THE CIRCULAR STAIRWAY

 by Phillip Starr

The students had completed the rigorous examination for sandan (3^rd grade black belt). The board of instructors had completed their assessments and the group stood at attention before their teacher. “You have all performed very well. You have passed the test.” The students all smiled, some looking at the others and winking. “You have taken a big step forward”, the teacher continued, “Now, I hope you will all take a step back.”

The group was understandebly confused. It's understandable that we tend to view all of our undertakings in a linear fashion. That is, we think that our work, our learning, our relationships...everything that we try to accomplish in life, will progress in a series of straight steps that move us forward and upward as we continue. We begin school in the first grade and then move on to the second. Military personnel “go up through the ranks”, businessmen “climb the corporate ladder” and we all take things “step by step.” And we take it for granted that the progression follows a straight path. The second-grader doesn't expect to have to repeat the simple printing of the letters of the alphabet; the newly-promoted Colonel would be chagrined if he was told he had to practice close-order drill again with some new recruits, and the new corporate VP would be considerably less than thrilled to find himself having to learn simple secretarial chores. So, you can understand the newly-promoted sandans wondering why they had to go back and practice things that they'd learned in the earliest stage of training.

“Jiben” (in Japanese, “kihon”) are the fundamentals of all the martial Ways; the foundation upon which all other skills are based. But most martial arts enthusiasts see them as simple stepping stones, I think. The karate or taekwondo enthusiast must first learn the basics of a solid stance so that he can learn to execute well-balanced kicks...and then leaping kicks, and then against multiple assailants. He sees the basics as the first step in the process. But if he thinks that once a basic thing is learned, he can go on and never give it a second thought...he is sorely mistaken.

The martial Ways are an exception to the linear, step-by-step, vertical staircase concept of progress. Rather, they are like a circular, spiral staircase. But although you're moving in a circular, winding manner, you still moving UPWARD. When the advanced kendo practitioner comes to class and discovers that the evening's lesson will be on the basic overhead strike, he needn't be disappointed in having to do THAT again...not if he's smart. It's not like going back to the beginner's class where he was first introduced to this technique. Although he is repeating the same technique he learned as a newbie, he understands that he's progressed several flights up the staircase and he will be discovering new insights about this basic technique that are way over the head of a new recruit.

And he will continue to learn new angles (little “tweaks”) for as long as he continues training. He'll make new discoveries...”Hey, I never noticed THAT before! So that's how this strike should be done!” He's made another revolution around the spiral staircase. He's undergone a change. The strike hasn't necessarily changed, but his understanding and mastery of it have progressed. So, always be ready to take a step back. It's the only way to get ahead in the martial Ways.