What does martial arts mean to me?
While younger, i past through a lot of sports: football, handball, swimming, athletics (spear throwing), and breakdance – the main one. I was sucessfull in all of these, but i changed sports often because, though every psyhical activity make me happy – they all missed that something i’ve been searching for. In my 17, i leaved everything and started to practicing kickbox. The reason was pretty sily, i watched Kickboxer with Jean Claude van Damme, and tommorow started with classes. It was pretty good to me, even if very violent. After six months i started to think how i didn’t learn nothing except taking and giving a punishment.
As usually for 17 years old boy, i started to build my personality, finding my ways, ways to my ways, and searching for people similar to me. I started to search for some life philosophy which i agree with, and which is best for me. And, how the sport was a big part in my life, unconsciously i searched for that philosophy in something related with physical activity. After few months of searching for something proper for me, i just realised what i realised before – in every sport there is a good philosophy, which is healthy for mind and body. But, there wasn’t many people giving attention to additional mental progress while doing a sport, and even if they did – nobody wanted some sport principles to become their philosophy.
One day, i heard that a Ninjutsu master is coming to town. I’m not from a big place, and some arts were simply exotic for me. I tried that. After few trainings, in that master i saw a lot of thing i’ve been searching for – besides an strength, stamina, flexibility, movement coordination, self – defense, and other physical related things – he was giving very much attention to mental progress. For him, it was much more important that his student learns how to be a person full of love, forgiveness, and respect for others. He learned his students to be modestly, ego – free persons, always willing to give help and love. That was the philosophy i’ve been searching for, and that ”something” other sports was missing. Also, i realised difference between sport and art. I took a few books about various martial arts from city library, and after reading realised that my master wasn’t some sort of ”one and only”.
No, things he was talking about is martial arts philosophy. And philosophy i’ve been searching for, which could lead me to became the person i wanted to be: proudly, but modestly. Smart, but wise. Strong, but lovefull. In the end, that could lead me to live a life in the way i think it’s the proper way.
Since then, i am a practicioner of martial arts. I choosed Taekwon – do and Hapkido, but it isn’t matter. In martial arts, many years ago, masters was teaching them in the way it my Ninjutsu master does. That way is still here today – and i’m glad to be a part of that beautiful tradition. But, if it’s shine, it doesn’t mean it’s gold – so be aware while searching for your life philosophy in martial arts. Not all of martial artists followed that tradition. Many of the teachers will teach you just how to take and give punishments, without any deeper meaning (just to add this – you must be the one who will pass through the door, and your master must be one who showed you where the door is). I know people who train for years, and still the only thing he know is how to hurt somebody, and satisfy his ego. It’s not just having the perfect tehnique, breaking 5 boards with fists, or be the best in your club. It’s also in mental progress. I don’t want to say if somebody wants to train for self defense, or recreative, without any deeper meaning, that it’s wrong. I want to say it’s wrong to accept martial arts as life philosophy, but replace love and peace with violent and ego. Martial arts philosophy is not the only one proper philosophy. But it’s good to know and really understand what martial arts is. Knowing something doesn’t mean commitment to apply it.
In the end – don’t worry to much about this – it’s just another subjective meaning.
