| Part of martial arts and self defense training is to | | | | you want to give this person - is there for the sole |
| increase your knowledge base. That's obvious. But, in | | | | purpose of opening your eyes to those parts of the |
| reality, that's not why you need a mentor - a master | | | | world - of self-defense - of combat - of life... |
| teacher - to guide you through your training in the art | | | | ...that you NEVER even knew existed. |
| and practice of ninjutsu. That's why no amount of | | | | Here's a quick example of what I mean. On the |
| reading or watching videos can give you the same | | | | thumb-side of your hand, at the webbing between |
| depth of training that you can receive when you train | | | | thumb and hand, there is a nerve that can be |
| -face-to-face with an authentic teacher of the | | | | triggered by applying pressure and crushing it against |
| shadow warrior's art. | | | | the second metacarpal (hand-bone). This pain |
| Don't misunderstand me. In the beginning of your | | | | response effects not only the attacker's hand, but |
| training, when everything is new and unknown to | | | | his elbow-shoulder alignment, spine, and also his ability |
| you, your teacher is there to show you the | | | | to move his feet. |
| fundamental lessons of the art. And, at this point in | | | | If you already know this, you'll need a different |
| your training, the delivery method used by your | | | | example. But, if this knowledge is new to you, you |
| teacher really doesn't matter. | | | | just learned something that a minute or so ago, |
| In the beginner phases of your training, it is quite | | | | existed in your own personal realm of the |
| possible to learn the mechanics and basic strategies | | | | "unknown-unknown." What that means is this: before |
| from books, articles, and video demonstrations of | | | | you learned about this point, you could never have |
| the techniques, tactics, and strategies being learned. | | | | recognized it as an option or possible target in a self |
| But, as you progress through the intermediate and | | | | defense situation - even if you had a hold on his |
| advanced levels of the art, this will become less and | | | | hand! |
| less true. | | | | The truth is that, you can only see what you know. |
| You see, through the course of your training, your | | | | If you don't know that a certain country exists in the |
| teachers job is to "open your eyes." But, what are | | | | world - you will never think about or want to visit it. |
| we opening our eyes to, you might ask. And the | | | | If you don't know that certain body postures, |
| answer is that, your teacher is helping you to | | | | phrases, and vocal tones de-escalate, while others |
| transcend your own limited, narrow vision of | | | | trigger negative responses in human beings - you |
| "what-is," and exposing you to the alternate realities | | | | won't control your actions and voice to use or avoid |
| that exist of both: | | | | using them. And... |
| 1) What you might run into - this includes not just on | | | | ...if you don't know that a pressure point effects |
| the street in a self defense attack situation, but also | | | | more about the way your body moves and operates |
| in the course of living. And... | | | | - if you only focus on the pain response - then you |
| 2) What options you have - for handling the | | | | will never be able to control an opponent with the |
| situations that occur in #1. | | | | same level of skill and mastery that envy in your |
| The point that I'm getting to here is that, you don't | | | | teacher. |
| need a teacher to show you things you already | | | | The thing that books, videos, and articles like this can |
| know. And, while he or she may be able to help you | | | | never give you that you must have to succeed is |
| with your questions about things you know about | | | | DIRECT FEEDBACK. |
| but don't have answers to, a true teacher's purpose | | | | You can "think" that you're doing what you saw in |
| far exceeds this limiting role. | | | | the video, but the reality is that, without an authentic |
| No. The reason you need a mentor is so that he or | | | | teacher of the Ninja'a art being there to help you to |
| she can show you "what you don't know!" | | | | see what you cannot - you will never reach very far |
| A mentor, guide, teacher, master - whatever title | | | | beyond your current state. |