Shigeru Egami Sensei
The true objective of practice
In China, two very ancient treatises are Ekkin Gyo and Ekkin Zenkui. Learned scholars believe that Daruma himself wrote these two books at the Shaolin Temple. These explain how to practice the body to clean the spirit.
It is believed that Karate-do was born from this view point.
Through practice problems that have recently appeared can be solved: the vital energy deterioration in the newer generations and the superficiality of human relationships.
Let us ask ourselves and others: What is true harmony? What is true peace? What is true unity? What is life?, etc.
I wish to understand the the relationship between human beings, between human beings and nature through my own body (body and spirit as an inseparable unity); it is my wish that our practice should follow this way.
It is a natural phenomenon to strive to be strong both physically and spiritually. Merely practising you will become strong. But the purpose of practising is not to show off.
Humans because of their very nature cannot live alone. Thus one desires personal peace and at the same time for all others. Being able to take care of others, think and act as if in the place of other beings, building what is marvellous in the human being: that is practice.
Viewing deeply into the essential and fundamental element, we construct our own view of life and understand the origin of the human being (through you own body). I am wishing that the way in your practice may go in that direction.
All the days gone by and all those we will continue to experience step by step from now on are related to this present moment. Let us make life’s spark shine in this present moment so our practice may go in that direction.