Loyalty in the Martial Arts

Loyalty in Martial Arts

The Martial Arts comes from the East.  The foundational teachings of Buddha, Tao, and Zen is what makes Martial Arts.  The spiritual teachings of the East is what turns something basic like self-defense training into Martial Arts.  In the West, Martial Arts does not exist within the commercial industry.  The west only knows about sport, but not Art.  Anybody who lives in America can only claim Martial Arts when they are grounded in the Martial Arts teachings of the East. 

A Chinese-American can claim the Chinese Martial Arts such as Tai Chi, Gung Fu, Wushu, because that is where is foundational roots come from.  A Japanese-American can claim the Japanese Martial Arts such as Karate, Judo, and Aikido, because that is where his foundational roots come from.  A Korean-American can claim the Korean Martial Arts such as Tae Kwon Do and Hapkido because that is where his foundational roots come from.  A Chinese American who promotes the Chinese Martial Arts is essentially promoting his own culture through the Martial Arts. 

It makes no sense for a Chinese-American to claim the Korean Martial Arts and represent Korea over his own Chinese heritage.  It is a like a Chinese-American who can speak Korean fluently but yet he cannot speak Chinese at all.  It does not make sense; he is not grounded in his roots.  Many Chinese-Americans can be so Americanized that they only know how to speak English and they cannot speak Chinese at all.  This is common because if they are Chinese-American, and they are American born, then their language has adapted to their environment and surroundings. 

It would make sense for a Chinese-Korean to possibly promote the Korean Martial Arts.  His roots could have originated in China but he was born and raised in Korea.  While assimilating to his environment, there is a likelihood that he would promote the Korean culture.  This to me is understandable. 

Where your roots come from will dictate which culture you wish to promote.  But an American who has no roots in the East, has no loyalty towards any culture.  One week he can promote the Chinese Martial Arts, another week he can promote the Japanese Martial Arts, and the week after he can promote the Korean Martial Arts.  Because his blood is not grounded in any Eastern culture, he is easily susceptible of being disloyal towards any Martial Art “style” he wishes to represent.  He can just be guided by profit, rather than being grounded in his being.  He is more likely to exploit the Martial Arts for profit, rather than being a representation of a specific culture and its Ways. 

When you come from the East, you cannot deny your roots.  The Martial Arts is in your blood, it is in your heritage.  But when you are a Caucasian American, you have no roots in the Martial Arts.  You must study the ways of the East to gain that knowledge.  But simply studying the ways of the East does not create any sort of loyalty towards any specific way.  You may begin to feel that you study all ways, that you are a “Jack of All Trades.”  But that provides no stability in your teachings; you will forever be a student that is constantly learning, never having mastered anything in order to be truly qualified in teaching. 

You cannot enter into college with the intension of majoring in every course of study imaginable and then expect to graduate in which to teach everything.  If someone is going to claim “no style” and that they teach “all styles” then you would have to go under the broad category of “Martial Arts” and that you are an instructor of the Martial Arts, you have your own personal expression to teach that is not grounded upon any specific culture or way. 

But if you plan to approach it from this direction then you should not be claiming titles and labels from the East in which to exploit the reputation of those labels when you have not earned the right to use those labels rightfully or at least be grounded in the culture of which the labels have derived from by being a part of your blood family history.   So if you are to claim your own expression of the Martial Arts then you should not be using labels such as Kung Fu, Karate, or Tae Kwon Do, unless those labels are grounded in the roots of where you come from. 

Essentially “Wushu” is the same meaning as “Martial Arts”.  If you are an American, it would be right to say that you teach the Martial Arts, but it would not be right to say you teach Wushu, when you have no grounding in the Chinese culture.  As next week you can easily also claim that you also teach Karate, and Tae Kwon Do, and Tai Chi. You end up being loyal to no specific culture and its ways, you end up not truly promoting any culture and its ways, you end up just promoting yourself, to make profit off of the labels and ways of the East of which you do not even understand or may not even have respect towards. 

If you claim yourself to be a “human being” that you are free from all races, that  you have no race, ok that makes sense, that is understandable.  But don’t claim the Chinese Martial Arts, the Japanese Martial Arts, the Korean Martial Arts, and so on and so forth, when you have absolutely no grounding in any of the cultures and its ways.  Don’t believe that you are a Master of “Jeet Kune Do” because you have seen one of Bruce Lee’s films.  Don’t believe that you have achieved a Ph.D out of a certain university simply because you have seen a TV commercial of that University. 

