Becoming A Master

[Dragon_Princess]

What does it mean to be a master?

Why arent there more of them?

What is needed from a master??

I am 18 and have only trained MA for a year, but I think about it constantly and train a lot. Do I still have the potential of becoming a master??

[waya]

"master" is just a title.... I really don't put alot of meaning behind it anymore because so many people have the title who don't deserve it. To me, noone is any higher or better than anyone else just because of how many stripes they have on their belt. We are all still students first and before anything else.

Truthfully someone with a title like that should of course have very advanced knowledge in their respective system, and a certain high level of maturity and mentality that is above the more childish practices, being power or rank hungry, etc. The biggest thing I expect from anyone using a title of that sort is in how they treat students under them or another instructor, and how they go about helping another practitioner learn.

Rob

[Sonshu]

In my mind this is more a title from Old Chinese type kung fu but can be added to any thing not just martial arts. The only way I ever see someone becoming a master is by other people saying he is.

Not a title you can call yourself and I think its a title that is given to people by students that are very devout in their following I don’t place to much emphasis in it as you yourself know when you are good and its nice for others to say you are. To be a master in one art can still leave you looking pretty poor in others! Believe me!!!!!

Master or not (and I am not) I am just happy for the occasional person saying I am good!

[johndoch]

I wanna be the Drunken Master LOL.

[Andy Murray]

Ah Dragon Princess, you can't be a Master, only a Mistress :)

[pgm316]

Its true, you can only become a Mistress :)

Not that thats a bad thing, its a good thing! But it helps if you can brainwash large groups of people into believing you have godlike martial arts abilities.

[TkdWarrior]

Master is someone who doesn't do things wrong...who is just purrfect...

[YODA]

Personally I don't want "mastery".

Mastery implies perfection - then what?

"Perfection closes the door" --- as someone once said.

[taesujutsu]

Actually those titlets use to maen something...but as is evedent on the boards here, they don't any more.

It has never been about the mastery of technique so to speak, but the mastery of ones self. The ability to control anger, rage and all like that.

Now days the whole point behind the wrods are lost...as soon as a person reaches 4th in most style they are a "master", not so, I know alot of people of high rank who has not mastered the most important thing in our lives...ourselves.

So what is a Master? One who knows that no matter how much they know, there is still a world to learn.. :)

Peace,
Tae

[Greyghost]

i thought a master was a male under the age of 16.....shows what i know......

anyway ...those are all the thoughts i can muster, mister on masters.


:D

[YODA]

Yep - that would make sense Tae. I'm a 4th Degree, and I'm waaaay off mastering "myself" - heck, I haven't mastered shaving yet - LOL!

[taesujutsu]

Hi Yoda,
LOL,
The fourth thihg was not at you personally. I was talking aobut here in the states. :)
Of course the other problem I have here is letting 1st degrees who barely know wht they are doing, open up schools(not all now), The term is just thrwon around to much. If you know waht I mean.

Again, I am sorry if I offened you or anyone else. That was not my intent.

Peace,
Tae

[YODA]

Hey Tae - no offense even thought of, never mind taken!

Master - LOL!

[Thomas Vince]

You know you are a master when your students call you by that name. It is a title that is given by your peers, not one you claim on your own. I beleive that anyone can become a master, it is what you put into it and what you get out of it that counts. I have regional, and international champions under my belt and yet I am not considering myself a Master, too much Star Wars I think!
PS. Although I must admit the ability to shave myself incorrectly does stress me! HaHa.

[TkdWarrior]

poopoo guys i can shave quite good... :p
call me Master of Shavin art :D
-TkdWarrior-

[YODA]

You know you are a master when your students call you by that name.


(((Shudder))) Nooooooooo............

I really do hope that never happens!

[Tintin]

Don't worry about the shaving too much - facial hair is the way forward!

By the way, how do people feel about being called master/sensei/sifu etc? I know it should be an honour to have people respect you enough that they give you such a title, but it usually just makes me a bit uncomfortable.
Titles serve to single people out, and I try my hardest to be a member of the club rather than just the instructor.

Any agreement, or do people think that being an instructor requires a certain amount of detachment (for lack of a better word) from the body of students?

[Jim]

I think the detachment aspect depends on the class size, maturity of students, etc.

