IAO – A concept of western alchemy in the practice of martial artsIn this article, I choose to borrow a concept based on the western meta-science of alchemy and a concept within called IAO. I have found it to be a quite accurate view into an aspect of advancing in the field of martial arts. This concept, IAO, consists of three elements: Isis - the birthgiver and creator, Apophis – the inner demon, and Osiris – the rebirth and reincarnation. To understand IAO is an absolute key to understand that becoming better has a tendency to occur in cycles. Even Funakoshi himself recognized this nature of things in his book Karate-do Kyohan. In Kyohan, Funakoshi stated that people become flabby during the first six months of training, and some may last a full year. However, he recognized that this feeling of tiredness is absolutely critical in where the student may either succeed or fail depending on his actions when the time comes. Also, mr. Mas Oyama of the Kyokushin noticed the same, and stated the following about none-stop training: “In teaching karate, I have encountered all kinds of students with all kinds of personalities. Some have the makings of fine karate man. Others are lazy. In a short period of six months or a year, it is difficult to know the extent to which people will develop. Some are well-coordinated and make rapid progress at first only to rest on their laurels, become lazy, and ultimately see themselves surpassed by people who were initially much less promising...” Now I am going to dress into words what I should have done long ago. It is not strictly a dojo technical thing, but can and is applicable into pretty much anything, which makes it a dô-like concept. In this theory of IAO, all progress is divided into these three elements, or phases, and progresses in cycles. Isis or I, the first phase is when a beginner enters the dojo for a first time to receive training. This is the phase when you learn stuff fast, practice is fun, and the things are fairly easy to learn and understand. Afterwards, things start to get complicated as the next phase kicks in. Apophis or A, is the second phase, described as a demon of the mind, descending slowly but surely to shadow the warmth of Isis. This has the effect of transmuting what was fun and pleasant, to become troublesome, and in time, even repulsive to the degree that the thing he loved to do becomes forbidding to him. The A-phase knocks the motivation nine people out of ten down, in which I recognize the greatest challenge of man in becoming better in martial arts. “To be consumed by Apophis”, is especially strong among things that do not give immediate feedback such as budô. Sooner or later, the big A hunts down and gets everyone. Younger or older, male or female, the selection is totally independent of race, sex or age. Everyone. Interest starts to wither, and active practice dies. Progress dies. Osiris or O, is the third phase that awaits the brave who venture under the flaming sword. This is the most critical phase for progress. Either one becomes confused, and wanders into other martial arts to find the cure to a symptom he is unfamiliar with – to instinctively get back to the comfort of a new Isis phase once again. Naturally, this re-entry into the process comes with the same comfortable feeling of progress once again. But that is just another plunge into the arms of Apophis. Those who have understood, that Apophis gets each and every one – have the chance to survive through the cycle of process. Few are the practitioners who become like the Phoenix bird, rising from the ashes of the dead as a brand new being, and feels the warmth of Isis once again. Once this happens, first cycle of IAO is complete. This was the phase when alchemists stated metal to become gold. Where there was a rookie and a sloth, now stands his new version – of totally different and better calibre compared to the pre-cycle self. This is one cycle of IAO. Those who understand it, may choose to survive the mayhem caused by the big A, and understand that becoming better in martial arts occurs through death of something. Like a rising and descending saw blade, the progress reaches its peak in the beginning, and starts to gently descend down, down, down. If persistent enough to meet Osiris, it starts rising again, in the new cycle of IAO, but this time more slowly - and at a more advanced level of understanding. A trainee who had trouble in motivation, suddenly becomes to be one of the most active. This is a clear sign of a complete IAO cycle, and such a practitioner should be encouraged to venture further. What I have just stated, is my personal opinion about progress in the martial arts. Alas, in the modern world of today, the big A is surfeited with prey. Most of the modern age people simply refuse to take hardships and adversity. As if it would be better to surf through 10 different martial arts instead of concentrating on one with open heart and perseverance. This is exactly the mindset of a drug addict. The ‘high’ must be attained, again, again, and once again. When it’s no longer fun, dump it. By choosing to dump, one ensures that his skill in martial arts retains at the level of that very single beginner’s course. Well, nobody said in the first place that it would be easy to attain mastery in the martial arts. To survive Apophis a few times is something that a black belt should be a sign of. To the eyes of an uninitiated person, it is drawn a parallel to skill. As most who are reading this article, recognize that certainly it is not the case. It is the reward of perseverance and ability to withstand hardship and hard times in training and TRAIN, when it would be just so much easier to stay home and relax. I’ve seen plenty of cases at my dojo who come to the beginner courses to learn how to fire lasers from their wrists and similar other hilarious budô legend things. They train very intensively for a year, perhaps two, some more interesting cases maybe third, and exceptionally durable guys four. Where are those guys now? They have dropped out. How about black belts? For the whole time being, they have just kept training and have held the dojo running. For example, I am the sole “survivor” of my own beginners’ course. When years pass in front of me, I’ve noted that less and less people survive the beginner’s courses in budô arts, and most quit in the beginning, towards the end or shortly after. Daring to make a bit theoretical approach about things that are not to be theoretized, it seems like A-phase divides a square root of each and every year’s beginners’ course. Same square root is applied again the next year – and apply to the beginners of the previous year. If, for example, 16 beginners would attend the dojo to train, after first year there would be 4 left. After two years, only 2. Not surprisingly, it is fairly easy to predict that the dropouts will be found stumbling through a beginners’ course of some another, presumably “easier” martial art. Sorry, but there are no “easy” ways in this field of study. Perhaps Michelangelo said it best, "If you knew the time it took me to gain my mastery, it wouldn't seem so wonderful." People who can endure this pressure year after another – they have something special within them in a positive way. It is fairly sure that they will become black belts, given time. However, during my years of practice, I have not learned to see those who have the makings of a black belt even when surprisingly long while has passed since from their initiation. Perhaps this skill comes with time. The cycle if IAO can be short (15 minute kata practice), or it can be long ( a year, 10 years, a marriage… ) The interval can be pretty surprising in range. My advice for you to-be-budokas’ there, is to understand the concept of IAO thoroughly, see Apophis in time and defeat him by accepting that you most probably are not a prodigy, and you will suffer the same hardships in motivation as has everybody else. If I remember right, there was a maxim for knowing your enemy to ensure you half the victory. I hope this information aids you to increase your chances of survival.
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