Karate… As A Personal Development Tool…

[Shamou]

Karate… As A Personal Development Tool…

The Martial Arts are the physical aspect of Zen… and the two are very intimately interconnected… Zen offers enlightenment and the Martial Arts tools for self-mastery…

In the Martial Arts you learn courage, fearlessness, self-control, assurance, focus, perseverance… and you learn to never quit… all tools that will help you in achieving your goals, and be happier…

So, my question to you is… have you ever considered the Martial Arts to be a tool for Personal Development…???

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[Matt Willard]

Well, I can tell you at least that I would love to do it for my own physical development, but yeah, it seems to help focus a lot of people.

[openeyes]

To myself, my father, and his main teacher that's the main point of modern martial arts, as there are much easier ways of staying safe and getting fit, though I sometimes (only half-jokingly) say that martial arts is the practice of beating yourself up until no one else can

[Sam988]

Definitely, earning (and not buying) a black belt, after a lot of years of practice and hard work will do wonders to one's self-esteem.. it will be the proof that one has mastered something in which one spent a lot of time trying to master. So yes, i think martial arts can be a hell of a tool for personal development.


Not speaking of the health benefits which i think i dont even have to mention. Plus the meditation stuff is also great. In other words, its all good.

[Uplift]

No I haven't considered it. Martial Arts history is sketchy, but entrenched in war and violence. Some say it originated as a form of defense, others say it originated as a form of domination. Lots of my mates, and other guys I know have got black and brown belts in the different forms of fighting, including Karate. Half seem to believe the "Buddhist Monk zen' tradition theory, the others don't. I agree that learning martial arts has the potential to teach 'courage, fearlessness, self-control, assurance, focus, perseverance…' but so have lots of things. Try a surf trip with Laird Hamilton, or free climbing with those guys that can hang by their finger tips under a cliff ledge. My wife displays all those qualities by having given birth, and being a mother. Some 'black belts' I know are deluxe people, some are gutless wimps, so I don't see Karate as an elite method of personal development. Plus I've always found the weight division thing funny. Even judo has to have weight divisions, despite the movies and stories. When full contact, mixed martial arts got going, the heavyweight wrestlers took over, (gotta love Royce Gracie though) and 'never quit' black belts were quitting with such monotony that the whole thing had to have drastic rule changes, and was split into styles and weight divisions. The 'zen' thing is a bit suss too. Even Gracie tested positive and got busted for 'roids'. A previous 'Worlds Strongest Man', Mike Dayton, went to study under, and investigate zen masters who were claiming amasing feats of strength. He came back very dismissive and critical, as he soon discovered that he was heaps stronger and had heaps more will, or 'zen' than any of them. Each to their own, I reckon if the intention is pure, the results will be too.

[Akashic_Librarian]

I have been going to Karate for two years. And I use it is a tool, its a very good one because I find, coupled with my beliefs in SR, I can basically route out problems and find solutions from my "macroscopic life" within the relatively safe confines of the "microscopic" Dojo....if you see what I mean

[Freelancer]

I've done several martial arts so far including Wu Shu and judo at a young age.

When I was 17 I joined Pukulan Tangan Buka (probably unknown to nearly everyone) and practised it for 2 years. This year my teacher had a stroke and is unable to teach anymore. I have learned a lot from him, the way he handles himself is amazing for me. The amazing thing for me is that he's a janitor at a school and all the kids know and love him, everybody respects him. In his own right he's a great man. From him I learned self control, both physically and mentally. He always teached that its better to run than to fight.

A few times he did hardship tests on us to harden us in a way, I don't believe he did that for combat but more to harden the soul. The strength of this man was unbelievable. This doesn't mean I believe all the story's about superhuman powers but in a way he was superhuman.

After he had his stroke I joined taekwondo to remain fit and agile, it however doesn't have the same life lessons as Pukulan had for me. I'll probably try out something else in a few months and try to find the right teacher for me. I believe that martial arts stands and falls by the teacher. My current teacher means well but has different goals than me, he's in it for the competition, I'm in it for the development. Thats ok with me I'll probably need to look somewhere else as well, we'll see how this will work out.

[Shamou]

Thank you for the responses guy...

They are all biographical... and reflect who you are... I did not expect any less...

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[Shamou]

It is evident that being proficient in Karate gives you more power... and I have found this passage on power that I found extremely interesting... so I would like to share it with you...

"Power is a multi-faceted concept. You experience a sense of power when you feel in control of your life. Power is the ability to achieve goals. It is also the ability to influence others.

Considerable power comes from the ability to communicate. Power includes enthusiasm and optimism. Your energy level is related to your power. If you can cause things - be the master of your destiny - you have power.

Power is related to self-esteem and confidence. The freer you are, the more you tend to experience your power." -- Frederick Mann

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[TheIronStar]

Originally Posted by Shamou

Karate… As A Personal Development Tool…

The Martial Arts are the physical aspect of Zen… and the two are very intimately interconnected…

Not everyone would agree with that. Capoeiristas, for example, would find their art more influenced by Candomble, Macumba, or Vodun. The culture of Thai boxing, for another example, is said to have Buddhist, Hindu, and Islamic influences.

