Transmission of the Art

, Martial Art ..... Geijutsu, bujutsu no sōshin, [芸術、武術の送信]

I was reading a post on another martial system blog when I read the line, "... first and foremost about the transmission of the art ...," which reminded me that what is most important and what should be first and foremost in the mind of all sensei is the transmission of the art, system or style they practice and train in.

It involves shedding the skin of self-serving controls and limitations that come from a system that is fraught with commercialism and politics that limits, stifles and stagnates progress in any martial system. I mean the only point to maintaining a dogmatic adherence to some tradition that is not fundamentally taught by a particular master teacher, who has passed on anyway, as if that means of transmission is restricted to some requirements set forth by a hand full of folks who are threatened by the idea that others may take control of their efforts and leave them in the dust.

Training and practice should be approached with a model that is meant for the practitioner/student to develop themselves, to develop their own system of practice and training, and to develop and transmit the art that is within the system, style or branch for the greater good of all.

Then there is the thought that this is neither traditional or actually modern but progressive leaving behind the history and foundational principles that made the martial arts what it was, is and can be .... when in reality a blending of both is possible where the systems of martial practice began but became lost. A system that uses the history to learn from and then promotes the progressive creativity that is the only way a system can progress, prosper and propagate to the children we call students.

It is still a matter of tradition to leave out ego and pride for the betterment of the person, the dojo, the dojo members and the system. It seems as if the ego and prideful manner is what is leaving out what we must and have learned from history so as to simply repeat it as if none of what the former master experts created so the mistakes are made in ignorance propagating stupidity.

Make the transmission of the art your primary concern and allow a blending of both traditional classical teachings blend with your creativity and progressive learning of the new as taught by the old.