Karate Philosophies
Sho-Shin
In his book Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind, the Zen teacher Shunryu Suzuki writes:
In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, in the expert’s mind there are few.
Shunryu Suzuki
Approach your karate, and really any opportunity to learn, as a “curious fool”. The Zen concept, “beginner’s mind” helps you remember to look at things you’ve done 100 times with an open mind, seeking something new. I find this to be the benefit of doing Fukyugata Ichi for the 2,000th time – I know the shape of it, but that frees me to examine the subtleties in the kata. How do I get lower? How do I turn faster, with better balance? How do I release the tension between my moves? How should I pace my breathing? Where can I find more power?
Onegai Shimasu
A close relative of Sho Shin is Onegai Shimasu: “let’s experience this together,” or sometimes “please teach me” or “please take care of me”. The root of this idea, in my mind, is that we are looking for learning opportunities – the white belt from the black belt, but also the black belt from the white belt. We learn a lot as teachers. Trying to teach a technique or an idea properly means you must have a deep enough understanding to be able to explain it or demonstrate it correctly and clearly. Additionally, everyone on the deck brings their own experiences to the dojo – strict Karate might not be the only path to follow in a given situation.
Onegai Shimasu also means we are inviting our training partner to enter a safe space of learning. We are going to be throwing techniques at each other, but we’re going to also focus on not injuring one another. We remind ourselves and each other to stay alert and focused as we practice.
Self-Improvement
We don’t often spar in our style. We’re not here to become brawlers. We are here to learn to defend ourselves from an attack, but also to master our selves – to learn to control our emotions and our minds and our bodies. This is an individual pursuit that we engage in with the camaraderie of our fellow deshi.
The dojo is the place where courage is fostered and superior human nature is bred through the ecstasy of sweating in hard work. It is the sacred place where the human spirit is polished.
Shoshin Nagamine
Through the steady practice of our Karate, week by week, month after month, year upon year, we learn that it is through discipline that we practice kaizen – regular, steady improvement. There will surely be “aha” moments, but for the most part, those moments will lead to a small adjustment in your technique, in your breathing practice, etc., that you will now wrap into your regular practice in the dojo while you seek the next small improvement.
To paraphrase Master Gichin Funakoshi: Water stops boiling when you remove it from the heat. It is easier to keep that water hot than to reheat it once it has cooled. To quote Hanshi Robert Scaglione: “Keep training!”
Self-Worth
A small sidecar to self-improvement is self-worth. When I first started Karate, I would watch the senior students and Sensei Hatle and Sensei Dobrow with their precision and intensity, and internally scoff a bit. And I wasn’t scoffing at them – I was scoffing at me, at the idea that I could be that serious about my practice.
But at some point I stopped judging myself and stopped feeling self-conscious about what others might think of my Karate. I decided that it didn’t matter what others might think I should be doing – this was my Karate. I value the benefits to myself, and I want to do the best I can do and make improvements over that last time I was on the deck. I decided that I wanted to take the Karate seriously.
And the balance there is that I don’t ever want to take myself seriously because who am I, right? I’m just another student: of Karate, of programming, of parenting, of drawing and writing, etc. I try hard not to take myself seriously, but I do apply serious effort to my Karate and making myself better.
Stay curious. Allow mistakes – and then learn from them. The learning process is humbling, but also full of the joy of discovery. Sho-shin: beginner’s mind.
Breathing
Ki in Japanese is “spirit”, as in “kiai”, but it is also breath and air. Without air and breathing, we die. Practically speaking, we want our air to be moving at all times. Functionally, we train that we breathe in on blocks and out on strikes. That’s an excellent guideline, but most importantly, do what you need to do to keep your air moving.
Another consideration is how we breathe. The breathing we practice in meditation is a target to strive for at all times. Breathing in through the nose, out through the mouth, and breathing deep into the belly have more benefits than simply getting the most out of the air exchange. Deep breathing mobilizes our internal organs, exercises our diaphragm and pelvic floor, and through that somatic practice, it relaxes the mind, keeping you calm and aware – Zanshin!
Meditation
Ken Zen Ichi Nyo: The Fist and Zen are One. Meditation is integral to the way Master Nagamine trained in his dojo. He introduced a 15-minute zazen practice to the beginning of his sessions and lost many students. He would often have his students sit for 30, 45, 60 minutes after a couple hours of training. He saw Karate and Zen as inseparable.
While it may not be practical for us to sit in meditation for that much time here, it is important to understand the goal and spirit of that practice. Meditation is a well-documented way to settle the mind, increase mental capacity, reduce stress, and all sorts of other benefits. For me, the focus at the start of class puts me in the right mindset to be on the deck – it turns on my “beginner’s mind” and my focus. And at the end of class, that pause gives my mind and body a moment to collect and store the lessons of the training session, as well as re-open my mind to the noisiness of the world outside the dojo. This bookending of meditation around our class time is important for focus and getting the maximum benefit from our time on the deck together.
Putting it All Together
Karate is full of time-tested ideas that endure because they are effective. The Shinden passed down many gifts, both clear and hidden. While it is always a moment of delight, I am no longer surprised when I discover a side-benefit of an exercise we’ve been practicing for years. On the surface, our warm-ups are there to stretch our muscles and loosen up our joints. But within those exercises are balance, muscle control, focus, discipline, Gan principles (see the Green Book!), and more.
Likewise, with the philosophies of our Karate, we have excellent rules to apply to the rest of our lives. “Step First” means to find your foundation before making the next part of the move. On the deck it means to get your feet set and rooted, so you can throw your technique with confidence, control, and power. Applied to life, it might mean that you do your research before successfully starting a business, or that you make 25 sketches and five color-studies before you paint your masterpiece.
So many of the ideas described here can apply on and off the deck. As you make your life in the wider world, take note of the lessons you learn on the Karate deck. My first teacher, Sensei Bob Dobrow, noted in the description for the Carleton PE course: “Ideally, the Karateka carries a clarity of concentration and serenity of spirit every day in whatever they are doing.” That clarity and serenity comes from the physical and mental benefits of Karate.
So whether you join us on the deck and continue your Karate training – or find another practice that builds your mind, body, and spirit – keep the lessons close at heart. In the spirit of Sho Shin, “beginner’s mind”, stay open to novel applications of the lessons you learn from Karate, or from anywhere else in your life.
See you on the deck!
Arigato gozaimashita,
David
