| People are always impressed when they find out that | | | | almost like I have shoved a book off a table, so |
| I am a martial arts instructor. Unfortunately, I do not | | | | there is room for another book to be placed upon |
| really care about impressing people. This is a cruel | | | | the table, except that we are talking about |
| trap, because if they are impressed enough I can | | | | knowledge being shoved out of the mind here. |
| teach them, but I don't really care to impress them. | | | | Three, I teach so that I can see myself from outside |
| I remember when I first began the martial arts, this | | | | of myself. I am not the attacker nor the defender, |
| was a long time ago, I was impressed by these quick | | | | but I am both attacker and defender, outside of |
| moving ninjas in pajamas, but what kept me going | | | | them, and this gives me a viewpoint that is virtually |
| was that they talked to me. I mean, they were so | | | | unknown in western culture. There simply is no |
| tough, and yet they took the time to sit down and | | | | practice, in any kind of teaching I have ever seen, |
| laugh and joke with a young kid. I always remember | | | | that imparts this type of viewpoint. |
| this, from the early days, and try to emulate my | | | | Four, I teach so that I can relate to the world in a |
| instructors behavior. | | | | more realistic way. I see so many people who are |
| Now, that said, there are four reasons why I teach | | | | filled with talk, but don't really see the world, and |
| the martial arts. I am speaking from the viewpoint of | | | | certainly can't communicate about that real world. |
| instructor here, so you will probably find what I say a | | | | Teaching the martial arts develops a commitment to |
| little different than what you might expect. Still, you | | | | a deeper level of communication, an intuitive type of |
| might find my reasons enlightening. | | | | communication, a zen communication that is so much |
| One, I teach for the sense of power it gives me. | | | | more natural to beingness and existence. |
| The thing is, I am not talking about having power | | | | So, there it is. Not all martial arts instructors have my |
| over people, I am talking about the power I feel with | | | | same reasons, but you can bet they have reasons |
| the clarity of my thought and the health of my body. | | | | similar in scope and magnitude. Always know that |
| While friends I have had over the years grow old | | | | whether somebody teaches the beautiful and |
| and fat, cannot even bend over to tie their shoes, | | | | exquisite arcs and forms of shaolin, or the inspiring |
| use walkers and oxygen tanks, I run up and down | | | | internal energy of wudan, or the die hard combat |
| the stairs, eat what I want, and am as active today | | | | oriented Krav Maga, or just fun and sweat soaked |
| as I was over forty years ago, when I was but 19. | | | | sportsmanship like one would find in the mixed martial |
| Secondly, when I teach it empties me. Now this is | | | | arts, there is a depth of personality that they are |
| really quite something, when I teach somebody, if I | | | | pursuing, and that it wouldn't hurt you to similarly |
| have been true in my instruction, then I am suddenly | | | | pursue. |
| empty, and in that emptiness I learn things. It is | | | | |