I started martial arts, karate specifically, in 1991. I quickly learned that the practice of karate is more than just kicking and punching. My instructor said early on, that the best way to learn karate is to copy someone who is doing the skill you want to learn well. Typically, this means to imitate the instructor, but it also means that as a student, you have to learn to discern what is good and right for yourself, and copy that. This made so much sense to me–not only for kicks and punches, but eventually for learning to be successful in life as well. He often said that the dojo is a test tube for life. I still hear his voice saying that, almost every time I am confronted with any kind of challenge on the dojo floor.
Once I chose karate as my way of life and began teaching karate to others, every day seemed to bring an endless and diverse array of challenges. Karate moves are challenging enough to learn, but when students, even seasoned practitioners, do not understand the protocols and practices of a dojo–why they are there and why they are so relevant and important to learning karate–this makes understanding the spirit of karate nearly impossible. Karate without this spirit is just kicking and punching. The spirit of karate is nurtured in the context of dojo life. For me, understanding dojo life came somewhat intuitively. After all, my instructor had already given me the answer: All I had to do was pay attention and copy. Not everyone is good at paying attention though, and not everyone is good at copying either. Both of these skills, however, can be learned and improved.
I have been running my own dojo now since 1997, and over the years have learned that not all dojo members catch on the way I did, in fact, many just don’t seem to “get” it. It is my intention here to help that “getting it” happen, a little more easily for those who are feeling challenged, and a little more deeply for those who are already “getting” it. I invite you to join me here for discussions, questions, and the pursuit of clarity about how and why we do what we do in the dojo. Though I completely understand that clarity is not always immediate–sometimes, as we wade in, we stir things up and the waters get murky, maybe even muddy. No worries! Stir it up, then let it settle for a while until clear water rises to the surface. I certainly do not know everything, but I do know some things, and if what I know can help you, then it is yours. Feel free to ask questions when you have them–I will do my best to answer, or to help you find an answer.
Some of my posts will be specific to life at my dojo. Others will be more general. Some will be stories, some will be historical references. Some will be funny, I hope, and some others may be much more serious. I do not know where I will go with this blog, or how it will be received, I only know that I’m willing to find out. I do know that I enjoy writing, and that teaching martial arts gives me a purpose in life. My students are the reason why I show up at the dojo each day. This blog is for them.
Dojo Life 