by Phillip Starr
Is it because we want to get in better shape and stay fit? Well, that can be accomplished in a a few weeks. Is it for reasons of learning self-defense? Okay...but basic self-defense skills are achieved within a few months. So really, why are you still doing it – especially those of you who have been at it for years or even decades?
And just why we continue to do it is often confusing to friends, family, and associates who don't understand what we do and often tend to view of it something of an exotic Asian hobby. And every now and then, we ourselves take time to consider just why we're still doing this...
Uechi-ryu karate Master, Kanei Uechi, said, “Karate is not something so simple as to teach only fighting.” Very true, and his words apply to all traditional martial arts. Just as in our forms, there is more to them than what we see on the surface...so it is with the whole of martial ways. Initially, we seek technique with which we may combat an opponent “out there.” And we polish and polish...and then, if we are truly focused, we realize that it is not really all about what is “out there.”
We push ourselves, seeing just how far we can go. And more importantly, we continue to polish ourselves physically, mentally, and spiritually. It is an exercise in seeking perfection, which, we know, cannot be realized in this lifetime. And that's okay. It's the struggle; the polishing itself that we're after. The path is the goal..
No comments:
Post a Comment