GrandMaster Art Mason's Martial Musing

Martial Arts people are some of the most generous people I know. That is why I am doing this blog post. Please read this article below and follow the links provided. It is your chance to make a difference.

Hello Everyone,

If you look to the right of this article you will find a donation button to help a good friend of mine in Romania with medical expenses. I met this lady about 6 months ago and she helped me to travel to her country to introduce the art of Kyusho Jitsu to martial artists there.

Approximately one week ago from the date of this article she took ill with a serious liver condition. Her life is currently in danger, however the situation is improving. I arranged on Wednesday of this week for a helicopter airlift to Bucharest to save her life. Without this she had no chance for survival. However the problems still exist. The medical system in Romania is very poor and very expense. The economy in the country is in ruins.

Currently I am fund raising and taking donation to help the family with these expenses. Any and all donations are welcome and ALL the money is sent directly to the family. If you would like to help please use the donation button to the right of this article. All donors will have their name added to a card for Miky which Master Art will personally deliver to her when he returns by request of her family as soon as she regains consciousness.

Thank you for your generosity in this matter! Please see UPDATES below.

Sunday July 18th 2010 As of this writing Miky is in stable, but serious condition in Bucharest. She is currently on a machine which is cleaning her blood since her liver is all but shut down. This is LIVER DIALYSIS which will help to regenerate the liver. The cost of this procedure is 3500 euro which is NOT covered by insurances. Please follow the link provided for more information.

To donate to this cause please follow this LINK.

Also note 100% of all Kyusho DVD and eBook sales will go to this cause.

Master Art Mason

With 2010 right on our doorstep it is time once again to look at the New Year with new hopes and dreams. Have you thought about what you want to achieve in 2010?  This year I have several adult members eligible for their 2nd Dan, plus 2 for 3rd Dan, and I am hoping they are thinking about this as we head into the New Year.

Personally this year is looking like a time for promotion in Kyusho Jitsu with a test for 5th Dan. As well as my promotion in Hapkido to 8th Dan.

Why set goals? I have known so many people over the years of my life who do not believe in setting any kind of goal. They also never get anywhere in life. The subconscious mind needs information given to it to do it’s job. Written goals are a way to supply this to it. Thinking about it consciously does not work. We must commit it to writing and reviewing these goals periodically to achieve them. When I revisit my old goals, those set in writing at the end of the year. Most have been reached or at least started.

For martial artists goal setting is of utmost importance. With set goals comes motivation to train and achieve. Overcoming inertia and getting to class is not only good for your physical health but your mental health as well.

Human’s were not meant to be sedentary, which is the way much of our societies have become. With movement come peace of mind and happiness. Along with some of the things mentioned about my New Years Resolution is to continue to be HAPPY.

In my school we have a formal instructor certification program. This is open to any adult student of at least Blue Belt in rank to begin the process of becoming an instructor. This does not happen overnight and can be very demanding on time. There is also a program similar for our junior students.

The question will come up from students and parents alike, “why become or train to become an instructor?” The answer is very simple. It causes you to grow as a martial artist in ways you never dreamed possible.

I can recall when I first started helping out in a branch school my instructor had when I was a green belt.  When it came to the martial arts I was far from a natural, but I loved it and this gave me heart.  There was another man in our school who started at the same time I did. We tested through the ranks together. I was also helping in class, he was asked but declined.  He told me he was not going to pay for instruction, then help others for free.

This man was a good solid martial arts student. I always enjoyed working with him, but as time passed and we both approached our testing for Black Belt, I was worlds ahead of him in every way.  My understanding was not only surpassing his, but everyone else who was not in a teaching role.

If you want to really understand something teach it to others. If your children are having trouble in a subject in school have them teach what they know to you. Teaching is one of the greatest experiences there is.

Teaching is a gift we can all aquire.

A new white belt walks on the floor of the dojo. She feels very odd in her new, crisp uniform. The instructor calls the class to order. The new student is both excited and intimidated at the same time.  She wonders “what is expected of me?”,  ” Can I do this?”

These are all the normal emotions and thoughts of the beginner. However fear may get in the way of his or her training and progression.  “What happens if I can’t do this?”

Over the years I have seen so many people quit martial arts, not because they did not like it, but because the fear of failure is so overwhelming. Some will say this is a lack of self esteem, which is true but it is also not true at the same time. Thus a paradox.

When we think of someone with low self esteem we tend to see a shy person, alone in a corner not talking to anyone.  However self esteem cannot really be judged by such simple characteristics. A personal with low self esteem may often be very outgoing. Also self esteem can come in different forms and areas of life. The person in this example may have excellent self esteem in every other area, but martial arts.

