The best martial artists honor themselves. We usually think of honor in regard to “treating someone or something with admiration or respect.” Thus, from the standpoint of being egotistical, the idea of honoring ourselves can seem very selfish or self-centered. However, try to think about honor from the standpoint of living the Way and staying true to oneself. In Japanese, shoushinshoumei (正真正銘) means “to be authentic.” When we live authentically according to the Way, we behave in a manner which is in line with our beliefs and what we think is right. Honoring oneself then becomes a gesture towards ourselves which reflects the person that we either are or the person that we are striving to become. One way to say “honor” in Japanese is katami (肩身) which is also how the Japanese say “shoulder” or “body.” Interestingly, the other day in sword class, Watanabe Sensei said, “When your shoulders sit, the technique has entered your body.” Therefore, doing something correctly has a direct effect on our bodies. When a person is “feeling proud,” their shoulders sit, their posture improves, and we relax which is what the Japanese call katamigahiroi (肩身が広い). Conversely, when a person is “feeling ashamed,” then their shoulders “tighten and rise”and the Japanese call this katamigasemai (肩身が狭い). To live in alignment with our beliefs, it can help to ask ourselves one question before we do something: “Does this honor me?” This one question helps us to align with our goals and beliefs. In class, when we are about to do something egregious to our training partner, we should ask ourselves, “Does this honor me?” In our daily lives, before we pretend that we don’t see someone in need, we should ask ourselves, “Will this honor me?” Honoring oneself is a mindful choice and by asking ourselves this one question, it brings us back to the present moment and keeps us on task. The best way to determine if something honors us or not is to look at how we feel after we make our choice. If we feel something negative afterwards like regret, anger, or resentment, then our decision typically did not honor us. If it creates a positive feeling afterwards like happiness, calmness, or contentment, then it usually means our decision honored us. Another way to know if we are going in the right direction is if we have to hide, rationalize, or validate our choice. If our actions came to light and embarrassed us, then we probably weren’t acting in accordance with our inner values or living up to the person that we are striving to become. We should respect and honor others but at the same time, we should not forget to honor ourselves - this is the highest form of self-love. After all, this is our life and our choices and so we should be aware of it and proud of it. A true martial artist always stays true to themselves and behaves according to their beliefs and that is why the best martial artists honor themselves.
Today’s goal: Before you do something, ask yourself, “Does this act bring me honor?”