In over 2 decades of practicing martial arts I have learned a wide range of skills. I keep thinking that at some point there must be a certain skill or set of experiences that will take me to the next level in my training and teaching. The truth is that there are simply two things that are available to me in every training situation – what is being taught and what I am learning. Interestingly, these two things are not always the same.
My interpretation of what is presented in a seminar, class or test is not necessarily the point of the lesson. Everyone has had moments in training when they ask themselves “why are we doing this again?” Sometimes the reason for a lesson may not become clear until days, weeks, months or years later. The moment of clarity is accompanied by some slight regret “If I had only figured this out years ago, where would I be?”
Martial arts is an incredibly deep pool of knowledge, wisdom and technique. It takes years just to explore the surface of the pool with no time to dive down deeper and see what is below. Whether exploring the surface or diving into its depths, the pool is still made of water.
The study of martial arts will never be anything but a journey. Sometimes it will make sense, and at other times the journey will seem absurd. Either way, there is only what is taught and what is learned.
I now understand that my greatest limitation is not what lessons I did not receive or what lessons I misunderstood. My greatest limitation is me – when my mind is open and clear I can find value in almost any martial arts lesson. When I am being stubborn and distracted I have trouble getting value from my own practice sessions.