How many residencies can you possibly claim?  You cannot claim that you are a citizen of America, Russia, China, Japan, Canada, Korea, Africa, France, etc. all at the same time.  If you wish to claim yourself as a human being that is free from all citizenship, ok that is fine, but either way, the law, will still impose it’s rules upon you and label you as a human being that is a citizen to a certain country.  You may not believe in countries, citizenship, and social security numbers.  But regardless of what you believe, you will be born into a certain country and you will be issued a social security number. 

If you are born in America, it is not proper to tell people that you were born in China.  If you wish to say that you were not born in America, but you were born into this world, ok, I understand that.  But if you end up choosing one country to represent and acknowledge as your birthplace, then you should be specific and honest with where your roots are.  You might be a Japanese-American and you have your Martial Art roots from Japan but you do not wish to claim these roots because you are ashamed of the history.  You might wish to just say that you practice the Martial Arts as a whole and that is what you teach. 

But if you are going to choose a country and label to represent, then it should be the Japanese ways and culture because that is where you were grounded in.   You may not be happy with its history, but that does not mean you cannot create your own personal expression that is a better representation of the Martial Arts of which you envision.  Just as the founder of Aikido had done.  He did not just promote Karate and it’s ways, he created his own way with his own Japanese label, he didn’t choose a Chinese label, he chose a Japanese label. 

If you are born with a Chinese history in your blood, that cannot be denied, it is factual, you can deny it, but the truth remains, there comes a forced loyalty to your roots.  But when it comes to a Caucasian American, he has no roots to any country to the East, he chooses what type of Martial Art style he wishes to claim as if he is choosing which book or movie he wishes to watch, he has no intrinsic loyalty.  His loyalty and preference towards any Martial Art style can change at any time. 

One year he is a Tae Kwon Do Master, another year he is a Tai Chi Master, the year after he is a Aikido Master.  He is not grounded in any Martial Art; everything that he claims to represent is false.  It is a like a person who watches 30 commercials for 30 different college Universities and then because he watched these 30 commercials, now he thinks he can claim to the public that he has graduated from 30 different college Universities, but the fact of the matter is that he has not even graduated from one of the Universities. 

Somebody can claim 30 different styles but has not mastered any of them.  It is like somebody who boasts that he practices 30 different sports but yet he is not proficient in even one of these sports.  Another thing is that Martial Arts is not just a sport, Martial Art comes with a history, culture, philosophy, and way of living.  It is all encompassing.  You cannot just learn any Martial Art at anytime; you need to have special access to that specialized training.  Not anybody can study to be a lawyer or doctor, that knowledge is restricted from publicly shared knowledge, that knowledge and information is controlled and regulated to be taught in privately controlled settings. 

The Chinese Martial Arts come from the Chinese.  It is a different way.  It is a different language, different techniques, different philosophy, different way of seeing the world.  Just as here in America, we speak English, in China they speak Chinese.  In America we practice combat for entertainment, in China their techniques are for survival.  In America, most people practice Christianity, in China people are guided by the teachings of Buddha.  In America, we teach to have a strong ego, in China they teach to be strong in Meditation. 

Not every Chinese person knows about the Chinese ways, some Chinese people have become so Americanized that they are no longer Chinese.  But it goes back to where your roots are.  If a Chinese American has become Americanized, he is denying his Chinese roots; this can be seen before your eyes.  It is a self-denial, but you cannot deny the roots.  Just like your blood type.  If you are born with Type A blood, you can deny this and say that you are Type B and not type A, but no matter how hard you try to deny, the truth still remains, you are Type A. 

A Chinese American can believe he is American, but his roots are from China.  You can believe you are American, you can deny your roots come from China, but the reality is that your roots, your blood, come from China.  If you are Chinese, the Chinese Martial Arts is in you, waiting to be expressed through your body.  If you are Japanese, the Japanese Martial Arts is in you, waiting to be expressed.  Now if you wish to deny yourself of being Chinese and you wish to deny yourself of being Japanese, ok then you can be a self-expressive real human being.  But even in doing so, you will still have to use some sort of language to express your way, and if you choose the English language, that means you have chosen one over another, you have chosen the English language over the Chinese language as your form of expression. 

