What does it mean to be competent in Kyokushin karate, or any style of karate? Competency is a beginning: it lays the floor. It includes responsibilities: teaching, practicing, finding new areas to learn and master.
Masutatsu Oyama, in the forward to his book, “This is Karate,” relates the spiritual pursuit of karate to three goals:
- being a good human
- being a good member of society
- being a good family member
“In sum, karate, properly viewed, is a way of perfecting the character.”
Masutatsu Oyama, pg. 38, “This is Karate”