GrandMaster Art Mason's Martial Musing

Maybe it is because I am now a grand father but I have spent several days looking back on the events of my life. I don’t think they are any more extraordinary that anyone else’s, but they are mine. I have been told I should write a book, but they would need to put it in the fiction section of the bookstore because no one would believe it is true.  Might be, but I really don’t know.

When I reflect back on both the good and bad I see turning points. Our lives are full of many of these such events. Forks in the road of life that cause you to go in one direction or the other, really not knowing which is best, or what you will find down a certain path. Many years ago I had such an event, it was not so much the event as the words spoken to me. These words were “No matter what happens in your life, no one can take your martial art training away.”  At the time in my life these words were spoken I was in great distress. Then they had very little meaning, but as the years go by the come to mean more and more.

The other day my grandson Thalen was in the dojo.  He will become a common fixture just like my children were when they were young also. One of the parents comment, “There is the next generation of master.” This brought me back to the words my instructor spoke to me so many years ago “No matter what happens in your life, no one can take your martial art training away.”  Seeing the next generation was very inspiring.

The event that cause these words to be spoken to me happened back in 1990.  I was close to testing for my second degree black belt when I received the news that my second child, Scott was gravely ill and would likely not survive what was to come.  At the same point in time I received similar news about my children’s mother.  Now as it turns out, thankfully both survived their ordeals, but the events will not be forgotten, nor my teachers words so many years ago. I bet he does not even recall saying it.

How many times has life got you down, the loss of a job, family problems, what have you. What was your response? Did you run and hide, or did you go to the one place that can help you, the Dojo. Have you ever trained your way out of sadness? Trained your way out of stress?

Age will one day affect our physical skills, that is a fact, but the knowledge we have achieved cannot be take away. In fact I believe we will take it far beyond the grave.

Martial arts and what it mean inside us can never be take away. As Bruce Lee once said “All knowledge is self knowledge” and so is our training. It has given us the greatest gift there is. The ability to know ourselves.

The is a very old Zen Koan. Find the meaning…..

Enlightenment is like the moon reflected on the water.
The moon does not get wet, nor is the water broken.
Although its light is wide and great,
The moon is reflected even in a puddle an inch wide.
The whole moon and the entire sky
Are reflected in one dewdrop on the grass.
Dogen

Since our school was founded in March 2000, I have promoted approximately 120 people to the rank of Black Belt, either adult or junior. Many of these people moved on to other things shortly after this promotion.  Our currently Black Belt population is about 75 with another 22 eligible this fall.

Now I am not giving these number to brag about how many Black Belt I have, but to ask the question, how many of you are TRUE Black Belts? Most of the Black Belts in my system are excellent students of the art, but is this transferring to the real world? When I bring this topic up, most students will say YES, I am because I am following the 6 Tenets.

Good for you, but that is not what I am referring to.  What I am referring to is personal development. In classes we will often refer to Black Belt Excellence. Are you applying this principle? Our student creed is about personal development, are you following this creed?

“I develop myself physically and mentally based on the martial art spirit”
“I will only fight to protect my life and the lives of others”
“I achieve my FULLEST potential in developing knowledge, honesty and strength”

This creed speak volumes as to the path for the martial artist and martial art Black Belt. One of the greatest benefits of martial art training is not “self defense’, it is instead FOCUS. Remember the focus it took you to learn that difficult kata or technique? Remember the FOCUS and drive you had to reach that Black Belt. (focus creates drive)

Are you applying it to the rest of your life? Our ability to focus is what moves us forward in life. Martial Art’s people have a great advantage because their ability to focus is increased by their training! Focus allows you to achieve your FULLEST potential!

I have been asked many, many times over the years if I would use my ‘karate’ if someone attacked me. My answer was ‘how could I not use it’? I use it 24 hours per day, 7 days a week.

Black Belt is not something you have, it is something you become. Have you become the belt you are wearing?

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…….