Modern Psychology and The Tao

[ninjanurse]

This post was originally published as an article in a dedicated KarateForums.com Articles section, which is no longer online. After the section was closed, this article was most to the most appropriate forum in our community.

 

"Black Belt is a symbol of excellence in the martial arts, however the true excellence is not in the belt but what kind of person you become in the process" (1).

 

It represents who you are and sets a standard by which you live and judge yourself in the future. In the beginning of the process it is our ego that drives us - the need for status, recognition, attention, etc. - but in the end it is our ego that we learn to overcome thus removing the obstacles that keep us from achieving wisdom and maturity. I suspect that the ancient martial arts masters knew this as throughout history the role of the warrior has been primarily one of protector and traditionally warriors have been people who put self-interest second to the needs of the community. It seems then that their paths were not just directed towards mastery of physical skills and martial techniques but towards self development as well. Many start on the path for a variety of reasons and not all reach the finish but those that remain on course undergo many psychosocial changes throughout the process.

 

What motivates one to stay on the path? Abraham Maslow, a noted psychologist, developed a theory of human development which attempts to explain what motivates people and leads them to the ultimate goal of self-actualization and transcendence, that point where a martial artist overcomes his own ego and gains an understanding of humility and its place in the warrior ethic. His theory of human needs provides a framework for discussion on how the study of martial arts can lead one though this process and what motivates them to attain that ultimate goal.

 

We begin by outlining Maslow’s theory. He based his "hierarchy of human needs" on two types of needs, those that are basic to human existence (basic needs) and those that can be pursued depending upon a persons wants or circumstances (growth needs). A need higher in the hierarchy will become the motivator of behavior as long as the needs below it have been satisfied. The first of the "basic needs" are Physiological. These include the needs we have for oxygen, water, food, sleep and exercise. Once these needs have been met our focus turns to Safety. We become interested in finding protection, stability and order in our lives. The third level of "basic needs" are Belonging and Love, which are fulfilled through establishment of relationships with friends, lovers and the community we live in. We join clubs, get married, establish a career, etc. The final level of "basic needs" are Esteem Needs, which take on two forms. The lower form being the need for respect of others: the need for status, fame, glory, recognition, appreciation, dignity and dominance; the higher form being the need for self-respect manifested by confidence, competence, achievement, mastery, independence and freedom.

 

Once the "basic needs" are met we are ready to act on the "growth needs" of the hierarchy based on our wants and goals. Maslow called this part of the hierarchy "self-actualization" and broke it down into four distinct levels that feed our desire to fulfill our potential. At the Cognitive level, we strive for knowledge and understanding which leads us to the Aesthetic level where we learn to appreciate the beauty and symmetry of what we know and apply it to our environment. It is the beginning of being able to look outside of ourselves and seeing the beauty around us. The level of self-actualization is reached when we use this knowledge and appreciation to understand who we are and have a sense of well being through overcoming our fears and realizing our potential for success in the present and the future. Once we understand who we are we begin to look to the final level of Maslow’s self-actualization needs which is the most difficult to obtain yet the most treasured to achieve: Transcendence. This ultimate level is characterized by the struggle to transcend our own ego and enter into a life of humility which is dedicated to helping others achieve self-actualization through the same process.

 

Maslow’s self-actualizing, ego-transcending people are wise. They focus outside of themselves and they respect each others individuality. They feel joy in others successes and possess a common set of values: wholeness, perfection, completion, justice, aliveness, simplicity, beauty, goodness, uniqueness, truth, honesty, reality and self-sufficiency to name a few. Living within these values helps them to understand and seek out reality and because of this they are open minded, flexible and receptive. The fact that they are no longer ego-attached to their present views makes them teachable, compassionate and not restricted by doing what is considered to be the social or political norm, i.e. just because something isn’t popular doesn’t mean that it isn’t the right thing to do.

 

The path of the warrior follows the same hierarchy of needs that Maslow’s self-actualizers do, with the goal manifesting itself as humility. Gichin Funakoshi, the great master of Japanese Karate, taught his students that "to attain true proficiency the karateka (student of karate) must control his mind and conquer himself". This humbling of oneself is central to the essence of the warrior spirit and the path to achieving it through martial arts training parallels Maslow’s Hierarchy exactly. All levels of needs can be met regardless of our initial motivations and goals as the process is the same and the psychology constant. The following illustrates how martial arts training fulfills the needs of the hierarchy at each level:

 

Physiological: Exercise, pain relief, preservation of health, better nutrition

 

Safety: Self defense skills, awareness, discipline, structure, consistency

 

Belongingness and Love: Association with like minded people; acceptance regardless of rank or skill; loyalty to the school, friendships

