The Power of Universal Principles
The monastery’s Jiu Jitsu dojo focuses, in part, on the universal principles taught in the Great River Jiu Jitsu curriculum. We state:
Martial arts principles can be cross-related into our everyday lives. For example, we can all use better Balance. We can guide a problem’s force against itself in the sense of leading it in a better direction. Toward a more balanced position.
Many of our essays focus on how to more effectively and deliberately apply principles to overcome challenges, but also on how to improve awareness. When extrapolated, improved awareness about myself can lead to improved awareness about life, consciousness and even awareness itself. It all hinges on practice.
It is not my intention to imply that the principles I refer to are exclusive to martial arts. Far from that, they are inclusive or universal.
Having said that and on a personal note, I’d like to share a high-level view of how they have helped me in my individual pursuits into consciousness and fundamentally deeper awareness.
Part of my martial arts journey involved learning to become more relaxed. Problem was, I didn’t realize that I wasn’t relaxed. Understandably, this particular ‘inner journey’ took time for honesty to creep in. It wasn’t that I was being dishonest, but rather that my definition of honesty and self-awareness had to expand. Frankly, it was a process that took me years to unfold. And I’m still learning.
What’s interesting is the way in which Jiu Jitsu helped me unwrap all this. I discovered years later what some of my instructors had whispered among themselves when they first observed me as a beginner student: “He’ll never make it. He’s got two left feet.”
My point in circling back to my early training experiences is to convey that it took quite a bit of work to become aware of what was at the root of my clumsiness. And the principles I was learning along with the Jiu Jitsu I was studying is what revealed that. Because I eventually realized that part of the reason my Jiu Jitsu wasn’t always working well was because I was either rushing through things or I was ignoring the so-called invisible obstacles that were like internal speed bumps or warning signs within myself.
Principles taught me to relax, slow down, observe and adjust.
An instructor might tell me to correct this or that, but those types of adjustments were only effective in the moment. They didn’t necessarily carry over. But principles carried over. As I relaxed through the practice of principles, things slowed down. As I slowed down, I relaxed. This self-contained circular loop eventually became more and more habitual. As it did, my Jiu Jitsu techniques started to improve as well as my daily life experiences and interactions.
And here’s the vital part when it comes to explorations in consciousness: I became increasingly capable of staying calm in adverse situations. I like to characterize this form of calmness as ‘equanimity’ or an ability to not over reach or under react to stimuli; an ability to maintain a consistent state of mind.
This ability is, in my opinion, an essential attribute for inward journeys. Because we not only need to stay awake (literally) to become more ‘awake’, but we also need to be able to stay calm and objective within intensely subjective experiences.
I have found that ‘relaxed calmness’ has enhanced my ability to seamlessly adapt to whatever comes my way during inner travels. But also in my daily life. The more i practice these things in everyday life, the more naturally they occur on so-called inner journeys.
All this being said, I have become increasing hesitant to refer to such things as inner travels or journeys. Because both terms seem to imply a break from the norm, almost like when we say we are going on vacation, which represents a break from the routine. The terms imply something that is external to me. The inner experience is not a vacation nor a one-off happening. Conversely, it is something that is integrated into our basic nature.
Without having the fulcrum of principles to leverage against the techniques of Jiu Jitsu, I doubt i would have ever achieved black belt rank.
Jiu Jitsu became a tool with which to practice principles. I don’t think most martial artists are given the opportunity to practice principles. At best, most of us say things like, “Yes, it taught me to be respectful.” And respect IS a principle… but perhaps not in the same sense that I am using the term here. Without having the fulcrum of principles to leverage against the techniques of Jiu Jitsu, I doubt I would have ever achieved black belt rank. I would have become discouraged and quit.
There’s this thing that’s there to be seen, felt and experienced at all times. In my early years of training, I had to realize that I had blinders on. Unfortunately, I still move through my daily life with a different form of blinders on. But just as they eventually came off in my Jiu Jitsu practices, I have become increasingly aware of a different, deeper set of blinders that I need to shed.
“The main idea is to practice in ways that are within reach and do-able, however small and incremental they may appear. Otherwise, it’s not a practical practice. Because, practically speaking, those little increments add up.” - Mark Walter, sensei