You have still not chosen silence, which is beyond all language; you have chosen one over another.  Although you may claim that you practice the Martial Arts in its entirety, you are still grounded in the roots of which you cannot deny.  And as I stated, all Martial Art Ways are grounded from the East.  There is no such thing as Martial Arts in the West.  The only way Martial Arts can exist in the West is if you bring that experience over to the West from the East.  It is like a Mercedes Benz that is made in Germany and then imported to America.  There are no Mercedes Benz that are made in America, the Mercedes Benz are made in Germany and imported from Germany to America. 

Any person of any race can watch a Chinese Martial Arts movie that has been imported from China to America.  Now just because this person has watched this movie, it does not give him the total experience of what it means to be a real Martial Artist from the East.  Watching a movie from China is one thing but actually meeting a Chinese person that is grounded in his culture and ways and learning from this person directly is another thing.  A Chinese person makes a Chinese movie from China.  Meeting a Chinese person and learning directly from this Chinese person is a direct transmission of the wisdom from the East. 

In America, it is not too often that you will encounter a real Chinese person, a real Japanese person, a real Filipino person, a real Korean person.  These people from the countries of the East have a beautiful culture, tradition, wisdom, and way of life to share.  A Filipino person can potentially teach you the Filipino expression of the Martial Arts, just as how a Chinese person can teach you the beauty of cooking Chinese cuisines. 

A Caucasian American has no solid foundation in any of these cultures and ways.  A Caucasian American is simply a consumer of the Eastern Arts and Ways.  He is not rooted in any of these Eastern Ways, he is simply a consumer.  The ways of just one country is already so vast that it will take a lifetime of learning, you can never master all the ways of the country of where you originate.  Yes it is important to learn from many countries and many people, but still you are rooted in your own country.  You will learn from other countries and other people to benefit your own country.  You can be caught between two countries but you are still rooted in one over the other. 

You can only live in one country at a time.  You can travel the world your entire life, you can visit a different country every week of the year, but you will never be able to truly learn from any one country and gain the real experiences of that country and its ways if you are always traveling.  If anything you will know deeply about the ways of the airport and how to go from one place to another, you may become deeply affiliated with the hotels and tourist locations of each country, but you will never deeply know any country when you are so busy moving from one place to the next. 

Living in a country for 33 years is not the same as reading a few books or watching a few movies about the country of which you wish to live.  Direct experience is not the same as multimedia.  Practicing the Martial Arts yourself for over 20 years every single day is not the same as watching hundreds of Martial Art movies throughout the course of 20 years.  Certain things exist in the East that do not exist in the West.  And Martial Arts is one of them.  You can only learn the real Martial Arts from somebody that is grounded in the East. 

A Chinese American cannot deny his own race and culture, doing so is a disrespect to himself, it is an embarrassment.  A Chinese American who claims himself to be Japanese when he has no Japanese roots, is a disrespect to himself and his family.  It is a sign of great ignorance.  If a Chinese American wishes to deny the Chinese within him, then he should also certainly deny the Japanese as well, because the Japanese is not within him at all.  If a Chinese American wishes to only claim America, because he is American born, then that is his decision, but he certainly should not claim that he is Japanese when he has absolutely no roots to Japan, he is outright lying, he is deceiving himself and the public around him. 

But when it comes to a Caucasian American who wishes to practice the Martial Arts, he has no roots in any country.  He does not understand that you cannot claim the Martial Arts of other countries as if it is just like a sport, like football, basketball, tennis, or ping-pong.  Martial Arts is not sport, Martial Arts is a unique individual expression, and when this unique individual expression becomes widely practiced, it can become a style, and when it becomes so widely practiced that it becomes a style, it can then even start to represent the way of an entire country.  You cannot just claim yourself to be a practitioner of a certain Martial Art of which you really know nothing about, or in an even worse case scenario, claiming yourself to be a teacher of a Martial Art of which you clearly have been given no permission to do. 

In big name prestigious college Universities, you can only obtain the degree if you go and study at the physical location of the University.  Online degrees are not available.  A very famous restaurant that serves great food, you have to go to the actual restaurant to experience the food, visiting their website and looking at the menu is not sufficient. 

Martial Arts is a direct experience.  Similar to enlightenment, it happens from within you, it cannot be mass-produced and consumed like a product.  Millions can watch a great Artist but to become a great Artist is a different story.  It is easy to sell products to consumers but it is not easy to assist the consumer to develop into a fully expressive creative human being.  Authentic Martial Arts can only be expressed by an authentic human being. 

