It might be noticed that my avatar photo has bamboo in it along with a hummingbird. There is a philosophical reasoning for that, both have a Zen Koan like meaning behind them so I adopted that as a symbol for my training, practice and teaching/writing/posting on martial ways. Here is one quote from Bruce Lee on the attributes of bamboo that symbolize a bit of what a martial art is, “Notice that the stiffest tree is most easily cracked, while the bamboo or willow survives by bending with the wind.” - Bruce Lee
I quote, “In Japan, the symbolism of the bamboo plant runs deep and wide and offers practical lessons for life and for work.” This begins to explain the role of bamboo as a symbolic representation within the culture but also much so in the culture in the martial dojo.
A martial artist must be flexible yet able to create a grounding ability through being rooted, i.e. bamboo are flexible yet they hold firm to the earth through their roots. They have a flexibility that allows them to bend a great deal without breaking much like a martial artists must be able to find root to the earth yet remain so flexible they spring back from all obstacles encountered.
Bamboo sway easily with even the slightest breeze or bend down to touch the ground under the onslaught of a typhoon. It has such a solid foundation due to having roots firmly in the earth much like martial artists applying principles, etc. It never tires, it bends but does not break, yet it remains standing tall and still.
This equates to the traits of a martial artist who shall go with the flow of things and when confronted by adversities bends and sways always returning to stand tall and still with roots deep in the event one applies the craft.
Bamboo is ready for whatever nature brings, it is hollow or empty yet firm, resilient and flexible on the surface as if allowing for wisdom through an empty mind of no mind, etc. It is a very useful plant that is simplicity itself.
The hollowness of the bamboos is symbolic of the Zen concept of emptying the mind so that present mind ability is achieved. Only the empty mind can allow the instincts of the mind rise up and achieve control in conflict, conflict being life itself. When the mind is obstructed and cluttered with various mind chatters it cannot lead the body and the body cannot act. Freeing the body is freeing the mind thus achieving a mind-of-no-mind as symbolized by that hollowness of the bamboo.
A story goes somewhat like, “Bamboo catch a deep winter snow covering it till the weight bends it down just touching the ground until a good breeze of a tremor of the bamboo causes the snow to drop to the ground springing back to its upright station ready for the next flurry of snow.”
Now, the humming bird is another matter and its traits symbolize many traits of a martial artist. Speed is just one small part of what a hummingbird is about but many don’t know that they are also about endurance and diligent daily ability. One breed along takes the time to train then fills themselves with fuel and than fly non-stop from upper Florida across the entire Gulf across to South America. That type of endurance and discipline and ability and perseverance is what martial arts are about along with many other factors. Using the hummingbird to symbolize the martial artists and to use the bamboo to symbolize the system or style itself conveys to fledgling practitioners the goals and achievements possible simply by applying oneself toward the full spectrum of learning, practicing and achieving proficient ability in a martial art.
Look at the above as a tease to seek out and learn more about martial arts. It is full of history and culture and symbolisms all meant to provide an individual the tools to win the great victory against the greatest of all adversaries, the self.
Some insights that I felt were traits symbolizing a martial artist one can see when reading about the basic characteristics below. One example is body mechanics or physiokinetics are expressed in describing their wings then there is the speed aspect, i.e. it is virtually impossible to perceive the flapping of the wings.
Read also:
No comments:
Post a Comment