Budokai Philosophy
There are many styles of martial arts, and the most important style is the teaching style of the instructor who is teaching you or your child. People often presume that in the martial arts strict discipline is the gauge by which to measure successful instruction. While respect and adherence to protocol are important aspects of the martial arts, strict discipline alone is not an indicator of proficiency and in fact, sometimes is just a disguise for a lack of understanding.
Before a student can learn, they must feel secure and at ease in the learning environment. They must believe they are important and what they think, feel and contribute matters. Every individual has their own unique spirit. What is more important for an instructor than forcing his students to conform is to have the insight to recognize each student’s distinct qualities and devise strategies to help them develop and express their energy in a worthy manner.
The
instructor must have the trust and respect of the students in order
for them to accept his guidance. This can be demanded of the students,
but the result would be superficial. Trust and respect will be earned
by the instructor if he has the patience, sensitivity and self-restraint
in dealing with the students’ attempts to express their self. At the
same time, the students need to become mindful that learning is not
a one-way street. It is not just the instructor who should be making
an effort to guide his students up the path of enlightenment. The students
have to earn the trust and respect of the instructor by giving their
best efforts if they expect him to give them his attention.
Ultimately, an instructor’s goal is for his students to develop their own mind so they can think realistically for themselves, understand the nature of the task they are attempting and cultivate their own ideas on how best to proceed. That is true knowledge. To this effect, practicing karate has multiple merits. It builds self-confidence and character; it allows one the freedom from feeling intimidated by imposing people or situations; and it is most simply a vehicle to gain insight and control of the body and mind - to understand one’s limits and recognize their limitless potential.