The Three Degrees of a Martial Artist by One Warrior

The Three Degrees of a Martial Artist by One Warrior

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The Three Degrees of a Martial Artist by One Warrior - Mar. 5th, 2007, 6:01:27 PM

Zoran

Posts: 144
Joined: Mar. 4th, 2007,
From: Chicago Area, Illinois
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Another essay I wrote and submitted as part of the requirements for rank advancement. ( ahh, the memories..) This article describes the three types of martial artists from the author's perspective.

As I was exploring different ideas on what to write about , I decided to take a bird’s eye view of what a martial artist can look like from different levels and experiences. My personal experiences are limited but I have long been paying attention to the process and have been keenly interested and what a martial artist is and why there are so many different views of one. So, here is one way of looking at the martial artist. It is merely one view. But it is one to ponder when searching for your own insights into the martial way. Note: The use of the word ’he’ in this essay, by no means suggests a masculine majority in martial arts, but is used only for simplicity in transcribing the thoughts into this text. Perhaps every martial artist may be fundamentally categorized as one of three different mind sets: Sport Competitor, Self Defense Practitioner and Warrior. There are varying degrees and experience levels of each and there are those who blur the lines between these types. But, as a general rule, most can fit into one of these categories. The sport competitor is the athlete with a competitive spirit. One who craves the rush of the score and the adrenaline of endurance competition. He seeks to master his body, but not necessarily his art. He is guided by a desire to win. He may be a casual participant or a hardened arena combatant whose only goal is to be the best. He may not concern himself with traditions, history, spiritual enlightenment or other non physical aspects of his original art. He sees his arts as a tool to getting the highest ranking among his peers. He is committed to winning, and not just being at peace with where he is. The self defense practitioner is one who is in search of a way to be confident in his surroundings. To be skilled at defending himself and those around him who cannot defend themselves. He may engage in, but does not necessarily prioritize testing his rank or skills in arranged contests among peers. He may seek the knowledge and insights of those that have come before him or may simply view his art as something to be learned and then dissected and filtered into what he sees as a pure style. He seeks proficiency in his chosen art, perhaps not just by dedicated practice, but by studying the origins and history and respecting the protocols and rankings of its lineage. He is seeking competency and skill, but may not necessarily be on a path to mastery. This breed of martial artist is the most prevalent and can possess characteristics of all of the types discussed here. The warrior is of the true martial mind set. He certainly does not seek ranking in a controlled test of skills. He views his art as a way of life. His training and study is taken with utmost seriousness. He seeks to understand virtually every aspect of the martial way. He is at peace with himself, yet is prepared for war. He knows that when battle does occur, he must be ready to die in order to emerge victorious. His virtues are noble and he lives by the highest standards of excellence. He understands the meaning of the martial way and acknowledges his commitment to becoming a warrior. His spiritual awareness guides him in his living. He has tapped the unseen forces dwelling within. His body, mind and spirit are fused into a complete being. He is a martial warrior. Every person enters into martial arts for his own reasons. Some start out with a clear plan. Others enter as wandering souls in search of something more to enrich their lives in some way. Whether it is for sport, self defense or total emersion into the martial way, one thing is clear: martial artists are a special breed who want to take their personal development to a higher level and are willing to pay the price to get it. Not all people are fit for this type of path. Some will taste it and quickly realize that they are not of the caliber necessary to excel in martial arts. Others will have great enthusiasm initially but eventually succumb to greater priorities in their lives, never reaching their full potential and perhaps, left wondering what they may have accomplished. As we ponder our own pathways and focus in the martial arts, we must continually evaluate who we are and where we want to be in this life. What dreams, goals and ideas do we pursue? What methods do we use to attain them? Why must we seek at all? What might our next essay be about? All the answers lie within you. Seek and you will find.