Funny Video

This was pretty damn funny.  I recommend NOT to run in the snow, but rather come train with me at FMK!

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=544765982287235&fref=nf

Free Personality Test

http://www.16personalities.com

A Free Personality Test that my sister shared with me.
http://www.16personalities.com
It's interesting to try it out and see what it saids. This is what I got:

First Test: 
Your personality type: ISTP (assertive variant)

Strength of individual traits: 

Introverted: 24%, 

Observant: 35%, 

Thinking: 61%, 

Prospecting: 72%, 

Assertive: 77%.

Second Test:

Your personality type: ISTP (assertive variant)
Strength of individual traits: 
Introverted: 27%, 
Observant: 39%, 
Thinking: 45%, 
Prospecting: 60%, 
Assertive: 73%.


You are one of the Explorers - a bold and
freedom-loving individual who enjoys pushing the limits and exploring the
unknown. You are known for your quiet nature, technical skills and ability to
improvise.



ISTP PERSONALITY

I wanted to live the life, a
different life. I didn't want to go to the same place every day and see the
same people and do the same job. I wanted interesting challenges.

Harrison Ford

ISTPs love to explore with their hands and their eyes, touching
and examining the world around them with cool rationalism and spirited
curiosity. People with this personality type are natural Makers, moving from
project to project, building the useful and the superfluous for the fun of it,
and learning from their environment as they go. Often mechanics and engineers,
ISTPs find no greater joy than in getting their hands dirty pulling things
apart and putting them back together, just a little bit better than they were
before.



ISTPs explore ideas through creating, troubleshooting, trial and
error and first-hand experience. They enjoy having other people take an
interest in their projects and sometimes don't even mind them getting into
their space. Of course, that's on the condition that those people don't
interfere with ISTPs' principles and freedom, and they'll need to be open to
ISTPs returning the interest in kind.

ISTPs enjoy lending a hand and sharing their experience,
especially with the people they care about, and it's a shame they're so
uncommon, making up only about five percent of the population. ISTP women are
especially rare, and the typical gender roles that society tends to expect can
be a poor fit - they'll often be seen as tomboys from a young age.

DARE TO DIFFER

While their mechanical tendencies can make them appear simple at
a glance, ISTPs are actually quite enigmatic. Friendly but very private, calm
but suddenly spontaneous, extremely curious but unable to stay focused on
formal studies, ISTP personalities can be a challenge to predict, even by their
friends and loved ones. ISTPs can seem very loyal and steady for a while, but
they tend to build up a store of impulsive energy that explodes without
warning, taking their interests in bold new directions.

Rather than some sort of vision quest though, ISTPs are merely
exploring the viability of a new interest when they make these seismic shifts.

ISTPs' decisions stem from a sense of practical realism, and at
their heart is a strong sense of direct fairness, a "do unto others"
attitude, which really helps to explain many of ISTPs' puzzling traits. Instead
of being overly cautious though, avoiding stepping on toes in order to avoid
having their toes stepped on, ISTPs are likely to go too far, accepting
likewise retaliation, good or bad, as fair play.

The biggest issue ISTPs are likely to face is that they often
act too soon, taking for granted their permissive nature and assuming that
others are the same. They'll be the first to tell an insensitive joke, get
overly involved in someone else's project, roughhouse and play around, or
suddenly change their plans because something more interesting came up.

NOTHING IS AS BORING AS EVERYONE AGREEING WITH YOU

ISTPs will come to learn that many other personality types have
much more firmly drawn lines on rules and acceptable behavior than they do -
they don't want to hear an insensitive joke, and certainly wouldn't tell one
back, and they wouldn't want to engage in horseplay, even with a willing party.
If a situation is already emotionally charged, violating these boundaries can
backfire tremendously.

ISTPs have a particular difficulty in predicting emotions, but
this is just a natural extension of their fairness, given how difficult it is
to gauge ISTPs' emotions and motivations. However, their tendency to explore
their relationships through their actions rather than through empathy can lead
to some very frustrating situations. People with the ISTP personality type
struggle with boundaries and guidelines, preferring the freedom to move about
and color outside the lines if they need to.




Finding an environment where they can work with good friends who
understand their style and unpredictability, combining their creativity, sense
of humor and hands-on approach to build practical solutions and things, will
give ISTPs many happy years of building useful boxes - and admiring them from
the outside.

