“A work of art is the trace of a magnificent struggle.” Robert Henri
Are martial arts an art? The word budo (武道) is often translated into a single term meaning “martial arts.” Alone, Bu (武) means “military” or “warrior” and Do (道) means “path” but when put together they only become an “art” when we practice them on a much deeper level and it becomes a “Way of life.” John-Paul Stonard when commenting on the work of the philosopher Martin Heidegger said, “All art is, in this sense, poetry, an emergence of truth in the world – poetry as a voice raised above the maddening prose of everyday life.” The lessons that we learn in the practice of budo are supposed to have a direct impact on our daily lives and so in this sense, one can see how budo, when practiced as a Way of life, can become an art. The art in this sense that we are creating is ourselves. Furuya Sensei often talked about art and how good Japanese art has yonobi (用の美) or “A balance between beauty and functionality” and that good budo has yonobi. Art is created at the junction between beauty and functionality. Being able to destroy someone has no subtly and that is not enough to make it an art form. True art is knowing just the right amount of paint to use, just the right word, or in the case of budo, knowing just the right amount of much force, technique or power to use which is necessary to subdue an opponent. The creation of art is in restraint rather than excess and thus true art is in knowing what is “just enough.” If we focus solely on the movement then our movement lacks a certain beauty and grace. If we focus only on our mindsets then the movement seems empty. What most people don’t understand is that all martial arts are contrived. It is contrived because we know the attack and we know what is supposed to be the ending. The beauty comes not in the beginning or end but in the process that we go through which brings us to the end. The techniques that we are practicing are our medium and the art that budo is creating is ourselves. Thus, budo can be an art when we practice it as one.
Today’s goal: Does your budo or life have the balance of yonobi? Look inward and see what changes you can make to bring out your own art.
Larnell Lewis just doesn’t play the drums. He seems like a nice
and good natured person and it is inspiring to watch someone who lives their music.