Listening is the Key!

In my last post I talked about the importance of making a good impression and explained what I feel are the three most important areas to which we need to focus our training and study in order to make a good impression when meeting Japanese Sensei for the first time; Technical knowledge (deep understanding of the basic waza), Cultural knowledge (deep understanding of Japanese culture and social norms), and Linguistic knowledge (proficiency with Japanese language to communicate effectively).

I would like to continue in this post by providing you with one piece of advice that I think could facilitate growth in all of these areas. It is simple but in its simplicity lays the difficulty. If I could only give one piece of advice, it would have to be this, Listen. Just stop and listen. I know this sounds easy but in North America we like to talk. In fact we like to talk so much that we have developed a ‘need to be heard’ mentality. If we can develop our self-control to the point where we can stop and listen to what is going on around us we can grow in ways we would otherwise never even be aware of. While we are talking, we are missing the chance to listen, to hear and reducing our opportunities to learn and understand.

The Trinity of Proficiency in Karate Do: Technical, Cultural, and Linguistic Ability

I was once asked by a young and eager student who was thinking about coming to Japan how much Japanese he should study before he came. I answered him with a pretty forceful “none!” I had good reasons for my answer at that time but have since reconsidered my ‘stance’ on the subject. First, let me try to explain how I felt on this subject when that student asked me.

In my experience, when someone comes to Japan and they are honest in their approach to learning the martial arts, be it Karate Do, Kendo, Judo, or any other Japanese martial art, they will be taken in and given an opportunity to prove their dedication almost every time and in pretty much any organization. It is what happens during this first encounter that determines the course of stay and indeed the relationship that will be formed or not formed. This is the 第一印象 Daiichiinsho, the First Impression and this is probably one of the most important yet seldom advertised social norms in Japan. The impression that you make on Japanese Sensei and others in the Dojo will stick and, for the most part, determine future opportunities to train and learn in Japan there and or elsewhere.

With this in mind, the amount of Japanese language one has learned prior to coming to Japan could be a benefit or a hindrance. However, if one has no language ability this changes the equation. If this is the case then there are no expectations and the visitor falls into the category of 客さん Kyaku San, Guest. People in this category are not judged on how much they know or how well they can speak, in my experience, they are only judged on sincerity of purpose and dedication to training, in short they are judged on their character. The rest of the communication will take care of itself. Yes, it will be difficult and laboured but, it will all work itself out. The only draw back to being a visitor comes if you wish to be more because, honestly access will be limited. But, the stay will be amazing and the experience will still have the potential to be life changing. For these reasons I suggested that the young student not learn any language and come as a 'guest' and learn as he went. I don’t know if this was good or bad advice but I meant well.

If I had the opportunity to answer him again knowing what I do now, I think my answer would be slightly different. I would make a distinction between Japanese language and culture and definitely urge him to learn about culture and customs before coming to Japan.

Emptying Your Cup and Filling it with Greatness

(Jim Rohn, www.jimrohn.com ) 

A name that you might not expect to see in a book or blog on Karate Do is Jim Rohn (1930 ~ 2009) but, he posed the question in his many lectures, seminars and in his books on self-development that I feel is very relevant to the study of Karate Do, “if a cup is full can it hold any more?” The answer he gave was a simple but powerful “yes. But, only if what is in it is first poured out.” He went on to ask, “Why should we empty our cup?” One thing I learned from reading many books and watching seminars on the subject of success is that the answer to a question like this is always basic and to the point like Karate Do Waza. Rohn’s answer to this question was no different; it was simply “to hold more of the next experience.” I have also noticed in my studies that there are more similarities than differences in the Eastern and Western philosophies on such things. The similarities are there if we know where to look and how to recognize them.

 

While training and teaching in Japan I have often heard this expression of ‘filling and emptying ones cup’ as a reference to the learning process. The ‘cup’ in this context is called (器) Utsuwa. A container by definition but in this case it can also refer to someone’s ability to be of great calibre. The greatness of an individual is determined by the size of their Utsuwa and their ability to fill it with good and important things that will help them to pursue and achieve continued success in their endeavours. Another concept that is closely related to this is (素直さ) Sunaosa One’s willingness to be obedient, not so much toward another person but rather, to the lesson. A student with a large utsuwa takes longer to become complacent with their studies and therefore able to listen and learn ‘obediently’ longer than someone with a smaller utsuwa. It is the correct combination of a sunao manner and the size of the utsuwa that help students develop their greatness. Sensei often reference these things when disciplining students but also and more importantly, when motivating them.