Here the teacher is key to getting the new student to understand that a great martial art system is constructed in such a way as to assure success, if the student just comes to class. How is this possible? The school must have teachers on the floor, not just instructors. Will the student work hard? Certainly, but fear of failure will be lessened each time they walk on the mat.

Black Belt is considered to be one of the ultimate symbols of success. As teachers it is our job to show the student the way, and help them overcome fear. Fear of failure is a real fear, it is real because if it remains, failure is assured.

Remind your students and piers in the arts that we were all White Belts once. We all felt the same, and that with a little work it can be overcome. When someone leaves martial arts training for the wrong reason, we all suffer.

Happy Halloween Everyone,

Each year at Halloween young students will come and ask me if it is OK for them to wear their Dobok (gi) out for Trick or Treating.  Even though it is really a breech of etiquette I always say yes.  Now Halloween is a time to dress up as something you are NOT, these children are all martial artists.

As I was thinking about this today, I realized that perhaps some people see martial arts training as role playing. This can be especially true for new members, but in reality they are not role playing, they have become martial artists.

This all gets down once again to the way we think, especially the belief system that will often tell a person they are not good enough. Many times new adult students will come and talk with me because they feel ackward in class, and feel they are not really good enough to martial artists.  The truth is every accomplished martial artist in the world was once a beginner, a white belt, but we saw what we wanted and went after it.  So should you!

This applies to everything in life. I only use the martial arts as an example, because that is what I am most familiar with.  But here is the important point.

“You are exactly what you want to be…….”

There are no exceptions to this rule. Everything you are is an extension of your thinking, good, bad and indifferent.  Your reality is a result of all your thoughts to date. If you are not happy with this, then your thoughts must change to become what you desire down the road. The first step however is seeing in your mind’s eye, yourself as the way you want to be.

This has been a hard lesson in my life, but only hard because I kept getting in my own way. My belief system needed a major overhaul. The only area I had no trouble in was martial arts. This is because that fire burned very bright and hot. From my first class I could see myself in that Black Belt.

Start right now and imagine the changes you want in your life as a reality. When they appear in your mind they have been created, keep seeing them and they will manifest in your personal reality.

Everything is created twice.

If you research the history of the martial arts you know there origin is actually in India, not China and this history goes back about 2600 years.  To research some of this history there is an excellent book called The Bodhisattva Warriors that goes into details on this subject.

Part of this great history is the link between the martial arts, spirituality and mediation.  Why is there a link to begin with? First, back in the times when martial arts began to be spread throughout the east man was in an amazing era of development. Within a few hundred years during this time great thinkers such as Buddha, Socrates, Plato, Confucius and Sun Tzu were alive. Man’s thinking ability was evolving in leaps and bounds.  This was fueled by man’s quest for understanding. Mediation was an important part of life.

What does mediation really do for a person? It helps to quiet the mind, allowing it to focus on one thing at a time. The purpose is not to cause a person not to think, just to be single minded. Martial Arts of the day, the Warriors’, meditated to calm the mind, and prepare themselves for battle.

Today in most martial art classrooms meditation is gone. With the vast diversity of cultures in our countries we are always concerned about offending someone.  But should we be? All religions practice some form or prayer, which is really just another type of meditation. Prayer is not a format for begging for things you need, but a way of centering the self within the beliefs of the person doing the praying.

Martial Arts is known not only for it’s self defense origins, but also it’s ability to focus the mind and relieve the stress of the day. If you are a martial artists or not, I encourage you to develop a habit of meditation in one form or another.

The difference it will make in your life cannot be imagined.

A new student starts our as a white belt, learning movement, kata and self defense forms. He or she learns to block, punch and kick.  Soon forward movement is added as the student will step forward in a stance and either block or strike.  What was once unnatural soon becomes simple.

Patterns or Kata are added to the learning. At first these are simple routines,but grow progressively more difficult at the student progresses. Self Defense techniques are introduced and the eager student quickly learns these movement too, not quite understanding the implications, but have some idea of the importance.

As the student progresses questions begin to develop. The students begins to bore as the constant repetition continues.  Finally he or she will ask the teacher for some deeper knowledge.  Satisfied at this point the student continues to train, realizing how much more important each move and stance have become.

What was once form, becomes something formless as the student’s movements become automatic and effortless.  After years of diligent practice the student is awarded the coveted Black Belt.  But now the question arises, there must be something more?

