Dojo Etiquette

Seiretsu          	Line up in rows. Highest grade too lowest. Left to right Shizentai.

Seiza 		Sitting position on floor. Hands on thighs.
		Mind and body alert.

Tachi Rei 	Standing Bow.

Seiza Rei 	Kneeling Bow.

Mokuso 	Meditation. Eyes closed. Relaxed but aware.

Mokuso Yame	Cease meditation.

Rei 		Bow.

Sensei Ni Rei 	Bow to Sensei.

Sempai Ni Rei	Bow to Sempai.

Otagai Ni Rei 	Bow to Dojo and/or all assembled within.

Tate 		Stand to attention. Musubi Dachi.

Nore 		Move to attention stance.

Shyuo 		Discipline of your mind and body.

Sho Kvushi 	Break. Class Break.

Kai San 	Dismiss. Class dismissed.

Dojo Kun 	Training ethics. Karate begins with courtesy, disciplines 
		the mind and body, builds character, promotes respect, ends 
 		with courtesy and leads to Wa-No-Michi (peace in ones life).

Makota 	Sincerity. Only a sincere person can be worthy of your friendship.

1. Sempai Mark's Essay on Dojo Etiquette

2. Rei (The Bow)

Karate-do is not a sport, nor is it primarily a system of self-defence; these are merely facets of a multi-sided diamond, the heart of which is the rough, rugged painstaking quest for the answer to the meaning of existence, undertaken by a master and his pupils inside their dojo. To understand this point is to make a great step forward, and to ensure clarification of many of the problems that may arise during the course of training. Respect and self control are basic foundations of karate training. Serious practitioners seek to improve their character as well as their physical condition through the training process.

Mokuso (meditation)
Mokuso is part of the training of the mind called Mushin which comes from Zen Buddhism. One must attempt to return to the mental state of a new born child - that is, without a sense of fear, not conscious of distress, pain, cold, etc. A baby cannot anticipate these things and therefore has no fear and does not hesitate before moving. An adult knows fear and is afraid.
When attacked, he/she feels tense and is often useless against the assailant because movement is restricted.

Rei (the bow )
Karate is not a sport. It teaches a way of life. As such, it commands our appreciation and respect. This appreciation and respect is owed to the Sensei, the dojo and other practitioners. Rei (bowing) is the manner in which our appreciation and respect is expressed. The dojo is the place where we learn both the spirit and the technique of Budo. We must not enter the dojo with malice or antagonism because this can lead to dangerous accidents or even death. When we are in the dojo we must feel purposeful and alert and a bow is the focal point of this feeling.

Zanshin (state of awareness)
Zanshin refers to the state of awareness in which we all hopefully dwell, and as a result of which we are fully alert and aware of all around us. If you are always alert and constantly consider your immediate environment, then it will be hard for an opponent to surprise you. This state of full awareness is called Zanshin. We practise Zanshin in our kata, Waza and Kumite. If you practise Zanshin in the dojo then so should you practise it outside the dojo even more so. Get into the habit of practising Zanshin everywhere.

The AIMS OF THE KARATEKA
Our aim in the martial arts is to strive for peace. Through our hard mental and physical training we are polishing our characters. We must learn to conquer our ego. There is no place in karate-do for an ego. When we can accept that we don't need our ego this is when we really start to learn about the "Do" the way of karate and the real purpose of our training. We must not think of only the physical side of karate, otherwise we may as well just practise kick boxing. Real karate-do is a battle with the self. Peace and harmony in life is only attained when all ones emotions are controlled. At a high level of training there is no need to fight. We must only use the physical as a last resort. It is imperative that we strive to understand the real values of karate-do.