Karate, Kata and Tradition

"The body, mind and spirit are inseparable; therefore we must train on all levels," said Funakoshi. The Chinese and Japanese civilizations never fully accepted the Platonic split between mind and body, as Occidental cultures have for centuries. As a result of the Westerners' wrong turn in thinking, they have been forced to retrace their steps onto psychologically safer and healthier ground.

The Sino-Japanese culture rejected this distinction between body and mind, in favour of a psychologically more practical view of life: man is constituted as physical energy as well as mental. You cannot draw an arbitrary line between where one starts and the other stops. For example, it is possible to dissect a cadaver and remove the brain mass from the cranial cavity, but it is not possible to isolate the mind.

The mind is more than the body, but it cannot exist apart from the body. The spirit is the life-force; the spiritus animalia as the ancient Romans used to call it. It was there before the body and mind came into existence, and it is still there after they disintegrate. The spiritual energy does not die; it just returns to its source.

But while a person is alive, the three separate parts form a unity. Death destroys this unity; so do diseases and morbid mental states. The confusion reigning in our society shows that this is so. Technological life sets man apart from nature, though Zen taught that man is part of nature. Some of the oldest known Chinese writings, such as the I are based on that notion. Because the traditional Japanese martial arts were always part of nature, they do not make sense unless one accepts this premise.

Nature and the martial arts

The martial arts as they are known today, grew from the soil of Far Eastern civilization. The Chinese and Japanese saw a balance of opposite principles at work in nature which aided each other, rather than destroying one another. From these observations, they drew conclusions which reached far into their social and political life.

We in the west however, have learned to pit ourselves against nature. That is why our planet is dying and many people are going insane. The government is administered by blind men; the laws are made by thieves and money is king. Such corrupt notions have also infected the martial arts. The challenge today is to rescue the core of traditional martial arts and restore it to its former strength. This can only be done with willpower, discipline and sacrifice. It will not be an easy task, but nevertheless, it is necessary. If the martial arts cannot be rescued from petty larceny, what hope is there for the rest of the world?

Traditional martial arts task is to lead others back to nature - respect for the air that fills our lungs, the water that slakes our thirst, the earth that feeds us and sustains us - in short, a respect for life itself. All Life! Such a departure from current notions requires returning to a healthy mental state. We must reject what is harmful in the present. Education is the key: Traditional martial arts teach what is valuable. If good habits are acquired early, they will last a lifetime.

Education and the Martial Arts

It is the school instructor's responsibility and duty to instill good habits in his students. He must teach by example, never with empty words. He must avoid doing harm by being a hypocrite; if the teacher cannot follow the path that he teaches, let him do something else. Martial arts are for men and women of strong character, not for weaklings. This does not refer to physical strength - the least important part of karate. The martial arts are not about kicking and punching, though foolish people will always confuse one for the other. It is by studying traditional teachings that the karateka does not succumb to current foolish notions, which change like the wind and blow from every quarter.

The 17th century Japanese swordsman Musashi had this advice for his students: "When the enemy moves like the sea, stand like a mountain. When he stands like a mountain, move like the sea." Similarly, in times of confusion and rapid change we can find stability in the roots of traditional teachings. In times of mental stagnation, when the masses are content to ruminate like cows, we can make helpful changes by putting the right ideas into practice. How do we effect this change on a realistic level, and how do we put these ideas into practice on a daily basis? By doing kata.

Kata's Benefits

Kata is based on a repetition of set moves; however it is not mindless repetition, but a mindful repetition. Compare a professional fighters's gym to an amateurs. The professional shadowboxes with relaxed intensity. Each move has meaning. Some are offensive, some defensive, but they are clearly for use in a challenging situation. In a neighbourhood clubhouse however, the mental laxity is obvious. When the athletes shadowbox, there is no relationship between what they are training for and what they are doing. In the former case the fighter is fully alert as he trains. In the latter, he is half asleep.

In a good dojo , the students are alert and serious. They will themselves to train to the best of their abilities. Slackers are shunned. This is where maai comes in: the reality of confronting imminent danger and injury. In practicing kata, always visualize the opponent in the mind's eye. Carry out the moves as if warding off real danger, as if you had come under actual attack. Practitioners should never simply fling the arms and legs: kata is not a series of physical jerks. That is the difference between the art and the sport. Maai is not simply carrying out the moves by force. Many students will never understand the difference. The instructor must try to bridge the gap, but some students are inwardly inferior - a truth that the traditional martial arts do not shrink away from.

