My focus in these short articles is to share my personal experience and provide a modern interpretation of each of the 20 precepts, both in the dojo and in life in general. In no way do I claim to have "the" insight to what Funakoshi was thinking when he wrote them. Nor do I think my interpretation is applicable for everyone. With this context, I share my thoughts with you humbly and sincerely. I hope you gain or validate your own personal insights in my writing, and explore how they can benefit you in many aspects of your life.
1. Karate Goes Beyond The Dojo At face level this is pretty straightforward. Karate training and the lessons you learn are applicable in and outside of the dojo.
The questions for me then are, what is karate training, what are the lessons I have learned and how have I applied it in the other roles I play in my life as a father, husband, son, family member, friend, manager, employee, karateka and so on?
To the casual observer who has never trained karate, it is a "great way to learn self-defense, stay in shape and/or provide discipline" for them self or for their child. All of these things are true no doubt. Everyone has their own reasons for training karate. Many join a club for these reasons and discover over time (if they continue) that their reasons for staying change as they grow in their understanding of karate. I know mine did. Even at this level of understanding, self-defense, physical fitness and mental focus are all things that can be gained from karate and applied outside the dojo. Many people will never have to use self-defense in the "real world", but knowing it sure does help if the situation should arise. Undoubtedly, continued training results in improved cardio-vascular, muscle strength and flexibility that improves the overall quality of your life. Setting and achieving goals (i.e. belt system) provides focus and a sense of accomplishment that again can be applied in every other area of your life. So at this basic level the axiom is true.
This got me thinking about what I have learned from karate over the many years I have trained on and off, and how it has helped me grow as a person outside the dojo. There are too many thoughts and feelings I have gain to list in one article. I have tried to go deep, and discuss what I have learned at a fundamentally human level, beyond the many other things I have learned from my training.
Humility- No matter how much you have progressed, how much you have learned, how much you think you understand or "get it:", the more you train the more you realize how much you don't know, how much you still need to learn and how there is always someone else out there who has attained a level of skill and comprehension that you have not yet realized. Karate knows no social status in terms of the job you have, the car you drive, the money in your bank account, the house you live in. At the dojo, all karateka are equal from this perspective. Having a great job and lots of money does not make you perform a better mae-geri. Gender, race, nationality, age, religion, sexual orientation and other forms of discrimination have no place in karate, naturally. We all show up and train as "regular people". The world needs more of this now more than ever.
Perseverance- How many times a class have you thought for a split second...what the heck am I doing here, I would rather be somewhere else relaxing, I can't do this particular move, my body hurts, I'm exhausted or so on. If we were honest, even the greatest masters I am sure have these thoughts and feelings even now from time to time....but we keep training. We persevere because we know if we stick with it, something good will come from it. One day it will just "click". One day I won't feel as tired as I do today. One day I will have the satisfaction of knowing I stuck to it and it payed off. How many times at work or at home have you felt this way but kept going? By persevering we build a belief in our self, that we can do anything if we put our mind to it. That is a good life lesson for us all no matter your situation in life.
Peace- Quite contradictory to those who have never trained and see it as a violent martial art. Nothing could be further from the truth. There is a peace you gain in self-belief as described above. There is also a peace you gain from being in the moment when training, when nothing else matters but your next movement. A peace that comes from truly living in the now. All your troubles, past or future, go away for a while and you find peace in turning off your mind on anything else but karate for that class. Life will be there when you walk out the dojo door. Not living in the now is probably the greatest affliction of humankind, worry about tomorrow or living in the past. We need to appreciate this moment we have now, as that is all anyone really has anyway.
Energy- I have found that training has reinforced for me that it is better to give than to receive. When I train I give my energy to my training and my classmates. By doing so, I receive their energy as well. The collective energy of the class is greater than my individual energy. How about when you are practicing kumite, have you ever felt more energized practicing and actually hitting someone than if you were practicing alone? The energy/spirit/life-force/ki...whatever you want to call it is transmitted between people. Hard to explain but you just feel it. This has applications with any other relationship you have in your life. This is augmented when you start to teach others. The satisfaction and good vibrations or energy you receive from helping others is like no other. Surround yourself with good energy; give positive energy to others and what you receive will be far greater than what you give. It is the law of the universe.
Belonging- Why bother training in a dojo once you have learned all of the movements? Yes, there is always something else to learn from the teacher, but there is more to it than that. There is a bond that you develop with your fellow classmates, a sense of esprit de corps, a band of brothers and sisters. A sense of belonging. They really know what it takes to get through a tough class, attain a certain level of proficiency or fight through an injury. They have been there too and know how it feels. If you have not trained you just would not understand to the same level. There is also a sense of belonging in passing down a tradition hundreds of years old and carrying the torch forward to a new generation of practioners. My former sensei used to say "train for all those who have come before you and all those who will come after you". This sense of belonging is fundamental to the human existence. We belong to families, groups, associations, companies etc. Some of these bonds are strong, some not as much. But a sense of belonging gives people as sense of purpose, and that is also a fundamental part of the human existence.
In writing this article, I unintentionally answered what I really missed about karate and why I came back. When I was not training, I felt there was something missing. Sure I worked out and kept in shape, but it was not the same. A part of me was missing, not there. Now I can articulate what it was, and why.
I hope this gets you thinking about your own training and journey in karate for as we have discussed, karate goes beyond the dojo.
Since 1988, Way Of Life Shotokan Karate has been committed to teaching traditional karate and values for a modern world. Under the leadership of Norman Smith Sensei, Way Of Life Shotokan Karate instructs hundreds of students at our various locations from beginner to advanced levels of all ages that come from across the New York City metro area. Our unique way of combining martial arts training, etiquette and philosophy with the modern concepts of fitness, self-defense and competition is unparalleled. We ensure your training is vigorous, while maintaining a safe and fun learning environment that encourages students to reach their fullest potential.
Way Of Life Shotokan Karate Do martial arts school is now offically open at 501 East Boston Post Road, Mamaroneck NY, 10543 serving the local Westchester County communities of New Rochelle, Larchmont, Mamaroneck, Harrison, Rye, Port Chester, Mount Vernon, Scarsdale, White Plains and Yonkers as well as the Bronx and NYC metro area.
