“If come from inside, always right one”

November 27, 2006

A Philosophical Approach to the Karate Kid
 
by Illiani Eldorath

Growing up I found that I was always one step outside of the normal crowd. When The Karate Kid came to the movie theatre I found a character that I could identify with and a teacher that I came to admire and respect. It is a philosophy that many quote tongue and cheek but holds deep words of wisdom deeply ingrained with Asian beliefs, even if not seen so as done intentionally. In the next several essays I want to focus on a few of the wise sayings that come from the Karate Kid movies and the timeless wisdom of Miyagi.

When we are first introduced to Mr. Miyagi we see a quirky old man with an odd sense of humor. It is this Yoda like humor that is found throughout the movie but all with a sense of purpose. We’re brought into his philosophical world when after being asked by Daniel about his bonsai and his response is “If you like see, come inside”[1]. This seems to be a basic rule of thought in Asian wisdom. If you wish to learn from the Master then the Student must approach and show his interest.

There is a basic understanding that Miyagi seems to have of the world around him, the belief that there is always truth if it comes from inside the person. In a sense his words “If come from inside, always right picture”[1] models the basic Buddhist belief that a person must live his path free of outside influences. Through his unorthodox teaching methodologies he trains Daniel in defense that is based on the simplistic. It is not to say that the martial arts taught in The Karate Kid and subsequent movies are in any way “simple” as to mean “not effective,” but that they take us back to a thought process that is archaic to many Westerners. We learn that not all is as it appears. We learn that life is simple yet full of many meanings.

In general, from this first wisdom given to us in the first film, we learn that it is important to base all on what is inside the person. In later essays I will further elaborate how this process comes full circle, but for now I want to focus on just the words themselves and their connection to ones spirituality.
 
In life it is easy to forget that the self does matter. We are taught that we should conform, be a part of the crowd, and have no individuality. This attacks us from many mediums but no greater then that of film and television. In The Karate Kid, a small statement about how the Western world develops its sense of identity is given. We tend to look on the approval of outsiders. When Daniel is about to prune his bonsai he looks to Miyagi for approval. Miyagi tells him that the right picture will come from inside him. In later films we learn just how important this foundation will be to the development of Daniel’s personality and character.
 
For our purpose, we need to decide what our own inner picture of our self is, what our own spirituality is, as well as what our mundane tasks are. No one else can paint this picture or prune this bonsai for us. It has to come from inside. If it comes from inside it will always be the right path. If it comes from outsiders it will lead us to have shallow roots and the inability to commit to what we hold as dear to our hearts.
 
In the case of spirituality a person who is always seeking another’s path walks this life unfed, unnourished, and unable to find peace. They will look for that fulfillment in a variety of paths but each one leaving them void.
     
So, how does one obtain the right picture? There are many practices, paths, and spiritual techniques that can allow one to find that right picture. I will elaborate on just a few and please note that I would never limit one to what one reads in an essay or book. As an author, I take what I find to be the best in my own opinion but it is just that, my own opinion. My advice as an author and spiritual advisor is that you find techniques comfortable to your own being and then you will find the right picture for you.

One of the most basic things in life is breathing. Yes, breathing. In The Karate Kid II when Daniel is upset and states he cannot focus Miyagi leads him back to the basic of life. Breathing is something that we all need to do daily or we perish. My first suggestion is that you do daily cleansing breaths each morning. As corny as it sounds, in with the good air and out with the bad air, is a daily mantra that anyone can do no matter where you are at. Ok, so perhaps one should not do this in the middle of a court case but in the privacy of one’s home this should prove useful. A simple morning stretch with focus on your breath can lead to all thoughts or worries simply floating away.

The next stage of breathing is focusing. Many of the words of Miyagi float through my head during different situations. “Focus power,” “Return to the beginning-breath,” “In through nose, out through mouth.” Two of his sayings bring us back to the focus of breathing. We want to control our breath, focus it, cleanse but then there is that last saying “focus power.” To many, this leaves us wondering “focus power for what?” For those in the martial arts it seems a whimsical way of saying focus your energy. However, to those unaccustomed to Eastern thought it could be a scary step. Having been on the other side looking over I can sympathize. Bringing my energy to a focus and learning to decide what my thoughts would be instead of letting them run wild was a huge step for me. In later essays I will cover in more depth the power of focusing this energy but for now, we will simply start with focusing the energy to find your picture, that inner bonsai waiting to get out.

The next stage is finding that picture. I think one can accomplish that in several ways but these are two of my own personal techniques. These techniques are linked so I want to combine them for ease of understanding. Meditation and prayer go hand in hand though in the Western world most are uncomfortable with the term meditation. To them, it conjures up pictures of foreign religions, uncomfortable yoga positions, and evil that should not be tapped into. I want to say upfront that I once was under that same belief system until I did my own research and came to my own level of comfort. I suggest that those of you who are new to this stay with what you are comfortable with.

