The MAGIC in the Martial
"They turned it into a piece of plastic"
Model, Gratitude, Intention, Core
Many years ago, when I was a green belt, I went to tournaments with a great friend, BKF black belt Ray Doss, known a "Bruce" because his hands and feet were BLINDING fast. He was my private instructor for years, and I admired him greatly. But more than his physical skills was, simply, the content of his character. He was and is a REAL martial artist. I longed to model him, from his motion to the clarity of his emotions in the arena of karate.
One day, he taught me a real lesson. We were at a tournament (I did ok. Nothing special) but Ray was blazing up the ranks, beating everyone. So fast and sharp that he actually scared people, and that turned into a problem.
You see, Ray was a lightweight. Around 140 pounds. The middleweights kicked in around 160, with the heavyweights about 180 and up. And the middleweight and heavyweight champions both belonged to the same school. Oops.
So Ray took lightweight, at which point there was supposed to be a round-robin for Grand Championship. It had been a long, hot, hard day, and Ray was tired, but I saw him gather his steel, straighten his spine, and get ready for the ultimate test. Could he beat the Middle and Heavyweight champions? THEY certainly seemed to think so…but we never got to find out.
They stonewalled him. Went to the judges and simply said they wouldn't fight each other, or Ray. And because their school had brought so many students, the judges folded. Their school would take home the grand championship trophy.
I was outraged. Saw read. Could not BELIEVE what had just happened. Ray on the other hand had listened to all of it calmly, and stripped off his gloves without a word or protest.
I couldn’t believe the way he had responded to this bull#$%%, and told him so. How could he be calm? They robbed him of the trophy!
Ray just smiled at me. "No they didn't" he said. "They just turned it into a piece of plastic."
I stared, realizing he was, indeed, a real black belt. Far above me. His clarity of purpose was absolute. He wasn't there to get a trophy. He was there to test himself against the best, to become a better fighter and man. To celebrate with his brothers and sisters on the path.
The absolute cowardice displayed by the Middle and Heavyweights simply proclaimed that they were not on that path. The avarice of the judges said that the tournament was a farce.
But Ray had gotten what he wanted: a day in which he had been in integrity with his being, such that he could recognize Fool's Gold when he saw it. And that clarity itself cannot be purchased. It must be EARNED under pressure.
I would have raged. Fumed. Blamed. Perhaps even challenged.
Which is, of course, why I was not a black belt, and Ray WAS.
(And is. He's still quite remarkable)
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Let's take a look at that from the viewpoint of MAGIC shall we?
Map or Model. Ray had chosen Steve Muhammad as his teacher, a man who is as close to 100% real as I've ever seen. And he'd read Musashi's writing: "Do nothing that is of no use" and "Distinguish between gain and loss in worldly things." And he'd learned the lesson. Wow, had he.
Action. To get this clarity, he took the action of fighting. And training, every day. Not to "learn karate" but to contact the warrior nature within him, and purify it in a contest with other warriors. He had put in the sweat and blood. No "keyboard warrior" he.
Gratitude. He was GRATEFUL for being cheated. Holy crap! He didn't get the Grand Championship, but saw the naked fear and greed that motivated these guys. They were on the wrong path, and unless they change paths, their "progress" will dead end when their physical prowess wanes…as it always does. Ray is chasing the right rabbit.
Intention. Not to win trophies. Not to earn belts. Not even to be able to defend himself (Ray is LONG past needing to worry about the typical street confrontation). But to actually be a warrior.
Core Alignment. He answered the "who am I?" question brilliantly. "I am a man who is not swayed by fool's gold." and "what is true?" was the fact that this entire tournament was a farce.
He got to have fun kicking ass, however.
###
THIRTY YEARS LATER…
Steve Muhammad visited Los Angeles, and spoke to the BKF. He invited me up to give a talk, and I spoke of the M.A.G.I.C. Formula. Ray was in the audience. Older now, grayer. A little heavier. A senior black belt. But I knew he was still the same amazing fighter, with the same amazing smile. And after the talk, he walked up to me and shook my hand. "I think that was a good one, Steve" he said. But what he meant was: "So…you finally understand. Good for you."
Namaste
Steve
