Learning to See
To have vision, we must see more than what is in front of us.
There is another old principle of practice that states, "the eyes must see all sides." What does this mean? Is it truly possible to see "all" sides?
Of course, in simple terms, we can interpret this as having the ability to see attacks from all different angles, in addition to being able to use our complete eyesight when engaged in sparring, along with a higher level of consciousness. We have all heard the great stories of the old masters being attacked out of nowhere and being able to create a defense as if they knew the attack was coming all along. Is this what the old masters meant by "the eyes must see on all sides?" Investigating deeper, we can see that it doesn't only mean attacks from different angles, but also the possibility of all defenses. Most students limit their understanding of techniques to the one application that makes the most sense, but do other possibilities exist? Imagine having the ability to see the intent of the attacker before he even starts his attack. The longer we train, the more we understand that we are only scratching the surface of possibilities, and an entire realm exists that we never could see before.
How about in our own lives? Could the masters of the past be teaching us to see more than what is directly in front of us? So many time we get stuck in our shallow little view, limiting ourselves from seeing the bigger picture. Having the ability to recognize the trials, problems, dilemmas, and struggles that we go through now will help us in the future. Our consciousness and understanding will expand because of the difficulties that we are going through today. As a result, this will give us the ability to view the bigger picture of life. What is life? What is our life all about? What do we want to accomplish in our lives? What is our purpose, and how do we really want to live our lives? These are all deep questions that we all search for to help guide us towards our future, or as some may say, our "destiny." Is this concept of "seeing all sides" reminding us to have a vision, set goals, and follow through? There must be truth in it, since we hear things like, "keep your eye on the big picture" and "begin with the end in mind." After all, that is exactly what we do in our training. Our first real goal or vision is becoming a black sash, and every sash before that is a smaller goal that is helping us follow through towards the bigger picture, achieving black sash. "Seeing all sides" reminds us to keep our eye on the bigger picture, a constant reminder of where we want to go, of not getting stuck where we are, for it is only a stepping stone (or in some cases, a road block) to where we want to be. It is like planning a trip to Florida. We planned the trip and prepared the vehicle. What could not have seen was a traffic jam due to a car accident or a blown tire. Are these things signs to turn around and go home? Some may very well do that, but most keep their eyes on the goal (getting to Florida) so, we do what we must, and continue to Florida. Once in Florida, we forget all about the traffic jam or blown tire and are simply enjoying our time and our lives there. This is the same with many things in life, not just a trip to Florida. There is a great story about a Floridian, Walt Disney. One day, when one of the investors was touring Disney with Walt's nephew, he stopped and said, "Just imagine if Walt could have seen all this." The nephew replied, "He DID see it, that is why we are able to see it. He saw it first." This is only one great example of one person's vision that millions get to enjoy. Is this the true principle of "seeing all sides," being able to see the here, the now, and the future (the bigger picture?)
If we can take what the masters have left behind, these two principles ("the ears must listen in all directions" and "the eyes must see all sides") and turn them into feelings, expending our awareness and sensitivity to the point where we are completely aware of ourselves and our environments at all times, our possibilities become endless.