SUMI-E AND THE PRACTICE OF FORMS

 by Phillip Starr

Ink wash painting is an East Asian type of brush painting of Chinese origin that uses black ink—the same as used in East Asian calligraphy, in various concentrations. For centuries, this most prestigious form of Chinese art was practiced by highly educated scholar gentlemen. Names used in the cultures concerned include: in Chinese shuǐ mò huà (水墨畫), in Japanese sumi-e (墨絵) or suibokuga (水墨画?), in Korean sumukhwa (수묵화), and in Vietnamese tranh thủy mặc.

A minimal number of brush strokes are used to create a picture of almost anything. It may appear simple enough to do but as is the case with many Asian arts, it requires years of study and practice. Although the image seems to be complete enough, you must realize that there's a whole lot of EMPTY SPACE! It is YOUR IMAGINATION that “creates” the picture and figuratively “fills in the blank spaces.” So what appeared to be blank space...isn't.

I think our forms are very much like that. We (especially as Westerners) tend to focus on the more obvious, overt movements and techniques. But if you do your form a little slower you'll realize that just like the sumi-e painting, much of it appears to be “empty.” These areas are generally found in between the more easily observable movements/techniques. It's where those conspicuous movements come from.

ARE THEY STILL RELEVANT?

 By Phillip Starr

In the midst of the seeming madness of the world in which we currently live, some martial arts practitioners undoubtedly wonder if such arcane arts are still relevant. I cannot pretend to have all the answers to that question; but I can speak from the viewpoint of a (now) senior citizen who has seen more than his fair share of violence and who has practiced martial arts for more than six decades...

To begin, I believe that regularly attending classes in a traditional school has considerable benefits in that the (traditional) school provides us with an unchanging discipline and structure; things that often seem to be absent in modern society. We sweat and our muscles strain and ache as we endure the rigors of training, always with an eye toward polishing the techniques and form and thereby polishing our spirits. It never changes. Much of it is done solo (without a training partner) and we are admonished to push ourselves further. It is a world away from the one in which we live and work.

And that's okay. It can be an escape of sorts, a place where the stressors of daily life are left outside the door. That is as it should be. It is a world with which we have become very familiar and comfortable. It is unchanging, always there. We understand that we see the world as WE are, not necessarily as it is; we all wear colored glasses of a sort, from the rose-colored spectacles of a Pollyanna to those that may be very dark. What we see depends on how we are.

Of course, there are many who, when they hear the term “relevant” equate it with “pragmatic.” So, are these archaic arts that involve combatives performed with swords, sticks, and bare hands still practical in today's violent world where people are too often cut down by gunfire or bombs? I would answer with an enthusiastic “Yes!”

There are those who would/will disagree but what possible defense can there be against a sniper or an explosive device? Well, not every act of violence necessarily involves such things. I think that learning effective self-defense nowadays is more important than ever; not just for their practical use against violent aggressors but also because they foster the development of self-confidence and personal security, both of which are important ingredients for living a more fulfilling life. They help to partially remove the “coloring” of our glasses and assist us in seeing more clearly.

Surely, martial arts is not a panacea for the lunacy of our world or society. But they can help us see more clearly, calm and strengthen our hearts and spirits, and deal more effectively with all that surrounds us.

THE SPACES IN BETWEEN

 by Phillip Starr

The seemingly “empty spaces” that occur frequently between techniques and postures of your forms...aren't necessarily at all what they seem! It LOOKS like they're empty – nothing appears to be going on – but that usually isn't the case at all. In the Chinese, Japanese, and Okinawan forms, the posture must be “just so” in between the postures and movements. Many of you have probably had the experience of your teacher making minute adjustments at these points. There are reasons for it; it's not simply for aesthetic appeal.

I have seen schools wherein the students were taught to pretty much casually drop their hands between techniques. This is really unfortunate; they'll never be able to fully “read”, understand, and get the full benefit of their forms.

Within those “empty spaces” are often concealed forms of striking and even joint manipulations. In days long past, many teachers would not openly show this material to most students. This is, I feel, very regrettable because it led to losing so much of this treasure.

