I answered a post on G+ (here from April 6, 2014) which asked how a hobby like Martial Arts – where a person trains to defeat their opponents, can also result in promoting personal character, mental and spiritual discipline and good morals.
As I see it, our lives are a series of “rites of passage”. It begins with minor things after birth like a baby holding up its own head. The first peals of laughter, even being able to roll over. As we age, the rites become more complex: Riding a bike, first kiss, first school dance – maybe your first fight.
By the time we are considered adults, we have completed many years of school, likely had a few romantic relationships, learned to drive and probably voted at least once. Every event added to the development of us: spiritually, mentally, morally. Hopefully for the better.
Being a Martial Artist is the same. A person is an infant when they begin, only to grow into adult hood and beyond as they continue to study and practice. The natural progression, in my opinion, of someone who is a “good” Martial Artist is as follows: Begin and learn. Attain proficiency and share. Be a good member of any community to which you belong. Foster the potential of yourself and the people who look to you for guidance.