What is the Martial Path?

As I contemplated my retirement over the weekend I found that I had a variety of thoughts. The main thought that sticks to my mind is this question, "What is the martial path?" I hear the phrase spoken, I read it in blogs, web sites, and other testimonials on martial arts. I just have never actually read what it means to any one, any one person or any one organization.

Service, there is nothing more important that providing service to others. What do you use as a definition of service? I read a business analysts manual where their definition of a service is, "Service: something provided for remuneration's." This is not what I would use to define "service." It is what the business world is currently using ergo why it is such a non-entity and troubling to the human condition.

I decided to jot down some notes as to what I mean when I say to anyone, "I follow the martial path." I felt, for me, it was time to put into words that which is most difficult to express in words much like the Tao Te Ching. I am not comparing the post here to that great historic philosophical document.

The path to the empty hand is self-defense, not fighting. It is the mastery of the physical self to wield karate properly. It is the alignment of mind and body with will and spirit. It is the purging of the negative to open to the present moment. It is the reduction of distractions and the increasing of focus. It is a daily expression of self-discipline. It is centering with calmness. It is the balancing of mind, body and spirit. It is transcending past and future to live in the moment. It is the realization of the nature of the universe and our part or connection to it. It is to immerse oneself into practice, practice, practice. It is  knowing the levels or stages as well as their mastery to continue from one to the next. It is a path taken without aggression but rather one of empty present mind. It is non-violence and seeking non-violent solutions to any encounter. It is a desire to seek out knowledge and understanding. It is to move forward without resistance but with a navigation of the currents the assist us. It is patience. It is to seize opportunity. It is to be fair and firm in all things.

It has become apparent why it is seldom written or spoken, what is the martial path. Like the ken-po goku-i it is that something that is like the early morning mist that floats above the grass, elusive and ever moving - something most difficult to grasp on to but is there and apparent to the senses.

Look at the path as your plan. If you have a plan you will succeed. If you don't have a plan then your plan is to fail. Even the most chaotic aspects of nature all have a plan. Karate-do is merely the process used to follow the plan, the path. It is not written in stone. It is fluid and changing, ever changing as nature intended from the beginning of time.

What is your meaning when you say, I follow the martial path?