GREEN BELT

(Fourth and Third Kyu)
Emotion/Sensitivity Level

After a period of consolidation and study, the yellow belt prepares for the fourth Kyu grading. This level is symbolized by a green belt. Green is produced by mixing yellow (of the fire element) and blue (of the Void element). Green belt level is the stepping off point, the first level of the senior colours, corresponding to the Anahata Chakra, which is situated in the vicinity of the heart and whose element is Air.

Until now, the Karate-ka has been fairly limited in his experience and expression. With the concentration now centred at the heart, the karate-ka is more aware of his unique discriminating intelligence and the importance of benevolence and compassion.

The Anahata Chakra is the emotional heart. When one is asked to 'have a heart' and feels a compassionate response, or when, for some reason or another, one feels an emotional twinge in the heart region, it is the energy moving at this spinal centre.

The green belt-to-be learns to accept others for what they are by being aware that in relation to all things, there is more to it than meets the eye. You never know the whole story. He thus becomes more considerate of others and in doing so his personality becomes more balanced. The green belt realizes that power without wisdom and compassion is destructive, dangerous and callous. Sosai states: "Strength without justice is violence; justice without strength is impotence."¹

The student at this level learns the true meaning of what it really is to love others — ". . . the karate man must not be indifferent to the fate and condition of other people."²

This is seen most clearly in the green belt's ability to teach karate with humility and patience, not with egotistical and patronizing discourtesy, no matter how subtle.

Courtesy should be apparent in all our actions and words
and in all aspects of daily life. But by courtesy, I do not
mean rigid, cold formality. Courtesy in the truest sense is
selfless concern for the welfare and physical and mental
comfort of the other person.

                                                   Sosai Masutatsu Oyama³

Karate's history, philosophies, and the potential it holds, are studied seriously by those hoping to gain green belt. Basic human physiology, including the vital nerve centres of the body, is also researched. In the dojo, the green belt concentrates particularly on proper breathing methods and on refining style and techniques, consolidating red, blue, and yellow belt requirements.

Excellence in all basic techniques, basic movement patterns, and required Kata should be achieved before one even considers attempting the green belt grading. The green belt- to-be learns to combine his technique, speed and strength, developed through hard training, to work on the power aspect of karate. Kyokushin is power karate. The green bell should be able to demonstrate this power.

The more subtle faculties of this level — sensitivity and timing — are also studied deeply. One must learn to feel the opponent's intentions and balance, and how to time the use of techniques for maximum effect. One looks into advanced technical concepts and methods, and finds personal likes which one begins to adopt into your own karate. His actions become reflexive, not premeditated. A technique happens naturally, without thought, and the green belt has glimpses of the state of mind known as zanshin, where the body acts perfectly without conscious effort.

zanshin

Training is more serious than ever. Improvement will not come just by thinking about it; yet reasonable consideration must be given to the quality of your training. As this poem from the Zen classic, the Zenrin Kushu (Fifteenth Century anthology) says:

You cannot get it by taking thought;
You cannot seek it by not taking thought.⁴

The green belt strives to develop a mature and fearless attitude in sparring, while mastering a deceptively calm and
unassuming approach to self-defense and daily life. This is the first step in learning about positive deception, or the art of hiding emotions and abilities where it is appropriate to do so.
Such an ability is an important weapon in every warrior's arsenal, in karate and in daily life in general. It is not always to one's advantage to reveal one's personal opinions, abilities and attitudes. More often, patience is far more rewarding.

Diet

Fitness and health should no longer be mere considerations; they are habits. A thorough understanding of the various types of training and their effects is sought. At this stage the student should also make a serious study of diet and its effects on the body. For this it is suggested that you refer to the numerous books specializing on the subject. It is not the place of this work to guide people in matters of diet, but I would like to include some brief and very general information for the sake of completing this section.

There is no one diet which suits all people. One man's meat is another man's poison we are told. However, in this modern age, where devitalized foods are full of preservatives, colourings, flavourings, mould retarding chemicals and so on, we must be particularly careful.

