Martial Arts Professional Magazine

Before I tell you about Thich Nhat Hahn (pronounced “Tick-knot-hon”) and why you should jump on the Internet and “Google” his name AND then run to the bookstore and buy one or more of his books, let me tell you about how all of this applies to YOUR BUSINESS.

If you believe that the practice of the martial arts is supposed to be about self-defense, then you must recognize that self-defense is more than just block, kicks, punching and grappling, right? Thich Nhat Hahn is a fellow to whom you can turn to learn about emotional, mental and attitudinal self-defense - and if you become a master of this kind of self-defense - then you have something very valuable to offer your students and community, indeed.

If you believe that studying and practicing the martial arts is supposed to bring about some kind of mental clarity to the practitioner, some sort of “wisdom,” then Thich Nhat Hahn’s work is like “How to Develop a Wise Outlook for Dummies.” Thich Nhat Hahn is the Bruce Lee, the Dan Inosanto, the Jigaro Kano and the Helio Gracie of pragmatic philosophy. If you, Mr. Martial Artist, can learn from a teacher of philosophy-for-the-world like Thich Nhat Hahn, then you increase the value of your teachings and work. When I say “increase the value,” I mean when you’re really smart, when you have studied with masters, when you have invested your time in developing extraordinary and uncommon skills, you can charge a premium for your services - and get it (as compared to someone who has done none-of-the-above).

Thich Nhat Han, to me, is like the real-life version of the fictional monks in the old TV show, Kung Fu. Dr. Martin Luther King nominated him in 1967 for the Nobel Peace Prize. His philosophy, what he teaches and talks about are, I believe, as pertinent and relevant to the martial arts, as is any kick, punch or arm lock. Thich Nhat Hahn, called “Thay” by his students (pronounced “Thai,” which means “teacher” in Vietnamese), talks and teaches peace; and peace is the perfect “yin” for the “yang” of the many techniques of combat that you and I teach to so many people. Peace is the perfect reflection, the exact opposite, the other side of the coin of our work with hands, feet, grappling and weapons. To be wise, to be fully balanced and to offer something to our world that’s more than just exercise and physical self-defense, we must teach peace as well as punches. In some ways (in many ways in today’s world), peace is more important than punches.

Back to Business

I’m suggesting that if you spent the next year absorbing Thich Nhat Hahn’s work (would it be less radical if I suggested you spend a year studying Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?), then you would have an improved PRODUCT to SELL. I think you would have a more authentic, richer, more relevant and more applicable set of modern-day, self-defense tools, if you spent some time, with an open mind and heart, studying under someone who knows peace like you know punching and kicking.

Wisdom is good for business. Kids need to be around people who talk peace with a greater - or at least equal - enthusiasm than they do for fighting. We need people in the martial arts who hold peace training in equal value to, oh, say, spending a month or longer in Brazil studying BJJ, Japan studying judo or Thailand studying Muay Thai.

Why don’t you bring Thich Nhat Hahn into your school, as a “member of your advisory council?” Make him a part of your “village” of teachers, like I have, and reap some of the benefits of hanging out with someone who has taken his work as seriously as Kano took judo, as Gracie took BJJ, as Funakoshi took karate, and as Choi took his beloved taekwondo.

Some business-related wealth can be measured in dollars - and some must be measured in common sense. It makes sense in the martial arts industry to bring in teachers who don’t kick and punch, but whose teaching is self-defense related. Just like in the show, Kung Fu, Caine had a bunch of different teachers to turn to for various lessons. I’d like to introduce you to a real-life monk, one that can give you a very valuable set of tools that are good for business, good for you, good for your students and good for the world.