Crafting can help your martial arts. Here's why.

JKN Jane Hurst learning new crafting skills with Esther Salisbury from Creative Construction

We have returned to training after our two week winter break. These training breaks give us an important opportunity to rest our bodies and minds, catch up on jobs at home, and spend time with our families and friends. For me, this break has also reminded me about the importance of balance in my life and trying new things.
 
As a school owner and avid Kuk Sool Won™ martial artist, I am very focused on my teaching and training. It is easy for it to become all consuming. When I am teaching and training I think of nothing else. It is a very mindful experience. At other times, I am working with SBN Caroline on the planning, administration and marketing for our schools. I also spend much of my spare time thinking about my training. I go through my techniques and forms in my head. It is a form of meditation for me and keeps me focused and my memory sharp.
 
During these school holidays, I have devoted quite a bit of time to Kuk Sool admin. However, I also spent a few days at a craft expo. For three days, I participated in several different paper craft workshops. I made four different types of mini-journals using craft papers, cardstock and embellishments. I got my hands dirty with mixed media projects using acrylics and inks. I also made paper, velum and foam flowers. As a novice crafter, I found these workshops intense. I had to learn how to use different types of materials, follow instructions that I often didn’t understand, develop new skills, and cope with making mistakes. While it was often challenging, it was also incredibly rewarding. I not only learnt a lot, I also got to make some really neat journals which I can fill with photos and memories.
 
So why is this crafting experience relevant to my martial arts training? There are three main reasons.

1. Humility: It reminded me of what it is like to be a novice at something that requires a lot of skill and experience. It can feel very daunting and overwhelming. I had to learn to ask for help, not just from the tutor, but also from those around me. It again reminded me of what our white belts feel when they first start their Kuk Sool training. This helps to keep me humble.
2. Compassion: I am a perfectionist. I want to do everything well and I can be very hard on myself when I don’t feel like I have lived up to my expectations. My crafting experience grounded me. I made mistakes. My projects didn’t always turn out as well as I would have liked. I was reminded though, that it was the experience that mattered, not the end result. As well, producing something that “looks perfect” is not the objective of crafting. If we wanted a perfect product, we would buy it from a shop. It is the imperfections that make it special and unique. In martial arts, we often want to perfect our material and there is a temptation to judge ourselves harshly for our mistakes or perceived failings. I have been reminded that rather than striving for perfection, we should focus instead on improving our skills and being compassionate with ourselves when we make mistakes.
3. Being mindful: During the crafting workshops I was completely focused on the project I was doing. By closely listening to and diligently following the tutor’s instructions, my mind was only focused on one thing at any one time. It was a very mindful experience for me and gave me a complete mental break from all of the other thoughts that inevitably fight for attention. This felt great and enabled me to improve my skill level relatively quickly. Similarly, martial arts training provides a fantastic opportunity to be mindful, by focusing only on the present moment. When we develop the skills of mindfulness in one area of our lives, it becomes easier to apply those skills to other areas. Our lives become more satisfying and less stressful as a result.

I have now returned to teaching at our martial arts schools refreshed and focused. I have honed my mindfulness skills, and been reminded of both the challenges and joys of learning something new. This experience of crafting has helped to make be a better instructor and a better martial artist.
 
JKN Jane Hurst
First degree black belt and school owner
Kuk Sool Won™ of Pukekohe and Onewhero
 
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Finished mini-journal and box from Esther Salisbury's class.