I used to be very detached and extremely firm on my classes originally (about ten years ago) but at the time I was in the military and I had a mixed bunch of students who had varying reasons for being there.

Now we all socialise (I'm even in a band with one student) and I see my role as being an adviser and coach rather than 'dictator'.

If you take a hard line approach and bark commands at students you run the risk of alienating them and, although we're teaching them something that could have life or death implications, we are all grown-ups.

[TkdWarrior]

hmm the things i know about the word "Sifu or Shrfu" is that it is called by ppl to show respect to Elders(head of family)/teachers/
in west we call "Sir" or "madam" not "master" or Mistress" which would be rude in most of western communities...
so it's very much in eastern culture to call Shrfu/sifu/Master(both sexes) to show respect...
and to talk about dettachment or attachments with sifu/student...
i think any sifu/teacher/Master are a way/source of learning...
so there hav to be an attachment, it can be as advisor too... or like big brother...
before using any of these words or symbols we should understand that there is big vast difference b/w eastern culture n western culture... some things can be take as rude in other culture...
in India we touch feet of our elders/teachers/anyone_whom_we_want_to_give_respect to show respect... so does that make us attach to that person??
yes n no... according ur self beliefs...
In Indian Culture teacher is given more respect than parents because Teacher's JOB is to show path to students, In west this doesn't happens.
so the difference b/w teacher n student will remains in East because of their tradition, teacher will never be a member of club or school...
-TkdWarrior-

[Freeform]

To me a Master would be the head of a style. But with so many people running around with the self proclaimed title of Master/Grand Master it has completely devalued this.

Is there an age requirement to be a Master?

I ask because of the number of so called Masters under the age of 25 who tout their wears in a certain monthly MA magizine.

The title of Master must be given, not taken.

Thanx

[taesujutsu]

Yes there is suppose to be the age limit.

It was until recently like in the '80's that you had to be a min. of 35, and hold the rank of 4th. of course you could not test for 4th until you were 35. :)

As far as the New founders, just tell them to send you a copy of their Systems certification. This has to come form an organization.

Sifu means teacher..but it doesn't apply to all teachers in the Chinese system, they also have higher titles depending on how longthey have been in the arts.

The sir, Mam type thing. WEll, being from the states..I don't know who thinks that is all they are called. I know a lot of master who are called that.

Again though most systems have titles that go with the ranks, and each one means something to represent where they are.

Oh well, Just some thoughts. :)

Peaceto all,
Tae

[LilBunnyRabbit]

In Choi you become a Master at fifth dan, the second of the invitiation only ranks, and you can only be given the title by Grand Master Choi. I don't see why there should be an age restriction, although since it takes about twenty years of training to even think about getting to that level anyway there's one built in. Some people though are just that good, and there's no point trying to deny it.

Of course most of the masters you see in magazines aren't, but that's life for you.

[Spike]

Quote:
Sifu means teacher..but it doesn't apply to all teachers in the Chinese system, they also have higher titles depending on how longthey have been in the arts.

"Sifu" means "father"

[taesujutsu]

I knew somoen would come up with that about Sifu. LOL
Depends on who is translating.
My Sifu was from Hong Kong...but in other parts of China the say Father. So who knows..guess we would have to be Chinese to figure it out. :)

Peace,
Tae

[Dragon_Princess]

The Diva Mistress is Approaching. Watch Out!!!!!!!!! Yah!!!!!!!!!!!!!! hu-yah!!! Ouch. That hurt.:)

[wayofthedragon]

:confused: Ok princess :confused:

[Dragon_Princess]

:)

[Spike]

Quote:
I knew somoen would come up with that about Sifu. LOL
Depends on who is translating.
My Sifu was from Hong Kong...but in other parts of China the say Father. So who knows..guess we would have to be Chinese to figure it out

fair enough, the story I heard was that since Kung Fu was taught largely as family styles the way to refer to your instructor was as "Sifu" since it`d probably be your dad who taught you

[taesujutsu]

Actually,
accoding to most of the Chinese I know...it just means teacher...espeically since a sifu can be either male or female. :)

Sifu and Si-Jo are the only two terms in the ranks that can apply to both male and female..the rest are sepreate.

I will ask the chinese here again to make sure. Either way...all basic instrustors in the Chinese arts are mostley refer to as Sifu..so no biggy. :D

Peace,
Tae