Today I received an interesting comment from an Italian student of the Italian teacher of Chen tai chi, Master Gianfranco Pace, whom I mentioned in my first post in this series — he was the man who so impressed me with his martial arts ability that I quit tai chi. Here’s an excerpt of the student’s comment (edited for readability — the full comment can be found here):

The man who sincerely practices martial arts, thanks to the work and to the discipline, begins to follow an introspective path which leads him to a “conscience.” Rarely [is] this conscience picked up [by mere chance], only with hard self-work can it be obtained. This “conscience” should open up possibilities for self-improvement.

Why is this possible? Because the introspective work leads to the knowledge and to the solution of our weaknesses. A man who accepts his weaknesses (and then who discovers solutions) gains a centrality/centeredness and becomes self-assured, and becomes able to have relations with all the things in the World. This is not violence, this is not peace, this is harmony with all things, and using all [one's] abilities to be a “centered” man, a better man.

The conscience that is developed leads to a better way of using energy in all levels. Maybe we would obtain a better ability to love others, maybe we would obtain better ability to hurt others, this depends on the man; but do you believe that a man who followed the path I’m talking about would choose the “way of violence”? Or would he choose the “way of peace”?

Master Pace advises you to continue your martial arts practice, and to review your approach [regarding the practice].

The first thing I’d like to say in response is that I never in any way intended to put down anyone else’s path or practice. I know many good people who are mature and grounded and committed to inner growth who participate in martial arts. I see that good things can come from the practice. I was nothing less than impressed with Master Pace, not only with his martial arts ability but also his humility and openness in sharing his knowledge.

But, here’s the thing. Master Pace’s student points out that the self-discipline of martial arts leads to a development of conscience, or, as I would term it, an ennobling of the soul through disciplined, consistent effort to understand and transform one’s own negative qualities. I completely agree with that goal.

However, I don’t see that there is a direct, causal connection between the martial arts and character development. The comment noted that the conscience is not something that develops haphazardly, but requires work. Yes, that’s true; and how many martial arts teachers do you know who speak directly of this kind of thing? How many fighting styles discuss ways of resolving conflicts peacefully, without the use of physical force? Indeed, how many “martial arts” ask students to focus first on developing their spiritual character?

I don’t know, perhaps it’s done by a few. I haven’t encountered any. I suspect that if it is done, it would be an extra thing, on top of the basic physical practice of learning to fight. The very definition of the martial art means that the attacking and defending comes first.

Virtually any practice can become spiritual, in a sense. You can get into a “flow” — a state of absorption — in any activity, as long as the mind is fully engaged. Clint Eastwood played a retired detective in the movie Blood Work; when his character was asked how it felt to be at the top of his game, he said, that he felt “connected,” at one with the crime and the criminal. This sense of connection is intrinsic to anything we put our energy into; whatever our passion or hobby, the potential for it is there. I won’t gainsay anyone’s path, as everyone is different, everyone has different avenues for experiencing that connection. But meditating on crime and killers is not my way of achieving samadhi.

But I do question the general practice of training for violence. Character development and martial arts do not of necessity go hand in hand; indeed, the above discussion on developing conscience could be applied to any spiritual growth. However, what this comment does imply is that martial arts are best pursued in the context of spiritual growth, by those who have undertaken the process of self-knowledge and self-mastery first or at least concurrently with the physical practice — and that it must be done in a conscious way.

This is not, however, the common practice.

To my mind the typical martial arts student has some things in common with the person who seeks public office in order to gain power rather than to better the world, or the person who tries to develop psychic abilities in order to use them for selfish ends rather than utilize them as learning tools for the spiritual path.

I came across an account in Doug Boyd’s book Mystics, Magicians, and Medicine People about a traditional practitioner of martial arts, I think he was from Japan. He said that he first started training when he was young — around five or six years — and that the first four years involved absolutely no fighting. Indeed, the main instruction for that first four years was that you were not allowed to get hit by anyone. If you got hit even once, then you were out of the training forever.

The point being that no matter how quick or strong or smart you are, you could still get hit — if you rely on your ability to fight. The first order of business in the training was not how to fight, but how to avoid a fight. How to be a peacemaker. And that requires skill.

Skill that martial artists these days are not developing. What is a martial art without the martial? What is a Warrior culture without the war? That’s my problem with the martial arts.

Want to be a real master of the martial arts in that grand, spiritual sense? Then figure out how to stop war. If you are learning to fight — and you are not consciously making peace within yourself — aren’t you still participating in an activity of violence?

Conversely, though, I suppose that someone who develops that inner peace could do anything — even engage in martial activities — with the aim of creating more peace. But it seems to me that the self-mastery comes before the self-defense. Otherwise you are walking a razor’s edge.

I invite any comments.