Friday Knight News
"Cutting down the enemy is the way of strategy, and there is no need for many refinements of it." Miyamoto Musashi
A black belt is both a symbol and a title for a martial artist. There are many levels of black belts, but they all should represent a learner. A black belt was never intended to hold up your pants, but it does serve a functional cosmetic purpose and that is to keep your gi closed. A black belt doesn't guarantee you will win the fight, but it should represent the knowledge, skill, and determination it takes to do so. Since we are dealing with a martial art symbol, we should ultimately be looking at the above quoted statement as a base line example for what a black belt should be concerned about.
Mas Oyama
Martial arts as the name implies goes beyond just being an accomplished fighter. There has always been in every culture, I have studied, from the Greek to the indigenous tribes a mental and spiritual aspect to being a warrior as well. It is still reflected in some of the martial art styles and systems being taught today. Most real martial art systems teach and practice weaponry skills, as well as striking and grappling skills. Or, at least they should because without a full range of combat skills you will lose the martial element to the art. If your style doesn't have these elements then you are training in a martial sport. That is unless your style doesn't compete then you are training in an art that is pursuing enlightenment of some sort. That is okay, but just keep in mind that it isn't really a martial art any longer.
It has been suggested that the white belt represents innocence and purity and the black belt represents knowledge. White also indicates the presence of all colors and perhaps this is why it is used as the beginning or entry-level belt. The belts colors also represent the practitioners' level of induction into the system. These colors varies from school to school as to which colors are used to represent each of the various steps toward acquiring the coveted black belt. Since black is a indication of the absence of all color, I like to think of it in somewhat of a no mind (mushin), type of connotation.
"Satsujinken Katsujinken": The sword that kills is the sword that gives life. Japanese proverb
This type of duality in thinking indicates that a black belt should be capable of responding without thought. In this way there is no intention to do harm, but the weapon no matter if it is blunt, edged, flexible, projectile or part of our body, reacts to protect life. The weapon has the capability of killing but the intent is to only protect life. It is the attacker's action that determines the results. A black belt is generally judged on three levels of development.
Body: A black belt should possess a level of fitness that is commensurate to their age. This level of fitness should cover strength, endurance, and flexibility.
Mind: A black belt should possess a level of knowledge that integrates the requirements of their system both in theory and practice. This indicates that they are always learning and adapting knowledge from one source to another.
Spirit: A black belt should possess the will to succeed and the fortitude to try again for every time they fail.
True black belts are constantly monitoring themselves to ensure that they represent the ideals and values their rank represents. What it boils down to is, are you physically and psychologically capable of defending yourself in armed and unarmed personal combat. Personal combat on the street is generally against a criminal mentality which would likely indicate that the attacker will utilize a weapon or greater numbers. Our art should be suitable to these situations. By this I mean real martial arts do not rely on superior strength, or superior speed alone to achieve victory; or else only the young and strong should be black belt level martial artist. The purpose of martial arts is to stop the conflict. Your ability to do so artfully is what makes you a black belt martial artist.
If we exude awareness and confidence, we are often able to avoid unnecessary confrontations. There is a balance between humility and power. We need to find this balance to avoid challenging weaker egos that seek to prove themselves in combat. A black belt seeks to find balance between fighting and living with the consequences of it. Perhaps that is the symbolic meaning behind the double wrap of a black belt around the waist. The binding together of mind and body; that is the value of a black belt.
A great way to understand the paradox of martial art training is to read about it on my Kindle edition book! Click on the title and follow the hyper link that pops up.
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