Scholars as Warriors: Warriors as Scholars
Is there still a purpose for a scholar warrior in the 21st century?
I ask myself this question daily. Those who have spent decades training in the martial arts as well as pursuing academic credentials are an unusual group. Why do both? As was said a long time ago, “The society that separates its scholars from its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting by fools.” — Thucydides
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Given the idea that the martial arts are a method of allowing ourselves to be able to conquer ourselves, then to conquer the thinking mind is consistent with that idea. When we as martial artists choose to challenge ourselves with academic pursuits, as well as combative and physical pursuits, then we can become more balanced in mind and body.
I am not implying that all martial arts practitioners should spend their time and money acquiring advanced university degrees, I am suggesting that martial artists consider learning new things besides forms or fighting techniques; there are many free websites that allow a person to learn a plethora of different skills or at least gain more knowledge of a particular topic.
I have practiced what I am now preaching and found learning different types of mathematical operations has helped me be more precise in everything that I do, to include the martial arts. Learning activates different areas of the brain depending on what you are learning. Cognitive synapses (pathways) form when we learn. Martial arts techniques are psycho-motor skills (not muscle memory as it is often referred to). Psycho-motor skills require the human body to move to learn. Other cognitive or thinking skills are learned without moving the body but by reading, writing, calculating, and analyzing information.
To close, we as martial artists should seek to balance both mind and body. As stated by the Marine Corps describing their martial arts program (MCMAP), “One mind, any weapon.”
John M. Landry, Ph.D.
