In yamabushi training we are actively discouraged from helping out others. On the surface this may seem extremely selfish, but in fact the opposite is true.

If someone is struggling and you give them a helping hand, you’re also taking away their ability to do things for themselves, you’re also taking away their opportunity to do and therefore learn things for themselves.

Of course if it was a life-threatening thing you should help out, but in most cases it isn’t. In most cases you’re just getting in the way of their training.