When we first start studying in budo, things seem like magic. 

Later, the magic seems like science. Tested, memorized, titrated and experimented with. 

Naive in a deeper world, at first we can be taken advantage of, by those who would withhold the fine mechanics of simple ergophysics.

They will tell you that success in budo, has something to do with energy, instead of a fine mix of human psychology, ergonomics and physics. 

Arthur C Clarke stated in a set of two corollaries, that any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. I will state the second corollary shortly.

One of my teachers, a hard-bitten fellow generally passed over for promotion, unless it served someone else, taught me a couple of important things. 

The first was, that he couldn't teach me everything about the arts. Neither could anyone else.  He told me that I had to learn to steal. 

I took to this like a fox takes to stealing chickens. 

I learned to feed myself. 

I don't expect to be spoon fed, I will fight and hunt for what I need, not just to get by, but to feed my family. I will wait and watch, for opportunity. 

I am an information scavenger, always hungry for more. 

The second was, to always tag the biggest dog in the pack, to learn from. He told me, walk up to the best person in the room and bow in. 

I've done that. To dizzying effect, at times. 

I learned to be fearless. I learned to walk into my fear, and look behind me (nothing will be there).  I try not to look behind myself too much. It gets boring. It's still my behind. 

Once the boundaries of learning and fear were lifted, I began to learn to learn. 

Once I learned to learn a little, I had to learn to teach. Technique? who the hell has time for technique? I'm trying to teach people to stand up and sit down!

Once we get that down, maybe we can get to some budo. 

Now, we come to the second corollary. 

Any sufficiently advanced magic, will be indistinguishable from science.