A recent contributor to the Talkback section of the JKA Victoria website accurately pointed out that there were 3 words on the banner of the homepage that were not referred to anywhere else on the site. Hopefully this will explain why those words are there and what they mean.
Most organisations go out of their way to state the reason for their existence. This usually takes the form of a published statement ranging in scale from two or three words through to detailed documents called Mission Statements. These are designed to be read and understood by outsiders and insiders alike, they seek to capture the commitment of the group to it's stated cause outlining the group's purpose or charter
JKA Victoria's first priority is the practice of JKA Karate, we simply want to train. But training in a Martial Art for it's own sake is not ideal. We hold that there must be a reason for training, not a physical reason or even a mental one, but a higher purpose - a guiding principle, an ideal that sits above individual needs, techniques, rank or reward. And this reason must be what we stand for as a group. The words Tradition, Vision & Values capture this. Let's elaborate:
Tradition
Anything
worthwhile is worthwhile passing onto successive generations therefore Tradition
is inevitable. But inherited customs and beliefs can lose their meaning unless
they have relevance in the new era. The best traditions, the most meaningful
ones, are open to advancements in thinking, they are living traditions and
they don't need to be ancient or quasi-religious or steeped in ceremony to
have value. Living traditions as opposed to static ones are subject to change,
they come from the past but grow and adapt to suit new trends and ideas. As
an example, the Olympic tradition is very old indeed but it is a very modern
movement because it welcomes innovation and advocates leading-edge training
principles for athletes, best practice methods for officials and administrators
and the latest technology to measure and record sporting outcomes. These modern
concepts will in time themselves contribute to tradition.
The JKA tradition comes from the fantastic legacy set by our past masters. This legacy is now in the capable hands of our present leaders, being prepared in a sense, for the next generation. In Budo Karate, there is a strong and obvious ceremonial tradition largely based on respect. This respect is demonstrated as acknowledgment, not only for our teachers and past masters, but for other Karateka and also for the place where we train, our Dojo. We also have a written and oral tradition whereby the knowledge of the past is clearly recorded for us to emulate, refine and pass on. This process of taking from the past, then transmitting and refining knowledge, is embodied in the concept of Su Ha Ri which translates roughly from Japanese to mean "hold, break, leave". The expression has it's origins in Japanese No theatre, however at some point the term was adopted by Budo-ka to describe the process of learning in the martial arts. (Note, The Chinese character meaning to "hold" or "keep" is normally pronounced Shu in Japanese, but it is pronounced Su, rather than Shu when it is used in this context.)
Su Ha Ri identifies three separate phases of development and we can look at our living tradition in terms of it. In the phase of Su, all the known techniques and principles are learned exactly as they are taught. Through repeated practice, the body and the mind start to internalise them until in time, they become second nature. At this point, Su is achieved and the next phase, Ha is entered.
In the Ha phase,
the "known" is challenged and broken. Through continued practice
and self-reflection, questions are asked and exceptions to the learned principles
are found. As practice continues, new ideas are gradually encompassed one
by one and the mechanics of technique are transcended until new underlying
meanings are discovered. When Ha is established, with continuous training,
a new phase known as Ri begins.
In Ri, with all the known and learned principles established, a new level
of development is entered - a state where there is no distinction between
known principles and the new interpretations. In this state a new, unique
and personal style can be established based on the accumulation of learning
in the Su and Ha phases. This is where new findings are established which
in turn become "knowns" and the cycle begins again.
This is the goal
of training and through this cycle, new contributions to established traditions
are made. This is why we speak about a living tradition in the context of
JKA. Many masters, many cycles and many new elements constantly being added
as we build the JKA of the future.
Vision
A Vision
can be defined as an idea perceived vividly in the imagination. It is the
unwritten expression of our dreams and a series of plans for the future that
will take us forward. Our vision is not only a mental picture of what we would
like to achieve and how we will go about achieving it, it's a picture of the
outcome itself. It sees JKA Karate being taught as a proven method of self-development
to anyone wishing to learn. It sees this being done by people who have reached
a high level of refinement in their art, and above all, it sees everyone involved
in our group, students and teachers, striving together for the perfection
of their individual characters, the good of society, and ultimately for the
betterment of mankind.
Values
If Tradition is present and Vision exists, a series of Values necessarily
emerge which, although sometimes hard to articulate, can be written down as
is the case with JKA Karate in the Dojo Kun. These 5 maxims are our principles
and standards, the ideals we hold as essential to the path of development
through Karate-Do.
In simple terms, Tradition provides us with the base for our Karate, Vision enables us to move forward rather than dwelling on and adhering unnecessarily to the past, and Values are the common factors that bind JKA Karateka together.
So these three
words together give some idea of what our group represents. The reader will
notice that there is no mention here of specific techniques, of winning matches,
of rank or standing or of individual achievements. Tradition, Vision, Values
relates to what it is that guides our group in the pursuit of our potential
through the study and practice of JKA Karate.
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© Japan Karate Association of Australia (Victoria) Limited 2004