Web Dojo Article -- School Shootings (page 2)

Why is there so much symbolism in traditional martial arts? Why does Sensei sound like a talking fortune cookie when he explains martial arts philosophy? Why can't he just say things in plain English?

Those are reasonable questions for a Westerner to ask. In Europe and the Americas, we use a great deal of symbolism in our languages and cultures, but nothing that even begins to approximate the symbolism inherent to Eastern languages and cultures. This can make the transmission of martial arts philosophy seem unnecessarily vague and mysterious to those of us not raised in an Oriental culture.

Throughout this web site we have used a great deal of symbolism, and we hope that -- even if you didn't consciously notice it -- it has left an impression on you. In this philosophy section, for example, every page contains a lock and key graphic running down the right. This symbolizes our intent to unlock the mysteries of the martial arts for you. On the information pages, the right-hand border contains a Japanese woodblock print of a tsuunami to symbolize Japan and its rich culture and traditions. In our community section, we use a globe and a Mercator projection in the right margin to symbolize the global community we serve and our desire to reach the entire world. And our resource pages each feature a stand of bamboo to represent the opportunities for personal growth and our goal of using these rich resources to spread traditional martial arts. In addition to suggesting a perspective from which to understand the information presented in each section of our site, these symbols also serve as a secondary navigation aid.

However, what makes Oriental cultures unique is the symbolism of their language. In Western languages, symbols -- like the letters you are reading right now -- represent only the sounds the words make when spoken. You must draw on your memory for the definition associated with each unique combination of letters. But, in Japanese, the symbols for words represent their meaning, while telling very little about how to pronounce them. For example, when you see the English word, "person" here, the letters P-E-R-S-O-N are merely a collection of consonants and vowels that show you how to pronounce it. They give you no clue to the meaning of the word.

On the other hand, the Japanese equivalent, "hito," is
essentially a stick-figure drawing of a torso and two legs. Thus, in a very literal sense, the Japanese language is far more picturesque than English.

The three symbols at left, for instance, which are pronounced Seishin-Kan, don't just tell us how to pronounce the words, they symbolize their meaning. When a Japanese person, or someone fluent in the Japanese language looks at these symbols, they literally picture the meaning of the words in their mind.

This is fundamentally different from the way Westerners perceive words. And it forms the basis for a fundamentally different way of thinking. By the very nature of their language, Japanese people think symbolically. Words form pictures in their minds, because they are written essentially as pictures. Even the components of a particular kanji (ideogram) have symbolism. The symbolism of the various parts are assembled to create the symbolism of the whole. Japanese words and sentences are therefore either pictures or euphemisms for the things they depict. By extension, the entire Japanese language becomes pictures and euphemisms for the thoughts they express.

Is it any wonder, then, that the Japanese describe martial arts concepts in allegories and euphemisms? What a wonderful opportunity for Westerners to add a richness and depth to their understanding by learning to grasp concepts that are explained in an entirely different thought process and unfamiliar symbolisms!

When a Japanese person looks at the symbols at left for Seishin-Kan, they see layers of nuance in the words that are normally lost on Westerners. They see SEI as true and pure and correct and righteous. They visualize SHIN as heart and mind and spirit and even steadfastness and compassion. And they see two parts to the large building represented by KAN: the left half by itself literally means food or sustenance, and the right half means high-ranking official or person in great authority or wisdom. So, they see more in Seishin-Kan than just a building for the pure of heart; they picture a place where someone with wisdom and authority provides nourishment for their mind and spirit and emotions that is pure and true and correct and guides them to a life dedicated to righteousness. That's a lot of meaning for just three short syllables -- SEI-SHIN-KAN.

Profound martial arts concepts cannot be explained adequately in just a few spoken words, because they were produced by people who think in a symbolic language. They must therefore be explained in allegories and euphemisms and symbolism if we are ever to understand their meaning and enjoy their depth and richness as fully as they were intended.