The ultimate intent of becoming
a martial artist is not an activity to reach a certain rank or something one
does a couple times a week. Since the
beginning, almost every martial arts master has indicated that what you are
learning is a Way of life. In fact, the
“Do” in Tae Kwon Do, Karate-Do, Judo, means “Way”.
In Gichin Funakoshi’s, The Twenty Guiding Principles of
Karate [1], his eighth principle is “Karate goes beyond the dojo”. Funakoshi states, “The objective of karate-do
is to polish and mature both the mind and body.
The cultivation of one’s spirit and mental attitude begun during
practice in the dojo (training hall) should not cease after the physical and
mental exertions end for the day.
Rather, this should continue outside the dojo, in our daily
routine.”
I have mentioned in many classes that to master many of the
skills in martial arts, they need to become part of your lifestyle and not just
something you do 5-6 PM, 6-7 PM, or 7-7:30 PM Mondays and Thursdays and an
occasional Saturday.
For instance, grounding is not just something you do right
before start practicing martial arts.
Being grounded needs to be part of who you are and how you move in every
part of your life. It is not just
something you do in the dojang. You will
discover if you are always grounded that other physical activities become
easier – lifting weights, gardening, etc.
You will discover that if you are always grounded you feel more relaxed
and you are less reactive to the environment or people around you.
Continuous, “even” breathing is something you should strive
to do always as well. This includes
physical activity or any situation where your breathing might get
strained. For instance, I practice even,
continuous breathing not only in my other physical activities but also at
places like the dentist’s office. I try
to remain relaxed and focus just on easy breathing the entire time. As much as going to the dentist is not
something I think I will ever enjoy, I have found it a much more pleasant
experience by just focusing on my breathing.
We strive to be present in performing our techniques, forms,
sparring, etc. We should be present in
every activity we do, whether it is at home, work, or in the dojang. We should be present when we communicate with
friends, family or co-workers listening and staying present for each word so we
are sure we understand their perspective and what they are trying to say. I find when I am completely present when communicating
with others, I understand more, I learn more and there is less miscommunication
which leads to less frustration from both parties. We should be present when driving to work or
the store which will keep us and those around us safe by not being
distracted. We should be striving to be
present in everything we do, always.
We practice patience with ourselves and others in the dojang. When we are patient with ourselves and stop
trying too hard to master or learn something instantaneously, we enjoy the
journey more and appreciate the effort we put in to learn and master something.
We should strive to be patient with
others in every scenario on every occasion.
When we are patient with each other we tend to have better interactions,
less frustration, and more enjoyment.
Eventually you stop thinking you
are practicing a martial art, but you start thinking and acting like a martial
artist. There is a big distinction
here. One is something you do, while the
other is who you are. You start to carry
the knowledge and skills interchangeably in the dojang and outside the
dojang. You see the relationships of how
you practice and how you live and you strive for them being one and the same.
You may be amazed at how this
not only enhances your martial arts practice but also enhances your everyday life
once you get to the point where the ideals and concepts you learn in the dojang
are part of your “daily routine”.
Regards,
Kelly
"Although it is
important to study and train for skill in techniques, for the man who wishes to
truly accomplish the way of budo, it is more important to make his whole life
in training and therefore not aiming for skill and strength alone, but also for
spiritual attainment."~ Masutatsu Oyama (1923- 1994), a karate master who
founded Kyokushinkai Karate
References
1.
The
Twenty Guiding Principles of Karate: The Spiritual Legacy of the Master by
Gichin Funakoshi
