In my opinion one can get a education in the arts from books, but finding "your own way" is all about the "experience and application" of that knowledge that you get from them. The written word is for reference, and like road signs, they can point you in a direction, but you still have to actually take the journey. I myself am self-taught even though however I do learn from teachers. In my own process/journey into the arts I read up on: Confucianism and Confucius, northern and southern kung-fu styles coupled with bios of the creators, Taoism, various training manuals, Tao of Jeet Kune Do, fighting strategies, so on and so forth.
I was doing more "reading" then actually "applying". The reason for me to do this is so that I can get a better understanding of the martial arts so I wouldn't end up being confused or heading in the wrong direction. Also at that time I've been watching movies. Old Hong Kong action films, Bruce Lee, Jet Li, Jackie Chan, and the like just to see the application of bodily involvement in the arts first hand for myself. Bruce Lee was my inspiration at the time. His philosophy, methods, and movements were interesting to me. He was more flowing and fluid then other artists that I've seen and heard of so when I was just starting out he was my hero. I admit, I was 14 at that time and I was quiet arrogant, not of the arts, but of myself. Knowing a handful of moves from books and videos had me feeling as if I was "The God of Fighting", but I don't feel that way anymore since I've became more mature and more in tune with myself.
I didn't get that lesson of maturity until I meet someone that showed me the error of my ways. I forgot his name but we both would always get on each other nerves. He practiced Jeet Kune Do of his own style and learned it almost the same way I did but he didn't tell me how and I respect that. I met him one time when I was outside in the park practicing little of what I know. I saw him walking by and he began to stretch and loosen himself out. We exchanged words, the one statement I could remember him saying is: "That is wrong what you're doing. Your form and posture is all wrong." I'm not the one to get or be self- possessed on myself but I didn't like what he was saying about me. Again, at that time I was arrogant and foolish so I asked him if he would like to prove his theory. We began to spar. Soon that spar became an actual fight. This man was good, I only walked away with my left eye scratched up a bit and a lesson. Not to go into too much detail in the fight, because I can't recall all of it, after it we began talking. We both became friends after that and we both taught each other what we knew.
It was pleasant. He gave constructive criticism about myself and said the martial art he was using was JKD of his own style. The one thing I remember that he told me was that: "You are a good fighter, and I can tell that you have some knowledge in the martial arts, but you are lacking in one thing. That is to express yourself in what you are doing. When you attack me, it is almost as if you are a robot, copying what you see on paper and moving your body like wise. Just let go and express yourself my friend. Then and only then will you be able to create yourself and move on."
Two months after that day he left and I was solo for awhile only going on what he said and my experience. I was without help and direction. I began to write in my journal about my experiences and about a friend I met in all of this. At times though I thought about quiting. Just getting rid of books, movies, journals, everything. It wasn't until I met a friend in college, a fellow martial artist, that I slowly began to re-make my way back into the arts. We both trained together and he taught me a few moves and styles and taught him all that I knew. I learned from him: TKD, Jujitsu and some movements in Ninjitsu. We shared philosophies and backgrounds. Were still friends today and I would consider him my blood brother.
Later on, I decided to take a short class at this one school that was a few blocks away from home. From that school, I learned a Wing Chun/Ba Gua mixed art that incorporated some JKD in its root. I didn't stay long at the school however. I remembered my friends words about expressing myself through what I do in the arts. And from that I had a strong beliefe: By applying the philosophy of a style, you have learnt the style for yourself. When you learn the philosophy from a school you don't learn the style for yourself but how the teacher made the style work for HIM. There is a freedom in learning from yourself that you don't have an outside influence to mold you to their fitting. You can try things on your own and decide how they suit you. How your particular makeup reacts to certain situations and how well you can react to those things using the tools given you. Two weeks or so into the class I left. I gave my respects to my sifu and my reason and he respected it as well. Even today I wonder how he's doing.