立ち方 Basic Stances

I know it is not a very good idea when starting a blog to take a 3 day break especially after only 2 posts but I am happy to be back at it with another instalment to the Karate no Michi. Thank you for all of the support so far I am looking forward to building this blog to provide readers with information that will help deepen understanding of the 道 (Do) part of Karate Do. Therefore, all of the feedback and advice is very helpful!

It has come to my attention that including more photos and illustrations would be helpful in creating a mental image of the things that I discuss in my posts. My last post talked about an experience that I had when I was 16 that had a huge impact on my training and me as a person. I was not only being tested on my proficiency of the (空手道技) Karate Do Waza, Techniques but rather (性格) Seikaku my character and (取り組む姿勢) Torikumu Shisei, Training Intent. I introduced the concept of (諦めない) Akiramenai, Never Give up and to follow things through to completion. This is a very important concept in the martial arts and essential to the understanding of (武士道精神) Bushido Seishin, the Spirit of Bushido.

2nd Post 諦めない Never Give Up & Follow Through

Since writing my first post, ‘自己紹介 Self-Introduction’ I have been wondering where to start my story and in what order to present the information that I have gathered over the years. What I really want to do in this blog is shed some light on the difficult concepts of Japanese culture that are deeply rooted in Karate Do and have strong ties to Confucius teachings from Chinese classic texts. But, I know I can’t just jump right into all of that. We need to build up to it. So, I would like to try to accomplish a few things in this follow up blog. Of course, I want to get and keep your attention as I introduce one Japanese term that I feel is very important in Karate Do training. Therefore I have decided to tell you about an experience that had a profound impact on my life. It happened, as many important life lessons do, at the 道場 Dojo, Tarditional Japanese Training Hall.

I was about 15 or 16 years old and ready to test for my 一級 Ikky 1^st Kyu (Brown Belt). This is, as many of you reading know well, the rank just before 初段 Shodan 1^st Degree Black Belt and in Dojo like ours it is a very important step. Delaney Sensei took this phase in a Karate Ka (practitioners) training very seriously. I still remember him saying to me, as well as others at the time that “you cannot pass your brown belt test if they (the grading committee) can’t already see you as a black belt someday.” I took this to mean that one must be serious about their future commitment to training in order to even attempt testing for 1^st Kuy but this was not a problem for me because by this time I was very eager to learn all that I could. To me, about 5 years into my training I couldn’t picture my life without Karate Do in it.

I still talk about this experience with my students because I feel that it is an important lesson that can give us some valuable hints on what perseverance really is, really the one core and common lesson in all Karate Do training…

 

When teaching my students about potential and possibilities I often show them a blank page in a book and an empty cup. I ask them what they see and then ask them what these two things have in common. The answer is that they both possess unlimited and unique potential and possibilities. Their potential and the possibilities for their use are only limited by us. Understanding this changes everything. This is how we must be when we come to Japan empty of pride and ego and full of potential and possibilities.

 As you can see, and, if you have trained for any length of time I am sure you already know, that Karate Do training develops more than just a strong fighting body that can take and give a hit. It also fosters something I like to call a ‘silent strength’ some people have referred to this as a ‘relentless’ spirit; relentless in the fact that one who truly understands the way of Karate, the Mitchi / Do in the title of this blog and not just the Jutsu, will never quit, never give up no matter what the task may be. The concept of continuing something whether it is a challenge, a personal matter, or work related, whether it is physical, emotional or spiritual in nature, it may be said that a longtime practitioner of Karate Do has an advantage over someone who has not practiced Karate Do if they are given the same task because the Karate Ka has developed this ‘relentless spirit’. At the same time it is not a display or a call for attention. It comes down to just simply doing the work until it is completed. Because of our countless hours of training and the repetitive practice of basics a Karate Ka is able to understand the true power of this silent strength. Furthermore, understanding the ‘code’ of (和と忍) Wa to Nin “peace through perseverance” we are less likely to quit half way through any endeavor that we devout ourselves to.

 I believe that this is the definition of the term (諦めない) Akiramenai (諦め) Akirame means abandonment or renunciation adding the (ない) which is a negative meaning ‘don’t’ or ‘not to’ in this case changes the meaning to a positive one ‘Don’t give up’ or ‘Don’t abandon the task at hand’.

 I often hear Japanese Sensei saying this to their students and I often use this phrase myself. Every time I hear these words I am reminded of a situation that I found myself in as a young student at the Atlantic Karate Club in Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada. I was 16 years old and going to test for my 1^st kyu (brown belt). It was the middle of August and very hot in the dojo that night. Delaney Sensei intentionally kept all of the windows shut for the duration of the training. There were literally puddles of sweat on the floor.