The kanji character 祖 “so” means ancestor, pioneer, founder, innovator, and grandparent. If you’re of Asian origin or have Asian friends of a certain age, you will hear them say “our ancestors are always with us.” We owe a debt of gratitude to blood relations who gave us our DNA and characteristics. Great, good...
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Kotowaza, Japanese proverbs, may take the form of a short saying, idiomatic phrase, or four-character idiom like On Ko Chi Shin 温故知新, “learn from the old to understand the new.” These maxims express common truths or wisdom as guiding principles founded on concepts or shared experiences, i.e., “learning from those who have gone before.”...
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Sincerity ~ noun 1- the quality of being free from pretense, deceit, or hypocrisy. Sincerity is a mix of genuineness and honesty. Being your true authentic self. If you do things with sincerity, people will trust you, students and colleagues will respect you. Along with patience and compassion, sincerity is one of those qualities...
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What is motivation? Motivation is the force that compels you to stick with your goals and achieve them. It fuels the desire to get your black belt, run a marathon, excel at your job or school, and more. Without motivation, we would lack the desire for personal enrichment. Many of life’s blessings would simply...
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There was a great drought in a province of China. For months there had not been a drop of rain and the situation became catastrophic, famine and starvation loomed large. The Catholics missionaries made processions, the Protestants missionaries made prayers, and the Chinese Buddhists burned joss-sticks and shot off guns to frighten away the...
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Legend* tells us that Kensei 剣聖 or sword saint (honorary title given to a warrior of legendary skill in swordsmanship) Tsukahara Bokuden (1489-1571) was crossing Lake Biwa in a small boat (maruko-bune 丸子船) crowded with fellow passengers. Bokuden a swordsman of incredible renown, always kept to himself. Yet his reputation of being a founder...
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It’s no big secret that in most sports athletes hit their peak somewhere between their mid twenties and early thirties. But if you step out of the combat-sport competitive environment, the martial arts practice can and will greatly benefit your physical, emotional and mental state right into your golden age. Physical activity gradually declines...
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The concept is simple: if you are using a dojo, equipment, or use any adjacent areas, (yes washrooms) it is your duty and responsibility to ensure that you leave that space clean. It helps people to learn the importance of cleanliness – an important life skill that millions haven’t mastered around the world! Karate...
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We are now learning and practicing martial arts outdoors. Fresh air is a wonderful detoxifier. As long as we take small cautions, outdoor training is healthy and fun. Taken from Muscle and Fitness magazine. Sunburn What it is? A sunburn is damage to the skin caused by the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays. Most sunburns...
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Perception, the ability to become aware through the senses is limited by a person’s ability to understand what they see or hear. It’s not only what you read but how you read it that matters. Order of writing. Frequently, Japanese is written in a format called tategaki (縦書き), which is inspired by the traditional...
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