but not amongst the living. It is even preferable to find inspiration from fictional characters, than any of the living examples one sees in the media. In fact many fictional stories, particularly centring around an incorruptible hero, correspond to a profound reality that you can grasp if you are in contact with inspiring ideas and notions. Use this reality as a model then, as you would build a car with an instruction manual. In this way, by relating to an ideal representation of perfection, and holding on to it, you gradually come to resemble it. It is entirely up to us whether we are able to extract this kind of inspiration from ideas represented in art.This is often a superior method than following a flawed character, particularly those represented in so called modern art which are full of imperfections and weaknesses.

We only need to observe how many iconic Martial arts teachers are when they interact with others – they talk to them like subjects in a captive audience. Claiming to be the only enlightened ones in the room, they represent a limited a warped truth. A true master should radiate the very enthusiasm and inspiration he feels. But instead, they usually kill off the enthusiasm in those they teach and inspire a kind of god like servitude towards themselves. This might be acceptable if they were living examples of perfection, but it is usually the case that they are simply putting on a show. There you have the sad truth. Personally, I’m disillusioned with them, and because of all their inconsistencies and errors, I no longer waste my time bothering with them. But who can blame them, people come to them asking for instructions and easy methods, and that’s what they get.

As an exercise, try identifying with a hero who inspires you. In the same way as if we think about a waterfall5, or certain other natural phenomena to relax, we can contemplate inspiring figures so that we might resemble them and enter into their state of mind. By identifying with these symbolic figures, you will come to resemble the high ideal that they stand for. This is an unbelievably powerful exercise. However, don’t suppose that you must try to resemble some average individual who is slightly gifted, and possibly troubled. This is a waste of time as you will only take on their limitations. There is too much important work to do. As it is individuals who are the cause of their own limitations, you must not focus on their weaknesses but their strengths, or if you like their ideal aspects. In this way you turn them into symbols of brilliance.

References

1 Fight in Chaos, Live in Harmony https://harmanater.com/2020/07/12/fight-chaos-live-in-harmony/

2 The True Meaning of Martial arts https://harmanater.com/2020/05/18/the-true-meaning-of-martial-arts/

3 Methods for Sleep https://harmanater.com/2020/04/28/methods-for-sleep/

4 High Intensity Work and Balance https://harmanater.com/2020/07/05/high-intensity-work-and-balance/

5 Active Relaxation https://harmanater.com/2020/04/27/active-relaxation/

What is meant by will power? Whilst the brain and body are not always highly active and alert, the spirit should remain alert through will power. In other words that aspect of you which observes what’s going on inwardly should always remain attentive, even if everything else is resting. Some might call this the spirit, or the minds eye. But none of this means you should be concentrating on something so intensely that you exhaust yourself and then need to switch off. On the contrary, remaining vigilant and alert about your thoughts and channelling them in a productive direction should energise you and save you from losing direction and motivation1. Because the mind simply wonders if left to its own devices, usually into negativity.

What does will power do? It directs and cultivates ideas principally. And these ideas are based on eternal principles, or archetypes, which we develop through thought. We later fashion such ideas into outcomes, such as behaviours, strategies, or physical objects depending on their direction. Think of will power as the directing force of currents, just as a river bed channels water. Because usually we don’t actually create ideas, we just inject a bit of ourselves into existing ones. If they were ours we would hold on to them as we do an arm or leg, but often ideas fail us and become unusable without the right mental approach. This is where will power is vitally important. Think of ideas as your children if you like, and tend to them and bring them up as best you can with all your energy. Because they will enrich your life if you take responsibility for developing them.

Think of will power as the first port of call which sets everything in motion. In other words, the change is immediate as soon as you think a positive inspiring thought, it just hasn’t materialised yet into a product or an outcome. It needs time. This is why it is important to always insist on thinking positive, inspiring, and motivating thoughts. Many people say “I just can’t resist this or that” or “I can’t get motivated”. But these initial negative thoughts, which occur in the absence of effort1, have the power to create the reality which we fear. Similarly, will power can define who you are once you recognise that thought is the foundation of action, the source of manifestation. The actual outcome of thought is unimportant and often obstructs progress, because the goal is the impetus, the great and driving force. This process is what we should relate to rather than outcomes.