ISTP STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

ISTP STRENGTHS

•   
Optimistic and Energetic - ISTPs are usually up to their
elbows in some project or other. Cheerful and good-natured, people with the
ISTP personality type (especially Assertive ones) rarely get stressed out,
preferring to go with the flow.

•   
Creative and Practical - ISTPs are very imaginative when
it comes to practical things, mechanics, and crafts. Novel ideas come easily,
and they love using their hands to put them into action.

•   
Spontaneous and Rational - Combining spontaneity with
logic, ISTPs can switch mindsets to fit new situations with little effort,
making them flexible and versatile individuals.

•   
Know How to Prioritize - This flexibility comes with some
unpredictability, but ISTP personalities are able to store their spontaneity
for a rainy day, releasing their energy just when it's needed most.

•   
Great in a Crisis - With all this hands-on creativity and
spontaneity, it's no wonder that ISTPs are naturals in crisis situations.
People with this personality type usually enjoy a little physical risk, and
they aren't afraid to get their hands dirty when the situation calls for it.

•   
Relaxed - Through all this, ISTPs are able to stay quite
relaxed. They live in the moment and go with the flow, refusing to worry too
much about the future.

ISTP WEAKNESSES

•   
Stubborn - As easily as ISTPs go with the flow, they can
also ignore it entirely, and usually move in another direction with little
apology or sensitivity. If someone tries to change ISTPs' habits, lifestyle or
ideas through criticism, they can become quite blunt in their irritation.

•   
Insensitive - ISTPs use logic, and even when they try to
meet others halfway with empathy and emotional sensitivity, it rarely seems to
quite come out right, if anything is even said at all.

•   
Private and Reserved - ISTP personalities are notoriously
difficult to get to know. They are true introverts, keeping their personal

matters to themselves, and often just prefer silence to small talk.

•  
Easily Bored - ISTPs enjoy novelty, which makes them
excellent tinkerers, but much less reliable when it comes to focusing on things
long-term. Once something is understood, ISTPs tend to simply move on to
something new and more interesting.

•   
Dislike Commitment - Long-term commitments are
particularly onerous for ISTPs. They prefer to take things day-by-day, and the
feeling of being locked into something for a long time is downright oppressive.
This can be a particular challenge in ISTPs' romantic relationships.

Risky Behavior - This stubbornness, difficulty with others'
emotions, focus on the moment, and easy boredom can lead to unnecessary and
unhelpful boundary-pushing, just for fun. ISTPs have been known to escalate
conflict and danger just to see where it goes, something that can have
disastrous consequences for everyone around if they lose control of the
situation.



ISTP RELATIONSHIPS

When it comes to romantic relationships with ISTPs, it's a bit
like nailing Jell-O to a tree. Dating ISTP personalities is a tango, complex
and interesting, with alternating coldness and detachment, and passion,
spontaneity and enjoyment of the moment. Nothing can be forced in ISTP
relationships, but so long as they are given the space they need to be
themselves, they will gladly enjoy the comforts of a steady partner for a
lifetime.

IF SONGS COULD CHANGE LIVES, WE'D ALL LOVE EACH OTHER



Early in dating, people with the ISTP personality type can be
especially flighty - they live in the present, always looking for new
activities and experiences. If a potential partner doesn't measure up, ISTPs
have no real problem walking away. ISTPs also need a great deal of personal
space, both physically and mentally, and any attempts to control them or
forcibly schedule their activities only accelerates their departure.

On the other hand, ISTPs have no problem trying to change their
partners' habits, most likely with attempts to get them to loosen up a bit and
relax and have fun. ISTP personalities are hardly strict or traditional when it
comes to dating, and often try to introduce sex into their activities early on.
Sensual individuals that they are, ISTPs make ready use of all of their senses,
viewing intimacy as an art, a performance, and a source of pleasure.

As their relationships progress, ISTPs' partners tend to find
that intimacy is about the closest they get to open emotional expression. It's
not that ISTPs don't have feelings - they actually run quite deep and strong -
just that they conceal and protect them because they are unsure how to deal
with them and express them. ISTPs have no trouble leaving something they think
is mutually understood unsaid.

This applies in a broader sense in ISTPs' relationships as well.
Any attempts to push understood arrangements, even the relationships
themselves, into open discussion in order to secure commitment, especially early
on, are often met by ISTPs with something close to panic. Nothing is so acutely
terrifying to ISTPs as knowing that there's no way out. Every day is a new day,
and ISTPs review their obligations from moment to moment.

