GrandMaster Art Mason's Martial Musing

Reposted from My Buddha Nature.…..I guess some of you might think this is an odd article for a blog on deep thinking….WAR??? Well let’s face the facts, our world is full of conflict, and it will remain that way for a very long time. I always hope as people learn to think better things will improve, but we must also realize that people love conflict too!

Sometimes in life people will ‘wrong you’, ‘misguide you”, ‘lie to you’ etc. Our problem is we for some reason think we MUST go on the offensive to make the situation ‘right‘. This is rarely the case and most often will explode back into our own face at some point in time. Does this mean we should let people walk all over us? Certainly not! But we must learn to understand what conflict is and how to deal with it, thus the name of this article, Zen and the Art of War.

If you have never read Sun Tzu masterpiece “The Art of War” I highly recommend it. It is very insightful and deep. And when you look at it from a Zen prospective it becomes even more powerful! Here are a few quotes to ponder.

“To a surrounded enemy, you must leave a way of escape.” Often times we will go on the attack, especially when we think the enemy is cornered. A cornered enemy is far more dangerous and will defend with great ferocity!. Then we get hurt.

“The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy.” Often times we rush into battle with the enemy and not prepared for they have to offer. This is called suicide. Always remember, Timing is EVERYTHING.

“Keep your friends close, but your enemy closer.” This is one of the most misunderstood quotes of all times. When looked at it from a Zen prospective we understand that by keeping the enemy close we know what he is doing at all times, but more importantly is being close the enemy could end up becoming a friend.

Remember all actions both large and small are subject to Karma, cause and effect….choose your battles wisely.

Hon Sang Mu Sa Reflections

Natural Laws of Body Mind and Spirit

Martial Arts are considered by the outside world to be journey of body mind and spirit. Western thought often times consider these to be separate entities. Western religion is a good example of this thought. Eastern views are very, very different. They view the body mind and spirit to be one, inseparable. In Eastern medicine an ‘ill’ body is healed by restoring the proper flow of energy to the body. It is also healed by addressing the spirit first.

The Great Masters:

At one time if you wished to learn the secrets of the ‘masters’ you had to travel across the globe to Asia. Today these ‘secrets’ are yours to discover, if your mind is open and receptive to learning. Humility is the essence of learning. This state of mind allows for all to come in and be processed. To learn one must expend the energy to try. Just as the story of the monk and the student goes: A student comes to an elderly monk to learn the ways of the sword. The kindly monk offered the student a cup of tea. As the monk prepared the tea the student went on and on about what he had already learned. The student continues to talk as the monk pours; soon the cup is full and starts to spill all over the table. The student stops the monk telling him that no more tea will fit into the cup. The monk says that like the cup, the student’s mind is filled with ideas and opinions. He tells the boy he must first empty his cup, so that new knowledge will fit in. It is though humility that such ‘emptying of the cup’ takes place. Thus the expression; “Learning through humility, by example.”

* Your Reality is equal to your Perception
* Your Opinion is equal to your Illusion
* Your Love is equal to your forgivenes

One must understand this to learn, express and understand the ‘self’.

Natural Laws of Movement:

No matter how slight, all motion is a falling process. This is a very important idea and concept in natural laws. Our motion exists by weight transfer. Moving weight from one side of our body to another. When motion begins there is a retraction of the hip. That retraction is the first action and in the past tense because the motion is given up. Weight is at that time centred on the ‘pedestal leg’. The body then falls forward and recovers. The action is repeated, and walking occurs. When making one complete step forward, at the space between each step there is a breaking point of balance. That is why we fall into the next step. Any projection of motion in our bodies will cause a retraction on one side. The projecting side will always carry the weight.

Try this:

Lean to one side, putting all your weight on one leg. Feel the retraction of your hip on the other side. This side of your body has in theory, no weight. Take a step forward and feel the result. You have just moved twice! The retraction as your weight goes to one side becomes projection as you step forward. “A movement of twice”. The projection then becomes a retraction as movement continues. You are now walking, not a straight line as one might think, but in a ZIG ZAG pattern. Why is this so important? It is important because balance is lost between zig and zag.

All movement is universal:

Thus is born the idea that all movement, including martial arts technique is universal. Here is an example.

“You are walking into the kitchen for a glass of water. You look at the glass as you are going to pick it up.  This is to focus ahead of the object. At that precise moment your small dog walks under your feet. Even though the animal has minimal weight it catches you in motion and you must quickly recover your balance. This breaking point is the study of 1-step sparring (Waza) and feeling (Ki) which instantly accompanies the process. This is critical in the development of timing, balance and positioning.” These are common threads in all arts. With the study and of these concepts and principles the practitioner soon sees there is little difference in throwing and striking.

