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hakuda
28th October 2002, 17:17
As martial arts students we all have been in a learning process for years and for some only months. As a student for many years, I feel as though I missed out on great lessons in the early part of my studies. Since I was 8 when I began, many lessons were over my head. But as I've gotten older the lessons seem to hit me head on.

I would have to say that my most profound lesson had to do with an instructor that I thought highly of not being all that he seemed. This instructor had many great accomplishments to his credits including films, martial arts awards from different associations, and many competition victories. However, the more I studied with my present sensei, the more I learned about the destructive power of ego. This instructor could overcome anything, so it seemed. The one thing that defeated him was his very own ego. He has all these accomplishments, but now he is reduced to teaching at a resort. This may seem like the perfect gig for most, but where is the depth of the art transmitted to? How do you really show the value of what you have been taught? I'm not saying that he is now a nobody, just that what he had strived for(really interested and dedicated students), has been put beyond his reach at this time.

In my line of work I have really learned the value of being muga. To be polite, respectful, and a genuinely honest, caring human being will get better results from those you seek to either help or influence. To someone not fimilar with being without an ego, it looks as if you are laying down for paople to walk all over you. But what they fail to see is the satisfaction you get from helping someone or avoiding a phsyical confrontation.

This is probably my most valuable lesson if not my most profound. I have come to realize of all the techniques I have learned, learning how to not use them has been my greatest lesson.

Thomas Wall

Walker
28th October 2002, 17:33
I don’t have an Ego!
I never had one!
I never will!
:D :D :D

Charles Mahan
28th October 2002, 18:00
Hmm...

I should stop paying so much attention to the checkpoints of a kata, because the Iai takes place between the checkpoints not at the checkpoints.

Iai is any cut that begins within the saya, Kenjutsu is any cut that begins with the sword outside the saya.

There is no right or wrong way to do a kata as long as the kihon are correct, but Sensei's way is always the right way. ( Full of contradictions that one).

The kata are not the system, the kihon are.

The other guy has one of these things(swords) too.

Reach out and cut someone.

The concept of dynamic tension within the kata.

Jo ha kyu.

Ippon me Mae.

Iaido is first and foremost a method of killing people with 30 inch razor blades. The improvement of character is a side effect.

The more I learn about sword fights the less I wish to end up in one.

The list goes on and on and on. They are all profound. Is one any more profound than the others? I suppose. Have I found a sense of inner peace? Doubtful I can barely find my carkeys in the morning.

Amphinon
28th October 2002, 18:18
My Sensei once said this and I believe it 110%!

"I'd rather be tried by 12
than carried by 6!"

Walker
29th October 2002, 00:15
If you think you know what’s going on, you’re wrong. :look:

Aegis
29th October 2002, 01:41
Don't always wait for opponents to bring the fight to you. Sometimes you need to take it to them and force them to act uncertainly.

Walker
29th October 2002, 07:38
Don’t do drugs. Stay in school.

MarkF
29th October 2002, 11:05
Originally posted by Kenzo
believe half of what you see and none of what you hear :)

Don't believe anything you see or hear, and only an nth of what you read.

Learn form the mistakes of others. You may not live long enough to make them all yourself.


I'll do it tomorrow.;)


Mark

meat
29th October 2002, 11:18
Andrew, that is also one of my favourites, although it is "All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost".

Thomas also hit the nail right on the head, be without ego and always be polite and respectful.

The main philospohy i subscribe to is that you cannot change people with your fists. People respond to respect, love and kindness, we have enough hatred and anger in the world without people with skills such as ourselves adding to it.

Bambi
29th October 2002, 20:14
don't do skool, stay on drugs :b

Juan Perez
30th October 2002, 06:30
Always, and I mean ALWAYS ensure that the door breacher dual primes and dual initiates all explosive charges. And always, and I mean ALWAYS take him with you when you have to clear that charge when it doesn't initiate on time; he deserves it. :D

Walker
30th October 2002, 07:57
Originally posted by Mekugi


You Portlandites and your large, overactive Ids.

How is the Lucky Labrador doing this year, have their seasonals come in full force yet??

Something has to keep us going. Back to standard time and you know the sun is going away. You can hear the clouds plotting over the pacific....

