I got to thinking recently of all the time we spend as karateka haggling over what Funakoshi or Itosu might have meant by a single turn of phrase. While there is undoubtedly wisdom to be had there, I got to thinking that it is just important, perhaps more important, to establish what we think OUR dojo kun is. Here is a first draft at my own, I would appreciate other instructors posting there own:
- Honor the past, but do not be constrained by it.
- Master the fundamental basics before attempting to surpass them. ‘Mastery’ itself is mastery of the basics. Eagerness is human, be patient and disciplined about your practice.
- ‘Do’ lies beyond ‘jutsu’ and is revealed through ‘jutsu’. Combative training builds character, but to do so, it must be combative, not a pantomiming of combat.
- Going back to Chinese roots, ‘kung fu’ is simply ‘hard work’— personal ability devoid of secrets; and developed without shortcuts.
- Train deliberately with a clear goal for improvement in every practice and drill.
- Surpass your own limitations with every iteration and every practice.
- Training must balance safety with realism, application with technical form. ‘Technique’ itself is simply economy of both motion and physical effort.
- Practice does not make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect. Application of perfected practice is another matter.
- You must learn to learn. Make ten new mistakes instead of repeating the same one thoughtlessly.
- Growth is a progress of baby steps which are sometimes too small to see. Keep training.
- Test everything to develop your own empirical understanding
- Eventually, training must become ‘self’ centered: self- aware, self-sustaining, and self-directed
- A tree with solid roots doesn’t care from which direction the sun shines. Take every quality opportunity that comes along to further your understanding.
- There are no superior systems, only superior individuals.
- Combative training is always context specific. Know the fight you are training for.
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