Positioning:

Human instinct is to take positioning. We see this in everyday life as egos collide to take a position. In TRUE MARTIAL ARTS and with true martial artists the ego is under control and positioning need not occur. Nature dictates that an attacker will also seek ‘centre’ or position himself to strike at the centre of the body. Never will you see an angered attack aimed anywhere but the centreline of the body. By moving using the principles of the Octagon, we un-position our enemy, thus returning the advantage to us. Our sub-conscious mind controls our egos. Only dedicated training will overcome the need to position.

Building Awareness:

Man, by use of his mind has the capacity to analyze, compare, deduce and apply his ‘perception’ of logic (reality?). He is easily distracted by both positive and negative forces and events. This distorts and confuses his quest for reason. This represents a lifetime of struggle. In the Martial Arts, man must challenge and change his learning behaviour. His mind need be empty or “MUSHIN” and open to travel the learning path. Even at a point when the martial artist feels he has learned much, he must still have a Mushin state of mind, otherwise learning and growth cease. The mind has natural discriminations based on life experiences and environment. This must be overcome. The mind must be innocent like that of a child to learn. Then the body will be free to move, flow and consider the ‘intangible feelings”. The influence of silence will allow the mind to communicate with the ‘self’ and the ‘body’. Thereby bettering both the ‘self’ and the ‘body’.

Yin /Yang:

Is the most misunderstood symbol in the Western society? Movement is both YIN and YANG in nature. One cannot exist without the other. As one side projects (Yang) one side retracts (Yin). This is Natural Law. It flows continually, spiralling endlessly. One cannot be ‘happy’ all the time, just as one cannot be angry all the time. Everything flows and changes. When someone attacks another person their thoughts are negative in nature (Yin). Their physical actions however are positive (Yang) (e.g. throwing a punch). Therefore your thoughts must be positive (Yang) and your motion negative (Yin). Then you are not meeting force with force, but ‘harmonizing’ the opponent’s energy.

Developing a mind that can ‘harmonize’ with the opponent means understanding the principles and terms of “Acknowledgement” vs. “Acceptance”.

Acknowledgement is to give way to ‘positioning’.  A conflict is only a conflict if it is ‘acknowledged’. Acceptance is to ‘cancel’ positioning. Acceptance is ‘learning’. The moment one identifies and accepts the conflict, rather than acknowledging it is the moment of interception that will neutralize the attacker and cancel his ‘body masses’.

By mastering the concepts above and movement in the Octagon, it becomes very easy to harm an opponent. But at this point you see there is no need. You are helping him to see his wrong doing.

“In True Self Defense there is NO Body Contact”

In martial arts we first learn to shape our bodies and make them perform to our will (or our thoughts). We all start out very clumsy, then progress to more and more advanced levels or techniques. All can be accomplished, as long as well believe they can. Failure comes every time fear rears it’s ugly head and we give up. Those who quit the arts usually do so because they find things too difficult of intimidating.

Now I can hear what some people are thinking. I did not attract that car accident into my life!! Well, you did not do it on purpose, but the choices you made put you there. If you had stopped for that coffee, the outcome would have been different.

So what is the point of this? The martial arts path will teach you to master your body, by mastering YOUR MIND. As you do this you can stop being a victim of the world and its circumstances and start to create your own. But you need to start to relate and see how martial arts training is hooked to life itself.

People will say that thing happen for a reason. The reason is that we create them. That is the destiny of it. Change the way you think and watch the path unfold in front of you. Enjoy the obstacles and every learning experience that comes. They are all of your own making.

Freedom comes with this understanding.

A young man is searching the country to find meaning in his life. He hears of a Zen Master in the mountains near a village a few miles away.  He after days of searching he finds the old master and says. “Oh great master I have come to ask you to teach me about Zen”.  The master replies, “so you want to learn Zen, well you must answer me one question first.” The young man eager to please the master agrees. The master takes the boy to a window in the monastery and says. “see those 3 pine trees across the field? Tell me what the middle one means”. The boy thinks for a moment and replies, “it shows nature in its great abundance!” The boy is proud of his answer but the master shakes his head and says” no, that is not the meaning, come back when you understand”.

The boy goes outside to the garden of the monastery and sits, looking at the middle tree. “what does it mean he asks”.  He sits in reflection of the tree. The next morning he go back in to the see the master. He tells the master than he has come to a realization. “The tree signifies life, the root taking nourishment from the ground and the branches reaching to the sky”. The master shakes his head, the boy returns to sitting outside.

