Shoshaku Jushaku – mistake upon mistake, one continuous practice.

This is an important concept in the martial arts or life and is the road to achieving a black belt or beyond.  Shoshaku Jushaku means one continuous practice, mistake upon mistake.  On the mats, as in life, people make mistakes.  How you deal with the mistakes of life determines how successful you on or off the mats.

Shoshaku Jushaku implies recognising when you make a mistake, learning from it, and continuing to make new mistakes.  This is how winning is done and leads to a successful life.  Most people either refuse to acknowledge their mistakes or are too critical of themselves when they make mistake.  Shoshaku jushaku means to recognise your mistake, acknowledge it, learn from it and try not to repeat it, however this mind set allows compassion towards ourselves.  We do not condemn ourselves but endeavour to be gentle on ourselves.  Because we know improvement in life cannot be made without mistakes.

Do not be harsh on yourself.  Do not condemn yourself.  Guide the mind as if it was a small child.  Have patience, be mindful, be present.  It does not mean an acceptance to making mistakes.  But a gentle approach to dealing with your mind.

In training karate, we repeat each technique thousands of times, seeking perfection which can never be achieved.  Beginners start with large obvious mistake and strive to make the techniques better.  Black belt’s techniques may not exhibit external mistake, obvious to lower grades, but may be more internal, felt by the student either physically or mentally.  This continuous practice is the journey of karate to black belt and beyond and this is Shoshaku Jushaku.