If it seems like I end up posting a lot about rules and etiquette, it's not really because I'm obsessed with them, but rather that the subject has a way of coming up again and again in the dojo itself. After all this time, I don't know why that should surprise me, but it still does!
In earlier posts I have commented on just why I think the rules are important, and I will reiterate that the rules of a Shotokan dojo are neither arbitrary nor pointless. However, this does not stop a number of people from trying to find reasons why they should be an exception.
Recently in our dojo, the subject of jewelry has been an issue. Of all the dojo rules, I would have felt this was one of the most self-evident. Why do we not wear jewelry in the dojo? Simple: to avoid injury to ourselves and others. Jewelry with sharp edges can injure an opponent when sparring, if any contact is made. Rings, bracelets, earrings and other jewelry can get caught in people's gis, pulling someone off balance and potentially injuring both sides. A caught ring can result in a broken finger, caught earrings can result in torn earlobes.
I spent most of a month noticing violations of the jewelry rule and telling people to take off their jewelry. The results were interesting, and also worth mentioning as the reactions illustrate 3 very different philosophies.
The first was a young girl who'd had an ear infection, and couldn't remove her earrings. The parents had already talked to Sensei about it, and received clearance to keep them in until the ear healed. Sensei also said that the girl in question was not allowed to do any semi-free or free sparring until the earrings came out, because of the potential risks, which was accepted with understanding. Properly handled, no problem.
The second was another young girl who kept her earrings in because she saw that someone else was wearing hers, so she thought it was okay now. She took her earrings out when I told her to, but looked confused and slightly rebellious. This illustrates one of the reasons why it's important not to make exceptions to the rules: it's much easier for people to understand and accept when everyone is being held to the same standards.
The third instance was much more serious, and it bothered me so much I spoke with Sensei about it afterwards. I was partnered with someone in a sparring drill when I noticed they were wearing a ring, and told them to take it off. The response was that they were afraid it would get stolen. I assured them that it would not, but they refused to take off the ring.
This was disturbing on several levels, starting with the fact that I had already been scratched by the ring and didn't appreciate it. On top of that, if a black belt tells a brown belt to take off their jewelry (or in any other way to obey the dojo rules), it's not a request -- it's an order. And finally, given that our current training facility is not a place where random people could come in and go through your things, they were basically saying they thought one or more of us in the dojo that day was a potential thief. Given the fact that the advanced class knows each other quite well and has trained together for quite some time (many years in most cases), this was offensive, to say the least. After class, both my husband and I spoke with the brown belt and a relative of theirs about the subject. Although we tried to be nice and show that we understood, we also made it clear that the ring could not be worn during training. If they were worried about theft, they could leave the ring at home or lock it in their car.
Neither of those people has been at training since.
As I said, this bothered me so much that after 2 weeks of absence on their part, I spoke with Sensei. My main concern was that I had offended them somehow, although at the same time I was annoyed because it seemed to me they were being pretty silly. They both knew better, and they're both old enough to be expected to act like adults instead of pouting children. Of course, I didn't put it to Sensei that way! I merely asked if he'd heard from them, and briefly explained the situation, and said I hoped I hadn't said anything I shouldn't. Sensei looked thoughtful but told me not to worry about it.
A week or two later, Sensei spoke with both the beginner and the advanced classes. To the beginner class, he handed out copies of the brochure which includes information on our classes and the dojo rules. He said that he felt some people had grown lax about them or had forgotten some of them, and reminded them that these rules were not optional. He also reminded them that the black belts have the right to talk to them about violations of the rules when they see them. For the advanced class, he took it one step farther, and said rather pointedly, "But I shouldn't have to be saying these things to you, because all of you should know better."
So I was vindicated, and although I had already shaken off that vague sense of guilt, it was nice to know that I hadn't overstepped my bounds. I don't know what is going on with the 2 people who are not currently training, but obviously, whatever their issues are they go far past the dojo itself. Much as I miss them, I will also say that until they're ready to come train and enjoy it, it's best if they stay away.
So how relevant is all this to karate training? It's relevant in that incidents such as these can cause misunderstandings, and can disrupt training for one or more people. It's also relevant in that it shows how much or how little some people can see beyond themselves and their immediate situation.
And it's relevant because like it or not, there are always rules which govern group activities, for the greater safety and enjoyment of all. Sometimes they're fair and reasonable, sometimes they seem otherwise, but they will exist no matter what. Learning the rules and accepting them makes it possible to focus on the activity itself, instead of wasting time and energy fighting the structure in which it takes place.
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