A plaque hung upon the Dojo wall “Karate is a Lifelong Battle, You Verses Yourself, There is No One Else”. The words were there for all who entered to take in and learn from. I always found this to be a sentiment that was both inspiring and kind of a reminder that I could neither rely on or blame anyone else for my shortcomings. Be it not turning up to the Dojo regularly, the same for putting little effort in and being lazy. I certainly couldn’t blame anyone else for my poor performances of technique or Kata, plus any flaws in character were my very own too. Yes, all the challenges and battles to be faced whilst studying Karate and in life itself were personal ones that lay firmly at my own feet, so if I wished to fully understand both this Art and myself then I really had to give it my all or nothing… Selfishness is not a good trait to have in life, with giving something back being a good way of understanding Budo a little deeper. […]
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