SHOTOKAI KARATE BUDO

School description

Shotokai is an organization that was founded by the creator of Japanese modern Karate, Master Gichin Funakoshi, together with other of his students, such as Mr. Shigeru Egami and Mr. Genshin Hironishi; this took place in 1935. The objective then and still today is to preserve and expand the true spirit and art represented in Karate.
Shotokai, literally means "Shoto's association", where Shoto was the pseudonym O-sensei commonly used.
Shotokai Karate-Budo is an organization that was founded by Humberto Heyden Sensei.
The goal that drives this organization is to teach in the highest standards, following, without tarnishing the original teachings of Master Gichin Funakoshi and his successors, Mr.Shigeru Egami and Genshin Hironishi.
Shotokai Karate-Budo firmly believes that, even though Karate is an excellent self-defense method and a physical activity of great qualities, it is fundamentally a way towards mental and spiritual development. Thus, beginners as well as those that have trained many years, will find in SKB a guide and an orientation that emphasizes the principles and beliefs that have just been expressed.
In Shotokai Karate-Budo,  Karate is not considered a competition sport. Karate is taught as a martial way or art, BUDO. The efforts are directed towards the development of a strong mental and physical discipline coupled with a spiritual harmony, all through the practice of Karate techniques. The movements in our school follow natural laws, they are full of life and energy, but always applying the principles of harmony and relaxation, thus avoiding all use of brute force.

Shotokai Karate-Budo's objective is not to fight against an enemy and defeat him. The important thing is to defeat and overcome our internal enemies, that is, our own errors, weaknesses and mental limits. This permits participants of both sexes and of any age. Participants will have the chance to feel attracted with the real possibility of developing mind and body, building a balanced character and prepare themselves for all their life's moments.

Through the search for perfection of body and mind integration activity, and in profound unity with the nature's laws,  Shotokai Karate-Budo gives its students, through constant training, a control of concentration and relaxation techniques, giving them a chance to fight stress, learning self defense and at the same time maintaining their health and longevity.
But the goal in Shotokai Karate-Budo is not to fight against a opponent, a physical enemy, and defeat him/her. It is more important to destroy our own internal enemies: our own errors. Shotokai is one way in which you can discover how to conciliate the differences that exist in the world and finally make all human beings one big family. It is the way to comprehend the Laws of the Universe, making us one with It; this understanding in karate can only be attained through constant training.
Shotokai Karate-Budo's movements follow the natural laws, they are full of vitality and energy, but always applying the principles of harmony and relaxation, avoiding all use of brute physical force. This way people of both sexes, all ages, can practice it, and feel themselves attracted with the real possibility of training both body and mind. This will help you generate a balanced nature preparing yourself for all the moments of your life.
Today Shotokai is practiced in many different places in the world, following the tradition and true goal of the Martial Arts, which is: BUDO.

Shotokai Karate-Budo, a Budo Martial Arts school, unites both young and old, the juvenile side and the mature side of the human spectrum. Beyond age and sex differences, children, adults, women and men, practice together enhancing each other's training. This contrasts notoriously with sports martial arts, where the young, strong and muscular individuals seem to dominate. This is related with the fact that Shotokai avoids all type of competitive tournaments where physical strength is the most important factor and at the same time this relates with the training objectives: the search of the development of mind and body.
Each group of trainees in Shotokai Karate-Budo, depending on their level, has his/her own way of attaining the mind-ki-body unity, where all can mix together and learn from each other. In a training atmosphere void of distinctions, communication grows and mutual respect arises unhindered. Out of the circular, interactive exchange between the young and the not so young, power arises from the harmonious activity, this leads to a feeling of fitting in and etiquette is thus based on mutual respect.
We conclude that Shotokai Karate-Budo has a profoundness and breadth rarely found in martial art schools, this is a trademark and arise from the emphasis placed on harmony and love of the art that can be felt in our teachers. Our duty is then to dedicate ourselves to a constant and daily practice, in every activity we do, maintaining at all times in our minds a grateful attitude towards Creation.

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Shotokai Karate Budo, Shotokai Encyclopedia on Karate-do and Japanese Martial Arts http://www.shotokai.cl