Outskirts Press, INC.

Anyone can learn karate, but to master oneself takes a lifetime.

This is the inspiring story of an ex-Marine who sought out the one form of martial arts that would polish his mind and strengthen his spirit- Kobayashi Shorin Ryu Karate. Finding the right dojo would lead him to Okinawa and a Sensei (teacher), a seventh degree black belt, who would show him what lay beyond the pain, beyond the exhaustion. He was taught Nintai: the art of patience, perseverance, and endurance.

"The reason there are mirrors in the dojo is to allow the student to always face his greatest opponent: himself. It is the aim of the true karate practitioner to overcome the ego, and focus on the higher goal of unifying the mind, body, and spirit. In Okinawa, it is the Sensei's responsibility to help the student become humble enough to attain this objective."

Only when Nintai is accomplished, can one pursue a higher spiritual path.

"On another occasion, I was performing the oar kata at a demonstration event in the community. As I manipulated the spinning oar past my leg, I sliced my calf with the beveled edge. Although it stung, I proceeded with the routine as if nothing happened. It is amazing how much you can control your emotions when performing in front of hundreds of people.
When I left the demonstration stage, Sensei noticed I had left a trail of blood and that my gi pant leg was turning red.
“Mark, you idiot, the next students may slip because of your carelessness!” I acknowledged his touching concern with a quick apology and immediately ran on to the stage and wiped up the blood with a towel before the next group went out. Only after that was accomplished did I tend to the injury.
The oar had sliced a nice even gash in my right calf. That really taught me a valuable lesson - never underestimate the cutting power of a wooden weapon. As with most lessons learned during my years in Okinawa, pain was a cruel and impartial teacher. It was only by learning to transcend the physical; that I could begin to embark on the more spiritual path of the art."