Being a Better Person
Depending on whom you ask and in what context, you could get many different answers when asking exactly what the 'spirit' is. The Oxford Dictionary of English defines the 'Spirit' as:
1. The non-physical part of a person which is the seat of emotions and character; the soul.
2. The prevailing or typical quality, mood, or attitude of a person, group, or period of time.
3. The real meaning or the intention behind something as opposed to its strict verbal interpretation.
In this post I'm not going into the religious ideals regarding the 'soul', this aspect of one's 'spirit' is something different from what we work on in Budo training.
Within the context of Budo, the 'spirit' is closest to the third definition given above, it's the intention behind something, the deep down foundation of a person’s constitution.
On the surface 'Character Development' and 'Polishing of the Spirit' seem to be similar, as they are both about learning the traits and virtues of a honourable warrior (and how to apply them).
The main difference between the two is where they are applied. The Character governs a person’s actions, decisions and how a person interacts with the world around them.
The 'Spirit' is who a person is on the inside; it's who a person is (not what they might appear to be).
It is the intentions behind the actions that no other person can see.
In my previous post on 'Character Development' it was discussed how it is important for a Budoka to have a moral code as a framework to improve and develop who they are.
For a Budoka, Bushido works well not only for the character but also for polishing the spirit.
Having a moral code isn't much good to you if you don't have the will power or courage to stick to it.
This is mental fortitude, another aspect of the 'spirit' (and by extension the 'character').
As Budoka we learn and develop mental fortitude primarily during training.
When training, sometimes it hurts and you're sore, tired and over it. When your whole body wants to give in and your legs feel like they will collapse under you. Mental fortitude is finding the strength to keep going, to keep pushing. This is how we work out how strong we really are.
It is through this that we develop the character and polish the spirit of a Budoka and build strong mental fortitude.
A key aspect of a Budoka’s spirit is a positive attitude.
True Budo training requires many years of practice and dedication. Throughout the years, there are times of great frustration and feelings of getting nowhere.
If a Budoka has a negative outlook, they are more likely to quit and give up.
The learning process is actually quite difficult (more difficult than people think) and to correct certain techniques takes time and patience.
Sometimes a Budoka will notice or be told about an incorrect technique many many times before they are able to fix it. The Budoka must always stay positive that they will fix the technique and improve; they can’t let the feeling of despair sink in with thoughts of “I’ll never get this right”.
Kaizen is a Japanese term used in business, loosely meaning ‘the need for unending constant improvement’.
Kaizen is also a key aspect of a Budoka’s spirit and is only possible with a positive mindset. The character traits required for a Kaizen spirit includes:
 |
| Kaizen |
Determination
Focus
Meticulousness
Persistence
Being Thorough
Willpower
Dedication
Accuracy
Rationality
Tenacity
Perseverance
Desire of Delayed Gratification
Systematic approach to things
Not only are these part of Kaizen , but Kaizen strengthens these. The more focused you are on the continuous need for constant self-improvement; the stronger you will be with the above character traits.
This is my last post in a series of posts, outlining the different facets of Ryukyu Budo. The aim being to highlight the fact that there is more to Budo training than the Physical training of skills, this is only one of many complex aspects involved in Budo.
The facets of Budo (as I see them) include:
Character Development
Physical Skill
Physical Development
Knowledge Development
Knowledge Understanding
Martial Technique Practicality
Martial Understanding
Polishing of the Spirit
If we fail to actively work on improving one (or more) of the facets of Budo, the others will never be as strong as they could be, it will hinder our development and we will fall short of being the best that we can be!
True Budo is about improving one's self, physically and mentally.
It's about finding out who you are deep down on the inside and building on that to make yourself the best version of you that you can be.
Budo is a deeply personal journey that is only for you about you.
Everyone's journey is different, while we all seek basically the same goal...
"Many roads lead to the great path."
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