The Way of the Warrior: Morals and Values

The Role of Morals and Values in the Way of the Warrior

I am not sure where this falls into the role of my blog, but it seems to me that if you engage in martial arts, training in the way of the warrior, then there is an inherent obligation to have some kind of code of ethics and sense of morality. There is an expectation, if you will, that you have a sense of honor. How do you define that? Well, that becomes vastly more complicated than most people care to talk about. I think most of us recognize there is a sense of morals and values that we need to follow. How each martial artist articulates that is up to each individual, just like how he or she expresses his or her martial art.  It is a matter of personal experience and personal choice. 

Martial arts has a tradition of a code of conduct, of ethics. I think that has largely been defined by the cultures in Asia, based on our perceptions of how we have consumed martial arts in the west throughout the 20th century. However, if we look at cultures around the world, there are morals and values and expectations attached to warriors of every culture that I can think of. Whether it be ancient Greece, Polynesia, Native Americans, Chinese, Japanese, and the list goes on. If you look at our modern military today there is a code of conduct that is expected by the military establishment. However, in the training of empty hand martial arts, what is the expectation of us? I think it is an interesting idea to explore and this is my attempt to do so here.

The best way for me to open this discussion is how I view it personally as a martial artist. I could do research and write a scholarly article, but I will save that for a later time. I just want to discuss it on a personal level as a martial artist of over 30 years. 

I believe that ever martial artist has an obligation to develop a code of ethics and morals, because we are given a great privilege to study and learn the way of the warrior, of combat. Historically, there are many examples for this also. For me, in my personal experience, I draw from both eastern and western cultures to develop my own sense of ethics and morals. I have been raised Roman catholic and feel I have been taught to look out for those who have less opportunity or have fewer advantages than myself. That is a big part of what drives me. Within martial arts, we are taught to defend what is true and sacred to us, use honor and dignity in conducting ourselves. Just like in our training, I have tried to simplify the rules of my code of conduct. I think there is a lot built in to what I have just stated for myself. For example, if you look out for those that have less opportunity, and you try to carry yourself with dignity and honor, then I think the concept of respect is inherently built in to the value system. Respect is important in martial arts, but I think it expands beyond just the arena of combat and training. Martial arts is a metaphor for life, and I think that experience reflects how we carry our lives as martial artists. 

Our experiences mirror who we are, so the choices we make, in training, in combat, in life, and all the quiet moments in between are important in shaping our character. 

That being said, nobody is perfect. Just like in training, we make mistakes. We must be allowed to learn and grow from our mistakes. Hopefully your character and teachers have guided you well enough to avoid making any big mistakes that cause serious problems. The more we are conscious of what we do, of what is right and wrong, then the better we can grow and become better martial artists and better people each step along the way. For me, personally, every day is a matter of doing the right routine, remembering what I have been taught, reminding myself to make the right choices, and when I feel I am off to slow down and think more about what I am doing.

We operate in a world of shades of grey, not black and white. We have to develop a sense of being able to distinguish different contexts and make real-time decisions that are not always simple. We do this in our training and we must do it in life as well. It is why we not only train the physical part of ourselves, but the mental and spiritual parts of ourselves as well. We are complete people that need development in all aspects of life. It is why I like the martial arts, because it takes into account the whole person, not just part of a person. If you look at the most successful athletes, they have a balance between the physical, mental and spiritual - whether they admit it or not. Mindset, heart, and soul all matter to a person. It is something that we need to understand so we can continue to grow in both our training and in life. 

Honestly, I was just reviewing my blog and the number of views it has so far. It is a small amount. I am not sure who is going to read this, or who it will benefit, but I am hoping my thoughts and knowledge reach someone who can find an interest in them and make use. Knowledge and experience really demand to be shared. I guess, as a teacher, that is what I am trying to do as well. This whole debate about morals and values here, it is important, and I hope it reaches someone who can find use for it. Without morals and values, or even attempts to maintain morals and values, what type of society do we have. They way of the warrior is inherently dedicated to maintaining an ethical way of life. It does not mean everyone is perfect, but they at least care enough to try to do the right thing.