The following is collection of things people have told me over the years that I think may help if you decide to come join us for classes or at Daniil's workshop later this March:
- Remember, THE SYSTEM IS YOU, so study yourself. You are what will make all of this work. KNOW YOURSELF.
- To know yourself is good, but now you need to KNOW FOR YOURSELF.
- Know for yourself. YOU MUST LEARN TO SEE. Not what you remember was there, not what you think should be there, not what somebody else tells you is there....Learn to see what is actually there. Know for yourself.
- Be a Scientist. Conduct experiments and when you discover something don't just say "Ah hah! That's it!!!". Instead just say "Hmmmmm, That's interesting" and then continue experimenting.
- "Keep Digging", Vlad said it himself.
- Remember an important principle of the System;"Nobody will teach you anything ever. This is up to you."
- In Systema you are not given set rules. You are given ideas, principles and concepts. You are to use them when, if and how you need them. Don't take them as gospel. Every time someone teaches you something there will be a time when the exact opposite will be true and just as relevant. Don't create dogma. This is the gift of common sense...Use it.
- Try to be honest with yourself. To the best of your ability100% honest. 99% is no good. You might as well not bother.
- A little bit of pride and ego will hold you up. But too much and these things will destroy you.
- This isn't for your brain. It's for your body. Your body is what must protect you. Your brain can figure the rest out later. Just do it.
- Explanations and analogies are only good in that place and time, in that moment. In the next moment they may be completely irrelevant.
- Remember the feeling. Even if you don't grasp things intellectually, remember the feeling. You can work from there.
- The only way to describe what chicken tastes like is to share it with someone.
- Play. Allow your body to explore. Don't worry about looking stupid or funny.
- Don't forget, all people are beautiful...Even the ones who piss you off.
- Remember to be kind to the people who frustrate you. At some time in the past you frustrated somebody else however they didn't crush you although they probably could have. They chose to be kind to you. This why you are where you are now (wherever that may be).
- Remember to be kind to yourself as well.
- Always have your training partner's best intentions at heart. We all need to look after each other.
- Just because you can't do something today, doesn't mean you'll never be able to do it.
- BE ALIVE. Even when things suck don't disappear inside yourself and wait for it to be over. People live their whole lives like this saying "I'll be happy when...I'll be happy if....I'll be happy later..." No. BE ALIVE and choose to be happy now, even when things suck.
- Just remember when you go to learn from these men (referring to Mikhail Ryabko and Vladimir Vasiliev) it is not so much their job to teach you but your job to learn from them.
- Acquisition of skill, should precede and take priority over the acquisition of intellectual knowledge. That can come later. Skill can morph into knowledge, but knowledge seldom becomes skill. Knowledge doesn't win fights. Skill wins fights.
- In the Western world people obsess over HOW THINGS WORK. In Russia people care more about WHAT THINGS ARE SUPPOSE TO BE DOING.
- Achievement breeds pride, which then leads to arrogance. Failure is where you will learn the most. Figure out what went wrong, why it went wrong and how to fix it. Be humble.
- Don't judge your failures. They're not bad things and do not mean that you are bad. Actually they're gift. What you do with them is up to you.
- Encountering failure is the only way for you to be sure you are truly learning. Don't hide from it. Again, figure out what when wrong, why it went wrong, and how to fix it. More often than not fixing your failure will involve going back to the beginning (basics). YOU HAVE TO DO THIS. So be humble. After you fix it, modify things so that you fail again. Then repeat the process again, and again, and again.
- If you don't experience failure and frustration at times then you are not training properly.
- Laugh at yourself...Trust me it's important.
- You are ALWAYS training. Whether you realise it or not somebody, somewhere, somehow is trying to tell you something. So make sure you pay attention.
- Don't worry about "Trying to get it". There is no "It" to get. JUST BE.
- Be Normal. For God sakes just be Normal.
- Brain is good, brain is important, but don't forget your heart. Listen to it.
- Do not underestimate the importance of the spiritual aspect of things. It is at the heart of the System. Nothing functions properly without it.
- Feeling is a higher level of thought.
- I don't necessarily know how the electrical wiring in my house is set up. But I do know that if I flick that switch the lights come on.
- People obsess over brutality and destruction. To love, build and create. These are things which people often dismiss...But they are far more important.
- If you don't have any problems God's probably just forgotten about you...Don't worry. He'll get back to you soon enough.
- If you don't understand drinking, you don't understand Systema.
- Simple Things. Forget about complicated and flashy. Simple things. That's where it's at.
- Consider boxing. There is no "Advanced Boxing". People just become very good at the basics, then apply them incredibly well. It is the same with Systema.
- Always go back to the beginning (basics). No matter how good you think you are. It's the only way you will be able to continue to progress.
- You are not here to look cool. Nobody learns anything by showing off. Just do the work.
- You need to protect yourself, but a majority of your time won't be spent fighting....Seriously think about it. Use what you know to live well.
- Don't feel sorry for yourself.
- Slow is fast. Fast is REALLY slow..... DO NOT IGNORE THIS....SERIOUSLY DO NOT IGNORE THIS.
- Hard Work....Hard Work.
- Breathe. It's as simple as that.
- There is alway so much that we don't know or understand....And that's ok.
- Everything is perfect...Believe it or not it really is.
- The most important thing is to be a good person. Everything else comes from this.
- ....Have Faith. You must have faith....
Thankyou again to everyone who guided me and helped me along the journey.
It's not over yet.
I hope you are all well,
Justin Ho
Principal Instructor
Systema Sydney Russian Martial Art