Of course the Lucky Lab is another prime component of self preservation. It’s been a few weeks so I’m not up on what’s tapped, but if Neil gets down here with the Choimeister Kiltman on Thursday we’ll find out!

Tetsuo
31st October 2002, 09:25
Smarter words have never been uttered by my own High School English teacher.

"Those that can...do. Those that can't...teach":)

Obviously it's a bumper sticker saying, but profound nonetheless. I've come to find that the more any teacher of mine talks regarding martial arts, the more the saying proves itself.

jchamilton
2nd November 2002, 10:08
I have learned what IT MEANS TO FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS as well as as to go through extreme "pressures" do so.In other words I have learned commitment,trust,friendship(s),respect to my seniors AND juniors,loyality,and an unspeakable joy that I cannot describe that I get in a "heart to heart" manner from from those I train with and those that I have trained under.I also have learned PAIN,heartache,doubt,loss,etc....Above all...I have learned the true meaning of "enduring".In other words...my most profound lesson has been to ...take life as it comes as a whole,embrace it..hate it,love it..but most of all..live it to best that you can for it is the only one you have at THIS MOMENT.YES I DID IN FACT GET ALL THIS FROM TRAINING ALONE.Training does NOT END IN THE DOJO....otherwise it isn't real,understand what I'm saying?Otherwise...what are you REALLY TRAINING FOR...well?Isn't it to live and appreciate your life as well as others for what not only you but others have chosen as their "wishes and goals in this lifetime" and to respect each persons ideas,thoughts,actions as they might reflect to you,relatives,friends,or even the unseen person on the internet in a respectfull manner..much as you would like if you were on the "other end of the spectrum/180 degrees in opposition!"?To defend yourself and others is not only a physical nature but also a "learned" feat and to do so is human but to DO SO MUST HAVE A PURPOSE AND AN END RESULT IN ALL SITUATIONS.Without such...one is training as a ROGUE/RONIN(considering this is a Japanese martial art forum..this seems to fit the situation at hand).Hmmm...disrepect comes to mind in such a circumstance.

There is much more that can be spoken of here but I think it would MOSTLY fall upon deaf ears..or blind eyes in this circumstance.All this from REAL TRAINING...yet it would truely take days to explain..even in person.I have learned that I'm only human,born to make mistakes,yet above all let GOD(whichever one"being thought here of all"you choose..IF that is the case)show you the way,whatever that may be for you.Expect to get..what you give out of life.

John Hamilton


YES I DID GET THIS FROM MY 20+ years of training..mostly from the last 5+ years.It took me that long to understand what I WAS LEARNING.

meat
2nd November 2002, 12:33
Pain is the best teacher but no-one wants to be in his class

hakuda
6th November 2002, 18:16
Marine Corps says it best--PAIN IS FEAR LEAVING THE BODY. I personally learnes that one is true. You would be surprised what you can do if you turn off the brain and turn on the intestinal fortitude.

Menker
6th November 2002, 20:59
Originally posted by meat
Pain is the best teacher but no-one wants to be in his class "Pain is a valuable teacher; the universe whispers to you in pleasure, talks to you in reason, but with pain, it shouts." --S.M. Stirling, "Drakon"

kusanku
17th November 2002, 08:17
The Essence of Martial arts, in the classical and oriental sense.

Ta da.

:D
Judo is the way of making people fall down and then making sure they stay there.

Karate is a hard fist and a lot of nerve.

Aikido is the art of getting out of the way when the timne is right.

Kempo is the art of smacking people.Interchageable with karate.

Taekwondo is karate that really looks cool on movies and Tv.

Jiujitsu, cassical, are styles which teach one to make opponent hurt himself.

Taijiquan is a health art for excercise which has no combat applications, did I say that right, Sifu?:All you hardstyle dudes, don't worry about taiji, why, its done in slow motion already.:-)Pay no attentions to the applications clases.

Profundity?Hey, this ain't philosophy 101.Koryu were for soldiers, the philosophy taught with them was to make sure they stayed human.I guess thas about the most profund lesson I learned from the MA-stay human or what is the point?

Aegis
17th November 2002, 13:17
Originally posted by kusanku
Jiujitsu, cassical, are styles which teach one to make opponent hurt himself.

I like this.. I'll use that if I ever go to court: "But Your Honour, he just walked into my fist on his own accord, ransomly fell over, then broke his own wrist for no apparant reason"

;)