So my answer to the question should be quiet evident from my experience of the arts. Learn from books, then yourself, and finally your opponent. Then when that's done, reflect on what you have learned and learn about yourself all over again. Rinse, lather, repeat. But that is just my way, my process, you have your own. As I like to say, I didn't find the martial arts, the martial arts found me!!!
I was doing more "reading" then actually "applying". The reason for me to do this is so that I can get a better understanding of the martial arts so I wouldn't end up being confused or heading in the wrong direction. Also at that time I've been watching movies. Old Hong Kong action films, Bruce Lee, Jet Li, Jackie Chan, and the like just to see the application of bodily involvement in the arts first hand for myself. Bruce Lee was my inspiration at the time. His philosophy, methods, and movements were interesting to me. He was more flowing and fluid then other artists that I've seen and heard of so when I was just starting out he was my hero. I admit, I was 14 at that time and I was quiet arrogant, not of the arts, but of myself. Knowing a handful of moves from books and videos had me feeling as if I was "The God of Fighting", but I don't feel that way anymore since I've became more mature and more in tune with myself.
I didn't get that lesson of maturity until I meet someone that showed me the error of my ways. I forgot his name but we both would always get on each other nerves. He practiced Jeet Kune Do of his own style and learned it almost the same way I did but he didn't tell me how and I respect that. I met him one time when I was outside in the park practicing little of what I know. I saw him walking by and he began to stretch and loosen himself out. We exchanged words, the one statement I could remember him saying is: "That is wrong what you're doing. Your form and posture is all wrong." I'm not the one to get or be self- possessed on myself but I didn't like what he was saying about me. Again, at that time I was arrogant and foolish so I asked him if he would like to prove his theory. We began to spar. Soon that spar became an actual fight. This man was good, I only walked away with my left eye scratched up a bit and a lesson. Not to go into too much detail in the fight, because I can't recall all of it, after it we began talking. We both became friends after that and we both taught each other what we knew.
It was pleasant. He gave constructive criticism about myself and said the martial art he was using was JKD of his own style. The one thing I remember that he told me was that: "You are a good fighter, and I can tell that you have some knowledge in the martial arts, but you are lacking in one thing. That is to express yourself in what you are doing. When you attack me, it is almost as if you are a robot, copying what you see on paper and moving your body like wise. Just let go and express yourself my friend. Then and only then will you be able to create yourself and move on."
Two months after that day he left and I was solo for awhile only going on what he said and my experience. I was without help and direction. I began to write in my journal about my experiences and about a friend I met in all of this. At times though I thought about quiting. Just getting rid of books, movies, journals, everything. It wasn't until I met a friend in college, a fellow martial artist, that I slowly began to re-make my way back into the arts. We both trained together and he taught me a few moves and styles and taught him all that I knew. I learned from him: TKD, Jujitsu and some movements in Ninjitsu. We shared philosophies and backgrounds. Were still friends today and I would consider him my blood brother.
Later on, I decided to take a short class at this one school that was a few blocks away from home. From that school, I learned a Wing Chun/Ba Gua mixed art that incorporated some JKD in its root. I didn't stay long at the school however. I remembered my friends words about expressing myself through what I do in the arts. And from that I had a strong beliefe: By applying the philosophy of a style, you have learnt the style for yourself. When you learn the philosophy from a school you don't learn the style for yourself but how the teacher made the style work for HIM. There is a freedom in learning from yourself that you don't have an outside influence to mold you to their fitting. You can try things on your own and decide how they suit you. How your particular makeup reacts to certain situations and how well you can react to those things using the tools given you. Two weeks or so into the class I left. I gave my respects to my sifu and my reason and he respected it as well. Even today I wonder how he's doing.
So my answer to the question should be quiet evident from my experience of the arts. Learn from books, then yourself, and finally your opponent. Then when that's done, reflect on what you have learned and learn about yourself all over again. Rinse, lather, repeat. But that is just my way, my process, you have your own. As I like to say, I didn't find the martial arts, the martial arts found me!!!
0 comments:
Post a Comment