Understanding the Way of Karate
To understand others, you must first understand yourself.
When you practice Shorinji-Ryu Karate, you must understand that there
are guiding principles.
The Dojo Kune
To strive for good moral character
To keep an honest
and sincere way
To cultivate perseverance
or a will for striving
To develop a respectful
attitude
To restrain your
physical ability by spiritual attainment
A Guiding Principle
1. When entering a Dojo as a student, or asking a Senior
to be taught, one must be free from prejudice and humble, so that
he will accept the teachings as shown. This will help a student not
to form bad habits.
2. It is given that a student will not only respect
the Master and teachers, but also he must be courteous to fellow students.
Thus, he must strive to develop the virtue of humility.
3. A healthy body can be obtained through continuous
effort. A student must cultivate within himself the spirit of perseverance.
4. A student must strive to be an advocate for the construction
of a peaceful and free world through the character building, morality,
and spirituality obtained by learning the way of Karate.
5. In daily conduct a student will not engage in fights
or arguments, but will always be prudent.
6. In actual training, a student will move up from easy
to difficult, and simple to complicated training. One should never
hurry without gradual development, and never engage in reckless practice.
7. Become familiar with the use of the Makiwara and
other training equipment. Train yourself to use every part of your
body. Be patient and study the Katas earnestly, without aiming only
for hurried success.
8. In ancient times it was said that it took years to
understand a Kata. There was a Master who studied a Kata for ten years.
Improve your Kata on a continual basis, and never consider it finished.
True Karate Spirit
When you practice Karate you must
....become one with yourself
....clear your mind
....personify your feet and hands
Perfection of technique is what Karate is all
about:
....perfect the techniques that you are shown
....make these techniques your own
....no one forgets his own techniques
To understand others, you must first understand yourself.
To continue your study of karate, you must study yourself and the
human body. Find out where your weaknesses are, as well as your strong
points. Karate is based on the strengths and weaknesses of the human
body. Study the techniques and study the points of the body that can
be hurt. Know yourself before you try to know others.
Some quotations from Miyamoto Mushaski:
"The essence of strategy is that you must train day and night
in order to make quick decisions."
"In strategy it is important to see distant things as if they
were close and take a distanced view of close things."
"Small people must be completely familiar with the spirit of
large people, and large people must be familiar with the spirit of
small people. Whatever your size, do not be misled by the reactions
of your own body."
"In single combat, you can win by relaxing your body and spirit,
and then, catching on to the moment the enemy relaxes; attack strongly
and quickly, forestalling him."
"There is timing in everything. Timing and strategy cannot be
mastered without a great deal of practice."
"When your opponent is hurrying recklessly, you must act contrarily
and keep calm. You must not be influenced by the opponent."
"Really skillful people never get out of time, and are always
deliberate, and never appear busy."
"When you have mastered the way of strategy, you can suddenly
make your body like a rock, and ten thousand things cannot touch
you."
"Study strategy over the years and achieve the spirit of the
warrior. Today is victory over yourself or yesterday; tomorrow is
victory over lesser men."
The Makiwara
There is no Okinawan Karate without diligent practice on the striking
post. Striking the post leads to proper stance alignment, conditioning
the striking surfaces of the hand and foot, and to strengthening of
the hips.
An unconditioned hand or foot is not capable of generating
sufficient power to cause severe injury at point of impact. Therefore,
proper training with the Makiwara is essential.
The upper arms of the post are used for conditioning
the blocking surfaces of the arms and hands. This is what gives the
Shorinji practitioner the characteristic strength in blocking techniques.
A Karateka must use the post on a daily basis in order
to reach maximum power and penetration potential in technique.
Choki Motubo, who had very little technical Karate skill
when young, practiced on the post for years. This gave him sufficient
strength to break a sternum with a single blow. Mas Oyama's strength
to kill a bull with his bare hands came from continual practice on
the Makiwara.
One should never beat the post, but should strike it
with full blows in order to develop the technique. Do not
begin this training until approval is given by Hanshi.
Bukijutsu Weapons of Okinawa
|
BO |
BO -- A hardwood
staff 6 feet in length, tapered at both ends; the center diameter
is 1 1/2 inches, tapering to 3/4 inches at both ends. |
|
KAMA |
KAMA (Sickle) -- Has a hardwood
handle with slightly larger butt end. The blade is crescent shaped
and is found on its concave side; it is single edged and razor sharp. |
|
NUNCHAKU |
NUNCHAKU -- A pair of hardwood
rods hinged with rope. Each rod is joined end-to-end to give freedom
of swing. |
|
TUNFA |
TUNFA -- A wooden handle (from
a grinding stone). It is a tapered shaft of hardwood 15-20 inches
in length. Six inches from the end of the shaft, a cylindrical grip
is attached. |
|
SAI |
SAI -- A short, metal, two-pronged
dagger. It is made of solid metal and weighs 2-3 pounds. They
are usually held one in each hand. |
NUNTE -- Short metal
S-pronged weapon, pointed at both ends. It is held by hand, or jammed
into the end of a bo to be used as a spear.
EKKU (Oar) -- A short
(4 1/2 feet) somewhat rectangular paddle usually made of oak.
|
