Variety

I recently read a blog post from Shihan Doug Wilson that, overall, was pretty confusing to me, but brought up a point I'd like to expound upon. I encourage you to go read it if you haven't already, but here's the segment that stuck out to me:

[T]he Bujinkan should not be considered the ultimate martial art, as it is the mindset wherein the value exists. Over the course of history, all cultures and countries posses their own fighting styles.  The fighting style is not the point of strength, but the mindset in how one fights or controls is where the true strength lies.  ...[T]he Bujinkan style should not be considered superior, but the mindset combined with the freedom of correct movement is superior.

It's tempting to get caught up in all the incredible things this art does and teaches, and develop a superiority complex. "Look at [insert other art here], they're so inefficient," or "None of those guys would last in a real fight." Maybe they wouldn't last in a real fight - there's no guarantee you would, either - but that doesn't detract from the value of the art they're learning. Everything has something to offer, something you can learn from.

There's a popular animated series Nickelodeon put out a few years ago called Avatar: The Last Airbender. It's an incredible show, both entertaining and thought-provoking; if you haven't seen it, all 3 seasons are streaming on Netflix. Anyway, there are 4 main types of element bending/manipulation in the series: water, earth, fire, and air. Each style of bending is unique, and each has its strengths and weaknesses (reflecting the balance of the 4 elements). Being able to learn from each bending style helps to round out your own skills and broadens your understanding of how everything works together. (One example from the show is a firebender using principles from water bending to accomplish something fire bending can't do on its own.)

I'm not sure what mindset Shihan Wilson is referring to that is superior when "combined with the freedom of correct movement." I do know that there are many different ways to approach the same goal: defense of self and others. As long as that is the goal set in your mind, and it is born out of respect and love, any method of movement can help you achieve it. Some arts help more than others, in my biased opinion, but with the right heart you can learn something important from any art, even if it's as simple as "don't do it that way." The same goes for individual instructors within this art. Some are very clearly better than others, but you can learn something from everyone who gets up to teach.

With an open mind, a sincere heart, and set goals, you broaden your learning base and benefit from the wisdom (and folly) of countless teachers and traditions.