INTRODUCTION
CONTEXT:
Current global events are prompting everyone with a slight sense of citizenship to closely observe and analyze their own personal positioning within the larger mass of opinions and beliefs.
This introspective process is also an intimate component of a civic process, where our position represents our political, moral, ethical, and cultural coordinates within society and relative to history. This, of course, is deeply related to our knowledge and understanding of history as well as the mechanisms involved in the organization and functioning of a society.
In this civic activity, we often find ourselves at odds with family members, friends, and colleagues. This, sometimes, may give rise to conflicts - requiring our ability to negotiate our points of view vis-a-vis the perspective of those around us. Thus, civics imply to a certain extent - strategy, and strategy means choice.
The relationship between Martial Arts and Civics might not be immediately recognizable to someone not familiar with the history of what we call today martial arts. On a very superficial level, martial arts are considered fighting arts - where “arts” refers to the highest level of efficiency possible.
A deeper research into various martial arts schools and traditions across the world will show that these fighting systems often have socio-political origins, and they are also archives of cultural, somatic, and historical information.
In many cases, martial arts would tell the story of civil disobedience, or resistance against tyranny, passing down stories and legends about acts of heroism and valor. We can easily recognize these elements as they were depicted - more or less accurately - in movies and performances.
Let’s pause for a second to have a look at the definition of Civic Skills and the respective education required for acquiring these skills:
Civic Skills are the abilities needed to participate in a democracy, and they are acquired through the study of citizenship, including its rights AND responsibilities.
This would explain why, in many cases, Martial Arts were forbidden and illegal in many parts of the world and throughout different periods in history. To dictatorial thinking, anything that would enhance and empower a human being to question and challenge an authoritarian status quo was an immediate threat.
One may wonder how can throwing a punch and knowing how to kick, can challenge an Emperor or a Dictator, or an indoctrinating ideology of population submission? The answer is beautifully simple:
A martial arts practitioner inevitably arrives at the discovery and internal realization that they can access and use power. This has nothing to do with being able to break a board, and everything to do with building an unbreakable moral core through physical training and mental development.
Of course, not all martial arts students were virtuous, but that is besides the point. People looked at the training itself as a way to defend themselves, as a way to resist, as a way to hold strong, as a way to survive, and as a way to refuse giving up - and THAT was the actual threat to any system attempting to indoctrinate and subjugate a population.
Case in point and a personal example:
My own journey into martial arts began when I was about 12 years old. At that time, my country, Romania, was under the rule of an oppressive dictatorship led by Ceausescu and the Communist Party. During those years, and many years before I started, Martial Arts, Yoga, Meditation, etc..were considered dangerous and illegal. In other words, my first few years of training happened in hiding, secretly, and often under the disguise of a different sport and with the tremendous help of people who were passionate about learning it. We had Dojos everywhere, yet there were no Dojos to be found.
Let me be clear: not a SINGLE time during those years our group of practitioners have ever discussed politics, and yet, our resistance grew year by year in a silent, tacit but not passive way. We trained hard, most of the time daily, we often moved locations, and in many cases outdoors - always aware of possibly being watched, always aware of being questioned. Nobody was expressing dissent towards our Supreme Ruler, yet everyone grew steadier in our resistance.
Eventually, after the fall of the communist regime, a wonderful group of us came together and out of hiding, to establish what was then the first Romanian Martial Arts Federation - the first time when each of the existent schools and styles were officially represented and recognized. It was a proud moment of jubilation, one I was honored to be a part of, and a symbol of victory - where our years of diligent training emerged victorious against repression. It was, for all intended purposes, a civic stance and a statement of the power of Martial Arts.
Does that mean that training in Martial Arts is an act of defiance? By all means, NO. Practicing martial arts is a profound act of self-respect, a powerful means to integrity and responsibility, and a wonderful path to building a community of people from diverse backgrounds yet united by the common values and principles of being human.
When done right, martial arts provide a powerful system for self-determination and a mighty shield against indoctrination. When done wrong, it creates a cult-like mindset that ultimately robs those who fall victim to it of their critical thinking abilities, time, and money. Because of that, we must always be aware of the fact that Martial Arts are a reflection of who we are as individuals and as a society. Through that awareness, we open the wonderful paths of learning and practicing not only punches, kicks, blocks, and throws - but also the intricate and delicate art of being human.
Understanding this context of how Martial Arts and Civics can and do intertwine is just the beginning. A first step into a much larger and much more powerful way to see and explore training and the world itself.
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