Philosophy

Planting a Seed and Kata in Karate

"Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree." - Martin Luther

Never a Master

"We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master." --Ernest Hemingway #ErnestHemingway #Craftsmanship #LifelongLearn...

Sensei Says

I refer back to my teachers because I didn’t make up any of this.

Three Bricklayers

Intention drives action and results. In order to get what you want out of training, pick your intention carefully.

What's Your Why?

If someone asked you, could you say with confidence why you train? Are you currently fulfilling that need?

The Perfect Trap

In the past, I've said to students that we must train to be perfect, even though we know we never will be. I hear a lot of people say...

Rules and Freedom in Traditional Martial Arts

When I first read Shunryu Suzuki's work 20+ years ago, it stuck with me. His book Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind felt important, even though...

The Ten-Thousand Things

The famous Japanese swordsman, Miyamoto Musashi, is credited with the saying, “From one thing, know ten-thousand things.” In many...