You are here to work on yourself. Ostensibly, that involves training your body and mind in karate. But for us, that training also focuses on something even more challenging to master than blocks, punches and kicks – the mastery of yourself.
By this, we mean the taming of your ego, the outer consciousness of the mind and the personality that makes you you.
In karate we become much like the bull in the china shop, trying to use force of will and determination to overcome the deficiencies of movement that keep us from performing to the high standards of the goju-ryu system. Here, that will will be important, but subordinate to the whispers of your soul, the inner Self that lies beyond your awareness and outer knowing.
It is this Inner Self that will guide your training, so this is where we’ll start.
Sit quietly. Erect. Eyes either closed, or open and unfocused. Now just breathe. Don’t think of anything else. Practice like you were at a railroad crossing. Stop. Look (at your breath). Listen.
Detach from it all. Don’t ride the waves of chitta (mind-stuff) that flow through your head. Don’t think about your desires, or fears, or that long list of things you want to do or think you should. Don’t focus on your physical training or whatever you hope to accomplish through it.
Just breathe.
Open yourself to your Self.