Character

Do we truly practice with character.  When I say character do I mean ... the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual where strength and originality are a part of that person's nature; a person of good reputation and then you have to go on and define what that means to that individual, to others, to the tribe and finally to society as a whole, i.e. what is acceptable and what is not that governs a person of character.

How do we go about that in the martial arts? It comes back, to me, about the "code." What code? Some would gravitate to the code of bushido, some to the ken-po goku-i as if that were a code and some would create their own code which could be "good" or "not so good." It all depends doesn't it.

To me the "character" of a martial artist is the Yin of the Yin and Yang in karate. Yang being the strictly physical applications. You should develop both simultaneously to become well rounded or a martial artists of character.

I have posted recently as to what code I would strive to meet or live by but to recap: An American Code of Honor for MA!