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.