Jiu-Jitsu Can Change the World
This is an article I wrote for the UK edition of Martial Arts illustrated several months ago. I’m putting it up because several international readers have expressed an interest in reading it. Let me know your thoughts.
Genki Sudo's Philosophy sums up jiu-jitsu perfectly
We look at our world and can see that the majority of strife comes from division. War, prejudice and bigotry – all of these social ills require that their participants share the false belief that “you are different from me.”
Despite the fact that martial arts were initially devised as tools for warfare, in their current evolution they have superseded their original purpose and become agents for cooperation and brotherhood. After his fights, Genki Sudo, one of the best fighters of the early MMA generation used to hold out a banner reading “WE ARE ALL ONE”. He advocated the primary tenet of eastern mysticism – that everyone and everything is connected on an intrinsic level. I believe that Jiu-Jitsu and martial arts can change the world, and that they will do it by fostering awareness of this interconnection.
I have seen many examples of this awareness during my own journey into the martial arts.
Fraternalism
Several years ago, when I had first arrived in London, I met one of my best friends for the first time. I am a white South African of Greek descent. He is a black Frenchman of West Indian extraction, whose great-grandparents were affected by the slave trade. On the surface we couldn’t be more different. When I was introduced to Antony at the Roger Gracie Academy in 2004, he spoke little English and I spoke even less French. But we both understood jiu-jitsu. It dissolved any barriers that there might have been between us. It was through the art that our friendship was born. Today, I consider him my brother, someone with whom I would trust my own life.
At the academy where I teach I roll with people from countries including Poland, France, Canada, Croatia, Japan, Morocco and countless others. Admittedly, London is a very cosmopolitan part of the world, but I have not experienced any other institution here or anywhere else that affords the same diversity of nationalities, professions and cultures as the dojo. Millionaire bankers spar with cleaners. Grappling world champions train with school teachers. Muslims learn alongside Christians. On the mat all stereotypes and categories fall away, and in this process it becomes a catalyst for fellowship and camaraderie.
Martial arts connect people. Jiu-jitsu initially spread from Japan to Brazil and now continues to propagate to the farthest reaches of the globe. It’s a reflection of the increasingly global, interconnected nature of our world. Personally, I know that I can go almost anywhere on earth, be it Tokyo or Buenos Aires, and all I need to do is find the local jiu-jitsu academy. There I will almost certainly find a warm reception and a new group of friends. It has been my experience that almost all martial artists feel the same way.
The jiu-jitsoka ultimately realizes that the concept of ‘your country’ and ‘my country’ is outmoded, as is the idea of ‘me’ versus ‘you’. Your training partners and tournament opponents are not people who are in competition with you, they are individuals who are who helping you to experience life and learn about yourself.
Empathy and Humility
Through Jiu-jitsu I have come to understand that I am ultimately no different from anyone else. No better and no worse. Discrepancies in size, strength and skill level, and the dualistic concepts like winning and losing feed the illusion of separation. Some people will always eclipse you in ability, and you will most certainly surpass others. But beneath the shell of the physical, the interconnected spirit is pervasive, and it is on this plane where we are all similar. Jiu-Jitsu and the other more physically intensive martial arts can help us understand this because they harshly exposes the limitations, and ultimately, the mortality of the physical body.
On the mat we have all faced our own weakness, and been surprised by our strengths. The human being goes through a gamut of physical abilities from the cradle to the grave. The journey of a martial artist parallels this. Like an infant, the beginning student helpless and with very little awareness. En route to adulthood, the child’s body grows and he develops his consciousness and strength. Similarly, through experience and training, the flegling martial artist gains skills and ability. Finally, in old age, both undergo an inevitable decline of capacity and form.
In a microcosmic and contracted expression of a human life, the martial artist experiences his vulnerabilities and capabilities every time he steps on the tatame. These are often confronted in its most visceral and primal state. The most talented and strongest are humbled by superior opponents or old age. The weakest and most timid surprise themselves with acts of courage. When you share these experiences with your training partners, an empathetic bond is formed between yourself and your fellow man. Through jiu-jitsu we can come to realize that we are all one.