If ISTPs are to be lifelong partners, it must happen as a
natural progression of these day-to-day decisions, on their own time.

None of this should be taken too personally by ISTPs' partners -
it's just how their minds work. People with this personality type live in the
present, in a world of physical activities that engage the senses, and they
just need to know that they have the freedom to be passionate about something
one day and indifferent the next, without being grilled on when they're going
to finish something, or why they've "suddenly changed their minds".

At the same time, being a little more expressive and a little
more comfortable with the idea of consistency and follow-through can go a long
way in rounding out the ISTP personality type. The best partners usually share
ISTPs' Observant (S) trait, that interest in what the world is here and now,
with one or two opposing traits, like Extraversion or Judging, to help them to
explore a world that also involves other people and others' expectations.



ISTP FRIENDS




When it comes to friendships, ISTPs seem made for Bushnell's Law
of game design: Easy to learn, difficult to master. With their
well-rounded and interesting array of hobbies, people with the ISTP personality
type have no trouble at all making acquaintances to share their activities
with. It's getting beneath the surface to become ISTPs' true friends that is
the real challenge, leaving them with a lot of good will and friendly faces to
call on, but only a few people who they feel truly understand them.

MAYBE... BUT NOT TODAY



A lot of this comes down to ISTPs simply not wanting to be bound
to any particular person or activity. ISTP personalities live in the present,
enjoying whatever life brings, and feel no real obligation to shift course on
account of others' plans. If friends don't want to do what ISTPs are doing,
then they are free to go do their own thing, and they'll hang out some other
time. Sometimes their shifts in attitude can catch their friends flat-footed,
but ISTPs' motto remains "everything can be changed". Forcing them to
constantly commit to scheduled activities is probably the quickest way to end
these friendships.

As long as everyone keeps things relaxed and flexible though,
ISTPs' friendships can be rich and rewarding. People with this personality type
are talented when it comes to using their senses, and usually enjoy a little
competition. This makes ISTPs' hobbies, especially the more physical activities
like fishing and crafts, especially enjoyable with a little company, and they
are usually the basis for their friendships. ISTPs' interests are pretty
diverse, so they should have no trouble coming up with exciting things to do.

ISTP personalities are also thoughtful, rational people. Being
fairly creative individuals themselves, they often enjoy discussing new ideas -
but in the end, the point of sharing those ideas needs to be to take action.
Dreaming is well and good, but talk is cheap, and discussions on abstract or
distant subjects like Eurasian politics can only hold ISTPs' attention for so
long before they decide to shift their focus to something they can do.

This makes friendships with Intuitive (N) types, who have a much
less physical approach to life, challenging for ISTPs to maintain. With their
enjoyment of firsthand experience, these personalities just feel more
comfortable alongside other personality types with the Observant (S) trait. So
long as they share a hobby, philosophical differences and contrasting world
views really don't matter too much - it's what people do that matters to ISTPs.

I NEVER SET OUT TO BE WEIRD, AND YET...

ISTPs are unusually popular, almost in spite of themselves.
Their open-mindedness, interesting hobbies and relaxed attitude are attractive
to a remarkably broad range of personality types. With so many acquaintances,
ISTPs are sure to strike up deeper friendships with at least a few.



ISTP PARENTS

When it comes to parenting, ISTPs give their children more
freedom and opportunity to do whatever they want, within sensible limits of
course, than any other personality type. It's a big world out there, meant to
be explored and experienced. Nothing is quite as perplexing to ISTP parents as
their children sitting inside and watching television all day. Relaxed,
open-minded and flexible, ISTP personalities expect their children to use their
freedom wisely - that is, to exploit it in the name of exploration and
experience.

THE WORLD IS YOUR OYSTER

Early in life, this attitude is tremendously beneficial for
ISTPs' children. At this age, every little thing is a miracle, to be explored
with every sense. Blocks don't just have distinct colors and shapes, but smells
and tastes too, and this sort of sensory exploration is right up ISTPs' alley.
As their children learn their motor skills, people with the ISTP personality
type are happy to stack those blocks right along with them. As their children
grow and develop more complex abilities, ISTPs find joy in showing them how to
use real tools to build real things.

If ISTPs' growing children share their basic qualities of
spontaneity and passion for physical activities, they are happy to accompany
them on just about any activity, be it sports, hiking or hobby engineering.
None of this is anything that gets forced on their children though. ISTPs see
little need in imparting their principles and interests on their children,
instead just enjoying that their children enjoy doing things.