 

Esteem: Learning to overcome physical and mental challenges; belt level progression; success at competition; recognition outside the school by family, friends and co-workers; self-confidence; teaching others

 

Cognitive: Desire to "master" the basics; beginning to understand the theory and philosophy behind technique; exploring complex combinations and weapons; learning what motivates you (and what scares you); desire to attain higher rank and pass down knowledge

 

Aesthetic: Maintaining the standards of the art; striving for the perfection of the smallest details; finding beauty in the form; working on physical and emotional balance; having pride in your school; becoming a role model; time management

 

Self-actualization: Knowing who you are and what your strength's and limitations are; confidence in your skills and potential; able to move "into the zone" to achieve peak performance; not being motivated by your fears; comfortable with your role, knowing your future goals; being able to get what you want out of training

 

Transcendence: Overcoming yourself so that you can focus on others; understanding humility and earning respect by giving it; having a deep burning desire to help others achieve their goals by sharing your knowledge, fears and experiences; taking nothing for granted and giving everything without expectation of reward

 

From these parallels it is easy to see that Maslow’s "needs"are easily fulfilled through the study of the martial arts. However, Maslow did not have the benefit of years of tradition to provide the consistently reproducible outcomes the masters of the arts did. By following the traditions and philosophies of their arts and striving to hand them down intact, martial artists are bringing Maslow into the classroom everyday and their students are reaping the benefits. The very nature of the warrior spirit that they try to instill in their students gives rise to perpetuation of the cycle as those students then become the protectors and guides for the next generation. While martial arts was born and thrived in an environment of "kill or be killed", the warrior spirit still thrives today in a more peaceful world not because of Maslow’s theory but because of the ancient principles it is based upon: The Tao.

 

The following is a parable told by Gichin Funakoshi:

 

A student once asked, "What is the difference between a man of Tao and a little man?" The Sensei replies, “It is simple. When the little man receives his first dan, he can hardly wait to run home and shout at the top of his voice to tell everyone that he has obtained his first dan. Upon receiving his second dan, he will climb to the rooftops and shout to the people. Upon receiving his third dan, he will jump in his automobile and parade through town blowing the horn, telling one and all about his third dan.” The Sensei continues, “When the man of Tao receives his first dan, he will bow his head in gratitude. Upon receiving his second dan, he will bow his head and his shoulders. Upon receiving his third dan, he will bow at the waist and quietly walk alongside the wall so that people will not see him or notice him." It is plain to me that the masters have always known that Black Belt excellence is truly about who you are and the path you take rather than the belt you wear around your waist.

 

Footnote

 

(1) http://www.pcisys.net/~success1

 

References

 

Dynamic Karate, Masatoshi Nakayama. Kodansha International, Japan. 1966

 

Toward a Psychology of Being. Maslow & Lowry. Wiley & Sons, NY. 1968

 

http://userpages.itis.com/wrassoc/articles/psychsoc.htm

 

http://kings.edu/kdils/maslow.htm

 

http://cop.com/tw-ch01.htm

 

http://www.ship.edu/~cgboeree/maslow.htm

 

http://www.pcisys.net/~success1

 

http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/col/regsys/maslow.htm

 

http://www.digiserve.com/mystic/Taoist/Tao_Te_Ching/humble.htm

 

http://www.granddynamics.com/main/archive/feb_2001.asp

 

http://facultyweb.cortland.edu/andersmd/MASLOW/ROLES.htm

 

http://www.deepermind.com/20maslow.htm

 

http://www.aiki.com/sneak/highered.htm

[Patrick]

Thank you for the submission.

[Dijita]

That was absolutely excellent!

 

I wish more people would adopt the Tao way.

 

There is a person that I know who runs a small dojo. I had a lot of respect for his skills and talent. He is currently testing for his 1st Dan, and at first I really wanted him to obtain it. After hearing conversations he has had with other people, I'm not so sure that he deserves it. I've heard him put down and mock his own students to other people. Not only is this bad, but he doesn't even do it discreetly. People who are standing around in our dojo can hear him say these things. I'm sure that the word will get around some day.

[SaiFightsMS]

Very thought provoking. Thanks.

[gheinisch]

Great Read! Thanks for sharing!

[supergroup7]

Wow.. how eye-opening!.. Thank you for submitting this article.

[Sunrunner]

As a martial artist and as someone who has studied various theories of human development, behavior, needs, and the like, I really enjoyed reading your article. Very thought provoking. Thanks for subitting it.

[ninjanurse]

Thanks for the positive comments. I appreciate them .

 

[italian_guy]

Very good and enlighting article .

 

Thanks for sharing your view with us.

[longarm25]

Very nice article