Martial Musings:Making Distinctions - Attributes, Technique, Concepts & Principle The training (focusing on set ups for locks and throws) had continued through a massive rain storm in Mexico. As is tradition on completion of this segment, I asked them if they had any questions. Two of my advanced students both looked at each other and then finally one of them asked Sensei, you use the terms Attributes, Technique, Concept and Principles from time to time. We want to make sure we are making the same distinctions as you are. Could you help us please? The air was humid, and one of the junior students brought everyone the hot Mexican fruit punch she had prepared for us. We took some sips and sat down for one of our around the fire talks. These are impromptu conversations - much in the tradition of conversations I have had my with my own true teachers. Attributes are inner qualities that help fuel and shape your techniques. Examples of it are strength, endurance, speed, power, sensitivity, proprioception, agility, hand-eye co-ordination, flow. So when you hear these terms, think of them as fuel for your technique - they shape what you do. The two senior students were writing fast, and tracking pretty well. It was getting really cold and after some more of the hot fruit punch I continued, When I use the word technique, this is how you skillfully carry out a task. Examples are punches, kicks, throws, locks, groundwork. These are skills, developed and honed overtime. They have a very particular method of achieving results: for example, different punches have different uses, different ways of being effective and are developed in different ways. Now getting into concepts. Its a term thrown around quite bit. Concepts are abstract ideas, in essence, they are intentions. Also, a concept usually holds a particular schools method of dealing with a situation (somewhat related with the Japanese term Ryu-Ha). These are highly concentrated forms of knowledge and ways of working. Examples are terms like Aiki, or moving the body as one - the language of the strikes within our KAR construct. Or perhaps they are the spiraling, wrapping, silk reeling and threading in Chinese arts. Or perhaps the defanging of the snake or controlling the box in Filipino arts. These concepts are highly concentrated ideas and knowledge and will often transcend techniques. They are beyond a particular technique, and when applied correctly, they magically unfold new techniques. If you spend some time with the concepts and make them your friends, they can help you transcend styles and systems. Paying close attention, one student jumped in, So concepts and principles are synonymns? I let him sit with it, waiting to see if he would clear the confusion himself. His eyes fixed on me, awaiting resolution. I continued sipping the hot fruit punch and then slowly continued, NO! They are the same thing. Concepts are human constructs, a way of packing a lot of information in an idea. The concept is a generalization that you can use - and like all generalizations they can be countered (see Generalizations, Distortions and Deletions in linguistics). Principles are facts or laws of nature, they are not context dependent. They are fractals if you will, they are everywhere. The principles explain how something works, everywhere. I then proceeded to drop the paper cup to demonstrate the point. Seeing that they did not track the subtle demonstration I asked, So why did the cup drop? Something clicked, and I saw a smile Gravity, was the answer without hesitation. Yes it is a fundamental law of nature, that works on everything, everywhere. No two principles are opposed to each other. They are complimentary, and coefficients. One good way to know you are near principles is that they work everywhere, regardless of context - be in MA, dancing, or planets. I try to understand how they work and see how they may be leveraged to my advantage. The students were paying very close attention and reformatted some of the ideas. A senior student then asked how do I train for them Sensei? The rain had stopped, and the night was getting rather cold. We lit the campfire by the lakeshore and continued. Most attributes are genetically defined, but can be sharpened with diligent work. For example, if you are stiff, a regular flexibility schedule will loosen you up etc. When we get to techniques, these are skills. A skill is something you acquire and win the right to if you will. Repetition is the mother of skill. This is where consistent drills come in. The night was now really cold, and the food cooked slowly over the fire. Now concept is different - here the mind really comes into play. Understanding patterns, and being succinct with your learnings frames a concept. And this crystallization is then passed on to another much like a cryptograph. Only ones who know how to read it can unpack sometimes generations of learning. This is truly the beginning of the warrior becoming a scholar. The food was steaming hot from the fire, and we began eating the fresh tacos, rice and guacamole. Principles are in essence the invitation to participate with Nature Herself. These can be harnessed, not just for destroying your opponent, but more importantly, to ensure you grow healthy and remain that way. Here you have truly become a scholar: when you understand how nature works, the inevitability of change and knowing how to walk that path. Here you have entered the realm of becoming a true warrior-scholar. Makes sense? The students nodded. We ate and now the music was blaring, and everyone in the dojo danced the night away. We work hard...but then we party hard too. One of the students walked up to me and said, so... we should focus only on principles right, that is the superior way? No, I never said that. You need to develop all four. Your focus will change with time. Think about a rocket ship (you) trying to go on a deep space mission (your goal). Attributes training develop the fuel for the rocket, techniques allow you to build the rocket, concepts allow you to maneuver the path to your destination, and the principles allow you to harness nature to get to your goal. This is much like a satellite using gravity to change course or spin faster. Enough for today, go enjoy yourself tonight. We will revisit this again later. In the dojo we are precise around definitions and understanding what we are out to accomplish/achieve. Language is the house of being (Martin Heidigger) and if we become imprecise around key distinctions we will confuse ourselves and others around us. But definitions change with time and understanding. They move from very precise lengthy technical papers to succinct concepts to poetic expressions. However what is important to remember is that each one is a building block for the next. Much like a four- story home, you cannot really build the 2nd floor without the foundation and first. Thanks all for today, I wish you all a happy Martin Luther King Day. Train Smart, Stay Blessed! Mahipal Lunia Sensei MountainViewAiki TheRenaissancePath MahipalLuniaOutLoud #MartialArtsConcepts #Definitions #Distinctions
Posted on: Mon, 19 Jan 2015 19:36:02 +0000
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