Recently a small cardboard sign appeared on the dojo wall over the half-fridge at my dojo. I see it every time I go for water or use the bathroom. I read what this little sign said about the virtues of Bushido and began to wonder: It’s one thing to talk about integrity or courage, but how do these seven virtues apply to real life on the mat? What do these words actually mean? How do these virtues show up at a dojo? Do I see them in action? Where do I experience them in myself or in others? I decided to explore each of these principles to see whether, how, and where they have come alive for me in my training. So over seven posts, I will briefly explore each of these virtues and the commentary below it. I’ll quote the commentary, pull up a dictionary definition, and then add a thought or two about how this might work on the mat.
NOTE: For those interested in learning a lot more about Bushido and its history as well as where these virtues come from (Nitobe Inazō), check out the following Wikipedia link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bushido to begin your exploration.
1. GI (Integrity)
“Be acutely honest throughout your dealings with all people. Believe in justice, not from other people, but from yourself. To the true warrior, all points of view are deeply considered regarding honesty, justice and integrity.”
• Dictionary definition: Rigid adherence to a code of behavior. The state of being unimpaired: soundness.
To me the first three words of the quote are the basis of all integrity: “Be acutely honest!” Nothing really works if you are not telling the truth, especially to yourself. I don’t mean being harsh or judgmental: I stink at this technique, I’ll never get it, it’s hopeless. Rather, I need to work on this technique, maybe I can try it this way, or I could ask the instructor about the place where it falls apart for me. While both of these might be a form of the truth about your present state of training, the first will drag you down while the second will help you keep practicing and developing your skills. This aspect of integrity has worked for me for all the years I have been training. I’ve got to know where I am to get where I want to go: Honesty first.
Next up is “Believe in justice … from yourself.” Training is something that I do for myself! Training has taught me that I am not on the mat to prove anything to anyone else. I started later in life, so I will never be the athlete that someone who started in their early twenties will be. And I learned early that my instructors’ job is to instruct, to show me how, not to praise me or fill up my ego. My job is to become increasingly responsible for my words, my actions, my own work, no matter what anyone else does or doesn’t do. It’s an attitude, but it’s also skills: paying attention, listening, trying things out, patience, and dogged persistence—and honesty.
The last big point here for me is “soundness,” from the dictionary definition: is it sound, does it work? A technique may look great, but does it actually work—or is it just pretty? I learned the hard way that elbow strikes are powerfully painful to receive, and that a simple arm strike can knock somebody out, even when I think I am doing it gently. Now I know these things work from my own experience—and they are the smallest, simplest things. While I don’t recommend getting socked in the face by a roundhouse elbow strike, it certainly was enlightening! Training is real, and the bottom line for martial arts training is its effectiveness.
Training in a martial art is both fun and serious. My true opponent is myself, therefore success on the mat is primarily an inside job. To truly win is to not be ruled by my biases, opinions, positions, questions, or fears, but to apply myself honestly and wholeheartedly to the task at hand. This is a slow process, over possibly many years. Have respect for your art, attend to it, and it will deliver for you, often in unexpected ways.
So … What does integrity mean to you?
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