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 As long as any martial artist remains either in the past or the future there will never be true freedom from what those illusions pretend to offer. This illusion is the ego and is the main driving force for why so many martial artists never truly experience the wonderful gifts the martial arts has to offer.
As long as any martial artist remains either in the past or the future there will never be true freedom from what those illusions pretend to offer. This illusion is the ego and is the main driving force for why so many martial artists never truly experience the wonderful gifts the martial arts has to offer. Those who do not train ’alive’ display their own ignorance and fear of the ego being exposed. As long as there are styles, tradition, titles and heirarchy to ’protect’ their will never be true martial arts. It will always be governed by the past and future. Truth is only found in the now, in the silence of no tradition, titles, rituals, heirarchy and style which are all servants of the ego. This seems to me the greatest problem facing the martial arts the world over, that everything they do is defined by there chosen style, by their sifu’s, teachers and a set of beliefs of what works and does not in that chosen mind set. There is no originality. To break free from this would mean to leave the ego behind. In doing this many martial artists feel that they will loose there identity (Their identity as been a Tae-kwon-do, Karate, Jiu-Jitsu practitioner etc). This is after all what they believe in there thoughts that defines who they are in the martial arts. This is a very egoic belief and causes division amongst all martial artists. This is why everyone believes that what they are practicing is right (And everyone else is wrong).Has this not been the views projected by almost all martial artists, especially the views projected by traditional forms of martial arts? Any exclusivity to a style which proclaims to have all the answers is identification to the ego, no matter how well disguised. This mind set is the hunting ground of the ego. And egos are drawn to bigger egos. Therefore as a martial artist if we can all experience the now- the aliveness in the moment only then can we truly be free. To give total attention to the action, without thought of the fruit of that action, will there be freedom from the ego. When we are free from the ego, there is no longer a past and a future, we are then only concerned with the now, the now of what works. There is no greater tool for self-discovery than to put oneself on the mat and to spar alive against another human being without the restriction of range or style, past or future. In that very instance you are in the now- there is no longer time to think and the fundamental realization of what works and does not is instant. This brings about clarity of mind, a peak experience, although only lasting a few minutes or even seconds it gives us all a glimpse of what freedom is, aliveness! From this glimpse of egoless ness we are able to grow. Now that you have experienced freedom from the past and future you will be able to continue in the now, from this experience on we are able to be in the moment and our martial arts lives are no longer controlled by the past (Our style has been taught like this for generations why should it change) and the future (The promise of the black belt, getting into the secret class, the certificate. Once I get there I will know), which is an illusion. We are then able to see the truth and never to be lead by a false teacher. - Rodney "Chico" King
http://www.streetbrawl.co.za
Rodney King © Street Tough Systems 2003
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