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Zen In The Martial Arts
By JHyams
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Grand
Master Caprio teaches that self education, inner research, and development to
upgrade the body, the mind, and the spirit should be the main focus in a martial
artists life. For those who are interested in spiritual growth or how to achieve
it, you may find "Zen In The Martial Arts" by Joe Hyams to be an
excellent overview of how the principles of Zen may be applied to the learning
experience of martial arts and to ones personal life. This is not a book that
delves heavily into mysticism. It is very easy to understand and requires no
prior knowledge of Zen philosophy.
Joe Hyams' involvement with the
martial arts began in 1952 when he was a Hollywood columnist for the New York
Herald Tribune. Self-described at the time as sedentary, overweight, restless,
easily bored, and constantly seeking new adventures, he was made aware of the
potential benefits of the martial arts by one of his interviewees who recognized
the hostile attitude of his interview techniques. A first lesson was arranged
for him and he was set on a more than 25-year course of study, the highlights of
which he shares with us in t his book.
In
each of the 28 brief chapters the author relates personal accounts of his
experiences in martial arts training. Some concerns mentioned in the book, are
the roadblocks that he had to overcome, such as his problem in dealing with
anger when facing sparring opponents, his times of frustration
over his slow progress due to physical limitations, and his habit of always
trying too hard and creating unwanted tension in his efforts. He describes how,
through guidance of his teachers, he gained insight to deal with these
and other problems and effectively uses the knowledge to improve his personal
life and career.
The concepts of Zen are
illuminated by Mr. Hyams through recollections of conversations with his
instructors (including the late Bruce Lee). This "straight from the horses
mouth" approach gives authority to the ideas that, there is no free lunch,
you get out what you put in, and anyone offering a short cut is lying. In
his introduction he writes, "It is possible for the student to make contact
with Zen in the Martial Arts only by a slow and roundabout way". It was
only after several years of training that he came to realize that its deepest
purpose is to serve as a vehicle for personal spiritual development.
Zen in the Martial Arts can
provide a sense of what experiences may lie ahead for you in the further study
of Capkido or any other traditional art, even if the physical aspects of it
dominate your interest.
End
Zen |
Peaceful Warrior | Sacred
Journey |
