Martial Arts Morality

By Sifu John Cho

Martial Arts Morality as in the cultivation of virtues for everyday life.

1. Respect is the foundation in that we have to respect ourselves, other people, and the art that we practice.
2. Diligence is the effort that we expend for the goals that we want to achieve; one should work/practice to improve.
3. Patience is the understanding that rewards are rarely immediate but that time is necessary to reach our intended destinations.
4. Peacefulness is the perpetual avoidance of conflict with other people; we live our life and let others do the same without intrusion.
5. Loyalty is what we expect and bestow on others in our group, which can be the family, a group of friends, co-workers, or a martial arts school.
6. Righteousness is knowing that we practice a martial art in a virtuous way and will abstain from using our skill to exploit or wantonly hurt others.
7. Confidence is an attribute we gain with proficiency in a martial art; this is a perspective of one’s self and not a denigration of others.
8. Credibility is for others to acknowledge that we will follow through with what we say; our actions have to match our words.