This goes on for weeks. Finally while sitting looking at the tree the boy jumps up and runs across the field. His anger exploding he kicks the tree and says ” this is stupid, you don’t mean ANYTHING!!!!!!” The boy then runs back into the monastery, and with anger in his voice yells out to the Zen Master, “Your question is stupid, the tree doesn’t mean ANYTHING!!!!!”

The master smiles at the boy and says “you are finally after weeks of thinking, correct, the tree means nothing, it is EMPTY, empty like your mind is now. Now you are ready to learn Zen”.

This story is about all of us. We go though life worrying about a reality that does not exist, looking for meaning were there is none, and looking for answer in the wrong places.  When the mind is disciplined and becomes empty we hear all the answers to all the questions we have from within.

When you stop looking for meaning, and empty your mind, you will find meaning.

The White Belt is the accepted beginning of the martial path. I can still recall the first class I attending. Putting on that crisp white uniform and tying on my stiff new white belt. I was both excited and terrified. Now 25 plus years later I still recall the experience like it was yesterday.

The symbol of the white belt is a fresh beginning. The chance to learn and experience something totally new. In our art you then spend the next 4 years with your sites set on attaining your Black Belt. We set our goals and achieve, achieve, achieve. Sadly we often times forget the feeling of being a white belt.

After Black Belt we set out minds on still bigger goals and higher ranks. We focus one the future and long forget the humble beginning. Sometime martial artist will decide they wish to take another art. When they go looking for information they always make sure to inform the potential instructor of their personal accomplishments. Martial Artists will often refer to this as cross training. After all these years I am finally understanding the white belt mindset once again. I have emptied by cup, to fill it with more knowledge.

My friends, go out, no matter what field you are in, and become a white belt once again. Do something that you have never done before to experience this feeling. Recapture that feeling of youth and vitality, the feeling that stepping out of your comfort zone will give you.

Become a white belt at life…..

If you listen to the news or read a paper there is so much negativity is can be overwhelming. Now from a business standpoint bad news sells, so this is what we get. I am however more interested in the thinking that causes this versus the situations themselves.

The first line of our Student Creed states. “I develop myself physically and mentally based on the martial art spirit.”  A martial art student trains the body to develop the mind, yet so many students of the arts are often so negative. The reason, they train the body, and forget the mind after the training is finished for the day.

Martial Arts is not a hobby, it is a Way of Life. With this in mind we must take responsibility for the day to day ‘thinking’ we are doing.  You see whatever you think about, or focus on expands in your world.  If you focus on suffering, you will suffer, if you focus on being happy, you will be happy. It is really that simple, yet it isn’t.  Changing how you think does take some time and work.

No matter what your life is like right now, this moment, it is exactly right. There is no good luck or bad luck, only the thinking that caused the results you are currently experiencing.  The only way to make a life better is to think differently. When you do, everything will change.

Parents, this is a big responsibility for you, especially when you have young children.  Parents will often comment that their children don’t do what they are told to do. This might be true, but they will always do the things their parents do and this includes mimicking the way they think. (happy, frustrated, angry, violent, etc). Take a look at what you are presenting to your children.

Here is something you can think about. Take a look at the world you live in. Look at your house, the plants and trees in your yard, the things in your possession, the world around you. Aside from the creations of nature, everything you see is a result of the thoughts of someone.  Thoughts that then became reality. There are NO exceptions to this!

We all want a better life, and the only way to get this is to improve our thinking processes. Be honest with yourself, no excuses. (excuses are thoughts too!). Work each and everyday on yourself and “take out the trash.” You will be amazed the difference in a very short time.

The benefits of martial arts training come over time. The longer you train, the more benefits you receive. Martial Arts is no quick fix for life’s problems or issues. It can however give you the tools to sort these things out. So, what is a martial arts master and why would someone want to become one?

Each style of martial art has it’s own requirements. There is a general pattern that comes from the country of origin, but not always. One thing is consistent, it requires time! In the our art, Hon Sang Mu Sa Hapkido, there are 3 levels of Master. Each require a significant time to achieve. There is no short cut. The JOURNEY must be made. Now I want to talk about this journey, politics aside.

In our system it takes a minimum of 14 years to reach the rank of 4th Dan (Degree) Black Belt. This is the first stage at which being a master is possible. At 4th Dan you become the Master of the PHYSICAL art. Now many will consider this mastery of the physical to be related to the kicks and punches of the art, and I do somewhat agree with this. However the real master is of the physical SELF, not the punches and kicks. It does not take 14 years to master a reverse punch and a side kick. It does take many years of the journey to master the physical self and understand why things work, not just how things work.

