But what does it mean to the Enlightened Zen Warrior?
In a previous post I argued that martial arts are the study of efficiency. Today I will be arguing that the arts are also the study of timing. Timing is another concept that is vital to the correct execution of a technique but is also a concept with an unlimited number of applications. It is through the investigation of both the concept of timing and the application of timing that we can move closer to understanding one of the central teaching of the Buddhist Heart sutra Emptiness is form; form is emptiness. This understanding will be of immense benefit in ensuring out personal success, personal development and eventual spiritual realization.
In a fight it is not always the person with the highest technical standard that emerges victorious. The pretty fighter is not always the best fighter. One concept (among many others) that the technically superior fighter may be lacking to his or her detriment is timing. The warrior with superior timing, if lesser technique, is the one to put your money on. Timing is undoubtedly one of the most crucially important concepts in both a fight and in life.
Timing as a concept lies behind the successful execution of all techniques, whether it be a punch, a kick, entry into a throw or lock or in using some kind of weapon. This is the first clue for the Enlightened Warrior: the form is diverse and multitudinous. The concept underlies all applications, however apparently varied they are. What is common to both a successful punch and a successful kick? Timing. What is common to both entry into a throw and entry into a lock? Timing. What is common to both a sword thrust and a cut? Timing. There is no single form that timing is applied to. Rather timing is applied to all forms and all types of martial arts.
I am a big fan of the author Conn Iggulden and I am currently eagerly reading his new series of historical novels on Genghis Khan. Something I learned from reading these books is that the trick to the superior skill of the Mongol bowmen while on horseback lay in their ability to time precisely when their war pony's feet were all up in the air. It took years of practice to find this split-second moment when a stillness could be felt and the arrow released from the bow to strike its target without the aim being jarred by the contact as the legs of the horse hit the ground (this is also a great example of another important Zen Warrior principle: stillness in motion, something I will no doubt be returning to in the future). The point I want to make here is that the technique of shooting a bow from horseback relied on exactly the same concept that successfully punching, kicking, locking and so on requires: perfect timing. Again, we find another, vastly different, example of how form - the technique - can vary while the underlying concept (here, timing) remains the same.
All well and good. But the Enlightened Warrior recognizes that he no longer lives on a battlefield and perhaps only rarely visits such a place to defend himself and his loved ones. What use then is perfect timing in the real world?
Let me give you another example of how to use timing in your life away from the strict practice of martial arts, one that I use all the time to make money.
One of the ways that I support myself and my family is through micro (day) trading. This is different to investing (which I also do) in that investing takes a more long term view of the market while micro trading involves entering the stock market for deliberately short periods of time in order to make smaller but faster profits. The system I currently use to micro trade depends heavily on the performance of the American market (I micro trade Japanese stocks - I live in Japan, remember!) and the exchange rate. Using some basic indicators I am able to determine or time my entry into the market. When certain conditions are met I will make a quick trade allowing me to pick up maybe 2%-3% returns in 5, 10 or maybe 15 minutes. With enough capital behind you that can quickly add up to providing you with a very nice lifestyle.
Notice in the stock trading example that one of the crucial concepts I am required to use is timing. If I time my entry into the market incorrectly I can lose money. Correctly timed though I can make a nice return with very minimal risk. Here the form that timing takes (stock trading) could not be (apparently) further from executing a punch but, I hope you are now beginning to recognize, both stock trading well and punching well have far more in common than may immediately meet the eye. Both stock trading and punching both require excellent timing.
Now let me ask you to consider these questions:
- Is timing important in asking your boss for a raise?- Is timing important when asking a girl out for a drink?
- Is timing important when teaching your children important lessons at an appropriate age?
- When is timing not important?
A little too early or a little too late can mean the difference between success and failure. Reflect on this as it is of vital importance in the Way of the Enlightened Warrior. Timing is all.
Returning to the Heart sutra we can see that form is governed by timing. What form timing appears in (punching, kicking, stock trading, driving, whatever) is as varied as you can possibly imagine yet timing is always present. In turn, we require a form (entry into a lock, a sword cut, crossing the road) in order to display our understanding of timing. If we have poor timing the form we use to express that understanding will be poor. If our timing is good our form will demonstrate that. What we learn in martial arts has a direct application to our life...and vice versa.
Take your time to meditate on this. To the Zen Warrior timing is everything and everything is timing.
Train hard, live easy.
