Code of O’Sensei Hohan Soken
1. Always act in a courteous manner.
2. During your training, concentrate to the limit of your mental endurance. Give your all mentally and physically as training without concentration prevents advancement.
3. The physical, mental and spiritual training of the student should be combined as one. The heart, mind and body should be in union at all times.
4. Heed the advice of your teacher and of more advanced students of your school and other schools. Listen to them and never forget their advice.
5. Listening and watching are key points to advancement.
6. In order to advance, one must strive to obtain the true spirit of the art.
7. Training is on a continuous basis, and one learns a little at a time. Do not take breaks in training as it will result in a step backwards.
8. Always strive for advancement and when advanced, one must not brag or boast.
9. Self-praise and over-confidence is a sickness that corrupts training.
10. Refrain from over-eating, drinking and smoking, for these are bad habits that hinder the effectiveness of your training.
11. Martial arts training has no limits. Step by step, study by study, and one day in the future you will undoubtedly enter the Temple of Shaolin.
O’Sensei Hohan Soken (1889 – 1982)
Founder of Matsumura Seito Shorin Ryu