From the study and teachings of martial arts, I have found guidance in much more than the physical art itself, by having a mindful presence. In so doing discovered the master’s mindset. A lesson about Mindful Presence; from my Sensei’s book: “Jiu-Jitsu means gentle or soft art. Jiu means yielding or using the force of an opponent to overcome them. The full word Jitsu links this fighting method with the Bugei or martial art of war and not a sport. Therefore, Jiu-Jitsu really means yielding martial art.”
I’ve had a recent Epiphany about this idea of a soft art and the master’s mindset. In my early experience, much of my training in martial arts was done with the mindset of “this is hard or difficult I have to persist and struggle until I get it. Thus making mental pictures of tension and struggle. Much of the technique and movements do require a great deal of practice to perfect. However, this does not necessarily mean that it has to be “hard“ or difficult.
Easiness-inner ease and peace is the state 
of being that your training and all endeavour should come from. Therefore, the key to the master’s mindset. When I was 14 years old, and training in Taekwondo, we would begin the class with meditation. This means in seated position legs crossed, eyes closed, and told to clear our minds. Just thinking of nothing and taking several breaths. We would end our class with this as well. I think the tradition was there but the ideology was lost. No one ever said be at ease and peace in your mind as you train your body. Reading this description of soft art I realize that although you are training in a lethal art, and fighting is harsh, you need not be in a harsh state of being.
In fact, now at age 43, I have realized that 100% of your training and endeavours are to do with your state of being. Trusting that your authentic presence is you at your best. This is the Master’s mindset, complete presence.”Soft Art” I now look at as treating yourself with love, internal gentleness and peace with complete awareness and oneness with what is. This allows the technique to flow naturally. There is trust in your training, no need to pre-think situations. The master’s mindset responds naturally with clarity, ease, speed, and power.
Up until this point, I realize that I have inadvertently sabotaged myself by often presupposing things to be difficult, tense or harsh. Whether it is looking how to get my snowmobile unstuck from a tree well, imagining a way to apply a Jiu-Jitsu technique, or how to lovingly get my crying child to calm down. In the end, its because the mental pictures are in alignment with what you want, and with what the situation requires of you.
If you let fear be your guide you, your state of being, gets harsh. Hence tension builds which leads to more stressful mental pictures. Thus leading to more tension and stressful angry, fearful emotion. If you let joyfulness, inner ease, serenity and oneness with what is, be your guiding beacon, solutions and technique flow. Then my snowmobile carves a beautiful line around that tree, I rip down that hill with fun and ease on my mountain bike, I naturally calm my child, because the mental pictures are in alignment with what I want. All as a result of the master’s mindset.
JofulEasy Recommended Reading…
Tao of Jeet Kune Do: New Expanded Edition
Bruce Lee Striking Thoughts: Bruce Lee’s Wisdom for Daily Living
