‘MARTIALLING’ YOUR INNER STRENGTH
became the first ever Soil Association organic Christmas tree farm in the UK, and regularly run educational and charitable events. Finally, in my business capacity, I helped to pioneer the modern Wellbeing at Work movement, using the holistic principles of Wing Tsun to create a kinder, yet more effective way of looking at business for CEOs and senior leaders. Nurturing this innovative spirit and freedom from limitation has been a strong part of Dulwich history AR: You began to teach martial arts whilst still a student at Dulwich College. How was your experience and phi- losophy of martial arts influenced by the College? JH: Learning at Dulwich taught me to focus on what was important to me. I learned that you can’t expect others to understand or to know what your purpose in life is. That is for you to know. It taught me to be creative with my time, and to learn what rules I had to follow and what rules I had to break. I was training 30 hours a week during the last two years of my schooling, so I had to find a way to make that work for me. It gave me an appreciation of both the benefits and the limitations of structures and institu- tions, and taught me that what may seem hard at the time can provide the building blocks of some of the greatest things you can do. Above all, I learned how important it is never to outsource your personal authority to anyone else. At the same time, I realised that we all need the right support structure around us to be successful, happy and harmonious. Finally, Dulwich taught me the importance of asking questions, rather than blindly following. AR: You have come back many times to teach martial arts to students at this school. In what ways have you seen that it has changed? JH: Dulwich has undoubtedly become kinder since I left, moving to a pastoral care system from a much harsher and more uncaring system, which I’ve seen reflected in the students in the last 20 years. However, there is one side which I feel Dulwich has neglected, which is the nurturing of mavericks. Nobody positively changed the world by following other people’s rules, ways and meth- ods. Nurturing this innovative spirit and freedom from limitation has been a strong part of Dulwich history, and we are at risk of losing it. Kindness doesn’t have to mean complete compliance. Be more maverick. ◎
no longer find yourself held back by previous experi- ences. We all have our own unique gifts, strengths and skills. The importance in life is to understand, find and live yours. If you can find something you are passionate about, and you can combine that with dedication, focus and good structure, what you can achieve is limitless. Too often we take on the ideas and the limits of others. Also, in life and business one of the core competitive advan- tages is the ability to learn fast. Aim for good grades, but know that they are no measure of your life success, nor should they hold you back. Use them as a stepping stone to create the life you want to live – not the life others think you should. Understand that the current state of play in education, no matter how well-intentioned, is never going to give you the knowledge you need to be successful. AR: In 2019, you released a book by the name of Winning Not Fighting. What is this about? JH: The overarching concept of this book is that we need to reclaim the way we live and succeed in life. The conventional method of gaining ‘success’ is not working for us: despite living longer, we are getting sicker and more unhappy as a society. One example of this is that we have adopted military metaphors when talking about life (think ‘choose your battles’, ‘destroy the competi- tion’ and ‘smash your targets’). This is neither accurate (business and life are not war), nor is it helpful. It sets up a stressful, combative experience of life. Our book documents how we used the principles of Wing Tsun Kung Fu to help Leon Restaurants (a healthy fast-food chain) go through a process of change to become a more holistic and successful business, with the chain growing from 17 to 71 restaurants and the value of the business multiplying by a factor of 10, to £100 million, within seven years. AR: You have multiple business endeavours outside your career in martial arts. Would you mind explaining what these are, and the philosophy behind some of them? JH: Everything in my life has the single motive of mak- ing a positive difference to the world around me. My martial arts schools (Kwoon) are focused on empower- ment development, and the ability to see, understand and remove the limitations that stop us from being the best expressions of ourselves. Similarly, my Christmas tree business, Magic of Foresters, is about empowering people to have a better relationship with nature, show- ing that there is a more sustainable way of growing. We
Ahimsa Ravi (Year 12) interviews Julian Hitch OA about the ancient martial art of Wing Tsun, and its influence on his life and work
than saying you are not good enough as you are now, an all too common narrative, Wing Tsun teaches that all you need to do is understand and use what you already have. AR: What is the philosophy behind this martial art, and how is it still relevant today? JH: Firstly, it gives you the ability to challenge thoughts and narratives, providing a safe space to ask the all-im- portant question, ‘are your thoughts your own?’ Just because something is a prevailing thought, adopted by a vocal majority, that doesn’t make it right. Critical think- ing, together with the ability to combine intuition with the courage to ask questions, allows you to experience a special kind of freedom. Wing Tsun teaches you to see beyond your own limited personality and perceptions and to notice when you are being controlled by shame or fear – as well as teaching you how to let go of these emotions. Secondly, it shows you how to look for positive solutions and connections, allowing you to understand how even stressful situations can be a gift and an oppor- tunity for you to develop (even if it doesn’t feel like it in the moment). Finally, it gives you the tools to be suc- cessful in whatever you do in life. When you know more about yourself, about how to connect with others and about how society works, as well as having the skills and knowledge to capitalise on these, you can experience a level of success enjoyed by few. AR: The theme of this year’s Alleynian is ‘reflections’. How does what you teach help your students to reflect on the past, and to embrace the future? JH: Wing Tsun helps everyone to gain the ability to understand and broaden their own perceptions, thoughts and behaviours. When you understand that ‘thoughts are not reality’ you get a new lease of life. Combine this with understanding your own unconscious drivers, and you We all need the right support structure around us to be successful, happy and harmonious
AHIMSA RAVI: You are currently a teacher of Wing Tsun martial arts. What is this, and what is its history?
JULIAN HITCH: The aim of Wing Tsun is to create freedom and to transform the lives of those who practise it. It provides practical tools, methodologies and models as to how we can all create a kinder, more successful
society. Historically, Wing Tsun Kung Fu is an unusual art; it dates back to 495 AD in China, and is the only martial art with women as creators (it is named after one of them). This means its approach to life and to conflict is different from most other martial arts. Rather than a ‘might is right’ approach, as was favoured in the West, it took a far more harmonious approach, looking to see how it was possible to create harmony rather than conflict. And if conflict does happen, it teaches you to focus on winning, rather than being in a protracted situation that drains your energy, time and resources and, ultimately, stops you winning. Physically, Wing Tsun gives you the skills to defend yourself (something it is very good at – we teach it to Special Forces Units amongst others). But this is almost a by-product rather than its central aim, which is to create enlightenment through physical movements. The self-defence aspect is used to help you face your primal fears and then be able to move through these to create a different reality for yourself. If you take the model of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Wing Tsun enables you to move from survival all the way to self-actualisation. Wing Tsun teaches that ‘when you train the hands you train the brain’, meaning that the wisdoms you learn are not something you have to remember; they become embodied within you. A second, similarly empowering message is that ‘you have everything you need within you’. So rather
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THE ALLEYNIAN 711
OPINION, INTERVIEWS & FEATURES
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