Always leave things better than when you found them…… especially people.

 

Posted by ADAM CARTER on SEP 1, 2022

The wearing of the “Aka Obi”. The Red Belt.

 

Within the martial arts community there are many types of people. Some have morals and are good people that you can rely upon, and others…….well, not quite so much.

You would think that in a profession where character traits such as honor, integrity, courtesy, perseverance, and an unbreakable spirit, are held in such high regard, that you wouldn’t see such ‘fly-by-night’ type of people.

In my years of training, I have been fortunate enough to have met, trained and associated with some of the highest quality practitioners and instructors in the martial arts. However, on the flip-side, I have also met, tried to stay away from (and been unsuccessful at times) in meeting some of the lowest quality of people too.

For me, ethics and having a high standard of integrity should be an integral part of the study of any martial art, setting the moral guidelines for all practitioners, from the beginning student to the instructors.

Many instructors preach ethics to their students, have the “Budo creed” hung on the wall and recited at every lesson, when often the best way to transfer these values is when the student can observe it in their own instructor’s deeds and actions.

Making students memorize this creed, or student oath, for the purpose of ceremony or testing, does little for their development of these social principles if they are not demonstrated by example.

A proficient exponent of the martial arts should not only be a good athlete, extremely knowledgeable in their art, highly competent in combat, but also with high moral and social virtues. Not slovenly, irresponsible and negligent. It should be the goal of any instructor to develop not only great practitioners and ambassadors of their particular style, but also people of high upstanding character.

As an instructor, the easiest thing to teach are the physical aspects of the art, as most good instructors can perform (some can’t) and students can imitate. It is much more challenging to be able to provide students with a model of high ethics and upstanding integrity, both inside and outside the dojo.

Students look up to their instructors as people supposedly having achieved a level of higher skill. It is with this in mind that instructors need to be aware of their social responsibilities and influence they can have on their students, who often mirror their behavior and attitudes, in a quest to be like them.

This can be noteworthy if the instructor displays all those qualities mentioned, but can also be potentially disastrous should the instructor display many of society’s lesser qualities and fall victim to its many vices (you know who you are).

Humility does not come easily for some martial artists. This lack of humility also results in a lack of willingness or ability to be taught any thing new, and they tend to think they know it all already. Humility is a prerequisite for learning.

Perhaps the most important aspect of being a true martial artist is to have a high moral character. Too many people in martial arts spend a lot of their time chasing dollars, which is not to begrudge those who are successful by legitimate means; however money should be a byproduct of success and good business planning, rather than the blatant driving force behind your involvement.

The martial arts are littered with people who chase position and promotion, often groveling at the feet of the higher ranks in their art, in the hope of being treated favorably when it comes time to test, or appoint positions within an organization.

Its sad to see the decline in standards, attitudes, conscientiousness, and integrity. Apart from good physical skills, knowledge and understanding of your art, it is the upholding of high ethics that should set the martial artist apart from the general public, not your slovenly behavior.

“Always leave things better than when you found them…… especially people.” – Dr. Henry Cloud