Karate-Do, My Way of Life

[Marcus Cortez]

Reading “Karate-Do, My Way of Life” aloud to my girlfriend, while she painted, was of utmost pleasure to us both, and I could go into great length of reflection. In a number of chapters, for instance, Gichin Funakoshi describes the growth of a Karate novice, about the clearing of mind and about attaining a love for the process of personal growth and challenge, rather than a love of any subsequent accomplishment. I believe I have discussed these aspects to some length with you in person, so I will instead, discuss a few points that sparked my philosophical interest and that offer unique comparisons to other aspects of my life and beliefs.

 

In the chapter “An Important Lesson” Gichin Funakoshi tells a story of Master Matsumara who comes to a critical realization:

Today I am a wiser man than yesterday. I’m a human being, and a human being is a vulnerable creature, who cannot possibly be perfect. After he dies, he returns to the elements – to earth, to water, to fire, to wind, to air. Matter is void. All is vanity. We are like blades of grass or trees of the forest, creations of the universe, of the spirit of the universe, and the spirit of the universe has neither life nor death. Vanity is the only obstacle to life (p. 28-29). 

Here he is talking about the error of his relentless pursuit of perfection, and in realizing that perfection is mere vanity, that it can never be attained, he emphasizes, rather, the fulfillment that comes through focused and diligent effort, through growth. This discussion of vanity echoes one of my favorite passages from the Bible in Ecclesiastes, which, though I do not practice organized religion, I strongly believe provides an excellent introspection from King Solomon, hailed as one of the most wise and influential men to walk the planet: 

All is vanity…What profit hath a man of all his labor which he taketh under the sun? One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever. The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun (Chaper I).

In a similar fashion to Gichin Funakoshi, King Solomon describes the perceived infinity of the earth and the elements as compared to the very finite experience of being a human.  In this same passage, he states that chasing after wealth, influence, and even wisdom are like chasing after the breeze, the vanity of all vanities. Both men convey the importance of embracing the limits of our human condition and, I believe, embracing the most simple pleasures that come from daily focus and improvement.

 

In the chapter “Six Rules,” Gichin Funakoshi discusses rule two: train with both heart and soul without worrying about theory. Here, he goes into great detail about practicing kata:

But once you have completely mastered one technique, you will realize its close relation to other techniques. You will, in other words, come to understand that all of the more than twenty kata may be distilled into only a few basic ones. If therefore you become a master of one kata, you will soon gain an understanding of all others merely by watching them being performed or by being taught them in an instruction period (p. 107).

When I first read this passage, I immediately began to appreciate the attention we apply to each detail of Seisan Kata, and I began to see in my mind a future time lapse in which the kata I will be taught in the future would likely come more naturally, and how they will reinforce what I have already learned. I then saw, in my mind, a recollection of the process of learning music. I saw myself first learning basic chords and melodies, then at some point applying those to basic theory, and then making numerous connections between similar song structures, chords, and melodies. I took note of how today, I learn songs without instrument in hand, by listening and seeing in my mind the interval relationship of the notes I am hearing. This, I imagine, is the same as having a solid foundation in kata forms and learning components of new kata by merely observing their performance.

 

As my final reflection on this book, I would like to comment the chapter “Karate for Everyone,” in which Gichin Funakoshi discusses weakness:

I am convinced that if young people practice karate with all their heart and all their soul, they will eventually arrive at an understanding of my words. He who is aware of his own weakness will remain master of himself in any situation; only a true weakling is capable of true courage. Naturally a real karate adept must refine his technique through training, but he must never forget that only through training will he be able to recognize his own weakness (p. 115).

Not only is weakness one of my core motivations for pursuing martial arts, it is also one of the most pleasurable aspects of practicing martial arts. I had realized my instinctual tendency to flinch and behave passively in heated situations, as well as my false belief that I could not defend myself. It has been entirely pleasurable to break these instincts down into smaller components and address each individually. As I discover more weaknesses through this process, I also discover my strengths and, in fact, sometimes I am able to turn those weaknesses into strengths. The more I rid my weaknesses of shame or aggravation, the more I accept myself as a whole. The more I clear my mind of oppressive clutter and stagnant chat, the more I am able to focus on my true motivations. Weaknesses do not ever really go away, and by accepting them, I find them stripped of their power to hold influence over my otherwise good intentions and diligent efforts.

 

Some of the most valuable material that I found in this book are the passages that relate to the growth process of a karate novice. As I have experienced recent and unexpected changes in the way I perceive each moment of each day, the book helped to clarify the growth process and where it may lead. I am thankful to have read Gichin Funakoshi’s autobiography and I look forward to future reading as my training continues.

[Marcus Cortez]

Thanks to each of you for the words of encouragement, that means a lot to me.

[Chrissy Scott]

Awesome post Marcus. I enjoyed reading it very much. It's great how much weight is packed into that little book. It's cool how karate gives us something to aspire to, sometimes stuff we already have and couldn't find. Good stuff!

[Jeremy Cochran]

I enjoyed reading your thoughts and reflections on what I consider to be a must read for any one enterested in martial arts. I have not read this book in over ten years but I still have a worn copy on my book shelf and you have inspired me to give it some more use.
Thank you

[Mike Oliver]

Great introspective. It is true that the effort we put into our early training (such as with Seisan kata) will most definitely bear fruit later. By paying attention to the details now, you are planting seeds that you will see start to blossom even as you move into Seuichin kata next.