“When you leave home, think that you have numerous opponents waiting for you. ”
Yep! You guessed it. An old Karate Master once said this! Even more accurately an old Shotokan Master once stated this!
I’ve instructed my students in much the same philosophy, however this is not necessarily an encouragement to be paranoid. No. More over it is an instruction to be cautious. To be wary. To be AWARE! If you stay aware, then it is difficult to be blindsided, sucker-punched or snuck up on! From day one I instruct my students on the meaning of the symbol of our style. In Shotokan our patch has a tiger standing in front of what appears to be a moon. The meaning I’ve been giving is that the tiger never sleeps. Hmm? I guess that means that they are aware, huh? In the wild the tiger has few enemies. It is nearly impossible and highly unadvised to sneak up on a tiger. One thing you would not want to do is peak through some brush and have a tiger peering back at you, which is what would probably happen if you try to track one. A tiger is the epitome of awareness. A tiger is fierce. A tiger is strong. A tiger is cunning. Tigers definitely sleep but it doesn’t really matter, because you wouldn’t want to wake him.
Yet, “When you leave home, think that you have numerous opponents waiting for you. ” However you want to be more like a tiger. He may have opponents but he’s aware of them and one step ahead of them and of course he is totally unconcerned by them. Most of all a Tiger Never Sleeps!
Written by:
Sensei Perry Culver 6th degree Shotokan Karate, 1st degree Syu Sin Do (pressure points & joint locks)
Chief Instructor of Culver Karate Club in Connellsville, PA 724-626-KICK (5425)
