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An issue to personally avoid as a teacher and practitioner of MAS

From Overlook martial Arts Reader Volume 2

From “Arts of Serenity, Arts of Strength” by Nicklaus Suino

Page 241:

“Inflated egos are a problem for teachers of martial as well. For those in positions of leadership, many of ordinary avenues for feedback are removed. Most students do not dare to attack their teachers with their effort, and teachers can set up practice situations to themselves the advantage. Being the biggest fish in a small pond is rewarding, but all of us in the martial arts remember how large the pond really is, and how centuries of work by previous generations of teachers went into preparing they way for us.”

Rick how do you foster this in your school?

-Dana

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Did you show compassion today?

Ricks pretty safe , he sorounds himself with the best folk , and invites the worst folk who are full off opinions along too

I resemble that remark

I think Lairds biggest flaw is he holds back to much , making Rick look such a fine teacher .

In fact Randy , Rav , Stan , Louis , they all hold back and are a bunch of cream puffs ...

The only ones keeping him honest are the women .... as usual they tend to be the meanest

Ok , my conditioning is now secure ... I`ll try not derail any more threads today .

I'll try to start letting it go mate!

Excellent question Dana.

First of all we are big on respect but not so much on the rituals.

For instance my adult students all just call me Rick not Sensei.

I work side by side with them.

I expect and demand they come at me with the same intensity they come at anyone else.

Most often when I demonstrate something on a meat puppet they get to do it right back to me.

Saturday is “no belt or rank” day. We have still a couple of folk that join us that don’t train at the school and everyone leaves their rank and ego at the door. They have to because in good jest insults fly pretty freely.

But I guess the best way is let yourself be your student’s meat puppet. Meat puppets don’t get any respect.