#trainlikeawhitebelt

I can fondly recall my first years of my martial arts journey. I remember being absolutely concerned with technique and appearance. I can laugh with joy at my uncoordinated movements reminiscent of an infant's. Karate was something new and challenging. All beginners move through this stage, where we are looking at our feet to make sure our stances are correct and watching our hands to ensure proper placement. As my studies continued I came across the philosophy of the beginner's mind, the empty cup, and "train like a white belt". I'll admit that in that period of my life I had no idea what those terms actually meant, in fact I am still learning about their true meaning. As I continued on my journey my movements not only became more proficient, I wasn't concerned with checking my stance or watching my hands. I broadened my knowledge by reading books on technique, anatomy and philosophy, this gave me the ability to identify the principles I learned in my training and apply them in different situations. I also gained experience in a career that contained many violent encounters, this gave me a familiarity with the realities of violence.

After my journey of recovery began I had issues with accepting my experiences and began viewing my martial arts training in a negative light. I started to associate my traumatic experiences with what I was teaching and doing in my training. This was difficult for me because I enjoyed my martial arts training, it had been a physical and intellectual outlet. Thankfully I was reminded of a quote "when you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change." I decided to take a step back and simplify my life. I took a hard look at what energy I was putting where and whether it was worth my energy at that time. When it came time to evaluate the martial arts I took a hard look at something I had been doing for most of my life. I went back to the beginning, when I was a child. I remember copying Mr. Miyagi and the Ninja Turtles and reading Blackbelt magazine. I remember having trouble tying a belt and executing a low block. Most importantly I remember having never associated karate with anything horrible, I associated it with enjoyment and happiness.

Having identified the martial arts as something to keep in my life I needed to find a way to reconcile my feelings. That is when I remembered that saying "empty your cup, so that I might fill it again". It invokes an image of the young student at the feet of his mentor being served tea and having to constantly empty his full cup of tea to comply with his teacher's requests. Although I had long ago learned that saying and its superficial meaning, I came to discover an application for that lesson. I decided to come at the martial arts from a different angle. My reasons for training needed to change. I took a look at myself and saw a man who was beginning to show physical, mental, and spiritual wear and tear. I decided to train with health and wellness in mind.

Those sayings, "train like a white belt", "empty your cup", and many more, speak to looking at what we do with a fresh mind. I had looked at this dilemma, martial arts/no martial arts, clearly and calmly, free of emotional control and decided to continue to teach and train from a different frame of mind.

#trainlikeawhitebelt
Stay happy and healthy