REMEMBER

The objective of karate-do is to contribute to the evolution

of the human spirit through physical and mental training.

 

Always train as if it is your last day in the dojo.

One day it will be.

Regardless of when you say the dojo kun,

or in what language you speak it,

say it with pride, and say it like you mean it.

"The great virtues of karate are prudence and humility."

Master Gichin Funakoshi

There is no end to karate training,

there is always a higher level.

Picking the right path to walk is one thing,

staying the course, however, is often for the few.

Your belt is a visual symbol of your past

effort and dedication, so wear it with pride.

A good effort is the result of

having the proper mental attitude.

 

Never judge a book by it's cover,

it is the content that matters most.

 

You alone know what is best for you,

everyone else is just guessing.

In order to bow well physically,

you must first learn how to bow well in your mind.

Karate is for a lifetime, it is not a race, and your

personal progress should never be treated as such.

It is not how long you have been training that counts,

but how honestly you have been training that matters.

A winner never quits,

and a quiter never wins.

Mental memory and body memory,

are not the same thing.

 

Knowing what a student needs, and knowing when to give it to them,

is the secret to making them better than they thought they could be.

Knowing when to keep kata basic,

and knowing when to add bunkai,

is a sign of experience in action.

 

Little things make a big difference.

The simplest things are often the most complex, yet their

complexity is usually unraveled when viewed by an open mind.

A bad day of training Shotokan Karate

beats a good day doing anything else.

Karate is just like boiling water,

if you do not keep the heat on,

your skills will cool very quickly.

Life is a journey, and so is karate.

If we as teachers can help students to stay involved with karate,

and to make karate an integral part of their every day lives,

the better off we will all be as "students for life".

You never truly know what you have got till it's gone.

 

Stance, posture, balance, and kime,

are the foundation upon which you must build.

Honestly knowing where you stand at any given time,

is one of the keys to moving forward in the right direction.

To learn is a privilege, to pass on what

you have learnt is your responsibility.

Knowledge comes from many places,

but only to those who seek it.

 

All great leaders were great readers.

 

The essence of karate-do lies not in what you know,

but in how you apply what you know to your daily life.

In other words - "seek perfection of character".

The goal is to do the kata as "you feel it",

as a true expression of yourself, and

not as a clone of your teacher.

Good teachers are the people who can make you better,

than you ever thought you could be.

 

Observation is a pre-requisit to success.

Friends are the family we choose for ourselves.

 

Stories handed down from one generation to the next,

are often the only record of great deeds and achievements.

 

In life it is a fundamental mistake,

to make any important decision,

until you have all of the pertinent facts.

 

A kata without the body, mind, and spirit

attempting to work in perfect harmony ,

is an empty, and hollow thing indeed.

You can not have balance in your body, in your mind, in your spirit, or in any

other aspect of your world, if you do not first have balance in your family life.

The object of any karate lesson must always be,

to develop the character of the individual,

not to try and re-create the teacher.

Never judge anything by it's appearance,

in truth it is the content that matters.

"Karate begins and ends with courtesy".

Master Gichin Funakoshi

Your time on earth is limited,

so use it wisely.

 

Haste makes waste.

 

In life everything depends on your point of view,

the view always depends on where you stand.

 

Teaching others is a task best left

to those most qualified to do so.

 

If you carry an unnecessary burden, put it down,

your journey through life will be much easier without it.

 

What people think of you,

is not as important as what you think of yourself.

 

Some things are not meant

to be understood in your lifetime.

 

There is no end to karate training,

there is always a higher level.

 

Without the mind and the body working in perfect harmony,

proper technique is not possible.

 

In order to start where you left off,

you must first get back to where you use to be.

 

Understanding what you think you know,

is the hardest part of learning.

 

When someone is willing to share their knowledge with you,

wait until the lesson is over before you claim to know it all.

 

Information is only a resource,

any good or evil that comes from it

lies within it's application.

 

Doing what feels natural to you is the

difference between thinking and reacting.

 

Greatness was never their ultimate goal,

we thrust it upon them in honor of their dedication.

 

Be careful what you ask for,

you might just get it.

 

The mind like the body, requires a

regular workout in order to stay fit.

 

Quality is easily promised, but often as not,

seldom delivered.

 

The answer to any question can always be found,

the hard part is finding the answer you wanted.

 

The truth lies in your effort,

not in the outcome.

 

In life things are not always as the seem, knowing how to separate fact

from fiction, can often be the difference between success and failure.

 

Good times and good friends are both irreplaceable.

 

Wisdom is a product of the past, not the future.

 

Those we follow today,

were themselves once followers.

 

Memories are a constant reminder of

how we came to be who we are.

 

Rules are the center line

of the road we choose to follow.

 

The difference between success and failure,

can often be measured in the blink of an eye.

 

Part the clouds - see the way.

 

"The objective of karate-do is to contribute to the evolution

of the human spirit through physical and mental training."

Sensei Peter Lindsay

 

©1995-2010 Peter Lindsay - All rights reserved.