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Sometimes, for whatever reason, this does not fully satisfy a person's curiosity which prompts the instructor or practitioner to discuss the mental benefits one gains from the arts such as discipline, honor, courage, and kindness. The fact that the arts enhance these inner abilities is a bit more challenging as no amount of push-ups will prove a person's integrity. These are the skills that are used every day when the martial artist is interacting with the rest of the world. If the practitioner has been really studying his art, it will show through his interactions with the people around him, the respect and courtesy he gives to others, friend and stranger alike. But how do you convey this to the curious? The best way to start is to share a real story, like the one I just recently witnessed:
I have a student in my school that has been training with us for nearly a year now. He is a bright young man with solid plans of becoming a police officer once he is done with high school. He loves challenges and is always incredibly positive. Recently, he has been handling very difficult times in his life and has missed some classes. While in class, he has updated the group and explained that he has spent some time with doctors and has endured increasing back pains. As time progressed, it looked for this student as though he was going to have to undergo surgery to replace some lower disks of his spine. As the instructor, I wanted to help this young man continue with the arts he has such a passion for and I modified each workout to accommodate his needs and discussed with him things that might improve his situation, including recommending vitamins to help strengthen him on the inside.
The true inner warrior showed himself in a fellow student, a gifted martial artist with a natural inclination toward the arts and a desire to be the best of the best. This student quietly listened to every update and was also interested in learning the alternate training to help support his fellow classmate. Two days ago, I got a text message from the quiet student asking if he could visit me at my home, to which I agreed. When he arrived, he was carrying a small box. He didn't say much but wanted me to see to it that his fellow student received this box of men's health vitamins. He knew that his friend was focusing on the medical bills and felt that if he could contribute in some way, his training partner would be better taken care of.
He knew he wasn't a doctor and couldn't help in that capacity so he figured out a way to help and he did so without requesting compensation or recognition. He did it simply because he cared.
This is a living example of what kinds of inner abilities are enhanced with martial arts and the incredible thing about this aspect of the arts is that people can excel in these abilities from the very first day into the arts. I am fortunate that I know these two and every student at the Beginner's Mind Dojo. They are all great martial artists, physically and internally and each one of them inspires me to be a better person every day.
Image by Tom Gill (lapstrake) via Flickr
