Proof is On the Floor: An Addendum

[sensei8]

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.

While this article might appear short, I felt it quite necessary to follow up on my original article titled "Proof is On the Floor!" with a few additional tidbits.

While I'm constantly spouting out my most favorite quote to the entire Shindokan student body, as well as to the Shindokan Hombu's hierarchy, I can often also be found sharing the adage with one and all that I come in contact with.

Proof is On the Floor!

No the accolades that one possesses or the platitudes that might adorn their wall, proof will always be told by an ever silent witness whose counsel is an ever vigilant testament to what truly exists as more than just the culpable truth.

What the floor reveals is without reproach. What it reveals is without ambiguity. What it reveals is without rebuttal. What it reveals is without prejudice. What it reveals is without favoritism. What it reveals is without hatred toward any man or woman.

There's an apothegm, "If you don't want the truth, then don't ask me the question." Getting on my floor, or any floor for that fact, will tender a reaction from the floor; it just happens on its own.

Each and every time someone/you/I step on the floor, the revealing begins of its own accord. Every movement, technique, lesson, and/or words spoken and the like are under the scrutinizing eye of this "third person" on the floor. Nothing gets by this witness; everything is complete in its totality... EVERYTHING!

Excuses die on the floor! Sure, one can try to offer up as many excuses as Carter has liver pills, in a vain attempt to save face. Those excuses wither and die mercilessly. Excuses fall upon callused deaf ears because the floor has revealed what's already been suspected. The floor is judge, jury and executioner of everything that is false, including excuses.

On the other hand, the floor also rewards those who pass the unquenchable thirst of the floor with a loud crescendo of silent applause. The floor in comforted by honesty as it exhumes with cause by what's being revealed. Solid, honest, true and exceptional techniques.

In closing, if tactfulness fears you, if truth fears you, if you already know what the floor will reveal, and that scares you, then my most sincere advice to you is to stay off my floor! However, if you're confident and humble in your martial arts prowess, then by all means, I eagerly invite you on my floor because warriors of truth we are, and warriors must train hard and exchange knowledge.

For now, the floor rests until called upon, and it will be called upon when least expected!

[Patrick]

Thank you for the submission, Bob.

Patrick

[Archimoto]

I read every word and loved it!

Thank you!

Interestingly this highlights for me one of the aspects of training that has evolved for me as a MA'ist

After college I got deeper and deeper into corporate life - meeting professional obligations - and the floor became a sanctuary away from the nonsense at the office, the smoke screens, the rat race. The beauty of the floor is that you can't talk your way through an exercise or a challenge. You're either there or your not, you either can or you can't - plain and simple.

Thank you Sensei8 for your wonderful post! It reminds me of one of the many reasons why I have always loved and continue to love training - it's bare, it's raw, there is a lot of unvarnished truth in it.

[sensei8]

I read every word and loved it!

Thank you!

Interestingly this highlights for me one of the aspects of training that has evolved for me as a MA'ist

After college I got deeper and deeper into corporate life - meeting professional obligations - and the floor became a sanctuary away from the nonsense at the office, the smoke screens, the rat race. The beauty of the floor is that you can't talk your way through an exercise or a challenge. You're either there or your not, you either can or you can't - plain and simple.

Thank you Sensei8 for your wonderful post! It reminds me of one of the many reasons why I have always loved and continue to love training - it's bare, it's raw, there is a lot of unvarnished truth in it.

You're more than welcome! It's been a staple of my life for quite along time.

I'm glad that you liked my article, and in reading your post, I sense the power of your words, and in that, you've understood the important of the floor, and the power that it possesses, for some time now.

We remain calm while the floor goes about its business. We do so because we understand that the floor has its job, as we have our job. The diplomacy between the floor and its subject for the moment, is appreciated between them both. However, the floor will only yield when the subject is in agreement that each are of them have a job to do.

To shine? No! To take center stage? No! To be the most important one on the floor? No! To be noticed? No! To be respected? No! To be full of self? No!

Then what? To honestly train; to pour out ones soul on the floor and surrender to what might be.

The floor isn't just a MA floor. No. From every walk of life; there the floor is, and there the floor will be waiting to do its job.

EITHER ONE CAN'T OR ONE CAN...the floor judges whether one likes it or not. Be careful, very careful because someone might be watching "you" when one least expects it, and if "you're" not complete in your totality, well, best stay off the floor until you are.

[sensei8]

One more thing, please.

If someone's asking..."Just what does this have to do with the MA?"

Everything!!

More than one can ever hope for and more than one could ever imagine. And if that someone is asking that question, then I say this...the floor will reveal "you" faster than "you" would like.

[Archimoto]

[bushido_man96]

We all have the floor in common. The question is, do we venture from the comfort of our own floor from time to time and experience what others offer on their floors.

Thanks for the addendum, Bob. As always, its great!

[sensei8]

Thank you, everyone!!

[CredoTe]

I absolutely love this stuff; this bare-boned, razor truth approach to MA and to life. Man oh man, I wish I could get all of my students to see things this way and treat the training floor as a sort of "Occam's razor" (or Ockham's razor, i.e. lex parsimoniae) for their personal MA journey.

We get a number of students and/or parents that like to make up any amount of excuses to not do an exercise, drill, etc (I'm not referring to the folks with legitimate medical reasons). These same folks then wonder why they or their children aren't progressing at the same rate as others around them (rank or otherwise)...

[ninjanurse]

Ditto-love it!