SHORINJI KEMPO as
a way to cultivate true strength
No matter how much you may want to
help people in distress, if you
yourself are weak then you cannot help
someone else. To become strong, not
only do you need to strengthen your
body, but also to foster an
indomitable spirit, one that will
neither flinch nor collapse regardless
of the hardships. To have true
strength is to have established a
reliable self. SHORINJI KEMPO aims to
achieve such true strength.
Physical
techniaues are only a means
The aim of the practice of SHORINJI
KEMPO is to become a person who is
strong both physically and
spiritually. You must not forget this,
not give yourself over solely to
competion to be the most technically
skillful or physically strong, nor
become obsessed with defeating
opponents. If defeating opponents were
your only goal, then you would have no
need for unarmed combat skills; it
would be far easier to use some kind
of weapon. The point of mastering the
techniques of SHORINJI KEMPO is that
it brings the kind of confidence that
comes from knowing you can physically
protect yourself without resorting to
weapons.
So long as you do
not think you have lost, then you have not
Suppose that at some point you were
overcome by an opponent -as long as
you remain alive, and provided that
you do not think of yourself as having
been defeated, then it is not a true
defeat. Similarly, in the course of
life you might make mistakes, but your
quality as a human being is not
determined by whether you make
mistakes or not -rather, by whether
you can pick yourself up again
afterwards. If at any point you say to
yourself, "I am a useless
parson," then that is a true
defeat. To carry on vigorously living
your own life, it is important that
you acquire an unconceited, realistic
self-confidence.
Always be able to
rely on your self -"Within self, my
self finds recourse"
Each person is given just one life,
and cherishes it. A feeling of
self-worth comes with having the
courage to take responsibility for
saying when you dislike something or
see something as wrong, and having the
strength to put these things right; it
involves initiative, and a belief in
your own potential. All this requires
a well founded confidence. True
strength means possessing a confidence
and courage that cannot be bought for
money, nor seized by any authority,
and establishing a self which will
always respond in time of need.
Moreover, it means taking action with
concern not merely fot yourself, but
for the happiness of people around
you.
