Second Childhood

Studying Martial Arts is a chance to grow up again. The first time that you grew up it was not done consciously. The hurdles and achievements were made to conform, to not get in trouble, because they were required, to show off, because of lack of self worth, an effort to be validated, acknowledged or whatever.

The second time through it is possible to be more sophisticated in your goals and approach. To do it for self improvement, self discovery, to do it in a way that acknowledges the fellow student and teacher, to allow yourself to be a beginner again, to let go of barriers and behaviors that make you look good and surrender to vulnerability that can make you become good.

I had said at one time that getting to that level 1 kind of mastery is like going to school; 2 years of preschool and kindergarten, 8 years of primary, 4 years of high school, 4 years of undergraduate and 4 years of graduate school – 22 years.

Well, it is really more like growing up with the yes/no rule phase, the my teacher can beat up your teacher phase, the preadolescent self importance, the adolescent willfulness, ideological zeal of youth, going all the way through the life passages up to mid life crises and breakdowns, break ups and redirections, set backs and breakthroughs.

Well, imagine doing it better, with more care the second time. I mean you’ll still suck and make mistakes but this is a real opportunity to get somewhere. Remember though… it’s just a Metaphor. The teacher isn’t your Dad and the fellow students aren’t your brothers (that you want to tool on for some reason), it is more Mythic than that if you are up to it. Yes to be sure it is the classic myth of the quest, a small band on an all important quest. Their mission was not only to journey into darkness and find the magic object but to make the return journey. Yes, that’s a deep one, the return journey. I hope you all make it back home my friends.