AGKK_Karateka Posted March 21, 2003 Posted March 21, 2003 Hi, I did not mean to be cryptic The principals I refer to in my earlier post are not profound or deep. They are quite obvious and simple. As karate students we are all students of how the human body works and interacts with the world around it, to be more specific a violent competitive situation where the golden rule would be “hit without being hit.” In my opinion science should always before superstition and causality being the basis of learning techniques and their application. The dojo is more than a physical space it is a state of mind. Every early morning run, stretch session, or exercises workout is another step on our path towards greater self-knowledge, awareness and capability. Actively learning about karate does not mean wearing white (or black) gi and paying subscription fees to an association, achieving rank, fame and glory. Karate training is not a twice a week recreational activity or point scoring at tournaments or subscribing to an obscure but unproved belief in series of physical techniques but a simple way of living… If you are overweight and wish to loose the excess kg's you have to make real changes to lifestyle and habit to have a direct, long lasting, meaningful and measurable effect (not subscribe to latest and greatest fad diet). I realized at that time (many years ago) that to train in karate properly required a level of complete commitment that I was not ready to give so I decided to walk away. The following quote taken from the mediations of Marcus Aurelius summaries better to me a real principal of karate: Give your heart to the trade that you have learnt, and draw refreshment from it. Let the rest of your days be spent as one who has whole-heartedly committed his all to the gods, and henceforth no man’s master or slave. In karate the old adage of “you only get out what you put in” is true.
NinjaMaster Posted March 21, 2003 Author Posted March 21, 2003 Hi AGKK_Karateka You put all that so well. I agree with EVERYTHING you said. Nice one To Grunt Your Club sounds good but you are in America yes? The standard is much lower here in London, England.
Mayur Posted March 21, 2003 Posted March 21, 2003 I think this forum is being torn to shreds because of comparisions....... |Mayur|
NinjaMaster Posted March 21, 2003 Author Posted March 21, 2003 Ok then Mayur we will have a forum where everyone agrees and no one has an opinion of their own yes? Wont that be fun in fact if we all agree why not close the whole thing all together. Personally ive got nothing against anyone and i cant see why people cant argue and still be friends as they are when they agree. If you think about it this is the only way to progress. I have changed my mind a bit having read some peoples arguments which is a good thing as i am open minded and i hope others have done the same. If we all agreed then we would not get anywhere.
Mayur Posted March 21, 2003 Posted March 21, 2003 The only problem I see is with people who make wild assumptions about other arts without having the faintest idea of what they actually are, and when we try to reason with them they are ignorant, in the meantime the people who browse the forums usually get the wrong idea about the arts.... A good discussion is one thing but ignorance is something way out of hand.... |Mayur|
Kensai Posted March 21, 2003 Posted March 21, 2003 Ninja, you said that the standand is lower in the UK. Just as a point of interest if you can make it to some of Sensei Enoeda's Shotokan classes I think you would be impressed.
NinjaMaster Posted March 21, 2003 Author Posted March 21, 2003 Yes I agree but i cant train like that on a regular basis unfortunately.
jmy77 Posted March 21, 2003 Posted March 21, 2003 Ninja and AGKK, Correct me if i am wrong - your belief is that if you do not dedicate your life to learning karate then it is not worth it to you? "Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit soft." - Pres. Theodore Roosevelt "You don't have to like it, you just have to do it." - Captain Richard Marcinko, USN, Ret."Do more than what is required of you." - General George S. Patton"If you have to step on someone else to stand tall, then you truely are a small person." - ?
Grunt Posted March 21, 2003 Posted March 21, 2003 AGKK_Karateka, Thanks for the explanation. Sounds like at that time in your life you saw a "bigger picture" than what you had originally embraced. I think that's a good thing and believe that we all have those moments with life in general. I can't say that I share you philosophy regarding Karate, but that's OK. I do however think we can arrive at the same result by taking different paths.Correct me if i am wrong - your belief is that if you do not dedicate your life to learning karate then it is not worth it to you? And this was my next question, jmy77 just beat me to it. I detect an "all or nothing" frame of mind. Please note, I'm not in any way knocking this type of thinking. In fact, I see myself wrestling with this sort of thinking. However, as I've grown I've found that life isn't always going to be that black and white. And the older I grow, the more gray things become. As much I'd love things to be one way or the other I am left wanting. For me life is a balance. And I usually find the balance point as I swing past it. LOL. Grunt "All that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing." - Edmond Burk"A true warrior embodies more than the ability to wage war." - Anonymous
Samurai_Steel Posted April 11, 2003 Posted April 11, 2003 AGKK, I agree 100% with what you are saying. I have had the pleasure of meeting and training under the same type of man. No one here would ever have heard of what I do or who teaches me for those very reasons. It is nice to see someone on this board with an appreciation about the art, and more importantly the life. Thank you. In response to other questions over the all or nothing approach. Well put it this way, you can become a good fighter without it, train hard and regularly and you will get your black belt. But for some people that is not what we train for, there are so many other things in the true way. Dont get me wrong most instructors and even self professed masters will never know this so if you dont understand what I am saying dont worry, enjoy. And this is in no way meant to critisize any style of MA, all have their benefits all are admirable. I think ultimately you will find that when you meet a genuine master of a style the moves you learn become inconseqential.
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