Taking Responsibility

Control freak. The term immediately evokes images of someone who needs to have everything done their way. I use the term in a different way when I remind my students that being a control freak is one of the most important attributes of a black belt.

I choose my diet. I choose my friends. I choose my conflicts. I choose my influences. Whatever affects me does so because I chose to let it. I cannot control what others say or do but I have absolute control over how I choose to interpret their words and their actions.

"In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility." - Eleanor Roosevelt (1884 - 1962)

 

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Quantum Leap

A true martial artist never ceases to be a student. There is so much knowledge out there that one can never truly master it all.  I have studied, more accurately dabbled, in many different arts but my life has been devoted to only one. The deeper I delve into my style I realize just how many layers there are to the style. One lifetime is not enough to master it all.

This past year I have been concentrating on passing on more advanced knowledge to my black belts. I am hoping to spark a quantum leap in the style’s development. What fascinates and frustrates me is that I have had the knowledge I possess right now for a lot longer than I had realized. I had the knowledge, I just did not understand it.  Maturity and experience were missing when I was at my physical peak. My ego was too busy being fed by my physical prowess that I did not pay attention to exactly what was going on. I lacked the insight to properly apply what my body knew. Five knee surgeries later and now the understanding arrives? I am beyond my physical prime and I feel I have lost an opportunity that was in front of me for over thirty years.

I realize that the opportunity is not completely lost. As an instructor with experience, if I can pass my understanding on to someone in their physical prime, a quantum leap can still be made. I suspect my instructors did their best to get me to see more when I was younger but I obviously did not have what it took to listen mindfully at that time. Bruce Lee and Morihei Ueshiba are two examples in the recent past who took their instructors’ knowledge and made quantum leaps that defined them as two of history’s greatest martial artists. One does not have to wait for maturity, one just needs to learn to listen with intent.

“Information is not knowledge.” - Albert Einstein (1970 - 1955)

Black Belt and Beyond

What is a black belt? Ask fifty people that question and you will get fifty different answers. Ask any experienced black belt that question and the answer range starts to narrow. One thing anyone who has earned that rank will tell you is that the belt itself is irrelevant. What is relevant is the sweat and blood that went into earning it. The value is in the journey, not the destination.

A black belt test, regardless of the level of black belt being tested for, is a very long process. How do you evaluate or quantify a black belt unless you quantify their journey? There is a minimum physical standard but that standard only defines the destination. Character, intensity, humility - all the intangible qualities that make up a black belt, are forged by the journey.

It takes a minimum of three years to earn a second degree black belt, four years to earn a third degree and so on. The higher the level of mastery, the longer the journey that is required to develop the skill and character to earn the rank. How do I quantify a black belt’s progress? One year in the I Ho Chuan.

“The only two ranks that matter are white belt and black belt.  White belt represents courage [the courage to risk failure] and black belt represents persistence and follow through. The world is full of great starters, but it is the ability to follow through to the end, that separates the best of us from the rest of us.” - John Graden

Thich Nhat Hanh

I have had the privilege of studying under some amazing teachers in my lifetime. None has contributed more to my moral fibre and value system than Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh. They say a teacher such as he only comes by once every six hundred years. The sheer miracle that I have had the privilege and opportunity to share so much of my time on earth with someone such as he is not something I take for granted. It is difficult for me to imagine a world without him in it.

Thay, my wish is for your speedy and complete recovery. I understand that sickness and death are a certainty for each of us but the planet is in desperate need of more like you.

"Life has left her footprints on my forehead. But I have become a child again this morning. The smile, seen through leaves and flowers, is back to smooth away the wrinkles, as the rains wipe away footprints on the beach. Again a cycle of birth and death begins."- Thich Nhat Hanh (b. 1926)

Lest We Forget

Afghanistan - 158 Canadian deaths.

Korea - 516 Canadian deaths.
WWII - 45,400 Canadian deaths.
WWI - 66,990 Canadian deaths.

The cost of war is unfathomable. Some might say that is the cost of freedom. I wonder how those who gave their lives for our freedom would feel about how quickly we are willing to give it up in the name of security.

Let us not forget the sacrifices that have been made to preserve our freedom.

In Flanders Fields
In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders Fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If you break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders Fields
By Major John McCrae – (1872 - 1918)

I Ho Chuan

Mastery is not for the thin skinned, nor is it for those who have disenfranchised themselves from their circumstances. It is much easier to find ways to remain blissfully unaware of how much mediocrity has permeated into our lives than it is to confront our laziness and fear. Mastery is about honesty, accountability, and compassionate acceptance.

It is impossible to improve on anything if I am not first, and foremost, fully aware of where I am. Most of us spend an inordinate amount of effort toward hiding our flaws and avoiding the truth about ourselves. Looking myself in the mirror and seeing myself for how I truly am, is an absolute necessity if I want to get on the path to mastery. I must see the problem before I can find a solution. Honesty is key.

Accepting responsibility for my own situation empowers me to control my circumstance. It is much easier to blame others than it is to accept my own flaws so a major key to mastery is accountability. I alone am responsible for the mediocrity in my life so I alone have the power to eradicate it.

Mastery is a process, it is not a finite program or destination. The process usually consists of taking three steps forwards and two steps backwards. My flaws and weaknesses are always taxing my resolve and impeding my progress. I have to remember that it is those flaws and weaknesses that I am trying to address through the process of mastery. By compassionately accepting my imperfections, I give my commitment to the process a sense of purpose.

If mastery is a process then that process is engagement. Plans and intentions are empty goals unless there is some sort of follow through and consistent action. Everyone understands the role motivation plays in achieving goals. With the proper motivation, almost anything is possible. The thing about motivation is that it can be drained by so many of life’s stressors, many of which are beyond my personal control. The one thing I have complete control over is my engagement in the process. Motivated or not, I do have the choice whether or not to crunch out some more pushups or to attend a class. The more motivated I am, the more engaged I am - and the more engaged I am, the more motivated I become. Mastery is all about engagement.

“The difference between involvement and commitment is like ham and eggs. The chicken is involved; the pig is committed.” - Martina Navratilova (b. 1956)

Tiger Challenge

Martial arts tournaments can be a mixed bag for an instructor. Competing in a tournament has the potential to break a student’s spirit or inspire them to new heights. The real value in the competition is found in the preparation. A pending tournament competition gives a student a sense of purpose in their training. Priorities shift to meet their goal and nothing narrows focus like a looming deadline. The possible downside to tournament competition is found in the event itself. All the preparation in the world cannot help you control the intangibles that come into play when you have different interpretations of the rules and standards while success or failure is based upon qualitative judgement as opposed to quantitative analysis.

SRKF’s intra-school Tiger Challenge tournament was a great success yesterday. Everyone had a great time and thanks to the efforts of my black belts, I believe it was a positive experience for everyone who competed. Sifus Playter, Rybak, and Vantuil were tireless leaders of their respective rings and they got all the competitors through their competitions quickly and safely. Sifu Csillag’s organizational skills made this year’s Tiger Challenge our best yet as he was prepared for everything and kept us on track. We all can also thank Sifu Langner and Mr. Repay for getting things started off the right foot with a strong lion dance - their first ever.

The big highlight for me this year was the strong sense of community that continues to prevail in our school. We all shared the day together as family and we raised almost $2000 for charity. It was a good day, a very good day.

“Without a sense of caring, there can be no sense of community.” - Anthony J. D’Angelo