So the next time you are at your academy, give the same respect to first-day beginner as to the black-belt master. Remember that, like the world itself, they are both mirrors to your own soul.
Nicolas Gregoriades, London, September 2009
Vous pouvez lire cet article en français ICI. Traduit par Vincent N. pour ikusa.fr, merci à lui.
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Comments (15)
Awesome. It’s a real shame you don’t get the chance to update this blog more often.
There are a lot of martial arts that claim to encourage ‘spiritual growth’ or ‘build character’, but as you’ve beautifully described, it is in the heavy contact styles (BJJ, muay thai etc) that you’re truly able to make those positive introspective journeys. As Roy Dean puts it on his DVDs, through jiu jitsu you can ‘discover who you are’.
That’s all true, but it’s also a bit ott to say martial arts unites everyone, as though it’s a unique phenomenon. Tribalism unites people – a group of football fans, the ladies down the bingo hall, stamp collectors – and to state: In a microcosmic and contracted expression of a human life, the martial artist experiences his vulnerabilities and capabilities every time he steps on the tatame – should read:
In a microcosmic and contracted expression of a human life, we experience vulnerabilities and capabilities every time we engage with the unknown.
cheers
Well spoken my friend. Really enjoyed the text.
Jimmy
Great read Nik
I would argue that there is a big difference between BJJ and the tribalism of football, and certainly bingo and stamp collecting: you’re not confronted with your frailties when you go watch a football game or collect stamps.
Watching football or playing bingo won’t test your character, they won’t crush your ego, or bring the personal growth that comes along with that kind of self-awareness.
BJJ does that every time you step on the mat and spar: IMO, it is unifying in a uniquely character-building way (although you could certainly argue that other heavy contact martial arts can achieve the same, like muay thai). Watching football can be unifying, in that you can share the experience with thousands of people, but it isn’t going to result in the same kind of personal re-evaluation.
Another great post Nic. Your perspective truly captures my view and approach to the gentle art. I come across so many practitioners that only seek to tap their opponents, collect exotic techniques and allow their ego to take over on the mat without any thought or exploration of what jiu-jitsu is really about. In so many schools, the upper belts refuse to roll with white belts/beginners for “fear” of getting injured. Keep posting Nic, I love reading these articles.
couldn’t agree more! awesome write up, and sound arguments. thanks
Unfortunately, this is pretty retarded considering fighting is universal and “Brazilian” ju-jitsu is national. You may as well just call it Nazi ju-jitsu or Nigger ju-jitsu because whenever you superficially separate something along a political or ethnic boundary line, you create division from the start. The irony is, you’re attempting to praise ju-jitsu when in reality, you’re celebrating the separation of the world by dividing it along racial/ethnic lines.
I would respect somebody who spoke about fighting as universal. But I could never respect somebody who thought the epitome of fighting was “Brazilian” in nature or even “ju-jitsu”. That’s just plain silly and hypocritical. If I was going to appreciate something for its unique nature rather than universal nature, I would be supporting Jeet Kune Do because Bruce Lee already pioneered this line of thought in the martial arts way before BJJ ever became popular.
Thank you for your comments guys. Good to see the article provoked such wide thought.
LOVE IT!
Nice post!
These are probably two of the most important aspect of BJJ practice, camaraderie and humility.
Guys with attitudes learn so fast
Really good article. I agree with you on all points. The “mutual welfare” element of training is what I have really grown to love so much. You really have to care about who you are training with in order for them to improve… and that goes both ways. If you care, they will, and everyone advances.
Also agreed about the brotherhood aspects of the art.
One things that I do see that is linked to this brotherhood, that I wish I didn’t see so much however, is some of the rivalries and bad feelings between various schools or teams though. We’re all in this together
I was born french (from immigrant parents) and jewish. This is what I did not choose. The part of my life I chose and the one I am the most proud of is being part of the martial art community.