Choosing a Martial Art

The vast landscape of choices is confusing

Back in my teaching days, there were questions like this, “I have been reading about standing meditation practice and have come across those who say that the weight should be over the heels. I thought it was supposed to be over the balls of the feet. Which is correct?”

This type of question comes up in various forms but always has the same flavour. Namely, “How do I know that this is the real stuff?” It is difficult to sort out the “real stuff” when so many practitioners claim their system is “the” way which has been handed down from time immemorial.

I understand the feeling behind this question because I had found myself asking it over the years. It had created enough doubt about the schools I had been in to leave them for what appeared to be “more true”. Generally I have found that there was something to learn from each experience but it also lead to shallow understanding of the art I was engaged in, rather than learning the deeper lessons that only time in one art can bring.

I suppose that, in the beginning, it is important the feel “this is the best art” in order to make the decision to learn a martial, health, or spiritual art in the first place. But it has become evident to me that remaining with this notion of “our way” leads to confinement within a specific orientation and really only adds to the divisions which plague humanity. It also creates a confusion of paths, styles, techniques, ideologies, and mythologies.

The existence of all these approaches presents a conundrum for students. Namely, “the choice of any one path instantly eliminates all the others. So I had better pick the right one”. Making this choice can create the inner need to feel secure about it, hence the attitude of “our way is the best way”.

But over time, exposure to other systems and approaches can lead to the feeling of “what if this way is not the best? Perhaps those others are more true and I am missing out, or learning incorrect information”. This is what leads to questions like the one I was asked about standing over the heels. It was motivated by a desire to find the “really real stuff”. Unfortunately this creates doubt about the choice one has made and doubts can dilute one’s training motivation like nothing else. So the fundamental question one is faced with is how to know whether or not the correct path has been chosen.

Ultimately, the student will determine what they value of the teaching that has been chosen. The most important question to answer is “how do I feel about being here?” Then one has to begin sorting out the various inner responses to the question.

Without implying that there is a defined yardstick to measure the authenticity and value of a martial, health or spiritual practice, I can offer these basic observations based in my own experiences.

1) MULTIPLE “WAYS” – At the risk of stating something obvious, the significance of there being many methods and schools needs to be mentioned. Since there is such a variety of approaches and styles it is evident that there are several authentic “ways” available. Many roads, one destination. You need to find one which resonates positively with you. Then you can explore techniques from different systems which may be complimentary to yours. See if they fit, but do this within the context of your own system. This way you can be open to other ideas while maintaining the integrity of your chosen path.

2) ASK QUESTIONS – The teacher and/or school environment should promote a feeling of acceptance and openness. i.e.: questions should be encouraged and answered. Uncertainties should be acknowledged and researched. (i.e.: if the teacher doesn’t know something, he/she should find out the answer and bring it to class)

3) DON’T RUSH – The learning should be paced individually as these arts are very personal. One should only be expected to move at your own pace, not pushed to achieve what you are not ready for.

4) SEEK JOY – There should be joy in class. This seems very basic, but sometimes there can too much seriousness in these arts. While the overall goals of internal practice such as health, self-defense, a peaceful mind, long life etc. are very serious, the road towards these goals should be fun. If for no other reason than to assist in the reduction of tension which is so crucial to success in the internal arts.

5) BE THE EXPERIMENT – Practice the exercises exactly as shown and be sure you understand the correct way to practice. Find out from the teacher what to expect from this practice, and be diligent about seeing if the desired results are actually taking place. On other words, be the experiment for the teachings. Find out for yourself.

6) GIVE THE ART A CHANCE – Once you are reasonably satisfied enough that the art you are considering is authentic, stay with it for an extended period of time in order to really see the effects. Internal arts affect different people at different rates. Give it a fair chance. Also, this will allow you to gain some depth of practice, rather than skipping over several arts quickly and not really getting much out of any one of them. Staying with one art is probably the best advice I can give you.

Always remember that this is an exploration. There is too much mystery shrouding the internal arts and one benefits from an attitude of scientific experimentation. Answer the above questions as best you can. Look for commonalties with other arts.

If you are fortunate, you will be with others (including your teacher) who share this approach. The “we are all discovering this together” attitude is most beneficial to all, including the teacher. I would sincerely question the claims of teachers who say they have all the answers and are at the highest levels attainable in their respective arts. There is always more to learn.

Also, they need to survive the western economic reality like the rest of us. As such they are subject to similar stresses and demands and, as such, are constantly working out their lives like you and I. How does participation in your art assist you with coping? Hopefully, your teacher is finding the same value in his/her practice and can discuss why this is so.

Beware of claims of perfect equanimity at all times. I believe the best teacher is one who can freely and confidently admit their shortcomings while continuing to practice and help you with your practice. This promotes and environment of friendly learning rather than imitating a teacher claiming to be all-knowledgeable.

The important thing is to feel that you are on the right track. In order to work towards this feeling, I offer you this simple formula. Be the test tube in which you are examining an internal art, then commit yourself wholly to the practices involved in order to verify the choice for yourself.

As for the question I was asked about the body centering during standing meditation, it was valuable. It caused me to dig a little to find a answer and further clarify the differences in the various approaches while still holding to the value of practicing standing the way we have been shown. We now have better idea as to why we stand this way. So the choice to continue in this way is clearer and, subsequently, has more conviction within the practice.

One needs conviction to continue anything for the long term. The novelty of newness wears off relatively quickly and one needs a long term reason to keep standing every day. The conviction of it being a correct practice for you, chosen from many, due to having asked direct questions and having direct experiences of the effects are among the best ways for the student to “keep on keeping on”.

Oh, and the answer to the question about where one’s weight was placed was that, in Nine Dragon Baguazhang, we stand in the center in order to gain the benefits of both.