It is easier to be lazy than to train diligently. Consequently the individual becomes his own adversary. By an application of will, he must overcome his own inertia. He must discover his strengths, root out his weaknesses and make a conscious decision to embark on a lifetime of dedication to the art. He trains seriously, hoping to earn the same virtues as the ancient masters before him. But high sounding words will not accomplish this feat. The key is in the Latin word disciplinas . Discipline made Rome strong. Rome lost more battles than it won, but it's unwillingness to submit to defeat wore down it's enemies. In a similar vein, Buddha is supposed to have said that 'the greatest warrior is the one who overcomes himself'. That is why Buddhism is an integral part of bushido . Kata is often dismissed as useless, but this is clearly wrong. Kata practice perfects technique through diligent repetition. Again, if professional fighters do not sneer at their traditional training methods, on what grounds do some martial artists dismiss their traditions? Proper breathing, timing and balance are three important results of kata practice. While practicing kata, the stance or foundation is vital. The stance should provide both stability and mobility, as well as the focus for the concentration of force. Feet and hands must act together in partnership. If they move against each other , the result is stumbling and ineffective. Only through years of constant repetition is it possible to master a few techniques, and only a few kata. But the practical results are worth the effort. Kata promotes physical and mental fitness. The mind is kept active and sharp through regular workouts. Muscle tissue is formed, and deep abdominal breathing gives the student a higher level of health. Most sports do not teach deep breathing, which is related to Indian and Chinese kata techniques, and has been shown to have therapeutic medicinal value. Kata's soft movements can benefit the health of the elderly and patients with asthma and arthritis.

Martial arts is a form of fitness for people of all ages that can accommodate itself to individual problems. Of course, intelligent supervision is necessary: a 70-year old with brittle bones could not be expected to spar a healthy 20-year-old, but in kata all practitioners can participate in the arts together - and the elderly gentleman may have much to teach the young man.

The Language of the Style

Each style speaks to the informed observer in its own voice. An experienced student can distinguish between one school and another by watching the practitioner. He may even estimate the style's age by watching the movements, because kata is a living testimony of the traditions that are still with us. Through it, the 'tools' or techniques of each style are handed down from master to student.

As the martial artist moves through the kata's steps, he can step into the footprints of and onto the shoulders of those masters before him who lead the way. Improvements are necessary as time goes on. Slavish adherence to custom for its own sake is against the spirit of the martial arts. An old sword must be sharpened and perhaps even forged again, but only by a master swordsmith - not by a self deluded fool who has learned everything overnight. Because a swordsmith has a lifetime supply of metals, he knows how to judge the recontenting worth of an old weapon. This is why change can only be permitted within the boundaries of tradition. Old things should not be discarded for what is currently fashionable. That would be the end of the martial arts.

Kata is Knowledge

Knowledge is power. Self knowledge is at kata's base. Life is an adventure through unknown and often hostile territory. The man who knows himself can best steel himself against adversity - even death itself. The hardest thing for the student to accept is that he or she cannot always win, and to bend to that knowledge. Not like a broken reed, but like a flexible length of steel that can endure sudden stress without loosing its shape, and snaps back into place when the stress has passed. The individual must work daily to free himself of delusions. Nothing gained is permanent. Lost ground can be regained. Life itself is the constant balancing act between gain and loss. Kata is the foundation on which the old masters built their styles. They sought self-knowledge through perfecting their techniques. The ultimate goal was indifference to victory or defeat, since they are two sides of the same coin. Most of us will fail in this endeavour, but this should nod discourage. Through diligent willpower, we can move closer to the center. In this way, the fear of failure can be viewed as just another obstacle to be overcome.

Flowing Meditation

Kata is meditation and contemplation through movement. Through willful repetitions, it can lead to spiritual growth and strong inner awareness. Mind, body and spirit are not disjointed parts, but are meant to fit together just as the sides, apex and base of a triangle need not be viewed as separate lines, but instead as a single geometric entity.

Humans have a drive for self improvement that often goes unused. If sustained however, it can improve and strengthen the mind, will and spirit. Toughening the spirit counters the lack of control we have over the physical. After all, death is a necessity, not a choice.

But we can choose how we meet this challenge. The old masters chose the hard road, the pure road. Like us, they were tempted by desire and foolishness, and had their weaknesses and moments of confusion. But that did not stop them, and it should not stop us. We have their hard won examples to follow.

By Hanshi Gary Legacy.

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