ABSOLUTE ASCENDANCY

Commencing operation . . .

Overview

Today I want to talk about living by a set of guiding principles. Life can throw many a storm our way, and it can be all too easy to become lost in the turbulent winds. Having a set of guiding principles to anchor yourself will help keep you on the straight and narrow, especially when things become chaotic.

The Dojo-Kun

I have many guiding principles that I strive to live by. One example which I will discuss below is something known to martial arts practitioners as the Dojo-Kun. The Dojo-Kun essentially lists a set of rules or guidelines for students to follow, not only within the dojo walls but also outside in society.

“Finally, it is the aim of this training that Shorinjiryu Kenkokan Karatedo should be experienced as a creative way of life, an experience that leads students to search for and create something new and fresh for themselves, and to strive to reach a state of harmony with their environment. These ideals are central to the training, and are expressed in the Dojo-Kun, the school’s principles: 

1. Maintain propriety, etiquette, dignity, and grace
2. Gain self-understanding by tasting the true meaning of combat
3. Search for pure principles of being, truth, justice, and beauty
4. Exercise positive personality — confidence, courage, and determination
5. Always seek to develop the character further, aiming toward perfection and complete harmony with creation”

-Hisataka, Masayuki Kukan (2011-12-20). 

I will break down my interpretation of each of the five principles below.

 1. Maintain propriety, etiquette, dignity, and grace

I think what would be useful here is to get a definition of each word from the Cambridge dictionary and then provide a full explanation.

• Maintain: To continue to have; to keep in existence, or not allow to become less
• Propriety: Correct moral behaviour or actions
• Etiquette: The set of rules or customs that control accepted behaviour in particular social groups or social situations
• Dignity: Calm, serious, and controlled behaviour that makes people respect you
• Grace: The quality of being pleasantly polite, or a willingness to be fair and honest

Essentially the first principle of the Dojo-Kun asks practitioners to uphold and retain morally accepted behaviours within society. To remain calm and pleasant at all times and keep self-control. Following the first principle of the Dojo-Kun allows individuals to coexist peacefully by maintaining accepted standards that meet the expectations of others.

2. Gain self-understanding by tasting the true meaning of combat

They say that one can learn more about themself and others while engaged in battle. The true nature of each combatant is stripped down and laid bare.

Race, status, and background . . . such external factors are meaningless in a one on one combative situation. All that matters is the skill of each fighter.

Facades and deception are vanquished, especially if the two fighters are evenly matched. It is the moment when one is pushed towards their limit that a real understanding of oneself is achieved.

• If one is cowardly, it will be made clear in combat
• If one has exaggerated their skill, it will be made clear in combat
• If one is defiant, it will be made clear in combat

The actions taken during that fleeting span of time are driven from the innermost self and are therefore completely clean and pure, devoid of any underlying motives or trickery.

3. Search for pure principles of being, truth, justice, and beauty

Each practitioner is encouraged to explore for themselves their own reason for their existence, as well as the truths that they will choose to believe in, and the justice that they will abide. There is beautification in this process of self-discovery, which slowly allows each individual to better align with their innermost true self.

In this way, each person can learn what motivates and drives them, what passions they have, and further understand why they react or feel a particular way when confronted by an obstacle. With this transparency, self-realisation is born, and this truth makes people strong. It gives them the strength to pursue justice to realise their aspirations.

4. Exercise positive personality — confidence, courage, and determination

Number 4 is about actively reinforcing your mind with a positive attitude, even during times of adversity. Bravery to be strong when you feel weak. To be confident and determined to fight and struggle against any challenge that stands in your way. Having the courage to take the path less travelled, to take the high road where no one else will go.    

It is of utmost importance to guard yourself against negativity and actively work to induce positivity within yourself. Think and Grow Rich is a fantastic book about promoting positive thinking. Because of the way we are wired since ancient times based on survival, humans perceive negative responses five times more acutely than positive ones. For every negative situation experienced, it takes five positive ones to neutralise it. Times have changed, but our genetic responses, unfortunately, have not.

5. Always seek to develop the character further, aiming toward perfection and complete harmony with creation

 To continuously strive for improvement with each and every passing moment and living in a manner that is harmonious in nature. We may never reach perfection, but if we set our sights high and miss, we can still achieve a greater result, had we aimed low and hit.

Conclusion

To summarise, the Dojo-Kun teaches etiquette and gracefulness in society, shows the way to discover and align with one’s innermost self, and implores the individual to confront and grow from adversity, to continually improve oneself to better coexist with the environment and all living things.

If you do not currently have your own set of guiding principles, or if you would like a few more, feel free to adopt the Dojo-Kun and try it out for yourself. Let me know in the comments how you get on!

Mission complete – Overlord Drakow signing out.