Awareness – Attention – Intention

Physical movement is a big part of martial arts training however 90% of high level skill in martial arts is determined by mental acuity and perception. High level martial arts skill is attained through strengthening and increasing the connection between the mind and the body. There are three aspects to mental training in the martial arts and it is important to be aware of these aspects as well as being able to distinguish between the three. These three aspects are awareness, attention, and intention; let’s see if we can come up with some working definition for these terms.

Let’s start with awareness, we can define awareness as the quantity and quality of information that we can absorb both internally and externally through observation. A good way to experience this is to try and notice how aware you are of yourself. How much muscle tension do you carry with you without being aware of it? Do you hold your breath when you exert yourself without realizing it?

Next we have attention, the ability to focus on a specific stream of information within your awareness. Attention can be described as selective awareness and it is an acquired skill although many of us may display aspects of selective awareness unknowingly or unintentionally. Not hearing what someone is saying to you because you are watching television is more an illustration of distraction than of attention. The ability to attend to various aspects of energy, structure, and balance is a high level skill in the martial arts.

Lastly we have intention which for the purposes of this discussion we will define as the ability to modify the quality of physical movement by changing the way in which you think about that movement. A good way to experience this is to have your training partner hold a focus mitt and allow you to give it your best punch. Next, throw that exact same punch but focus on striking a target somewhere directly behind the focus mitt. Notice how the quality of your punch changes with just a simple change in how you thought about punching. A good teacher can help you think about things in a way that qualitatively changes your performance.

These mental aspects of training go hand in hand with the physical aspects. Beyond kicking and punching, fine-tuned perception and mental acuity can open the door to sublime levels of skill and personal transformation.

 

A sip of tea...

I have some tea and I want to share it. If you like I will pour you some tea. It is a strong tea with a distinctive taste, so strong that you will never forget it. The taste is so strong and so unique that if you tasted it again you would immediately recognize it. I only have enough tea for 10 people, and cannot make more right now, I simply don’t have the time. I could add some water to the tea so that more of you could have some, but then it wouldn’t be as strong or distinctive. You would not get the pure taste, only a semblance.

If you would like to share this special tea with others then I can show you how the tea is made, which leaves to pick, what part of the leaf to use, how to dry the leaves. I can also show you how to prepare the tea to get the best taste. This requires time, effort, and patience. If you enjoy a good tea then the effort is worth it. Will you have some tea with me?

Sifu Bryant K. Feld (Moy Bah Yan) – www.vtkfsystem.com

Elements of Mastery

In the martial arts one hears the term master quite a bit, maybe even too much. In the west the term has been cheapened and commercialized to a certain degree (possibly in the east as well). For the right price there are people who will give you the title of master in the time it takes you to write them a check. For those of us who are serious about martial arts what does the title master really mean?

Typically we think of anyone who can display a sublime level of skill in their chosen discipline as a master. As martial artist I think we should add a few more criteria, with physical skill simply being an entry level requirement. In addition to displaying a high level of skill a master should be able to articulate in an easy to understand manner the principles on which his or her art is based, giving his students a pathway to reach the same level of skill if they are willing to put forth the same level of effort, thought, and reflection.

Also a master of the martial arts should be an example of health and vitality. Not necessarily an Olympic level athlete but also not a professional donut taster. A master should demonstrate a healthy lifestyle and should be able to share with his or her students how they may also lead a healthier lifestyle.

Lastly, masters should have a deep level of understanding that is reflected in how they live their lives. They should have quality relationships and strive to make a difference in the lives of others. People value the relationship they have with a true master for how much it enriches their lives. They are not preachy, over bearing, or cryptic they simply speak and relate with honesty and integrity and a desire to help us discover and express our best selves.