TAOISM
It's a philosophy that was defended in China by Lao Tsé during the 6th century b.C.. Lao Tsé was searching for a way to avoid constant feudal warfare and other conflicts that disrupted society.
Taoism must not be confused with Confucianism – the later puts emphasis on social relations and conduct. Taoism has a much mystic content, focused on the individual relation with nature.
Tao means “way”. It refers to a power which envelopes, surrounds and flows through all things, living and non-living. The Tao regulates natural processes and nourishes balance in the Universe. In the eyes of Lao Tsé, the purpose of the believer is to become one with the Tao. The way to get there is though a contemplative non-intervention centered attitude towards the universe (wu-wei).
It doesn’t mean that one should do nothing. One is supposed to distinguish natural forces in order to decide one’s actions in the most convenient manner. Above all, one should not offend the natural order of all things. Two metaphors exemplify this:
“The wise Taoist has no ambitions, therefore he cannot fail. One who doesn’t fail, always succeeds, and one who succeeds is almighty”;
“Taoism is the practice of going against the stream not by struggling against it and thrashing about, but by standing still and letting the stream do all the work. Thus the sage knows that relative to the river, he still moves against the current. To the outside world the sage appears to take no action - but in fact he takes action long before others ever foresee the need for action.”
| The most famous Taoist symbol known in the western civilization is the yin & yang (meaning black & white). Yin (black) is the breath that formed the earth and Yang (white) is the breath that formed the heavens. They symbolize pairs of opposites which are seen throughout the universe, such as good and evil, light and dark, male and female. Intervention by human civilization upsets the balances of Yin and Yang. |
|
A set of taoist practices are embodied in karate.
- To acknowledge the “three jewels”: compassion, moderation and humbleness. These principles are part of the code of beliefs of the karatekas, which is drawn from the samurai’s code of chivalry – Bushido.
- To carefully plan each action before execution. The goals much be reached with maximum success and with minimum intervention. This is a golden rule, not only for the karateka but also for all martial arts students. The man behind the development of Shukokai, sensei Kimura, had for motto: "one hit, one kill".
- To preserve the Chi (vital energy) that has been given to each person. One way to get it is by controlling the breathing. In karate, breathing is fundamental – the technical power depends upon it. Thus the “scream of the warrior” – kiai – which is such an important aspect of this martial art.
[ KARATE ]
[ History of Karate ] [ Ethics ] [ "Kiai" ] [ Belts Colours ] [ Competition ]
[ HOME ] [ KARATE ] [ SHUKOKAI ] [ PORTUGAL ] [ DOWNLOADS ] [ LINKS ] [ GLOSSARY ] [ MAP OF THE SITE ]
