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Okinawan Goju-ryu Karate

The Hard-Soft School: The name Goju is quoted from a line in the Chinese Eight Poems written in the Bubishi, “Ho go ju donto”, the way of inhaling and exhaling is hardness and softness.

Goju-Ryu refers to the dual nature of the style; the “hard” (Go) aspect of Goju is the power and speed of the techniques. The “soft” (Ju) aspect refers to the relaxation of the body and the smooth flow of movement. The philosophy of Goju Karate is having a balance of the two. The Goju-Ryu style believes that the opposites are complementary. If one is attacked fiercely (Go), then one defends with Ju and vice versa.

Words of Wisdom

There is a term in Zen called “Mushin” that loosely translates as the “absence of a conscious”. Literally, “NO MIND”. This concept, while seemingly simple, is one of the fundamental ideas in Buddhism and also in the Martial Arts. It refers to a state where the Martial Artist is not consciously aware of the details of his techniques. The physical act is automatic and free. As if no conscious thought has interfered with it. In this state the mind moves from one sequence to another, like a stream of water flowing down hill. With sufficient practice and self-confidence, physical movements become instinctive and immediate. One movement follows another without the interruption of the conscious mind. Think of what you can do in the state of Mushin, one example would be tying your shoelaces or driving a car or breathing. This is a goal for all martial Artists, to achieve Mushin.