Comments on: "It makes me sound like a wuss.” http://www.martial-secrets.com/2009/04/30/it-makes-me-sound-like-a-wuss-%e2%80%9d/ Lawrence Kane & Kris Wilder Mon, 20 May 2013 21:40:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5 By: Krista de Castella http://www.martial-secrets.com/2009/04/30/it-makes-me-sound-like-a-wuss-%e2%80%9d/#comment-154 Krista de Castella Sat, 02 May 2009 04:05:00 +0000 http://www.martial-secrets.com/2009/04/30/it-makes-me-sound-like-a-wuss-%e2%80%9d/#comment-154 Great post and I really like Ed's comments.

Reminds me of something Higaonna Sensei said when speaking of his teacher <An’ichi Miyagi:

“He taught me that one should always seek humility and that the stronger one becomes the more humble one should be. He likened this to a stalk of rice, which bends lower as it grows taller. Human beings are to do likewise, he said.”

I really like that quote.

]]> By: Kris Wilder http://www.martial-secrets.com/2009/04/30/it-makes-me-sound-like-a-wuss-%e2%80%9d/#comment-153 Kris Wilder Fri, 01 May 2009 14:32:00 +0000 http://www.martial-secrets.com/2009/04/30/it-makes-me-sound-like-a-wuss-%e2%80%9d/#comment-153 Awesome Ed –

Sensei Strikes again.

]]> By: Ed Sumner http://www.martial-secrets.com/2009/04/30/it-makes-me-sound-like-a-wuss-%e2%80%9d/#comment-152 Ed Sumner Fri, 01 May 2009 05:35:00 +0000 http://www.martial-secrets.com/2009/04/30/it-makes-me-sound-like-a-wuss-%e2%80%9d/#comment-152 Kris, Many moons ago, a bunch of us beginners were sitting around the dojo after practice, having a “dumb beginners” discussion about the “best form of self defense.” After a few minutes, the Sensei got tired of hearing it, and came over to us and admonished us. “All martial arts are good,” he said. “But if you want to know, I can tell you the HIGHEST form of self defense.” “Please, Sensei, tell us,” said one of the beginners. “Extreme courtesy,” he replied.

Of course, a fool might mistake courtesy for weakness. But Chojun Miyagi named his style GOJU (Hard-gentle) in part because he believed that it required great strenght to be a truly gentle person. At lease, this is as it was explained to me by Sensei Chinen.

Ed

]]> By: Matt Stone http://www.martial-secrets.com/2009/04/30/it-makes-me-sound-like-a-wuss-%e2%80%9d/#comment-151 Matt Stone Fri, 01 May 2009 04:18:00 +0000 http://www.martial-secrets.com/2009/04/30/it-makes-me-sound-like-a-wuss-%e2%80%9d/#comment-151 I tell my Soldiers frequently that my kindness ought not be confused with weakness.

I was taught very early on, and I believe it to be true, that only those who are genuinely powerful and strong can afford to be sincerely courteous and respectful. Otherwise, on some level, it’ll be done out of fear – of injury, of reprisal, of social embarrassment, etc.

So those who are genuinely sincere in their kindness are probably the strongest of all…

]]> By: Shotokan101 http://www.martial-secrets.com/2009/04/30/it-makes-me-sound-like-a-wuss-%e2%80%9d/#comment-150 Shotokan101 Fri, 01 May 2009 01:16:00 +0000 http://www.martial-secrets.com/2009/04/30/it-makes-me-sound-like-a-wuss-%e2%80%9d/#comment-150 Interesting viewpoint – personally I don’t see it as necessarily a problem “within” the Dojo, although it depends on the “Degree” IMO.

However those “Instructors” who expect the same level of “respect” outside the Dojo….. ;)

]]> By: osucat1 http://www.martial-secrets.com/2009/04/30/it-makes-me-sound-like-a-wuss-%e2%80%9d/#comment-149 osucat1 Thu, 30 Apr 2009 18:35:00 +0000 http://www.martial-secrets.com/2009/04/30/it-makes-me-sound-like-a-wuss-%e2%80%9d/#comment-149 Theodore Roosevelt said it best, “Walk softly and carry a big stick.”

It really doesn’t get much better or profound than that.

Of course, that is just my two cents worth.

]]> By: ZenHG http://www.martial-secrets.com/2009/04/30/it-makes-me-sound-like-a-wuss-%e2%80%9d/#comment-148 ZenHG Thu, 30 Apr 2009 18:04:00 +0000 http://www.martial-secrets.com/2009/04/30/it-makes-me-sound-like-a-wuss-%e2%80%9d/#comment-148 It isn’t necessarily about Pacifism. Gandhi was not a pacifist.
Pacifists will do nothing, they are subservient, this does not require any courage.
Gandhi’s Sattyagraha movement was about taking action using civil disobedience as their weapon. Fighting a war without throwing a physical blow, appealing to that innate humanness that separates man from animal.
Look at the power his movement had because of this. He was anything but subservient.

This reminds me of a saying by the Buddha to a layman, outlining the guidelines to live a life with integrity in the Diggha Nikaya of the Pali Canon.
“Can a man without integrity recognize a man without integrity?”

Integrity, principles, morals, manners, courtesy; these things might be mistaken for weakness, thus, a man without integrity cannot recognize a man with or without integrity.
I would not want to cross such a person, no matter how nice they are.

]]> By: Patrick Parker http://www.martial-secrets.com/2009/04/30/it-makes-me-sound-like-a-wuss-%e2%80%9d/#comment-147 Patrick Parker Thu, 30 Apr 2009 16:55:00 +0000 http://www.martial-secrets.com/2009/04/30/it-makes-me-sound-like-a-wuss-%e2%80%9d/#comment-147 Yes… There is a saying…

Only a Warrior can choose pacifism – everyone else is condemned to it.

I think Jeffery, and of course you too, Kris ;-) are both right on about this.

Do y’all recall a quote by Gandhi about the ultimate travesty of disarming an entire nation and the results it will produce?

]]> By: jeffrey cooper http://www.martial-secrets.com/2009/04/30/it-makes-me-sound-like-a-wuss-%e2%80%9d/#comment-146 jeffrey cooper Thu, 30 Apr 2009 16:42:00 +0000 http://www.martial-secrets.com/2009/04/30/it-makes-me-sound-like-a-wuss-%e2%80%9d/#comment-146 IN GENTLENESS THERE IS STRENGTH

One cannot truly be gentle or nice without strength. If I am being “nice” because I am weak then I am really just being cowardly and obsequious. I cannot show restraint unless I have something to restrain.

]]> By: Kris Wilder http://www.martial-secrets.com/2009/04/30/it-makes-me-sound-like-a-wuss-%e2%80%9d/#comment-145 Kris Wilder Thu, 30 Apr 2009 16:39:00 +0000 http://www.martial-secrets.com/2009/04/30/it-makes-me-sound-like-a-wuss-%e2%80%9d/#comment-145 Ah…
Interesting take. Something to think about.

]]> By: Narda http://www.martial-secrets.com/2009/04/30/it-makes-me-sound-like-a-wuss-%e2%80%9d/#comment-144 Narda Thu, 30 Apr 2009 16:18:00 +0000 http://www.martial-secrets.com/2009/04/30/it-makes-me-sound-like-a-wuss-%e2%80%9d/#comment-144 Nice. ;)

I suspect that sometimes ‘hard training’ is actually a way to excuse ‘hard attitudes.’

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