POLISH AND PERFECTION

 by Phillip Starr

In the world of martial arts there are a number of varieties from which aspiring students can choose. There are traditional martial arts, contemporary or “eclectic” martial arts, mixed martial arts, “realistic” martial arts (as opposed to the “fantasy” martial arts, I suppose), and so on. But I would argue that a number of these aren't really “arts” at all – at least not in the “martial arts” sense of the term – some aren't really “martial” per se, and the reasons for, and methods of, their practice differs considerably.

To begin with, the word “martial” as written in Chinese (and subsequently, Japanese) does not necessarily infer anything having to do with the military. 武 is the character for “bu” (“wu” in Chinese), which is translated as “martial.” Its radicals mean, “to stop the spear.” Although this can be easily inferred as a military action, it needn't be limited to that class. It can just as easily be thought of as a means of stopping violence or protecting oneself.

The objective of the traditional martial ways goes beyond merely learning how to best an opponent. They stress the importance of constantly polishing the techniques and forms with the ultimate goal being perfection of oneself. It is understood that this simply isn't possible in this lifetime but such a consideration doesn't dissuade practitioners from striving to reach that goal. They continue to practice throughout their lives, constantly polishing the art which has become the mirror in which they can see into their own hearts and know themselves.

Most contemporary and/or eclectic “martial arts” are directed at one thing; performance in front of an audience. There is no need for combat effectiveness, nor are they particularly interested in perfecting themselves and their spirits. The be-all, end-all of such activities lies primarily in aesthetic appeal.

“Martial” ways such as mixed martial arts often claim to be directed towards combat efficiency but I disagree. The objective of these methods is to win a match. They are, after all, sports... and the objective of participation in any sport is to win! And, as with all sports, there are rules that must be followed. They have no interest in perfection of technique; their goal lies solely in winning the game.

As for the “realistic martial arts”, their objective does not extend beyond defending oneself. Perfection of form or technique doesn't even enter the picture; practical combat effectiveness is all that matters. Once that has been achieved, the goal has been reached and the ride is over.

But for the traditional martial arts practitioner, the ride goes on for the remainder of his or her life. Sure, there will be ups and downs but the ride continues and although the drive to polish the “mirror” may wane from time to time, one always come back to it and starts polishing again. The seemingly simple reverse punch or front kick provide us with endless insights into our true selves.