Blog Article/Post Caveat (Read First Please: Click the Link)
In a recent posting, a meme was provided with a part of the quote that really, to learn and teach from and with, needed a bit of clarification by the person who wrote it then posted it. Yet, when asked the person, as you can imagine, simply side-stepped the answer with rhetoric that misdirected and suggested that the person asking needed to "Shut up and Train."
Here is how I responded to the old verbiage, “Shut up and Train,” in a previous post/article. That speaks for itself as to the a-typical use of meme’s of questionable meaning. This is one of those things folks who never knew and couldn’t find a reasonable answer without losing face and admitting that they can’t explain the concept only to find that they are regurgitating the same platitudes that their sensei made when they were students.
So, with that said I took the questionable meme, partial, and gave it some thoughtful thoughts while meditating on that concept to see if I can provide some answer that helps understand that concept. Here goes:
“To be Worn Within your Heart.”
In the style that Tatsuo-san created his naming directs a practitioner toward, “Shin [心]” meaning, “heart; mind; spirit; vitality; inner strength; friend.” Then Tatsuo-san’s practitioners/students started to understand what he was trying to convey with another word meant to create a concept, a concept of the heart, “wholehearted.” When we first enter the dojo, many if not all of its concepts, aspects and traits are literally mystical types of unknowns and not understood and when we practice, train and especially apply those concepts it teaches our minds to create concepts that are our unknown-unknowns. It opens the door, exposes possibilities and allows us to create and evolve practice past the basics, techniques and drills into something living, alive, filling the heart with satisfaction, confidence and a love for the disciplines we have undertaken.
In a wholehearted effort we expand the mind, build our spirit and reach a vitality of life that carries us forward. It builds on our inner strength bringing it to heights never before experienced. It expands on the systems ken-po goku-i leading toward a state of mastery and enlightenment.
It is about creating a character and personality of a positive nature with principled based philosophical meaning that is socially and personally of benefit so that the system, style and practitioners can continue with honor and respect and humility.
To be worn within your heart is to embrace the philosophy that promotes within each of us that which makes us of personable character and of character unquestioned that makes for a true teacher, mentor and practitioner. It is how we find meaning in our lives as individuals and as a member of society all integral to our growth. It is about how we approach life through the practice, physical and mentally with heart, of karate and any other discipline.
When we have worn our obi in our hearts we have reached a level that frees our minds, opens our heart and mind and allows our very soul to reach a balance of life and health and fitness and psychological maturity both logical and emotional.
The Kuro-obi is a symbol, it is worn pretty much in the dojo or at places where seminars and tournaments, etc., are conducted. Otherwise the kuro-obi is folded and stored for the next go round. Here in lies the rub, most forget about the kuro-obi and what it symbolizes when they take it off. This is where the truly dedicated learn that once you don the kuro-obi you have to take it past just the ceremonial venues it is worn and place that, and its meaning, within your heart.
This is not about sport or competition although one has to have heart to compete. Explaining the symbology of the kuro-obi is necessary to convey the concepts and traits involved in, “One becoming a kuro-obi, being a kuro-obi and exemplifying the very core and essence that is a kuro-obi. This is very difficult to explain in a few words ergo many resort to meme’s to convey the initial thoughts while explaining in chunks to allow students to absorb the very nature of being kuro-obi.
The symbolism of the kuro-obi imbues a certain character in the person who becomes, is being, kuro-obi. The character of one who embraces and enfolds kuro-obi symbolism into their heart conveys, exudes and radiates a certain attitude toward themselves, to others and especially in regard to the persons kindness and generosity. It is representative of the deep and abiding deep feelings and beliefs that fill their heart and radiate out like a aura surrounding the heart, the body, the mind and the spirit of those who are kuro-obi.
Being, wholeheartedly, of kuro-obi is one with courage, will, spirit, mind, body who live to the tenants they have come to not just believe but who have made kuro-obi their very nature.
Platitudes without substance are merely platitudes of little meaning meant to suggest something that is unattainable unless that something is made into a clear concept and that occurs by words to be followed by the physical.
It is an understanding and realization of one’s self, a character of self represented and symbolized by the path taken to being one with kuro-obi. In order to achieve an understanding, not of others symbolic kuro-obi, but of others inspirations through one’s perceptions of their kuro-obi then can achieve a creative methodology of training, practice and meditative studies to achieve that unique kuro-obi-shin [黒帯心] of self. In order to continue this most complicated and complex ideology it requires further studies so what follows are the links to where I go the distance in explaining my philosophies and how I came to attain a state of kuro-obi-shin.
Let us begin with the pervasive ken-po goku-i you already know of in your practices. This site contains all, to date, that I have contemplated and understood toward my beleif of the goku-i that speaks to the aspect of my kuro-obi-shin.
This of course is also about a philosophy, a fundamental principle of all martial disciplines, so as I progressed I came to the understandings and philosophical beliefs written in the following blog that permeates my heart developing and evolving my kuro-obi-shin.
In closing this attempt to put to words this important, critical and complex/complicated subject the next group of collected philosophical writings will provide further understanding as to the collective works attained from study, training, practice and communications with peers helped me to come to this understanding of what it means to “first wear it in your heart.” In truth, it isn’t the first you must accomplish, it is the physical wearing of the kuro-obi coupled with all the effort, sweat, blood and tears you must endure to become kuro-obi-shin, to wear your obi in your heart that leads the mind and body toward enlightenment of kuro-obi-shin.
Congratulations, and welcome to the black! (Note: I use the term black from my favorite series, Firefly, not just to represent the obi but to represent the vastness of that which is just beyond our planet, moon and solar system so filled full of surprises, mysteries to be solved and the concept that what makes kuro-obi-shin what it is, is never ending and will take many lifetimes to fill ergo why the symbolism and concept of kuro-obi-shin is open ended and constantly changing and evolving even as I write this last sentence.
Bibliography (Click the link)
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