Martial arts training irrespective of which country it originates from or which style or form it is, the purpose was training for war between countries, tribes, clans etc. Though the training was for something very lethal and violent it brought about beautiful characteristics like disciple, rectitude, humility, kindness, generosity and lots more. It is these characteristics that brought respect for the warriors of the olden times.
In the last 4 decades or so the ethos and morals of martial artists seems to be waning away. Martial artists are going from being humble simple beings to becoming Egoistic and pompous. From being easily approachable and down to earth to creating a false image of high and mighty.
In my training of over 4 decades, I have come across some of the most wonderful human beings. Most of my instructors have been wonderful not just as teachers but as people you just felt welcome, safe, protected around. There are also some martial artists who are just so egoistic and have by their own beliefs kept themselves high up on a pedestal. The kind that look down upon everyone around them irrespective of the respect or kindness given to them. Such people I have always stayed away from and consciously distanced myself from them.
A few decades ago when I started Jukaado, a wonderful martial artist named Richard came across my videos and we connected. Richard worked as a police man and had years of martial arts training with him. Simple down to Earth and so easy to talk to. Through him I met quite a few other wonderful martial artists like Duane, Dumont and many many others. Richard had brought us all together though we all lived in different countries and it just felt so wonderful. Due to certain circumstances he ended his life. It was a shock to me when I got the news. I knew he was battling through a difficult time but I didn't expect this. I am sure like me some of the other martial artists who he connected with were also grieving and were in shock. While we were processing the loss there were a few who did not even wait for a reasonable amount of time to pass by and just tried to build on what Richard had created. I found it very wrong, like someone was trying to take advantage of a situation. I just ended up distancing myself from them. It was sad to see someone do all this, where was the code of the warrior in all this?
Some months back an instructor named Mayur contacted me to inquire about training for his student while the student resided in my city. Simple connection, no Ego, no unnecessary posturing. A wonderful connect has been formed. We are still in regular contact and he also has spoken about the unnecessary Ego's and politics around martial artists.
Just yesterday I started a conversation with a martial artist named George. I was not hoping or expecting a conversation but just a simple text about something lead to a wonderful interaction. No Ego, no I am this or that, just two people who train discussing simple things. Getting to understand what they teach or their views on training. It has been a long time that I had a conversation with someone with a good training background with no ego whatsoever.
Why the ego? In my opinion a true martial artist is a student for life. Always ready to learn from anyone, even from some one many years younger than them. I think once ego creeps in it stops the process of self growth and understanding. It is the ego that actually brings about unnecessary politics in martial arts organisations and systems. In my opinion if one is filled with Ego they lose the ability to understand their students and see with clarity what needs to be done to help the student on their journey not only in training but in every aspect of life itself.
I also believe in some ways that a person who says that he or she has no ego is actually egoistic. There is a good and bad in all of us. It is not about throwing out the bad, because by the law of creation itself both will always exist. We can't understand and value peace without chaos or war, we can't appreciate love without hate, we can't value the day without the night and so on. It is not about getting rid of anything. It is about understanding what matters and to feed that process of thought. The two wolves reside in all of us. It is the one we feed, nurture and nourish that will flourish and shape the person we are.
Starve the ego, feed the humility. Respect, trust etc are always earned, don't expect it from anyone. Be the kind of person that creates the respect, trust, love etc in the hearts and minds of people around you.
Train like a warrior to be a warrior!!!
Comments
One more Good Shandai I learnt Goju Ryu under was Prasanna Gadgil, who sadly is no more, who inturn was a student of Sensei Pervez Mistry.