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It occurred to me that maybe a few of the people who practice martial arts and karate may not really, fully, understand what it means to talk about one's "strength" in training, practice and applications be it sport, combative's or self-protection.
What is strength? Often we think, and possibly assume, that means the strength of our muscles. We then think, assume, that the bigger and stronger the muscles the greater our abilities are in applying our skills be it karate, sports or other physical disciplines.
Some people think, and assume, that strength is a multi-layered aspect of the human body, i.e., strength is about human stamina, endurance and perseverance. where we develop,
- "our physical and moral strength to withstand fatigue and hardships."
- "we learn to act with a quality, or power of withstanding hardships or stresses; the persevere."
- "we learn to act with steady persistence in adhering to a course of action, belief or a purpose."
- "we develop and maintain our physical power and capacity; capacity to resist attacks; capacity to resist strain and stress; our ability to deal with difficult situations."
- "we develop, evolve and maintain our mental abilities as to fatigue, hardships, stresses, persistence for action, beliefs and purpose; we maintain our mental capacity and ability toward capacity of memory, to endure and overcome adversity and to deal mentally with difficult, sometimes dangerous, situations."
When we talk of developing our mind, body and spirit; we talk about our strength to mind and body that contributes to the strength of our spirit. Mind leads the body, body leads the mind; both mutually benefit one another's strength and results in the evolving of one's indomitable spirit. The triad of humans ability to deal with aggression and violence at all levels and in any environment be it a board room or out on the field of battle.
Every human living and past has strength at some level likened to the novice first entering into the dojo where the thoughts, actions, teachings and experiences create that environment where each individual can develop and evolve their strength toward maximum efficient effective actions. Where the mind grows and changes; where the body grows and changes; where the spirit is created and evolved into that spirit that makes us strong in our capabilities in mind, body and spirit.
Strength of muscles is barely the tip of the iceberg that is human strength of mind, body and spirit. Muscular strength, of course, has its benefits and uses in our actions and deeds both everyday and with the exceptional. It is not that which makes us strong; it is not that which makes us powerful; it is not that which makes our actions powerful but rather that which stabilizes and leads us to real strength that becomes, in our actions; efficient, powerful, and forceful.
When you enter the dojo of life, think of your strength that is a whole, wholehearted, human endeavor that makes us powerful, contributory to us and society and makes us as individual and a collective powerful, forceful and successful in our very survival.
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