Take your most basic form and perform it SLOWLY. Pay special attention to the “spaces between” the postures or techniques; exactly how and where are the hand(s) to be placed? How about the feet? Weight shifting, turning, and movement of the hips or knees...? Is the placement of the hand(s) to be applied against a form of grabbing from the front or rear?

With close examination and lots of work, you'll discover that the “empty spaces”... aren't.

SHUGYO

by Phillip Starr

All of us, at one time or another, run up against obstacles that seem to block our progress along the path (of martial arts). Actually, we run into them with some considerable frequency.

Too early in the morning to practice? Get out of the sack and train. Is it a bit cold or wet outside? Get dressed and train anyway. Weary of the whole journey? Suck it up and train. Persevere with an iron will. This is the advice given to the martial artist who runs up against (what he/she perceives as) an obstacle along the Way. It is advice that is usually lost on the novice.

When a beginner undertakes the study and practice of a martial discipline, he cannot imagine what kinds of obstacles will eventually drop in front of him. And if they appear at this early stage, he'll likely discontinue his training altogether. The art has not yet become a regular part of his daily life, so he can quit without any damage to his psyche. But for the more advanced practitioner, quitting can have serious emotional and psychological consequences and he must turn to shugyo (austerity; austere training) in order to persevere.

The novice often regards training in a martial art simply as a hobby or interesting pastime, so quitting is no big deal. But for the more advanced practitioner, it has become a part of his life. It's important to him; a daily habit, if you will.

Both the novice and the more advanced practitioner will ultimately hit a plateau in their training; a period of time when it seems that no progress is being made. The advanced devotee has probably encountered this phenomena before but as his training progresses, the plateaus seem to last longer and longer. He may consider just giving up...after all, this “art” produces no real tangible rewards and seems to have little practical value. Friends and even family may encourage him to simply quit and do something “more useful.” And the novice may well succumb to his own thoughts and the prodding of others who know little or nothing about this exotic exercise that he does.

The martial arts practitioner who has ventured more deeply upon the martial path is not necessarily so easily dissuaded. Although the master often simply encourages him to continue with his training, he is watching closely. He is keenly aware of his student's frustration, discouragement, and pain. But he knows there is really nothing that he can do other than encourage his student to continue.

The student has reached a crossroads. What will he do? If he persists in his daily training, the practitioner will come out of the plateau and realize that he has reached a new level of the martial Way. His austere training has brought him through the barrier(s) that faced him.

SEEKING SHELLS AND COSMETICS

 by Phillip Starr

In most contemporary martial disciplines, there's a lot of emphasis placed on exactly, precisely how a given technique is to be performed. To be sure, this is necessary when first learning a technique or movement but oftentimes, practitioners get stuck in this particular rut. Their minds focus on whether or not they (or someone else) do the movement exactly so. This stunts their growth and becomes a bad habit that can be very difficult to break. They begin to think of their techniques and movements in terms of exactly how the foot should be placed, and so on. Without necessarily being consciously aware of it, they're focusing on learning and practicing the “outer shell” of their particular martial art. Many of them never progress beyond this stage...like an egg that never hatches.

This isn't to say that students should be free to perform the various techniques and movements however they wish...I call that the “general idea” approach. Executing a particular punch or kick must necessarily be done in a very specific way. But once that stage has been reached, students must move beyond it. Many never do (and some go on to become instructors). This anal retentiveness is very common within the neijia (internal Chinese martial arts) community. A great many of them focus their attention almost entirely on exactly how the feet (and even the toes) are to be placed, and so on. Very nitpicky. Very. Nitpicky. Too nitpicky.

What should be focused on after the student is able to perform the technique properly is/are the principle(s) involved. Without this understanding, he/she may well be doing the technique or movement incorrectly although it may have the outward appearance of exactitude. Unfortunately, many of those who teach aren't altogether certain themselves of just what or which principle(s) are involved. They got stuck themselves in the rut of “technique.”

Others concern themselves with how they LOOK when they perform the technique/movement. To them, it's about cosmetics. They're concerned with “looking good.” This path leads to nowhere. I laugh when I tell people that the southern kung-fu systems are actually rather homely unless you know what to look for...there are no jumps, twirls, flying kicks, or any of that. No make-up. No “styled hair.” Real martial arts are oftentimes rather plain or even homely...

