Know thyself
Tuesday 09 August 2022
This is one of the Delphic maxims inscribed at the Temple of Apollo. It's not difficult to understand what it means or why it's important. A good, honest look at yourself from time to time enables you to analyse your strengths and weaknesses - crucial for a developing martial artist.
Socrates said something related to this: Knowledge is inherent in man, not outside. Wisdom is learning to recollect
. This is extraordinary and very profound. He's saying that we already possess great knowledge, we just have to recognise it inside ourselves and attempt to bring it out. Whether or not you find that difficult to believe, it does define how a good teacher or instructor relates to students. Socrates again: Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel
. In other words, our techniques are a way of introducing you to yourself, a pathway to inspire you to dig deep inside yourself and bring out your innate qualities. For make no mistake, you possess them already. That's why every good instructor wants students eventually to surpass them. Each new achievement is a celebration on that pathway, and another belt!
When getting to know yourself, how easily do you give up? Don't blame the body, because up to a large point the body does what the mind tells it to do (or not do). There's always some more in the tank. And remember, you train with your body, but you fight with your mind. So, train that too. As the great Bruce Lee said: If you say something's impossible, you make it impossible
. Instead, know that each time you overcome an obstacle, you get stronger, in mind and body.
Another Delphic maxim is: "Certainty brings insanity". This means that you should never close your mind and believe you're 100% correct about anything. That's the mentality of a tyrant. Leave room for doubt. Question everything. Of course, you will develop your principles, but good principles are created from trial and error, i.e., trying out new ways and techniques, while acknowledging and correcting your mistakes.
Remember, there's always somebody better than you, however good you become. And you can learn something from everybody you train with. At a certain point, you'll find a great way to learn is to teach! Senseis are learning something new every day, and realising how much they don't know. That's why the great martial artists are so modest and humble in their demeanour.