Ensuring that ISTPs' children are responsible enough to not do
anything life-alteringly reckless in their teenage years, though, often falls
to luck or (with luck) a more security-oriented partner.

Where ISTP parents struggle most, as with their other
relationships, is in emotional bonding. Emotional control is something that
children learn and adapt to over years, and comparatively unemotional ISTPs are
often left at a loss for what to do in the meantime. ISTPs may just need to
rely on a more able partner. Otherwise, it takes a great deal of conscious
effort on their part to be able to provide the sort of emotional understanding
and support their children need.



ISTP CAREERS

The ISTP personality type is probably the hardest to pin down in
many aspects of life, but especially in teir careers. ISTPs thrive on
diversity and unpredictability, on wondering “what’s next?” every morning. This
makes ISTPs one of the most mysterious personality types, but also one of the
most versatile in the professional world.

ISTPs are born problem-solvers with an unwavering focus on
practical solutions (though perhaps not always solutions to practical
problems). No other type is quite as fascinated by how things work, how tools
can be used, and how facts can be put together to create immediate and
satisfying results. This combination of curiosity and hands-on vigor make
people with the ISTP personality type excellent mechanics, engineers, graphic
designers, and forensic scientists.

Abstract theory and purely academic work that will never see the
light of real use hold little interest for ISTPs.

"Practical" is the word of the day. But it’s not the
practicality of routine administration that ISTPs crave - they need variety and
action, perhaps even a little adrenaline in their work. Highly structured
environments leave ISTP personalities bored and tired. Jobs that focus on
crisis response, such as firefighters, paramedics, detectives, pilots and
police officers seem made for ISTPs.

Perhaps most important to ISTPs though, is the feeling that they
aren’t stuck. The freedom to wander, the freedom to declare their own
schedules, their own responsibilities, their own environments - nearly every
other consideration pales by comparison to the need to avoid inflexible
commitments and stodgy colleagues. While this can be a significant hurdle to
overcome in traditional employment, it is the chiefest allure of
entrepreneurship.

DO WHATEVER MAKES YOUR HEART SING

Nearly any creative or constructive skill or interest can be
offered on a freelance basis or on a business-owner’s own terms, be it blogger,
systems analyst, athlete or driver. ISTPs need to face down their weak
long-term planning abilities and preference for instant results in order to
make this path work, but livelihoods can be made selling bits and crafts in
their free time. It’s also possible to find more traditional work to satisfy

these needs, and forest ranger is a sought-after line of work for many ISTPs.

ISTPs have a natural skill with troubleshooting, a relaxed,
self-confident nature and a results-oriented focus. People with this
personality type understand that risk equals reward, and as long as they can
use that understanding with maturity, rather than just kicking the ant’s nest
whenever they get bored, they are highly desirable in any dynamic field or
environment.



ISTP IN THE WORKPLACE

When it comes to the workplace, ISTPs' top requirement is often
a sense of unpredictability and excitement. This quality makes ISTP
personalities' personal relationships challenging enough, even among close
friends and immediate family - for those they've only come to know in a
professional environment, it can be downright frustrating.

Of course, this all comes down to knowing what makes them tick.
With a little space and a hands-on problem to solve, ISTPs can be some of the
most productive people around. As with anyone, forcing people with the ISTP
personality type into a mold that doesn't fit just doesn't work. Recognizing
their unique perspective and gifts can lead to extraordinary results.

ISTP SUBORDINATES

As subordinates, what ISTPs crave most is a little wiggle room.
Relaxed and easy-going, people with the ISTP personality type are happy to
stick around with surprising loyalty, as long as their employers and managers
don't try to force them to commit to anything that can't be undone the next
day. Strict rules, guidelines and formal agreements make ISTPs feel cramped and
bored. If their habits or methods come under criticism or are forced to change,
ISTPs can also be surprisingly mulish.

Something that's likely to make ISTPs' day is a random list of
things that need to be fixed or dealt with. ISTP personalities have a talent
for conserving their energy for just such an occasion, and can tackle such a
laundry list with surprising enthusiasm. Their tasks do need to be hands-on
though - if the items all start with "Come up with a strategy to...",
it's probably better to find an Analyst (NT) type.