Meditation is simply the next step of focusing. It is allowing the mind to be free of outside influences and as thoughts come into that mind, thoughts leave that mind. It is the conquering of ego. In order to see the true self one must visualize. Visualization is simply creating a picture in your mind. This may simply be imagining yourself in the clothes you have on. Find a calm spot such as your favorite beach, vacation spot, or even your favorite chair within this place in your mind. Once you have a clear imagined picture stay there for a while, allowing the area to fully come to a picture in your mind. Focus on the textures, colors, smells, and so forth. After this picture has solidified it is time to allow the true self, your bonsai to appear. Note, this may take several sessions of meditation/prayer so do not feel a failure because nothing occurs during the first few sessions. It is different for each person.

Sitting in your spot allow yourself to fade away in the picture. Allow your mind to simply take the old self away. The first time that I did this type of transcendental meditation I saw myself in the very nightclothes I was wearing during my meditation session appear before my meditating self. I think that to be honest I was a bit scared at first. I had seen myself placing lotus petals and folded cranes into the river next to me, which represented all of my worries and thoughts. That had been the purpose of that particular meditation. I then looked up at my ?ego? as I shall refer to it and watched it walk into the river. It looked at me with a sort of sadness but then laid down in a prophetic posture and allowed itself to be taken down the river and eventually pulled under. When I saw the self, which was still on the bank of the river I saw a new self. This was my true self. It took a great deal of time to reach this point in my life but it is possible.
 
The second way, which is quite similar to meditation, is prayer. In fact, many state that meditation is simply prayer. Let me state though that transcendental meditation is a bit different then the meditation done for healing, etc. The purposes and goals are different. Prayer works the same way that a meditation focusing on healing energies would work. One simply needs to be able to go to the deity that one feels close to. For myself, as cross pantheonistic as I am, I tend to go to those I feel are the best ones to approach about a given situation.

The setting for prayer should be some place comfortable. The old view of hurting the knees, etc is not completely necessary. If one’s faith though calls upon you to show reverence in the sign of your deity, by all means show it. Let’s say for example that I’m having a health issue. I may turn to Quan Yin, the mother of healing in the Buddhist belief. My prayers to her may begin with the lightening of the incense and then kneeling before her to pray. I may simply explain the illness and ask for help. I may cry, I may be angry, or I may be thoughtful. The feelings should be genuine. However you decide to approach your deity and the issue, the prayer should be from your heart.

There is power in prayer. Most associate prayer with an orthodox faith but many people of many faiths pray. In this case, we would be praying to view our true self. Now, as they say, be careful what you ask for. Make sure that you are being specific and honest. Your prayer at some point will be answered when your deity decides you are ready for it or when you need it. In terms of prayer, I always keep a journal. I journal the date that I asked, what I asked for and the date it was answered. I also keep notes on how it was answered. Remember, some prayers are not answered the way we want them to be and sometimes that is for the best.

In my next essay I will delve into further elaboration of the true self, focusing energies, as well as finding a teacher. In any path, the teacher can offer wisdom and guidance on one?s journey. They are there for purpose. They are in a sense, sent from the Divine to help one achieve one’s true self. My deepest blessings and May the Divine help you to achieve your true being.

copyright 2006, Sara Danielson

References:

1. The Karate Kid. Dir. John G. Avildsen. Perf. Ralph Macchio, Noriyuki “Pat” Morita, Elisabeth Shue. 1984. DVD. Columbia Pictures 1998.
2. The Karate Kid II. Dir. John G. Avildsen. Perf. Ralph Macchio, Noriyuki “Pat” Morita. 1986. DVD. Columbia Pictures 2001.
3. The Karate Kid III. Dir. John G. Avildsen. Perf. Ralph Macchio, Noriyuki “Pat” Morita. 1989. DVD. Columbia Pictures 2001.

Posted by Jane Hansen | Filed Under New Age 

Comments

2 Responses to ““If come from inside, always right one””

  1. Awen Eldorath on December 10th, 2006 12:40 pm

    This is a very interesting and inspirational essay that suggests we (the readers) could look at things in new and differant ways that might help us better understand our own spiritual journeys. Wonderful job!

  2. Beth on January 31st, 2007 2:37 pm

    I especially liked the idea that pictures that come from inside you are the truth. So often I find myself second guessing my intuition and spirit based upon outside influences, afraid that I am making the wrong decision. But in the end you’ll know in your heart whether or not it is right or wrong. I also like the idea of keeping a prayer journal, to record the results of prayer is a wonderful idea!

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