Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Humility

This is the first post in a series of 10 outlining the qualities I, and many others, feel are the most important for success in practicing the martial way in the modern-day world...

One of the most important qualities in any martial artist is this: humility. A key tenet in my school is "Karate is my secret." There are many reasons we present that in the saluation before all of our kata. But it all boils down to humility. If you don't have humility you haven't learned from any of the true masters. You may have read their books. You may know how to execute the most incredible hip throw or the perfect punch. You may be better than me (in fact you probably are!). But if you neglect humility, if you insist on letting bravado and ego rule your daily living, you are no true martial artist. You are no true warrior.

You are defined by others by your actions first and foremost. The Buddhist Eightfold Path may declare that you must first have the Right View, but in the modern-day world that is sometimes the hardest to attain. Try modifying your actions first, your thoughts will follow.

Do not brag. Do not gloat. You may feel like you want to brag. You may want to say "I'm right. You're wrong." That is the last thing you should say, especially when it's apparent that you're right. If everybody knows, why state the obvious?

Live humbly. You will find its rewards boundless.

-J

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