Modesty

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I recently came across a quotation from what would be perceived as a reliable source of karate and martial art philosophy, i.e., it was stated that karate and martial arts will thrive better in the west except for one missing quality and trait, “Modesty”. Apparently, his perceptions of the wester, American, mind-state is we fail to practice modesty in our karate and martial arts both practice and in our actions outside of practice. 

A person of modesty is one who lives, breathes and acts with a quality of being unassuming and moderate in their estimation of one’s abilities. It is about living a life with a behavior, manner, and/or appearance intended to avoid impropriety or indecency, etc. Does this make sense to you? Do you live, breath and model your karate and/or martial arts with a modicum of modesty? 

Isn’t having a trait of modesty also about how we perceive and present ourselves as it would involve our very ego’s? Isn’t the seven tenants of bushido also a description of modesty in that one who is modest feels and lives and breathes righteousness, courage, benevolence, respect, sincerity, honor, loyalty and self-control? Self-control alone is about how we control ourselves and that means how we control our very ego’s. 

Wouldn’t the trait of modesty also promote a more conducive living style that would reduce our chances of conflict and especially violence? Isn’t modestly having the confidence and ability to defend but with such ability to avoid the higher levels that produce the types of violence all humans would prefer to avoid? 

Note: being of a modest nature does not mean you take crap but it does mean you will be discriminating in how crap is taken when delivered by some adversary, etc.


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