Kiyotsuke! Rei!
These words ring in the beginning of every class, and they
complete the transition from "the world" into the training hall. We are in class now, and we'll deal with the
issues outside of the dojo when class ends.
From the decision to attend class that day (and on some days, we
definitely have to decide to go), to putting on the dogi, tying the obi,
gathering gear, and traveling to class, we are preparing for the
"bow-in" moment. After that,
we're in training. And what glorious
training it is.
Practically speaking, we have been instructed to come to
attention and bow, but spiritually, we are doing so very much more.
In his short treatise The
Twenty Guiding Principles of Karate, Grandmaster Gichin Funakoshi, founder
of Shotokan Karate-do, elucidates the culture of genuine respect implied by our
bow-in procedure in his first principal:
"Do not forget that karate-do begins and ends with rei." According to Genwa Nakasone, a student of Soke
Funakoshi who wrote essays for each of the twenty principles, rei in this concept is defined as a
complex respect that can permeate all aspects of a martial artist's life.
In the US, we see trappings of respect all around us, but
unfortunately, it is often couched in irony.
Just listen to the "sirs" and "ma'ams" you hear. I genuinely believe that a great
many people who use these terms to honor others mean it, but there are enough
who don't that there are many who see these honorifics as insults. I wish it weren't so, but it is.
The difference to me is this: true respect must radiate from the core of
one's character. It has to be consistent
with what people see in us every day, and that can be very hard. We live in a world that has become more and
more competitive, and courtesy can be seen as cloying, toadying, or even
disrespectful. If "respect and
manners," the first precept of Yoshukai Karate, is wholly consistent with
our character, our respect will not be suspect.
Back to martial arts--In this particular traditional art, rei makes our entire training experience
possible. It informs the backbone of our
hierarchy--that is, give respect to the higher ranks you train with, and their
respect will be returned to you in kind, by teaching you. Respect binds a dojo community together, and
training partners develop fast bonds which allow them to support one another.
Rei is also
strongly related to the practical use of our martial art. It allows us to take the skills we are
learning and use them responsibly in society.
A weapon, be it a literal weapon or a martially-trained body, is
potentially dangerous to the practitioner and others, but with rei, that weapon is a befenit to society
at large. Plus, I offer that truly
courteous and respectful people are less likely to be attacked in the sillier
altercations that we are all aware of in bars or other public venues
(exceptions to this will be discussed a bit in tomorrow's post on prudent
action and speech). To paraphrase a line
in The Karate Kid, we train so we
won't have to fight. Karate without rei is violence.
Let me repeat that: Karate
without rei is violence.
Along with respect for others and respect for the art, rei also embodies respect for
ourselves. In my experience, true
self-respect takes so long to develop. I
know personally, my process of developing and reinforcing my own self-respect
is ongoing, and I hope to continue that development for as long as I live. We strive for excellence in all things.
Obviously, rei in
the martial arts cannot be captured in 600 words, but the meditation behind it
is one we can always keep in the back of our minds. "Reigi o omonzubeshi," or
"respect and manners," is to me the most important precept of
Yoshukai Karate. It is the core of our
character. And, I am proud to be a
member of the WYKKO.
NOTE ON YESTERDAY'S POST:
You may have seen the comment from my Sensei (who writes a witty and
inciteful blog on alcohol tourism--check it out!) regarding "Keep yourself
clean." To be honest, I overlooked
the cleanliness metaphor, and I want to make sure it is mentioned
prominently. In reflecting on
"Clean heart and mind plus a clean gi and body," it occurred to me
that a clean heart and mind is well-achieved through the consistent application
of the first four precepts. Training
respectfully, smart, and hard is more than enough to get our dogi dirty and our
hearts and minds clean.
Osu!
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