First aspect: accept what comes from the Master. Whenever you have doubts, or if someone criticizes your behavior labeling it as fanaticism, stop and think: what would the attitude of an Eastern disciple be like when faced with the recommendations, prohibitions or reproaches of his Master? Would a disciple question or challenge his Master? Of course not, and for an extremely logical reason. Freedom of choice belongs to the disciple. It is He who chooses the Master. The latter has the right to refuse or exclude a disciple whose behavior is not deemed compatible with the Master’s teachings. Consequently, a disciple should only choose as a Master someone with whom he already expresses empathy. From that moment on the disciple only has the privilege of accepting what comes from the Master.
Second aspect: loyalty to a Master. But that’s not all. Being loyal is not just accepting what comes from the Master. It means expressing in actions, words and thoughts an attitude of complete satisfaction, of the kind experienced by lovers when they do not want to know anyone else. In the Master/disciple relationship, this attitude of love and fullness manifests itself in the sense of not wanting to learn anything from anyone else, since the disciple is perfectly satisfied with the quantity and quality of his Master’s teaching. It does not need or accept other Masters. He does not have the slightest curiosity for what others might have to teach him, just as a faithful wife or husband does not have the slightest curiosity for the caresses that the best conquerors can offer him. It is considered a serious lack of discipline, lack of ethics and lack of education to visit other Masters who belong to different strains or even to schools less faithful to one’s strain. Visiting another Master without the explicit indication of your own means that you are not with him one hundred percent; those who are not satisfied with the teachings and want to compare them with those of other schools. In some Korean Kwan, a disciple who visits another Master without his permission is summarily excluded and pressured to follow the other who has piqued his interest!
Third aspect: defend your Master. Every instructor or teacher has a moral duty to enlighten all his practitioners and students regarding these extremely important concepts. It must also prepare them to courageously defend their type of tkd or hkd, their lineage and their Master against the so-called know-it-alls who, motivated by envy, attack them. The disciple is not allowed to listen to attacks and insults against his Master without defending him with firmness and eloquence. Tolerance and silence, in this case, would only be signs of cowardice and disloyalty. When someone begins to declare something negative, ethics dictates that the loyal disciple should not listen with morbid curiosity to what the detractor has the bad intention of revealing. The listener is a passive defamer, since he allows the aggressor to transmit his defamatory message. If you have courage, dignity and love for the Master, you should interrupt him and say: «Say no more. I know the work of the person in question and I witness that what you say is not true. Know that it is very bad to slander honest people who do serious work.» And turn your back on him.»
Loyalty is one of the main virtues required of a disciple and, strangely, it is the most misunderstood in the West. However, without it it is not possible to progress in DO
If they asked you, “Are you loyal,” your answer would be yes, without hesitation, definitely yes! Almost all Westerners consider themselves loyal to their Master, but in reality, according to Eastern and ancient principles, their concept of loyalty leaves much to be desired….
latest posts published
Sempai, Kohai and Dohai: respect for the hierarchical system
What is a dojo (道場)?
Mitsu no sen (three points) les trois principals initiatives
Karate Belts: Understanding the Order of Ranks
The concept of “Giri”, a profound moral commitment
Athlete Imaging | Martial Arts Larry Foisy
Black belts, keepers of knowledge
Kyokun Martial – In karate there is no first attack.
The social economy at the heart of our martial arts center