In the exercise of will power change wont be visible outwardly immediately. Will power is useful for sowing the seeds of progress. And as I was saying, the effects are only immediately visible on the level of the mind, and it is this level you should relate to rather than what’s immediately in front of you. The fruits don’t come until later, which is why so many people give up easily. For example, say you wake up one morning and decide you can’t be bothered to train, telling yourself that you are no good anyway so what’s the point. Soon enough, without any will power directing thoughts in the opposite direction you have given in to this negative idea which started off as a passing thought. “Thoughts are things” and they must be nourished moment by moment, so other bad things don’t take their place.

Whilst physical training gives us a degree of confidence by creating a history of success, as well as good habits and routines, it’s not enough on its own. Without an ideal to strive for, a motivational force, even the most thrilling training yields little in the way of long term success. So it is in the mind that any physical achievement originates, by relating ourselves to our high ideal or grand goal. The physical outcome of these mental creations symbolise these ideas, and give them form. By adding something of ourselves into them physically, or altering our behaviour through the inspiration of such ideas, we give them physical expression. But it all begins in the mind. It is up to us to revisit ideas and thoughts constantly to nourish them and blend them with other great ideas so that evolution can continue.

Even the greatest champions have convinced themselves at one point or another that they were no good and were going nowhere. They let negativity take over because there was no counterbalancing influence to this natural retrogressive tendency. Either they got into drugs, became egotistical, self indulgent, or whatever.

Any negative state of mind is liable to take over quite naturally without will power setting in motion a counter offensive of positive ideas and productive thoughts. Think of it as a war going on inside of you, good versus evil. If you hate the idea of war, consider it a form of delivering justice against injustice. In fact this is why Martial arts have insisted on virtue and responsibility, so that inwardly you side with the good, that is the productive and sustainable, avoiding demoralization. The idea isn’t just to bow in front of the master and then be done with it, showing no respect for others as you go out into the world. The Positive outcomes appear later as a result of relating to certain principles. So don’t go rushing this process or looking for a quick fix.

Many people think “If I just had the right training” or “If I just had enough money” that things would be easy. In fact the opposite is true because then there would be no need for will power to assert itself against such easy conditions and senescence would set in. Instead, see your disadvantages and adversity as a gift, or what scientists call “selection pressure” to adapt. In other words, a reason for will power to assert itself and propel your upwards. There is no other logical way of looking at it, there must always be an equal and opposite force.

The thing about will power is that it needs to be directed actively, whereas doubt and negativity are passive states. Such states are the absence of will power rather than a bad state in itself. Nobody holds on to an inspiring idea or makes a work of art without the will to do so. This is why it’s so important, it’s a fundamental prerequisite for an outcome. In other words, the outcome doesn’t come before the work, anymore than the flower comes before the seed.

We all start off weak and ignorant, and it requires monumental will power and work just to maintain what little we have achieved. Because we are free to will thoughts in a direction of our choosing this means we can adapt the form of our ideas to suit our circumstances and tastes. We can become whatever we like. It also means that we are free to become lazy and lose our edge, making way for the next generation of artists, creators, and leaders.

Through will power alone we can stop this natural tendency to decline and therefore we must never rest on our laurels. Ideas are flexible and adaptable, which reflects our changing and evolving circumstances and needs. This also explains why we must ceaselessly act in order to develop our thoughts and capabilities.

If we want to develop our thoughts into abilities later on, we need to put in the work first. Insofar as a spirited energy dwells in us it must be nourished. This means we need to be alert and vigilant in order to sow the seeds that may take years and years to become giant creations. This is the first step of any great endeavour and we should identify with this perspective rather than the narrow view of material circumstance. It isn’t enough to realise that action needs to be taken at the eleventh hour, so we must be forward thinking and ready to see the slightest change in the landscape which calls for new creations in the future.

References

1 https://harmanater.com/2020/04/27/active-relaxation/

2 https://harmanater.com/2020/05/04/the-higher-and-lower-self-in-martial-arts/

Tag: higherself

The High Ideal

Will Power