The Myth of Personal Growth (A Chapter From Martial Arts Politics Explained)

The Myth of Personal Growth (A Chapter from Martial Arts Politics Explained)

Shifu Jonathan Bluestein is a martial arts teacher, author and healer. He has practiced and taught the martial arts for over 21 years. Beginning with Western Boxing at the age of 16, Shifu Bluestein later studied Shito-ryu Karate, prior to fully transitioning to the Traditional Chinese Martial Arts. He has studied and taught diverse styles such as Xingyi Quan, Pigua Zhang, Jook Lum Southern Mantis, Bagua Zhang and Li Family Southern Shaolin, under 6 different Masters. Being among the foremost scholars of Oriental Martial Arts in our time, Shifu Bluestein has published 9 books, and is currently writing 8 more. He has additionally earned academic degrees in Law and Government Studies, and is a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine. His books are available on all Amazon-affiliated websites.

The Myth of Personal Growth

There is an inherent idea, quite ancient in fact, that “martial arts will make one a better person”. The belief in martial arts as ‘a universal vehicle for positive personal growth’ is so pervasive, that many martial arts schools use this notion heavily in their marketing. People of meager characters would often be attracted to martial arts for such a reason, and parents will send their children to the martial arts school in order to improve their confidence, attitude or grades. The trouble is that martial arts do not by default, make one “a better person”. It would be more accurate to say, that the martial arts have the capacity to enhance who you already are.

This is similar in a way, to the drinking of alcohol. When people drink to excess, much is revealed about the inner secrets of their personality. Traumatized people with angry livers may become violent. Anxious people with weak hearts may begin to cry. But also, stern people can suddenly turn nice and pleasant, and timid individuals may find courage to act. Such are all hidden features of one’s psychological and spiritual constitution, which the drinking of alcohol could reveal.

The martial arts may be compared to the consumption of alcohol in that respect. When practiced sufficiently, they will definitely bring out qualities, which were previously dormant or underdeveloped in the person, relative to their innate capacity. But the martial arts are also different. Alcohol typically only takes people in one direction, in terms of how their drinking shall unfold in emotional expression and physical actions. The martial arts can take people on many different paths, with this being heavily dependent on the guidance, or lack thereof, by the teacher.

As already noted, what the martial arts do, with prolonged and persistent correct practice, is to enhance one’s innate potential. This is akin to making a vehicle go faster. But will the vehicle go faster, and become involved in an accident? Will it go faster, and reach its destination quicker, or arrive at an incorrect destination? Will it go faster carrying one person alone, or carry forward with it a number of other people as well?… To go faster is the feature. What shall be done with that feature, can significantly vary from one martial artist to another.

Enhancement is potency. The veteran martial artist is an enhanced version of himself. Much like the faster vehicle holds unto kinetic energy, the veteran martial artist is imbued with the energy of personal potential. It is a driving force, and it can equally drive people into success or insanity, as well as anything in-between. This makes every skilled martial artist at any noteworthy school, akin to a person carrying a bubbling cauldron of boiling water. The teacher’s responsibility, if he is to undertake it, is to lead those students around for years and decades, with the least amount of spillage from the bubbling cauldrons of boiling water.

Gichin Funakoshi Sensei, the founder of Shotokan, was a man of foremost educational vision. He summarized this problem nicely in his book, in relating to his own style: “…If Karate-Do is followed correctly, it will polish the character, and one will uphold justice; but if used for evil purposes, it will corrupt society, and be contrary to humanity”.
This is why many Dojos have a Dojo Kun, while many Wuguan have a Wu De code of conduct. Such things are intended to help with containing the potency and potential which the martial arts create within students and teachers alike. In creating such codes of conduct, teachers express their true belief: that moral excellence and firmness is not an automatic result of martial arts training, but something which has to be cultivated. Firstly by having such things spoken and written, and secondly via consistent adherence to what is believed to be virtuous, and enforcement thereof.

Alas, it is well known, that the greater influence on people’s behaviour is typically had by their parents’ education when they are children; more so than by their teachers’ education, when they are adults. Although there are exceptions, this is usually the norm. Therefore, only so much could be done, with the attempt to control and guide the potency and potential of students. Certainly, not all people could be made ‘better’. Some in fact, simply become more efficient and skillful villains. Due to this, the scrutinizing of student enrollment into a school, is no less important than the education provided to those who regularly undertake classes.

Much of the dirty politics in the martial arts, can be understood in this way. Politics in the martial arts often exist, when people have had their potency and potential increased, but this was not accompanied by sufficient guidance and restraint. Ironically, ‘personal growth’ might be had then via political means, but not in a manner which can be deemed either moral or ethical. Martial Arts can be a vehicle for growth, but not all growth is positive or spiritual.

This is one reason why, many traditions of the martial arts, have incorporated spiritual aspects into their practices. Most often, the incorporation of the spiritual, is an instrument which helps ensure that personal growth is had ‘in the right direction’.

All that having been said and considered, there is also a technical basis for the idea, that martial arts can beget personal growth. In traditional practice, a person is encouraged and taught how to develop introspection, interoception and proprioception.

Introspection is the process by which we examine the internal state of our mind, thoughts and emotions. Interoception is the sense of being able to feel the internal mechanisms of our physical bodies – whether gross or subtle. Proprioception is the sense of being able to tell where our body is located in space, relative to other objects and the environment. Traditional Martial Arts are a unique practice, in that they feature methods and skills which are designed to assist one with the development of all three of these abilities and senses – Introspection, Interoception and Proprioception. However, their cultivation requires traditional, meticulous and careful instruction over many years. Else, the development of Introspection, Interoception and Proprioception shall not be substantial.

When a person has developed these abilities and senses, such a man or woman become acutely attuned to themselves and their environment. They know who they are relative to others, and have a greater measure of Self-honesty. This enables the martial artist to see the world through a broader lens. People and processes become more coherent. Intelligence is enhanced, and wisdom is more easily accumulated. This could, potentially, lead a person on a more spiritual path, even if the martial arts school they attend is devoid of such instruction. But without the teacher fulfilling their role as an educator and a moral compass, the results of the student’s personal growth will typically be unpredictable, and vary considerably between individuals.

In the chapters to come, shall be included many stories, which exemplify this manner of unpredictability in the personal growth and development of martial artists. Many stories will be told, of the various surprising and often controversial paths, which were undertaken by many practitioners and teachers of the martial arts.

This article was a chapter from Shifu Jonathan Bluestein’s best-selling book, ‘Martial Arts Politics Explained’.

Among the best and most interesting martial arts stories, are those which revolve around political struggles and schemes. Yet due to the controversial nature of martial arts political warfare, few dare to write about this topic. Best-selling author Jonathan Bluestein now proudly presents, for the first time in the English language, a book exclusively dedicated to the politics of martial arts. A tome designed to turn heads, spark debates, and ruffle some feathers.

This thought-provoking and captivating book, is not meant to tarnish anyone’s good name or reputation. Rather, via the lens of Politics, it is a gateway into the History and Culture of marital arts, and especially those that originated in China and Japan. Open this book to enter a shady world, which is otherwise revealed only to those in the know, behind closed doors. Embrace this book, to become an expert on the true and hidden sociology of martial arts communities.

Full of wild characters and wacky tales, this book will read, in part, like the exciting script of a thriller; while in other parts, as a fascinating lecture on the dark side of martial traditions. Behold, as the reality of martial arts politics transcends all fiction, and also produces some lovely intrigue and comedy in the process. You will enjoy this ride, into the tigers’ den!

Martial Arts Politics Explained is now available on all Amazon-affiliated websites.