Background

The term “lerning fee” goes back to a custom common in medieval Europe to pay a teacher (e.g. a master craftsman) money for the training of an apprentice. For the duration of the apprenticeship, the apprentice was often admitted to the master’s house. The compensation to be paid for the resulting additional expenses was determined either by the guilds or by the apprentice master himself. If the parents of the apprentice were unable to raise the money, the apprentice usually had to work and repay the debts during a correspondingly longer apprenticeship. The phrase “paying a learning fee” refers to this historical significance. It means suffering damage through inexperience and learning as a result.

Analogous to the model of autodynamics, the cause, process and effect of “learning fee” suffered in the course of training are not limited to the physical level. Experiencing one’s own inadequacies and dealing with one’s own emotions can trigger physical and psychological growth processes.

Synonyms

The so-called learning fee is native to many martial arts and is also known there by other names. For example:

• Krav Tattoos
• Budo Tattoos
• Okinawa Tattoos
• Blue Medal of Valor
• Hickeys