As the student heads towards mastery, he or she becomes formlessness;  their ability to move from one technique to the other becomes seamless. Then one day it happens, all progress seems to stop. The student feels their technique is losing ground, that they no longer move formlessly.

The final transition to mastery is close at hand. Soon the student will understand that all knowledge is of the self, and he or she is simply learning to move, that there is no technique, only continual motion. Once this knowledge is understood, the new master is once again back to form, the first circle of training is complete.  He or she sees that their art is both empty of form, and empty of formlessness.

They realize there is no defense, only motion. They are ready for the next stage.

“Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense”.……Buddha

What do you believe to be true? Why do you believe it? If it was true, is it still true today?  These are questions that we all need to ask about our beliefs. Just because you heard it from a friend, saw it on CNN or read it on the internet does not make it truth.

Do the things you hold as truth really harmonize with you? If they don’t it is time to toss them out.  The great purpose of life is to be happy, and if the things we believe to be true do not hold with this we must get rid of them.

Everything in our world is created with our minds. When our beliefs serve us, rather than us serving our beliefs, we can create our life on purpose.

Everywhere I look I see stressed people….Sounds like a twist on the movie the 6th Sense, but this is true. Everywhere, all day long I hear about stress, stress, stress…….Hmmmm, Why am I not stressed???

There are two types of stress. There is physical stress, the kind you get from working hard or exercising, then there is mental stress, the killer in our society. Here is a definition of the word Stress.

Stress is a biological term for the consequences of the failure of a human or animal to respond appropriately to emotional or physical threats to the organism, whether actual or imagined. Ok people, guess which one is killing you? That is right, the IMAGINED one!

Most stress caused in people lives today is because of their lack of ability to prioritize their lives. They put far too much mental energy into things that are of little or no real consequence. This accounts for about 80% of your life and day.

Have you ever been awakened at night by something that needs to be done the next day, or a bill that is late being paid, or a problem with a family member, etc etc etc. Well everybody it is high time to take your life back. Read on and I will get you started.

First, everything in your life that happens is only as important as the meaning you give to it. Life does not need to be a drama. When something happens that upsets you ask yourself, will this still matter in 2 years, 2 months, 2 weeks? It might not even matter in 2 hours!  Since the only moment we have to live in is this one, there is no past or future, then we can chose how we feel about these events.

How do we live in the now, rather then the past? First you MUST spend some quiet time with yourself each day.  Mediation comes in many forms, but a great way to start is to just sit in a comfortable chair for 15 minutes and listen to some soft instrumental music.  Don’t use this time to plan or anything else. Just concentrate on relaxing and breathing. You will feel much better after wards.

You must take time for yourself each day, no excuses. Don’t bother to talk about what the kids or the spouse or the boss needs.  If you don’t put yourself ahead of these other issues you will not be effective in handling them when the time arrises.  You must come first!

To reduce and eliminate stress in your life you must give time to yourself.  If time is so short get up 30 minutes earlier, before anyone else is up and use this time. The difference in how you feel will be well worth the effort!

There are many great philanthropists in the world, when I think of these men and women people like Bill Gates comes to mind.  But what really is giving, why should we do it, but more importantly how should we do it?

Giving is very misunderstood. Churches will teach you that you should give 10% of your gross salary to their work (if you belong to a church) and you will be rewarded a 100 times in merit and other rewards.  At the same time telling you to not focus on being rewarded.

Most people when they think of giving with think of money or some physical item like food and clothing.  Sadly this also falls short of the real meaning of giving.  Giving is also a donation of your time, the most precious thing we have to offer.

Today no matter were you go you will find a hand out looking for money. There is certainly no lack of opportunity for giving.  The government even gives us tax credits for doing it. But how best do we do it?

In the Diamond Sutra the Buddha talked about giving. He said that “you must give without attachment to the thing given.”  He also said “you must not be attached to merit or rewards you will receive from giving. ” This is all pretty straight forward and is taught by many religions across the planet.  “Giving from the heart without thoughts of rewards, or that you are losing something by giving.”

The final part of this teaching however is the most difficult. This is “not being attached to not being attached.” This may sound like a puzzle, but what it means is not being attached to the great feelings you get in giving without thought of return. This is true Altruism, and is the Zen in the art of giving.

Now perhaps this posting has caused your head to hurt. Don’t despair, this is all good. Everything we are and everything we do comes from MIND. Understanding this and the concept of non attachment leads to a properous and happy life.  Everything is thought and how we think. Now I have you thinking….