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Issues & Observat ions

Making Meaning Through a Martial Art

Kevin Liu

e live in periloustimes. The tragedy of September 11,recent corporate ethics scandals, ter-rorism around the world, and a con-fusing and divisive conflict in Iraqhave led people to ask: Why? Whynow? What does all this mean for ourfuture? These are ontological ques-tions—questions of existence andmeaning.

It is widely recognized that peoplecrave meaning. They need to makesense out of and derive value fromtheir circumstances, their tragedies,and the changes that occur in theirlives. Curiously, though, the conceptof personal meaning, although com-monly recognized, has been describedin various ways.

Among the dictionary definitionsof meaning are “significance” and“purpose.” Religious existentialistsmay see meaning as an acknowledg-ment of human insufficiency in theface of both death and life, alleviatedonly by a willing submission to God.For atheistic existentialists, meaningmay be the clear-headed acceptanceof self-chosen existence in a neutralworld. For theologian Paul Tillich,meaning was the courageous affirma-tion of one’s essential being in spiteof desires and anxieties. Logothera-pist Joseph Fabry defined meaning as

the freedom to become. And thesedefinitions are just the tip of theiceberg.

This broad range of constructs thatseem to be only semirelated containsa number of commonalities that haveapplicability to organizational life. Iwill explore these constructs fromtwo perspectives: that of an organiza-tional psychologist who has beenwith CCL for six years and that of apractitioner of aikido, a Japanesemartial art that emphasizes harmony,peace, and the dynamics of move-ment.

MOVING ZENI have had a number of roles at CCL,including trainer, researcher, andmanager. Before coming to theCenter I had a varied career in teach-ing, the ministry, and consulting inchange management and personaltransformation. My primary focus hasbeen, and continues to be, on the fac-tors that affect meaning at the indi-vidual and group levels.

Described as “moving Zen,”aikido is a contemporary martial artthat speaks to the violence and uncer-tainty of our time. Its founder,Morihei Ueshiba, known as O’Sensei(Great Teacher) to his students, calledit “the art of peace,” for it is a way todeal with aggression without vio-lence. In Japanese, aikido means “theway of harmony with the force andprinciple of nature.” O’Senseibelieved that energy is more fruitfullydirected toward building inner

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strength and learning how to harmo-nize with others than toward fightingwith them. I have found aikido to behighly beneficial in many areas oflife—teaching, counseling, conflictresolution, parenting, and of courseleadership and leadership develop-ment.

Blending my interest in meaningcreation with the physical andmetaphorical training of aikido hasbeen highly instructive and signifi-cantly humbling. Here are some ofthe personal lessons I have learned:

• Metaphorical lessons have nomeaning when you’re flying towardthe wall after being thrown.

• Some techniques require a life-time to master. Each practice bringsnew and deeper lessons—some ofwhich need to be repeated ad nau-seam.

• My body doesn’t move as it didwhen I was younger. Learning tocompensate is good for me but veryhard on the ego.

Now let’s turn to meaning making.Within most of the definitions ofmeaning is the implication that one isable to affect one’s own destiny. Theindividual’s impact on destinyappears to be in service to a greatercohesion or connection to one’s coreself. This connection is what is expe-rienced as meaning. However, takingthe road to this cohesion and resultantmeaning requires intentional personalaction. Aikidokas—practitioners ofaikido—speak of mindfulness in our

Editor’s note: Issues & Observations isa venue for CCL staff members andassociates to express their personalviews about leadership.

practice—of being intentional inwhat we do on a moment-by-momentbasis. This mindfulness requires thatwe be aware of the choices wemake—and of the circumstances sur-rounding these choices. This is a les-son that must be constantly learnedand is a part of the practice itself. Butit takes courage for us to face our-selves.

Most of the definitions of meaningalso assume a sense of personal val-ues at the core of one’s existence.Such values arise from the core selfthat is reflected outward into theworld in the form of action and inter-action. Thus one’s form of strivingfor meaning becomes an expressionof the inner self as well as a means toconnect with the inner self. This cir-cularity requires an authenticity ofself and action that manifests as a setof personal values. However, mind-fulness must again be exercised forauthenticity to be expressed.

