At the heart of the matter is the fact that the universe is a dichotomy. Dichotomy merely means that there are two sides to a thing. Right and left, up and down, and so on into the abstract realm of ideas.
Within the Martial Arts we find that crux of war versus peace. And, one finds all sorts of other dichotomies in studying the martial arts. Dichotomies which strike right to the soul and heart of the discipline, and even question our very right to exist.
The beginner walks into the dojo and is, in the very short while, confronted with the dichotomy of form v freestyle. Does he elect to study forms, with their abstract perfectionism, or does he opt for battlefield ready techniques of death and destruction.
The question of destruction v control underlies this simple question of dichotomy. Does the student practice destructive techniques, which are perhaps not in keeping with the philosophy of the human soul, but are quick and easy to learn, or does he practice techniques of control, which take longer to learn and make work? The answer will dictate what kind of a human being he will end up being, and which way he goes in life.
Then there is sport v art. Should he practice the martial arts for the abstract of art, and be willing to wait perhaps decades for its benefits, or should he practice the martial arts for athleticism and a strong body, and then risk that body in contest? Again, the answer will dictate the very worth of his life, and his direction as a human being.
Really, we are talking mind v matter. Is the body the container of the spirit, or is man an animal? Should he study in hopes of living a wild and exciting journey, and that is the point of it all, or should he study to illuminate the spirit within, and that is the point of it all?
Really, man is deciding his fate in answering these simple questions. In a murky fog with no sense of direction he is choosing to go up or down. For what is the worth of the human being, and who is to apprise us of the wrong and right that is within ourselves...but ourselves?
Woe. Wrong or right, we choose. We are unique, and right or wrong, it is a choice to be valued.
Within the Martial Arts we find that crux of war versus peace. And, one finds all sorts of other dichotomies in studying the martial arts. Dichotomies which strike right to the soul and heart of the discipline, and even question our very right to exist.
The beginner walks into the dojo and is, in the very short while, confronted with the dichotomy of form v freestyle. Does he elect to study forms, with their abstract perfectionism, or does he opt for battlefield ready techniques of death and destruction.
The question of destruction v control underlies this simple question of dichotomy. Does the student practice destructive techniques, which are perhaps not in keeping with the philosophy of the human soul, but are quick and easy to learn, or does he practice techniques of control, which take longer to learn and make work? The answer will dictate what kind of a human being he will end up being, and which way he goes in life.
Then there is sport v art. Should he practice the martial arts for the abstract of art, and be willing to wait perhaps decades for its benefits, or should he practice the martial arts for athleticism and a strong body, and then risk that body in contest? Again, the answer will dictate the very worth of his life, and his direction as a human being.
Really, we are talking mind v matter. Is the body the container of the spirit, or is man an animal? Should he study in hopes of living a wild and exciting journey, and that is the point of it all, or should he study to illuminate the spirit within, and that is the point of it all?
Really, man is deciding his fate in answering these simple questions. In a murky fog with no sense of direction he is choosing to go up or down. For what is the worth of the human being, and who is to apprise us of the wrong and right that is within ourselves...but ourselves?
Woe. Wrong or right, we choose. We are unique, and right or wrong, it is a choice to be valued.
About the Author:
Al Case has analyzed the martial arts for forty plus years. Examine the Dichotomy of him at Monster Martial Arts.
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