Thieves

I learned yesterday UK’s Andy Watson, a much more advanced journeyman on the road towards martial arts improvement, failed his Iaido 6^th Dan exam last weekend.  In fact, all 23 European candidates, ranging from 5^th to 7^th Dan, failed their respective tests.  It led me to ponder why.  Were they all abysmal on the day?  Were the panel members in a collective bad mood?   Had the panel members “raised the bar”?

Andy has yet to publish the reasons he felt contributed to his personal failure but a few days prior to his test he wrote:

“I realise that three factors determine if I pass:

1. The opinion of the examiners: the level they determine is appropriate, what they perceive on the day, how they are feeling, what they think about me.
2. The decision from on high about whether anyone will be allowed to pass.
3. My long term preparation and the performance I display as well as my short term condition (i.e. how hungover I am).”

In the light of all candidates failing, number two seems a likely suspect even though it “doesn’t seem fair”.  Isn’t martial arts everything to do with actual ability and nothing to do with politics?  You’d think so, perhaps, and be quite wrong.  Even the giddy heights of Hanshi Hachidan (8^th Dan, master teachers) have to balance personal standards with commands from above.  If the judges are ordered to close their eyes it doesn't matter how bright you shine.  Ignoring the rights or wrongs of this, mentally coping with failure is a test in its own right.

Look at this from a parallel perspective.  In January of 2012 we’ve the Australian National Jodo and Iaido competitions coming up.  I’ve never won either of my grade categories: only come second-best a few times and managed the semi’s once or twice.  Should I feel bitter if my personal opinion about the person who beat me was they were crap and didn’t deserve the victory or if the judges were somehow biased?  It’s educational to watch the look of disappointment on some faces at these events: it’s usually followed by some form of personal (or conspiracy-theory) blame game.  Same with the outcomes of gradings. 

I’m increasingly beginning to think winning and losing bouts like this, or passing/failing gradings, is irrelevant.  Both victory/defeat or pass/fail are consummate thieves.  Thieves who rob you of focus and, in return, bloat or puncture your ego.  I'd like to learn to keep the detached focus.  The sort of detached focus so important in developing Fudoshin.     We're taught to apply this on the dojo floor but what about the rest of the time?    

Easy to say but  let’s see how I cope with that come January!!!  

Andy W. strutting his stuff.  Looks like this is part of the Ukenagashi kata