What you say, write or do does matter ....

Karate Saved My Life

Actually, karate cannot save anyone's life but the person who may practice karate saved their own life. This is a bit like saying, "Guns kill," when in fact it is not a gun that kills but the person using said gun that kills. 

Karate is a Way of Life. 

Actually, it is not a way of life but rather a means to improve things that would assist a person to change the way they live their lives. It is just another endeavor that one takes up that makes their lives better in some way by the benefits of its practice like health, fitness and well-being. 

In recent readings on my end here in Berkeley I came across a statement that said "teachings of karate provide enjoyment and access to a harmonious lifestyle." First, yes you can gain enjoyment when you practice karate yet you can do the same with about any discipline such as baseball, football or playing the piano. Where I tend to question things is when one says that any discipline gives you access to a harmonious lifestyle I say, "No, it does not give you any access to any type of harmonious lifestyle." You, the individual have to have a foundation that has been instilled in you through family, society and self-actualization for the traits that will allow you to seek out a harmonious lifestyle. The spiritual, not religious, aspects of any discipline give you the tools and means to seek out that harmonious lifestyle. Yes, you can give something its due recognition but it does not give anything to you but is just a tool used to seek out what it takes to live a harmonious lifestyle. 

Karate, Kung-fu, Aikido, etc. all are awesome disciplines when studied and practiced correctly but, I stress but, they are not capable of giving you access to anything. This is not the way as is traditionally understood. I have witnessed many who do not live harmoniously with life or with others but they practice the martial arts. If the arts give you access to a harmonious lifestyle then why do these folks not get it? Why do some folks use and live violent lives? Why do some folks use and live lives as bullies, control freaks or simply to make money through the system? 

I may be nitpicking but I feel, especially when talking to novices, etc., that they tend to perceive things as explained and it is important that they don't arrive at some misconception of what it is they do and what they will get from it.

Like, karate will help you defend yourself against attackers? This statement while it may be true in some instances is more often not true in most. When someone hears or reads that karate or any other system will teach you the absolute best foolproof methods of self-defense we are lying and it is a disservice to people everywhere giving false sense of hope and security. 

Are we not as martial artists as well as teachers and mentors obligated to make sure everyone gets the right, correct and true message? Is it not an obligation that when we take this role regardless of the discipline we make sure we pass on knowledge accurately as possible?

In my early years I failed to do this properly and feel blessed/lucky that none of those who trained with and under me ever had to prove that what they were taught would work. Isn't this part of the problem that many will never have to prove what works and does not work in a real life violent encounter? 

Do you as a black belt, as a teacher and as a human being ever ask yourself these types of questions before stepping out on a training hall floor to teach anything? 

My only wish is that all of us in positions of leadership, i.e. teaching, etc. is that we try to do our best and when it fails we try to correct things for the benefit of others who may follow our lead. Isn't this one of the most important traits of leadership, i.e. sensei, teachers, mentors, professionals, leaders, etc all should have this as a primary obligation don't you think? Isn't this what we assume when we hear sensei or teacher or expert or master? Do those who you train under now fill that bill?

Karate did not save my life or anyone's life, it was that person's discipline and spirit that allowed them to prevail. They may or may not have used karate, a tool, to achieve success but it was themselves who actually saved their own life. 

Karate is not a way of life, it is that person's awakening of what is already within and instilled by their family, friends, teachers, and society that built that way of life. They may or may not have used the discipline of karate, a tool, to achieve their way of life but it was themselves who actually created their own way of life.