Today I took a trial class at a new BJJ school. I did a Muay Thai pads class before but felt good enough when the gi class started. All was good and most everybody was a white belt. Imagine my surprise when the live rolls started and I got my butt handed to me in most of the rolls. Humbling, and I was happy I used my white belt instead of my blue belt.
There are a few main takeaways and I’ll list them in no particular order:
- I definitely need to train here.
- I definitely need to keep putting myself in places and circumstances where I’m humbled and where I’m not particularly skilled.
- Failure and defeat are particularly salutary, especially when I don’t allow myself to make excuses.
A corollary to all of the above, and which I experienced in the Muay Thai class as well as with one particular partner in BJJ, is that some guys want to take your head off and dominate you. In MT I definitely felt that I could handle myself whereas in BJJ I got owned but that doesn’t actually matter. What matters to me is that it’s an opportunity to train in remaining with a mind full of friendliness despite what the other person is putting out. Martial arts offers an opportunity to train this kind of friendliness in the most visceral, embodied way possible and is crucial for anyone seriously contemplating nonviolent resistance.
Cattāri Brahmavihārā 
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