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WHAT
RANK ARE YOU?
Onward
and upward
When
I meet students that do not know me, at other dojos or at
tournaments, I am often asked what rank I am.
Now
sometimes the person doing the asking needs to know for a
practical reason.
For
example.
Perhaps
they are asking to make sure that I am called up in the
proper rank order if I am to be introduced with other
instructors, or perhaps it is to make sure I am
registered in the right category for a particular
tournament event.
At
other times, however, I might be asked the same question
by a more junior student who is simply curious, since I
for one do not wear a large number of stripes across my
belt to indicate my rank as some black belts do. Since
things like that can sometimes be misinterpreted by
others as seeming to be saying to the whole world, "look
at me I am important".
In
the first example I will always give them my rank right
away, since to this person knowing the correct answer is
important for reasons other than mere curiosity.
In
the second example, however, I take a different approach
and I always say the same thing, "I am a beginner."
Now
this answer invariably causes the person doing the asking
to look at me for a moment with a surprised expression on
their face, and then they might smile and say something
like, "no your not, you are a black belt".
I
for one always find it interesting that some students
find it hard to imagine that a person with a Dan rank of
any kind could still consider themselves a beginner. I
guess to them having a black belt must somehow
automatically make you a person who should knows it all.
In which case I can see how my answer would come as a
surprise to them.
Then
again I suppose I should not be so surprised since from
time to time we have all probably come across Yudansha
who, regardless of their rank, really do try to give the
impression that they "know it all".
Sad
really.
I
have known many experts in many different fields of
endeavour, and each one has at some point or another
during our time together, said that even in their field
of expertise, and despite their long list of credentials,
they still do not know it all.
They
too are still learning.
And
there in I think is one of the great truths about many
experts.
They
freely admit that the total sum of their current
knowledge may give them "expert status" in the
eyes of many people, but they themselves know that they
have only scratched the surface, and that each day brings
them new opportunities to expand their knowledge in their
chosen profession.
I
too feel the same way.
Every
minute I spend in the dojo is a learning process.
Each
movement, each technique, each kata, teaches me something
new, or re-enforces and confirms for me something I
already knew. Either way each minute in the dojo, or
outside of it for that matter, is a constant learning
process.
My
learning curve, however, is never only upward.
I
for one make lots of mistakes, but to me these "mistakes"
are little markers that continually try and point me in
the right direction, and that in the end need to be
heeded, since they contribute greatly to making sure that
I travel down the right path.
Now
it is important to remember that the right answer may not
appear the first, the second, or the hundredth time you
try something, but if you keep and open mind and an
honest approach to what ever the task it is at hand, then
success can never be far behind.
Yes
rank has its place.
After
all we are a hierarchical society within the confines of
the dojo or other karate related events, but your Karate
training and your personal goals should never be based
solely upon a desire for a higher rank.
Instead
your goal should focus on learning more about things you
already think you know well enough, improving the things
that you know are not good enough, and constantly
striving to make yourself a better martial artist, and
for that matter a better person through the "way"
of karate.
Remember
"Seek
perfection of character"
Gichin
Funakoshi 1868-1957
- Part
the clouds - see the way.
-
- "The
objective of karate-do is to contribute to the evolution
- of
the human spirit through physical and mental training."
- Sensei
Peter Lindsay
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