Red meat contains many toxins and a lot of fat. If it absolutely must be eaten, then consumed in strict moderation together with foods that help the body to digest it may not be too bad. Today though, it seems that too much red meat is

consumed. In fact, there is sufficient evidence in support of the claim that the body requires very little, if any red meat at all. It seems to do more harm than good. The human digestive system is more closely related to the herbivores than carnivores. If one must eat meat, then low tat white meat such as fresh fish is far more suitable.

Each to his own. In general though, the best diet is any careful one that suits you. Be sure it gives you plenty of good quality complex carbohydrates, fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and sufficient protein. It is not so much what you eat but what you don't eat that defines the quality of your diet. Avoid refined foods. They are nothing more than poison. Highly refined food has all the natural goodness removed, then is often refortified with synthetic nutritional supplements thus robbing them of natural 'life force'. Read the labels on food packages. Contents are listed in order of volume. You will be surprised at what goes into so-called 'healthy foods'. Eat in moderation. Your body is a borrowed temple; treat it as such. You are what you eat. Carefully consider your diet, but never become preoccupied with it.

If the karate-ka chooses to consume drugs (including alcohol, tobacco, and even caffeine), then that is his choice. But intelligence dictates that one fully familiarise oneself with the effects and dangers to the body (which are obvious), the mind (which are less obvious but more deeply rooted), and spirit (which are almost unknown, but an awareness and appreciation of which would make the most dedicated user think twice before touching any sort of drug at all). It is my personal suggestion that one avoids all illicit drugs, as well as smoking and drinking. Use your intelligence and don't play with drugs. If you must get high, then seek the natural highs of health, happiness and a peaceful heart.

Green belt is the level of maturity, wisdom, and love. These are most easily realized through shaking oft the desire to speculate and intellectualise too much, and thus miss the simple truth at the very heart of a matter. By combining his physical and mental strength developed through training, with compassion and understanding, the green belt's outlook becomes balanced and harmonious. It is absolutely vital that the green belt curb attitudes unbecoming to a mature karate-ka. The Martial Way is a struggle in the heart. All things come from self-control.

The person who cannot control and rise above instinct
and greed lives a life devoid of the civilizing influences of
courtesies and is ultimately rejected by other people.

Mas Oyama⁵

The Karate-ka learns to share with others instead of being miserly and selfish; he develops a sense of co-operative brotherhood; he is not deceitful, he is just, genuine, and thoughtful; he realizes that if people inside and outside the dojo are to trust and respect him, he must be fair, sympathetic and mature; he learns that a vital secret of life is to be able to laugh at himself and not take things too seriously. A mature Karate-ka is characterized by his good sense of humor. Be serious about everything but don't take anything too seriously.

The green belt discussion so far points to the fact that this level, being the first of the senior ranks (the first to touch the nature of the fifth spinal centre, the all encompassing Void), is concerned with the serious appreciation of the role that the mind plays in karate and life in general.

Mas Oyama at twenty-eight, at home in Mejiro, Tokyo.

For me the tranquil absorption the Zen priest finds in
sealed meditation is replaced by the total absorption I
experience in exhausting karate training. Bathed in sweat,
devoted entirely to what I am doing, in training sessions I
transcend both life and death.

Mas Oyama⁶

It is not easy to calm the mind. It takes infinite patience and untiring effort before one can do so at will. One's goal is to establish a balance between the physical and mental facets. The 'taking up' the mantle of responsibility of this first senior grade necessarily means the 'letting go' of immaturity. Until this happens, progress is seriously hindered.

. . . But man, proud man,

Dress'd in a little brief authority,—

Most ignorant of what he's most assured,

His glassy essence,— like an angry ape,

Plays such fantastic tricks before high heaven

As to make the angels weep; who, with our spleens,

Would all themselves laugh mortal.

Shakespeare
Measure for Measure
(II.ii, 118-124)

REFERENCES:

1. Sosai Masutatsu Oyama, Karate: World of the Ultimate, (Japanese Edition),
Asahi Publishing, Tokyo, 1983, p. 80

2. Sosai Masutatsu Oyama, The Kyokushin Way, Japan Publications, Tokyo, 1979, p. 37

3. ibid. p. 38

4. Alan W. Watts, The Way of Zen, Penguin, Middlesex, 1972, p. 156

5. Sosai Masutatsu Oyama, The Kyokushin Way, p. 43

6. ibid. p. 32