All movement in aikido is circular,based on an understanding that energyspirals toward a center. The goal is toremain at the still center of that spiral.One may be the attacker (uke) or therespondent (nage)—the goal is thesame. It is from the center of that cir-cle that power and, paradoxically,gentleness come. The reflective circleof the authentic self and authenticaction can be viewed in a similar way.One’s values are honed by the actionthey require, which in turn sharpensthe values. Mindfulness, at the centerof that activity, allows us to reflectwith objectivity and to make choicesfor the future.

In instances where meaning isdeveloped by human beings, it isseen as a process of creation or dis-covery—not as a given. As the circu-lar interaction of authentic action andauthentic self proceeds, meaning isdeveloped or discovered. Throughreflection on our actions in the worldwe gain insight into our core being.Thus the creation of meaning is ajourney of self-connection, authenticaction, and reflection on that action

to gain even greater connection to thecore self.

Aikido speaks of shoshin, or“beginner’s mind”—“In the begin-ner’s mind there are many possibili-ties; in the expert’s mind there arefew.” It is all too common for peopleto fall into hubris; it is a human con-dition against which we must strug-gle. The creation of meaning is amoment-by-moment activity, basedon one’s openness to seeing meaningpossibilities.

This process of exploration isfueled by a belief that life is a con-tinuous creation rather than a seriesof unconnected experiences andactivities. Meaning is the sense madefrom what may originally appear tobe random, cruel, or senselessevents. Thus the circular journey ofmeaning finds a destination. This isthe flow (nagare) that aikidokasstrive to achieve. Rather than oppos-ing physical force with physicalforce and responding in a rigid anddisconnected manner, they seek tomove with that force, redirecting ittoward peaceful resolution.Reflections on the actions of theauthentic self create a sense of pur-pose and growth out of even themost random of experiences. Victoryis achieved not through oppositionbut through blending.

Blending (setsuzoku) with one’sexperiences is difficult and neces-sary work. However, people nowa-days take little if any time to learnfrom their experiences. The Lessonsof Experience: How SuccessfulExecutives Develop on the Job (NewLexington Press, 1988), a book byformer CCL staffers Morgan W.McCall Jr., Michael M. Lombardo,and Ann M. Morrison, talks aboutleaders’ need to learn from theevents and occurrences—good orbad—that shape them, intentionallyor not. The book’s content is as rele-vant today as it was when it was firstpublished and is the progenitor ofCCL’s current research on connectedleadership.

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WORLD EXPLORATIONMeaning, then, is a journey of dis-covery that begins and ends with aconnection to the inner self. The self,however, is not acting in isolation. Itis through interaction with the worldthat an individual gains an opportu-nity to reflect upon his or her actionsand create greater connection to theself. So the creation of meaning is aninteractive process that is differentfor each person in each situation oflife. It is no wonder that meaningitself is so difficult to define.

What can be done, then, to createmeaning, particularly where leader-ship is concerned? Here are a fewthoughts:

• Wake up. Be willing to beaware of both self and circumstance,of what you can influence, whatinfluences you, and the choices youmake. Awareness, more than anythingelse, affects one’s ability to lead.

• Be real and act real. Be awareof what drives you, what you believein, and the things you are willing orunwilling to change. Authenticity iscontagious and addictive. It speaks tothe core of who we are and allows usto express our values in realistic andmeaningful ways.

• Be open to learning and have ahumble approach to life. The world isawash with hubris and aggression. Anopen mind allows light and air toreach fertile ground.

• It’s all right to be confused andnot know how the pieces connect—aslong as you continue to question andsearch for the way your own lifeshould go, as long as you rememberthere are many ways to see and inter-pret each situation in life, and as longas you keep seeking the connectionsthat make each experience rich withmeaning possibilities.

Kevin Liu is director of CCL’s SanDiego campus. He holds a Ph.D.degree from the California School ofProfessional Psychology.

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