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Skill + ?
By the little dojo | February 2, 2007
“This is our class distinction and
prejudice. Just because someone has skill
doesn’t make them superior. Neither does
being from a certain lineage, name,
family, or group.
In Skill = Spiritual I touched upon this
briefly. We carry this class distinction over
to martial arts but wouldn’t consider it in
other areas. Why? If your lineage
descends from Alexander the Great does
that make you better? If your father,
grandfather, or great-grandfather was the
inventor of modern dentistry does that
mean, even with training, you have a
greater insight than all others?
I was looking at an Aikido DVD of a
seminar by the current head of the
Aikikai. The founder of Aikido’s grandson.
As I was watching, though his movements
and techniques were very good, in the
background were disciples of his
grandfather. Instructors who were
training and practicing way before he was
born! The thought that crept into my
mind was: “They should be teaching, he
should be studying from them.†However,
just because of lineage, he is the chief
and leader of the official art even though
he may not be the most skillful. Some
people will value his teaching more than
their own teacher’s due to his title.
Just like assuming someone is spiritual
because they have great skill, there is an
assumption that someone with skill, or
the right name has a greater
understanding or are automatically better
at the art. If my father was a great
surgeon it doesn’t automatically mean I
have the same gift. Also, though one is
skillful, it doesn’t mean they can teach.”
Thanks to Andrew Dale for his insights check out his web site http://www.wuji.com.
This is so often the assumption that we make that because someone is a great Martial Artist they can teach or are of high moral fiber or some other attribute that we ascribe to them. They are people who have a well honed skill and many times the time they to develope that skill was time not spent cultivating the other desired qualities. Not many great football coaches are great players they are great coaches. we should seek out people to work with that have the ability to help us with our questions in our search not forgetting that it is our search and we are responsible for it. If that person can help us and is the best suited so be it and so what if they are lacking or even devoid of another talent. Don’t hold it against them, value them for the gifts they gave you and keep searching in your own path.
Topics: Aikido / Aiki Jutsu, Bruce Lee, Chi Kung, Fook Yueng, Steve Smith, Tai Chi | No Comments »