Then there are those who, after learning how a technique or movement is performed, get all tangled up in combat application and self-defense. This becomes their new polestar. Certainly, understanding application and being able to practically use the technique is very important, but it's not the end point. Not yet.

They miss the importance of “feeling.” That is, how the technique/movement “feels” inside their bodies and how it affects (different areas of) their bodies. To do this requires a good deal of patience (which many aspiring martial arts “masters” seem to lack) and perseverance. One must “listen” and “taste” the technique/movement. Oftentimes, the flavor is rather subtle, so it's important to pay attention.

The technique/movement may LOOK right – it may even look really cool – but it's nothing more than a doughnut. Nothing inside. Kind of like a politician. Practice it SLOWLY and FEEL how it affects different parts of your body. If you know the principle(s) involved in its execution, you should be able to feel them easily. You might be surprised to discover that they're just not there! You might discover certain parts of your body being involved in the technique when they shouldn't be. If you listen carefully and savor the movement, you may be surprised at what you find.

THE SECRETS

 by Phillip Starr

When I was a young martial arts student, I was absolutely convinced that there were “secret techniques” which, once learned, would bestow great fighting prowess upon me. I searched and searched for them but was unable to find such special techniques. My teacher would just chuckle and tell me to keep practicing the basics and that only convinced me further that he was simply concealing the truth. In time, however, I came to realize that there are no “silver bullets.” There are just (basic) techniques polished to a very high degree and executed with absolute precision.

However...

I DID discover that within the basics are certain principles that can be considered “secret.” Most of them are principles that had once been practiced openly but which, with the passage of time and for one reason or another, had been tossed by the wayside and forgotten. Thus, they had become “secret.” These forgotten principles are the real “silver bullets” that, once thoroughly learned and applied correctly, actually DO bestow great martial ability.

I've always thought that “hiding” such things from students is a poor idea and rather selfish. Admittedly, I don't teach many of these principles until the student is physically and/or emotionally prepared the handle them. But once they're ready, I teach them openly. Too many treasures have been taken to the grave by those who were keeping them too close to the chest. Although they were certainly skilled martial artists and many were also fine teachers, they actually strangled their art.

The old notion of keeping things from those who are unworthy or who have not yet proven their loyalty is, I think, rather silly. Anyone who has put in the hard work in training to reach the levels where he/she is capable of handling the appropriate “secrets” is most likely not a bad person who plans to misuse the knowledge and skill; people like that are usually in a hurry to learn a few “tricks” and they won't stick around for very long and endure the screaming muscles, bumps, bruises, strawberries, and all the rest...

ROW, ROW, ROW!

 By Phillip Starr

In many ways, life and following the martial path is much like being cast into the sea (of life) in a rowboat. The sea is vast and you cannot possibly imagine everything that it contains. Many of us are perfectly content to lay back in the boat and let the water take us where it will. Tossed about by the waves, we hope for the best and keep our heads down.

But if we do that, we'll likely never arrive at our destination. “Going with the flow” is, in my opinion, a very foolish saying much of the time. We need to set a course for a particular objective (harbor) and work diligently towards it.

It's essential that we periodically peer over the gunwales (pronounced “gun'ls” and meaning the sides of the boat/ship for you rednecks) to see just where we're going. And periodically, maybe for extended lengths of time (depending on the wind and water) we're going to have to paddle and sweat. A lot.

I once asked a lovely Chinese lady what she planned to do with her life. “I just go with the flow” she shrugged. She was currently employed working in the back warehouse of a local Wal-Mart. I told her that unless she had a specific goal AND a plan to reach it, she may well be stuck working in that warehouse for a very long time. She just shrugged again. Sad. That was many years ago and unless she's changed her attitude, I'm fairly sure she's still there...

So it is with martial arts training and life. Don't train just to be doing it or to engage with your classmates. Train for yourself with a goal in mind. Otherwise, you're just drifting in a small boat, letting the wind and waves take you where they will. You need to look at where you are and where you want to go, then grab the oars.

If you agree with this, please be sure to apply it to your training...and your life.