A trope of the martial arts mystique (well, at least as depicted in the movies) is the revered Master finally teaching his or her student the cloaked generational secret that they could utilize in beating their seemingly unbeatable enemy. Uh huh.
In Kill Bill: Vol. 2, Uma Thurman’s Beatrix executes the Five-Point Palm Exploding Heart Technique that she learned from Master Pai Mei to dispatch David Carradine’s character, Bill. In Dream Works’ animated Kung Fu Panda, Jack Black’s Panda Po demonstrates the Wushu Finger Hold that he “figured out” from Master Oogway on arrogant-as-hell White Tiger Tai Lung, voiced by Ian McShane. Skadoosh!
While there are deadly pressure points used in Chinese martial arts, based on acupuncture points, all of that is nonsense..or at least that’s what I believe. So, when I say ‘nonsense’ I mean that there is no “Great Secret” in martial arts training. Ultimately, nothing can make one invincible.
In my 30 years of Aikido training, I came to learn that the great Masters–the great Senseis–constantly gave all that they knew away. So, it was my job to listen for and see that. Whatever I needed to learn, to get was always in front of me. The Art of Being a Student is about training yourself to distinguish that “secret” in front of your face from something fictitious.
Sensei Dan would constantly tell me, “Have no preconceived notions.” So, I listened from nothing, created my Aikido from nothing. In retrospect, what Sensei really meant was, “Create yourself from nothing.” I had to discard what I already knew because what I already knew wasn’t very useful.
Then, it became my job to “grind it out”, to chip away at the “superfluous pieces”. When working on an Aikido technique, Sensei would say, “You don’t have to do it like I do. Make it work for you.” If there was a ‘secret’ to training that might have been it. Don’t complain. Don’t whine. Push yourself and, using Sensei’s words, “Make it work.”
He would also tell me, “Aikido is a lot of repetition. A lot of sweat. Aches and pains.” So I would practice technique over, and over, and over, and over again. “Everything natural.” It was about timing, judging distance, and practicing until the unnatural became natural.
Practice was about matching up with the attack. “Wait it out.” In Sensei’s mathematics of Aikido, everything added up to 100%. If an attacker came at me with 50%, I would match with 50%. If the attack was at 80%, I’d come at my opponent with 20%. The paradox: It’s easier to throw someone when they come full force. In O-Sensei’s philosophy, that’s how the attacker defeats him or herself.
“True victory is victory over oneself.” There’s really no opponent. It’s only me overcoming me: I’m using technique on myself. If there is a “Great Secret” in martial arts that might be it. Then, again, it’s not a secret. It’s just freaking hard work.
Sensei said that it was more important to him who I was outside the dojo, how I took what I got from my intense training within those walls into the outside world, my life. Perhaps, that’s the “Great Secret” we all can use: Overcome thine own self.
In his over 50 years of teaching Aikido, Sensei taught hundreds of students. If they were fortunate–like me–they listened and received what Sensei constantly gave away. I got what I needed from him and feel nothing but eternal gratitude. Perhaps, I could have received more…maybe.
Sensei told me, “Make Aikido your own.” He would have wanted me to create my own way instead of just mirroring him. I did get enough from Sensei to create my own Art. As a result, I believe that when he passed away he was like an empty vessel, having given it all away. That was his profound gift to me, to all of us
As part of his legacy, I do the same. Hopefully, when I’m gone, I, too, shall be the empty vessel, having given away all that Sensei and I created. Perhaps, those who continue after me will use that to create their own Art, ultimately paying it forward and helping others create theirs.
Amen.
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