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Giving up “I know” I can then listen of others as greater than they know themselves to be. I listen for what’s possible within them. Giving up “I know” is the possibility of surprise.
Sensei Dan opened me to the pursuit of mastery in Aikido while he trained me. I got from Sensei, “I really don’t know anything.” That’s the surrender to mastery. Mastery is the lifelong journey of humility.
Over the 25 years Sensei trained me, his instruction near the end was in the nuance, not so much the broad strokes. He’d say, “Move his head more.” Move the attacker’s mind to lead him off his center. We’d experiment with new techniques for various attacks. Sensei constantly recreated Aikido to make it work.
Bruce Lee said, “Empty your mind. Be formless, shapeless like water.” Bruce is the constant reminder that I constantly empty my mind of “I know that.” The on-going lesson of humility. I discover greater than who I know me to be when I reset my zero, my new beginning.
Although risking sounding trite: You can’t fill a full cup. You must first empty your “cup” before you can fill it. Really, we all invent ourselves from nothing, from “the empty”.
I spoke with my Acupuncturist Dr. Pan, who had returned from his trip to Boston. His daughter is the brilliant pre-med graduate, who opted to spend her gap year before entering medical school. She accepted the prestigious research position at a Boston hospital. Dr. Pan helped Chelsea move into her new place.
Dr. Pan told Chelsea that when she starts work to listen to others volunteering their advice. He reminded her too, that she must be polite even when the advice conveys little value.
We agreed that young people graduating from college tend to think, “I know everything.” He confessed, “The older I get, I realize that I don’t know anything.” I said, “That’s being wiser.” We both laughed in familiarity.
Authentically, getting “I don’t know” might be the greater valor of wisdom. Granted “I don’t know” can be used to be right and avoid domination. Authentically getting that I don’t know, I open myself to what’s possible. I open myself to the possibility of wisdom.
After nearly 30 years of Aikido training, I’m committed to learning the art of the bokken (wooden sword) and the jo (wooden staff). Sensei Bobby is my Sensei. Sensei Dan spent very little time teaching the bokken and jo; other than takeaway techniques for attacks with either. Arrogantly, I thought I really didn’t need to know this.
Sensei Dan focused on empty hand technique, tachiwaza — his strong suit. Sensei couldn’t master weapons technique, because of the arthritis in his hands which made gripping the bokken and jo so difficult.
Sensei Bobby trains intensively in his mastery of the bokken and jo. O-Sensei, Founder of Aikido, created much of Aikido movements and philosophy based on the bokken and jo translated into the empty hand techniques. Bobby teaches from the source of mastery.
So I really don’t know anything. Bobby shows me how to grip the jo with one hand for the strike to the head, among so many other things. The mindset is moving into the attack. Surrender to what happens next.
The strong Sensei from France taught a seminar at our Dojo. She taught countering techniques for the attack with the jo. She instructed giving the opponent a target. Enter and profile your body to let the jo go passed you.
Sensei’s interpreter translated, “Enter the attack and die with honor.” I got it. In battle, you never know the outcome. Have honor in the face of fear. That is the Way of the Warrior. Now I know.
Pursue greater than you know yourself to be with all your heart. “I don’t know” isn’t a sign of weakness; its acceptance that there is still much to discover. “I don’t know” empties “your cup” so you can start to fill the cup that fills you. “I don’t know” opens you up to the infinite possibility of you.
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Photo credit: Pixabay
Lisa – I love the photo. The cup has a cool existential feel.
It’s an empty cup. You can’t pour from an empty cup! Fill it! 😉
Hai.