| The raw
student brings with them a mixture of
physical, attitudinal and social attributes.
The high-end skills of martial arts
require a state of attunement with
circumstances which transcend attitudes,
beliefs and prejudices. The physical
requirements are not just learned methods,
but the wired-in automatic judgements
about what to do (and not do), and
confidence (spirit) in the ability to carry
out what one has committed to do.
The commitment is in a flash - ie,
'conditioned', or 'automatic', but is also
integrated with the daily preparation for
life that both training and living provides.
Every minute of training is preparation and
development of this level of attunement - as
is every minute of life. There must be an
openness or willingness (acceptance) to
learn from every opportunity.
For this kind of progress, the student
moves through stages of development which
conform roughly to the following five
stages:
Beginning - from Raw to Participating.
Physically, the beginner is simply there
in class. Mentally and spiritually, the
beginner has made some kind of commitment to
do something about it achieving martial
capabilities.
This stage is initially painful, due to
lack of specific strength, tone and
condition, balance, and so on - but the
rewards are real and significant.
Mentally, the foundations for future
progress need to be laid. The student needs
to separate and identify two different
aspects of mind - the rational mind (an
enquiring, but chattering entity), and the
'heart mind', or 'overview mind' (which
assumes a quietened poise while it oversees
the body's and the rational mind's
activities). Finding and developing the
latter is a main goal, as is quitening the
rational mind - let it observe rather than
rule!
The emotional centres develop through
experience and hard work, and need to
establish a responsiveness to the 'heart
mind', and a kind of submissiveness to the
rational mind - which is learning to tell
when you lose your 'cool'.
The rational mind needs to learn to
listen - and to shut up when it's not being
useful. A sense of truth and honesty comes
with this.
Deep down, the student will start to
experience the limitations of the minds and
body, and by work and reflection, begin to
move these limitations.
- Acquisition of Technique - Towards
Competence.
Once some competence has developed in
basic movement and strength, the student
is challenged by co-ordination and
dealing with the sensory system.
Firstly, the student becomes more aware
of situation , and also
possibilities. From this, the student
develops a sense of freedom and
necessity - needing to move, yet having
a choice.
Applying choice and exploiting
opportunity needs a keen sense of
intent, and some guidance (and feedback)
about what is feasible, control over
levels of arousal, and mental focus
(both narrow and broad).
The body begins to develop a sense of
optimal muscle tone. This could be
called 'relaxation' or 'lack of
tension'. This differs completely from
'slumping' or collapsing.
- Power - Destructive Capability and
Responsibility.
When a need presents itself,
techniques must be capable of extreme
power, subtlty, and appropriateness.
Firstly, this means the techniques must
be honed to a high level to deliver
strong impulses in order to strike, to
unbalance or control an adversary, etc.
Power comes partly from repetitive
drills - high quality practice where the
student seeks to work better and better.
The power also comes from attention to
detail about what supports optimal
effort.
The rational mind relaxes a little -
since its continual prompts only confuse
the body. Now the student is cultivating
the spirit and can focus effort 'at
will'. This kind of training is
'self-less' - in that you don't stop
because you feel fatigue. You stop when
you've done enough good work.
This level also includes the
comprehension of subtlty - operating
with least power. This improves stamina
and leads to the next level.
- Flow and Ki - Being There.
The key progression of a
student start with calmness, relaxation,
and a sense of fluidity with hidden
power. When one of these students moves
quickly, they move fluidly. The
techniques of fighting emphasise the
value of soft defence techniques and
good footwork (and connection to the
ground). Only a few moments in any fight
would involve an explosive (Ki
moderated) action.
The vitality of this level of
engagement ensure physical and mental
health, and a long life with few
enemies. Deep down, a martial virtue
underpins the acquisition and exercise
of all refined Hwa Rang Do technique. A
sense of harmony is developing.
At this level, the student is really
training themselves. They have the right
kind of attunement in their body to know
fairly well what is functional and what
is not. Instruction is now a guided way
to further refinement and correction of
details. When the "Ki" is
robust, every aspect of every movement
is related to every other aspect -
sometimes like young children in a
harmonious play group, and other times
like the integrated and concerted
smashing of a large concrete block by a
heavy sledge hammer.
- Unification - spirit and perpetual
involvement.
This is when it all works. Everything
is vital. No petty concerns matter.
Primarily, the person has cultivated a
sense of gratitude and concern for the
universe, and feels connected to it.
It is also when every event, every
instance, every notion is fresh and
anew. You don't rest on your laurels.
You have no need of deception or
charades. ~ Tom Osborn
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