I train in the Korean martial art of Soo Bahk Doo,
a traditional and empowering style. In Soo Bahk Doo,
most of the techniques have a philosophy behind them. For example, we do not have a black belt, but a midnight blue belt. This is because there is no color darker then black, and black symbolizes perfection. However, no human is perfect and mid-night blue can always get bluer.
In my karate studio, we are fortunate to be training under a fantastic martial artist. I had a chance to interview Art Pryor, a 6th-degree midnight blue belt (black belt) more commonly known to his students as Master Pryor. He is a man who really knows a thing or two about Soo Bahk Doo.
Q: How many years have you been training?
A: Thirty-eight years. I began in 1966.
Q: What made you get into the martial arts?
A: Karate came to America in the 1950s from Japan.
We had GI’s stationed there (it was war time.) Books were
all over the place featuring karate and as a teen, it caught my attention. I thought it was interesting and when I was
in graduate school there was a studio around the corner
from where I went to school. I just started training there.
Q: Has karate pretty much been your life?
A: My spiritual life, yes. However, it was never a career goal. I never would have dreamed I would be doing this
professionally. For most of my life I was in advertising, but as I got older and hit my late ‘50s, I just wanted to do this.
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Q: So it was a lifelong dream coming true?
A: Not really. I never would have even thought about running my own studio or getting my Master’s Belt years ago.
Q: How many years ago did you achieve the rank
of midnight blue belt?
A: I was 26 years old. It was in 1971—33 years ago.
Q: How many years ago did you achieve the rank of the Master’s Belt? What was the feeling like?
A: I earned the Master’s Belt in 1987. The only way I can describe it is disbelief. If I am correct, it took about a year for me to even acknowledge I had achieved that rank. In my time, just seeing a master was something that was very rare, so becoming one … I was amazed.
Q: Karate is a sport of the mind, body and soul.
It takes immense amounts of concentration. You have
done Soo Bahk Doo throughout most of your adult life. How did you juggle life and the martial arts?
A: My family understood its importance to me. My wife was always supportive of it. When my kids were growing up I only instructed part time.
Q: Master Pryor, as one of your students I can say
that you are like a father figure to us all. If you see us upset, you try to find the reason why. If you see a student lagging behind in class, you work as hard as you can with them to get them up to speed. Do you enjoy what you do?
A: Today our society is very complex and rapidly
changing. In most families both parents are working and everything is rushed. Life is an equal balance of both good and bad and my mission is to be able to help young people get and keep their acts together. This is very important to me.
Q: Throughout the past four weeks you and the other instructors have been reiterating the quote, “Listening with the intent to learn.” If everyone reading this article now
is following that quote, what is something you would like to teach them about the martial arts?
A: Two things. The first is that our “thinking” is what has to be in charge all the time. Our emotions cannot and should not make decisions for us.
The second is a very old principal but an extremely important one. To seek balance in all things you must view
it from its highest and lowest points. For when you are incredibly happy, you need to realize things will not stay
that good. Or when you are not thrilled with a situation, just remember it will get better.
I would like to thank Master Pryor for taking time out
of his busy schedule to speak with me. He is an inspiration to all and one of the best people and martial artists I know.
Kandice Allen is a freshman at Marjory Stoneman Douglas
High School.
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