The next level is Senior Master or 6th Dan (Degree) Black Belt. At this stage the artist is considered to having mastered the mental aspects of the training and art. He or she is ready to go on to the spiritual aspects.

Sixth to Seventh Dan Black Belt for us is a journey of many more years. At this point the martial artist is consider to be a Grand Master. Mastery of the body, mind and spirit. Understanding is truly there, but the artist is still developing, dealing with and learning about the connection between martial arts and the world around him or her. The journey is far from complete. In fact it is only beginning. Now as time moves on WISDOM will begin to truly blossom. Thus the true benefits of martial arts training come with time…….

Musing -

n.

2. A product of contemplation; a thought. “an elegant tapestry of quotations, musings, aphorisms, and autobiographical reflections”

I was driving across town today to help my son when the idea of this blog came to me. I have been posting my thoughts and ideas about Martial Arts on the internet for many, many years. Before that I posted then on the various BBS (Bulletin Board Systems) across the planet.

Well now I am going to organize my thoughts in one place.  Mostly because it will be easier for me.  I have these articles and essays scattered across places like Facebook, my student website and various other locations. Now everything come here.

I sincerely hope you enjoy the reading.

There is a famous old Zen / Martial Arts tale about the student and the master drinking tea together. As the Master is pouring the tea the student is telling him about what a great martial artist he is. The master pours the tea, and continues as the cups overflows.  The students points this out to the master saying that cup is already full. The master then replies to him that he is like this cup, full of useless information. He must empty his cup first, so more knowledge of the arts can enter.

The truth is that many of us lead lives like this. Our minds are full of things and we are just waiting for our turn to talk. We rarely ever listen, and if we do our mind is still elsewhere. How do we solve this problem? We must first learn to empty our minds.

There is a concept in Buddhism about emptiness. It states that all things, including us, are empty with reference to any identity.  We change ‘who we are’ moment to moment, with our personalities shaped by our experience. Nothing about us is permanent. Understanding this helps us to understand the beauty of emptiness.

This applies to all things in our world. The table you sit at was once a tree, and will eventually be ash. The problems in your life don’t exist in reality, only in your mind. When the mind is emptied, it becomes quiet and able to listen and understand.  When this state becomes reached issues in life are easily solved without the stress most people will experience. When your mind is empty of thought, you are living in the now. This is also called FOCUS.

People who are stressed out in life often try to remove the things that they think are causing them stress. The truth is that they need to empty the mind, and understand that every problem they see in their life they created in one way or another. In fact everything in our world was created by us and all was created first with thought. This applies right now to the words you are reading this moment. Therefore nothing is real, only thought.

In the movie Enter the Dragon Bruce Lee spoke of this when talking with his master. He was asked about the enemy. He stated that there was no ‘enemy’ because there was no ‘I’. When you understand this concept you begin to understand that life need not be taken so seriously.  While the full mind is manifesting stress, the empty mind is free of all stress. The empty mind can truly do anything!

Spend a few minutes today in quiet reflection. Learn to calm your thoughts and watch you life change.

Well I received an interesting Facebook message the other day.  Made me laugh all the way home. The essence of the message was to tell me everything I was doing in Pressure Points or Kyusho or whatever name you choose to call it was incorrect (the word wrong was used) and what  I was actually doing is this……..

He also told  me that this guy, never studied with that guy, and I know because I studied with him and if you don’t believe I can prove it….etc, etc, etc, etc, etc….. What do I call this? POLITICS….and I am really not sure why he thinks I care.

When it comes to the martial arts, which by the way is the method in which I earn a living I am not interested in this federation, that federation or any political crap people want to discuss surrounding it. I don’t care who trained with who, or who did not train with who. I am not looking for an instructor to teach me, and if I am I will chose him based on the knowledge I see and if it is of interest to me.  I have a Kyusho instructor, whom I have been with many years, he is an awesome teacher, great friend and human being, and not interest in any of this political bullshit..

Now I am not writing this to piss this guy off, just having a good laugh, I mention no nanes at all in the article, because I am not offended by the message but I am Martial AMUSED…. So why did this guy bother to write me? Because he needs to stroke his ego and attack another martial artist directly in the message. I have no interest in anyone’s ego trips..

Here are the tenets in my school…

1. Integrity
2. Courtesy
3. Self Control
4. Commitment
5. Perseverance
6. Indomitable Spirit

We all makes mistakes because we are human, and these tenets are part of the journey and sometimes we forget some of these. However the message violated the 1st tenet which caused it to end up in my deleted folder…..

Wisdom is simply extraordinary common sense.