Rituals

Gishiki [儀式] ritual; set of actions, performed mainly for their symbolic value.

Shochoteki [象徴的な] serving as a visible symbol for something abstract.

Like all disciplines, but especially martial arts and karate, have a shite-load of rituals. Then again, if you are reading this you already know that factoid, right?

There is a ritual:

• upon entering the dojo;
• putting on the “gi”;
• left over right of the uwagi;
• tying the obi;
• and so on …

Every ritual teaches us something physically and culturally and symbolically. It also projects and reflects on your system, it’s creator, your dojo, it’s members and YOU!

Every ritual represents and ties or binds us to its past, present and how we carry it to its future and all without the need or mandate toward stagnation over creativity, change and its evolution.

Every ritual pays homage to those who came before and honors those who would carry it forward.

If you put the uwagi on right over left according to ritual it denotes or symbolizes a death in a family.

For instance tying the obi incorrectly and wearing it incorrectly tells a story starting with you and goes all the way up and through all who passed and all current who practice in your dojo, with you.

Such details matter! Because how you deal with the simple and seemingly mundane tells a story either positive or negative.

A good example is given at a commencement ceremony of graduates by a Navy Admiral (Navy Seal) about properly making your rack (bunk or bed to civilians). 

Watch: https://youtu.be/pxBQLFLei70

The moral of my story is the same, “what you do, say, and communicate matters!” The rituals, symbolism and the simplistic of things matter - “they all serve a purpose!”

So wear your gi with pride, it matters!

Principles: a personal or specific basis of conduct or management. 

Symbolism: the practice of representing things by symbols, or of investing things with a symbolic meaning or character; the use of any of certain special figures or marks of identification to signify a particular message such as the yin/yang, etc..

Conscientiousness: controlled by or done according to one's inner sense of what is right; principled.

Example to deshi: a pattern or model, as of something to be imitated or avoided.

Mentoring: a wise and trusted counselor or teacher.