Martial Arts: Laughing In The Dojo

Traditional Japanese martial arts are serious are they not?

What is the perception as to how one should learn the martial arts?

In our own training the subject matter and tradition is taken very seriously given the art that we are studying, so why do we seem to be laughing all the time?

Practice is crisp, focused, and intense with a dose of smile and laughing.

Purifying the senses.

The idea that in order to really see the world and understand a situation one must be able to see things as they are, beyond self and personal desired- often through shugyo to purify the senses.

Laughter is a way to do this.

By laughing and keeping it light we don’t take ourselves (personally) very seriously, but we take the art very seriously.

Being able to laugh lets one see things that might be hidden.

A practical aspect to training.

In our taijutsu movement we aim to flow, to move smoothly and without body tension.

Taking things seriously creates tension, laughing dissipates tension.

Laughing in training is a good way to assist with smooth movement.