GOLDEN EAGLE SHOTOKAN PHILOSOPHIES

1. MARTIAL ARTS REVEAL TO US THE PATH TO ONENESS WITH THE UNIVERSE. TO COORDINATE MIND BODY AND SPIRIT. TO BECOME ONE WITH NATURE ITSELFE IS THE CHIEF PURPOSE OF ANY MARTIAL ARTS TRAINING.

2. JUST AS NATURE LOVES AND PROTECTS ALL CREATION, SO WE MUST HELP EACH OTHER IN AN ATTITUDE OF SINCERITY AND BROTHERHOOD AND WITHOUT DISCRIMINATINO OR PARTIALITY.

3. TO FIGHT WITH OTHERS AND WIN BRINGS ONLY RELATIVE VICTORY. NOT TO FIGHT AND YET WIN BRINGS ABSOLUTE VICTORY. TO GAIN ONLY A RELATIVE VICTORY SOONER OR LATER LEADS TO INEVITABLE DEFEAT. WHILE YOU ARE PRACTICIING TO BECOME STRONG, LEARN HOW YOU CAN AVOID FIGHTING BY LEARNING TO THROW OR SPAR WITH YOUR OPPONENT AND ENJOY BEING THROWN AND BEING DEFEATED IN PRACTICE. BY HELPING ONE ANOTHER IN LEARNING THE CORRECT THEQNIQUES, YOU WILL PROGRESS VERY RAPIDLY.

4. DO NOT CRITICIZE ANY OF THE OTHER MARTIAL ARTS. THE MOUNTAIN DOES NOT LAUGH AT THE RIVER BECAUSE IT IS LOWLY, NOR DOES THE RIVER SPEAK ILL OF THE MOUNTAIN BECAUSE IT CANNOT MOVE ABOUT. EVERYONE HAS HIS.HER OWN CHARACTERISTICS AND GAINS HIS/HER OWN POSITION IN LIFE. SPEAK BADLY OF OTHERS AND IT WILL SURELY COME BACK TO YOU.

5. THE MARTIAL ARTS BEGIN AND END WITH COURTESY. NOT IN FORM ALONE (AS IN THE BOWING AND THINKING OF YOUR TEACHER AND CLASSMATES) BUT IN HEART AND THOUGHT AS WELL.

6. BE VERY CAREFULLY WARNED AGAINST THE FEELING OF CONCEIT. CONCEIT NOT ONLY HALTS YOUR PROGRESS, IT CAUSES YOU TO MOVE BACKWARDS. A CONCEITED PERSON IS A VERY SHALLOW PERSON IN THE OCEAN OF MANKIND.

7. DO NOT DISPUTE WITH OTHERS MERELY TO DEFEND YOUR OWN VIEWS, RIGHT IS RIGHT, ERROR IS ERROR. JUDGE CALMLY WHAT IS RIGHT AND WHAT IS WRONG. IF YOU ARE CONVINCED THAT YOU ARE WRONG, STRONGLY MAKE AMENDS. IF YOU MEET ONE WHO IS KNOWLEDGABLE IN AN AREA, JOYFULLY ACCEPT HIS TEACHING. IF ANY MAN IS IN ERROR, QUIETLY EXPLAIN TO HIM/HER THE TRUTH AND STRIVE TO MNAKE HIM UNDERSTAND.
8. EVEN A TWO-INCH CATERPILLAR HAS A T LEAST ONE INCH OF SPIRIT. EVERY PERSON RESPECTS HIS/HER OWN SELF. DO NOT, THEREFORE, SLIGHT ANYONE NOR HURT ANYONES SELF RESPECT. TREAT A PERSON WITH RESPECT AND THAT PERSON WILL RESPECT YOU. MAKE FUN OF A PERSON AND THAT PERSON WILL MAKE FUN OF YOU. RESPECT A PERSONS PERSONALITY AND LISTEN TO HIS/HER VIEWS.

9. DO NOT BECOME ANGRY. IF YOU BECOME ANGRY DO NOT ALLOW YOURSELF TO LOSE COMPOSURE TO THE POINT OF LOOSING YOUR TEMPER. GETTING ANGRY AND FIGHTING SHOULD NEVER BE A PART OF A TRUE MARTIAL ARTIST. KNOW THAT A PERSON WHO IS EASILY ANGERED LOSES COURAGE IN CRUTIAL AND IMPORTANT MOMENTS.

10. DO NOT EXPECT TO LEARN EVERYTHING AT ONE TIME, PATIENCE IS JUST ONE OF THE MANY
DISCIPLINES ONE CAN GAIN FROM THE MARTIAL ARTS.