ISTP COLLEAGUES

ISTPs are often much more liked by their colleagues than they
would expect. Quiet and reserved, people with this personality type usually
need a little physical space, but at the same time enjoy peeking in on others'
work to see if there's anything interesting going on. Not naturally emotional
or empathetic, ISTPs have a blunt way of communicating that can lead to
misunderstandings or hurt feelings.

Yet, ISTPs combine this rationalism and reserve with a sense of
spontaneity that, among other things, creates a lighthearted sense of "do
unto others" fairness. Turnabout is always fair play, and the odd prank,
and the retaliation, are usually enjoyed by all. ISTPs have a great sense of
humor, if sometimes a little risqué, and are not only resistant to workplace
conflicts, but are great at defusing them with a well-placed joke that puts it

all into perspective.

ISTP MANAGERS

ISTP managers treat their subordinates as they'd like to be
treated: with minimal talking and loose boundaries. ISTPs aren't big on
chattiness or emotional expression, and strong Feeling (F) types may see them
as cold and distant - effusive praise and back-slapping just isn't in ISTPs'
nature. In fact, there isn't likely to be a lot of feedback at all from ISTP
managers, good or bad. But when problems do arise, they are great listeners who
devise practical, fair, and impartial solutions.



CONCLUSION

Few personality types are as bold and practical as ISTPs. Known
for their technical mastery and willingness to improvise, ISTPs are good at
finding unique solutions to seemingly impossible challenges. ISTPs' desire to
explore and learn new things is invaluable in many areas, including their own
personal growth.

Yet ISTPs can be easily tripped up in areas where their focus on
practical matters is more of a liability than an asset. Whether it is finding
(or keeping) a partner, reaching dazzling heights on the career ladder, or learning
to plan ahead, ISTPs need to put in a conscious effort to develop their weaker
traits and additional skills.

The Way Within

The Way Within
Every changes comes from within. The Way, the truth is within. Balance is within. You find truth, balance inside and then you can share and give to the next person. Music is my gift to the people. Not many people listen to it, but reaching even one person makes me happy.

FMK is like Music

Have you ever analyze a musical band? If you pay close attention, they play different instrument but they are playing the same song. As for me and Sifu Freddie Lee, we may live somewhere else, we may not look alike. In a way, you can say that we were in the same band even though we played different instrument. The reason I say 'were' is because I am not in FMK anymore due to the fact the online training did not work out too well for FMK. However, my thoughts and his go towards the same thing: The real Martial Arts. We do care about it. I am still training to become a Martial Artist. It may happen or it may never happen but the fact that I take on the journey means a lot. Every time I have a conversation with Freddie Lee, it is like my day is already complete. There is so much harmony to our ways of thinking that I feel like we are creating a beautiful song every time we talk. I do not understand why people close their ears to his speeches but I do not want to. It would be a dream come true if I could get to Chicago and train with the whole school. I do not have to come live there but for at least a week would be amazing. I am aware that some people on Youtube are still thinking that I am kissing Freddie Lee's ass but hey these people did not create me so why should even bother care about what they say? I respect who I want to respect. Even my parents cannot tell me who I should respect so how can they? Nobody is my 'God' so I cannot just be influenced by their negative thoughts. If I let this happen I would disrespect myself and I cannot afford that, especially when I am on the journey to become a Martial Artist.

The Real Can't Be Changed

The Real Can’t Be Changed

“When you love, you project.  You love not to give; you love to take, you love to exploit.  When you love a person you start trying to fix the person according to you, according to your ideas.  Every husband is doing that, every wife is doing that, every friend.  They go on trying to change the other, the real, and the real cannot be changed – you will only get frustrated.”

“The real cannot be changed, only your dream will be shattered and then you feel hurt.  You don’t listen to reality.  Nobody is here to fulfill your dream.  Everybody is here to fulfill his own destiny, his own reality.” – Osho “ hsin hsin ming” – pg. 17

Martial Art students should not be exploited.  You should not fix a Martial Art student according to your desires and ideas.  The student should be allowed to be natural, to just be himself.  As a Sifu, you are there to remind and encourage him to be natural and real, to not try to be somebody that he is not, but to simply just be himself.  As a Sifu, you do not try to change the student. 

When the student enters through the door, it is not about the Sifu and what he wants out of the student; it is about the student and what he or she has interest in developing.  The student is there to fulfill his own destiny, not to be used as a puppet to fulfill the corrupted ideals of the teacher.  If there is the right connection between the Sifu and the student, the Sifu will be there to help the student achieve his/her potential.  If the connection is not there, nothing should be forced.