Lesson of the Week #177

Quotes:

“People will forget what you said. People will even forget what

you did. But people will NEVER forget how you made them feel.”

“Empty pockets never held anyone back. Only empty heads and

empty hearts can do that.” - Norman Vincent Peale

“Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people

keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don't quit.” - Conrad

Hilton

“How you respond to the challenge in the second half will

determine what you become after the game, whether you are a

winner or loser.” - Lou Holtz

“We don't see things as they are; ...we see things as we are.” -

Anais Nin

“The most important thing about goals ...is having one... -

Geoffrey Abert

Lesson:

The Double Edged Sword of the Martial Arts

In traditional Japanese and Okinawan martial arts the terms

Karate-Do and Karate-Jitsu are used and sometimes incorrectly.

The emphasis of Karate-Do is that it is all about developing

character, honor and integrity of the participant, the old “it

doesn’t matter if you win or lose, it’s how you play the game

that counts”.

Karate-Jitsu, on the other hand, is all about the

effectiveness of the technique or the ultimate purpose of a

warrior’s art is to destroy his or her enemy. These techniques

are designed to be used in defense of yourself, your family or

your country, and are too serious to play with.

Over the last 40 plus years that I have been training and

teaching I find that different aspects of the martial arts appeal

to different people and at different times, different aspects

appeal to the same person. For example, I find that kids love to

play and seem to like competing in sport karate at tournaments

while many older people could care less about competing for a

medal or trophy. Individuals that are in law enforcement or

serving in the military tend to really focus on what works, what

is functional and less on sport type training.

I also think that each one of us has different needs

depending on the circumstances. On a day to day basis, learning

to be a better citizen and using the art to relieve stress, staying

focused on the positive and keeping our bodies healthy may

indeed be the best priority in our training. However, if we find

ourselves in the street and under sudden attack, then the use of

our training takes an immediate turn towards effectiveness of

technique. In traditional thinking, karate training is for defensive

purposes under surprise attack on the street, not for escalation

of conflict or mutually agreed upon combat.

As instructors, it is important that we always see our

student’s training for what they want to get out of it, and not

the training that we love for ourselves. Like the double-edged

sword, the usefulness of the training can be used for good or

evil. A sharp knife in the hands of a madman can kill, while in the

hands of a skilled surgeon it can save lives. The skills and ability

gained from martial arts training can save and enhance the

practitioner in many ways. For some it’s the Self Discipline, for

others it is the Self Defense, physical fitness or even the focus

and concentration learned in the dojo. Teaching a classical

system that also emphasizes Life Skills and the precepts of

Bushido is desperately needed in today’s society.

As the leader there is another side of the double-edged

sword concept and that is actually exploring the other side. We

don’t always look at both sides, but need to explore the other

side for true understanding. For example, you encounter a failure

in your life and you quickly feel despair because you make a bad

decision. Well, you need to explore the positive as well.

What did you learn from the experience? What changes will

you implement next time this situation occurs, etc. Once you

understand this concept, you begin to understand the old adage,

“When you pick up one end of the stick, you also pick up the

other end.” Knowing all the ripples that are caused by our

thoughts and actions, and then making decisions based on those

future consequences, is what separates the warrior from the

average person.

To become a true warrior follow the functional way of the

arts, enjoy the competitive or showy aspects if you like. Follow

the Code of bushido and don’t simply go through life reacting to

events. Take charge. Be proactive. This is the way of the

Warrior.

Train hard and well. In the way, JWA