Even among the specifically Japanese martial arts that happen to still have those cultural links, not all of the Buddhist influence is specifically that of the Zen sect.

Originally Posted by Shamou

So, my question to you is… have you ever considered the Martial Arts to be a tool for Personal Development…???

Tough to say. It's really a personal decision for us all, depending on the utility we see in it. Me personally? I think it's excellent for developing what it can develop, as long as one trains it as such. (I hadn't heard of personal development as a separate entity or specific discipline at the time, so I can't answer the question in the Pavlina-istic sense.)

[Shamou]

Originally Posted by TheIronStar
Not everyone would agree with that. Capoeiristas, for example, would find their art more influenced by Candomble, Macumba, or Vodun. The culture of Thai boxing, for another example, is said to have Buddhist, Hindu, and Islamic influences. Even among the specifically Japanese martial arts that happen to still have those cultural links, not all of the Buddhist influence is specifically that of the Zen sect.

You are obviously extremely well versed in the history of the martial arts… and I thank you for enlightening me on that…

However, being also a student of Robert Pirsig… (Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance) I can take solace in the following quote from the book:

"The Buddha, the Godhead, resides quite as comfortably in the circuits of a digital computer or the gears of a cycle transmission as he does at the top of a mountain or in the petals of a flower. To think otherwise is to demean the Buddha – which is to demean oneself."

As for the Personal Development aspect of the Martial Arts… after taking anywhere from 50 to 100 seminars I would say that the Martial Arts definitively has its place in Personal Development… but, here again… I suppose that this also could be successfully attacked if not completely proved to be untrue…

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[Liara Covert]

Personally, I have never tried karate, but I have practised aikido. This is a form of 'Budo' which enables me to get-to-know my inner self, to strengthen my ability to concentrate and to sharpen my understanding of self-control. I gain physical and psychological benefits that have shown me how great I feel when I look after my mind, body and soul.

If anyone is interested in learning more about some of the benefits of aikido, you can read more here: Benefits of Aikido

[Shamou]

Originally Posted by Liara Covert

I gain physical and psychological benefits that have shown me how great I feel when I look after my mind, body and soul.

Thank you Liara Covert for sharing your experience and that link with us...

Great link... even if I disagree with the observations on body building... however, they are experts on aikido and not on body building...

I have particularly appreciated the following excerpt of the article,

"The tense, defensive reactions to pressure and conflict which so often only create more violence are recognized and deconstructed. A new person - straightforward, brave yet humble, able to be both strong and yielding as circumstances require - can emerge from this training."

That is so true... and can be extremely effective in everyday living..."

Along with the favorite saying of Morihei Ueshiba, "True victory is self-victory."

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[Liara Covert]

Morihei Ueshiba is known for a number of quotes which could be applied to boost personal development.

For example,
A good stance and posture reflect a proper state of mind. -Morihei Ueshiba

I would encourage you to see also:
Morihei Ueshiba quotes

[llong]

I think any life-long pursuit is a part of PD.

Most Martial Arts contend with life and death, with power and cunning. There's a lot to be learned within that.

My path of budo has helped me make extraordinary gains in my life. I am most thankful to my teachers.

[MartialDev]

Originally Posted by Shamou

So, my question to you is… have you ever considered the Martial Arts to be a tool for Personal Development…???

My entire blog is focused on the subject.

It is not for everyone. As the mighty David Carradine said, "One is taught in accordance to one’s fitness to learn."

[Uplift]

Originally Posted by MartialDev

My entire blog is focused on the subject.

It is not for everyone. As the said, "One is taught in accordance to one’s fitness to learn."

I think Chuck Norris had something to say to the 'mighty David Carradine'.

[Liara Covert]

Speaking of martial arts and personal development, the life stories of Bruce Lee (Bruce Lee biography ) and Jackie Chan (Jackie Chan) offer food for thought.

[Iksander]

Just to clear up the whole history thing; it is believed that all forms of Martial Art have their roots in the Indian 'Kalaripayattu' art. Particularly interesting are the Noku Marmam and Choondu Marmam (skeptics won't appreciate that stuff however) the Buddhists created it as a form of self-defense from raiders that would attack them during travel to other countries, later spreading it out to China and Japan. Capoeira I am unsure of.

The benefits are enormous, especially when you become an instructor - once you begin teaching, a whole new world opens up and not just in your Art but also in your Personal Development.

Some people choose to study a Martial Art to get fit (a very effective method), some choose it for purely spiritual reasons (the Kata, akin to a moving meditation, is particularly of interest there), others for self-defense (again this depends on the individual's willingness to practice and follow through), still OTHERS do it purely for the competitive nature of the Martial part.

Personally, keeping an open mind and participating in the competitions, the Kata, the workouts (which are beyond killer), and the self-defense has been rewarding, holistically, for me.

All movement is a dance - even fighting is a dance, and to move, to dance with purpose is the very reason why we have bodies capable of locomotion; whether that is a product of us as spirits or we are a product of it is irrelevant; movement is natural, and purposeful movement makes us feel alive.

Styles don't technically matter, all rivers do merge at one location, in the end; but freelancer made a good statement regarding the quality and compatibility of your instructor.