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Bringing Budo into Life.
The Meaning of Rei in Budo
More than form — learning to respect both yourself and others.
Rei Is More Than Simply Bowing
In Budo, we practice rei at the beginning and end of training.
When entering the dojo.
When facing a training partner.
When finishing practice.
Rei takes many forms.
At IBMA KYOKUSHIN KAI, however,
we do not regard rei merely as etiquette or formal behavior.
What matters to us is understanding
why we practice rei.
Rei Is Not About Submission
The word rei can sometimes give the impression
that it means obeying those above you
or simply doing what a teacher tells you to do.
But the rei we value in Budo
is not simply about submission.
It does not mean making yourself smaller.
Nor does it mean placing yourself beneath another person.
Respect yourself,
and at the same time, respect the other person.
Maintain your own position,
while recognizing that the other person has a position of their own.
That is the foundation of rei as we understand it.
Because We Learn Power, We Must Also Learn Rei
In Budo, we learn how to use power.
To strike.
To kick.
To attack.
To defend.
We strengthen the body,
develop technique,
and learn how to exert force upon another person.
That is precisely why we must also learn
how that power should be used.
Being able to do something does not mean that we should do it.
Being strong does not give us the right to disregard others.
The more power we possess, the more responsibility we have for how we use it.
We believe that rei is an important part of learning this responsibility.
We Learn About Ourselves Because There Is Someone in Front of Us
There are many things in Budo that cannot be learned alone.
By facing another person,
we begin to understand our own sense of distance.
We notice our own habits.
We also become aware of our fear and impatience.
Because another person is there,
we are able to discover things about ourselves.
In this sense, a training partner is not simply
“someone to defeat.”
A training partner is also
someone who helps us learn about ourselves.
That is why we respect the person with whom we train.
This is one of the meanings of rei in Budo.
Valuing Yourself and Valuing the Other Person
When people speak about rei,
the emphasis is sometimes placed only on
“respecting the other person.”
But respecting another person while neglecting yourself
is not the kind of rei we seek.
Respect yourself.
Respect the other person as well.
Rather than sacrificing one for the other,
value both.
Through Budo, we seek to learn
how both oneself and others can be respected and allowed to flourish.
Even in Conflict, We Do Not Need to Deny the Other Person
In Budo, we face an opponent.
We move differently
and have different intentions.
In that sense, there is conflict.
But disagreement or opposition does not require us
to deny the other person’s very existence or worth.
Maintain your own position,
while recognizing that the other person has a position of their own.
Then consider how to face and respond to that person.
Rei can therefore be understood
not as a way to eliminate conflict,
but as wisdom for preserving the relationship even within conflict.
Rei Is Also Connected to Self-Control
When you are angry.
When you are frustrated.
When you are excited after winning.
When you are discouraged after losing.
It is precisely at such moments
that rei has meaning.
Rather than acting immediately from emotion,
first regain your composure.
Then face the other person again.
Rei is also
a form through which we practice self-control.
What We Want Children to Learn About Rei
It is easy to tell a child,
“Say hello properly,”
or
“Bow to your teacher.”
But those instructions alone
do not communicate the deeper meaning of rei.
Why do we greet another person?
Why do we bow to someone?
It is important for children
to gradually understand the meaning behind these actions.
Think not only about yourself,
but also about the other person.
The stronger you become,
the more important it is not to look down on someone weaker.
Do not laugh at someone who makes a mistake.
Value the people who learn and train alongside you.
We believe that learning rei has meaning
when it leads to actions such as these.
Take Rei Beyond the Dojo
Rei in Budo is not something
that should end when we leave the dojo.
At home.
At school.
At work.
In society.
Wherever people interact with one another,
there are times when we cannot simply insist on our own position.
Respect the other person
without losing yourself.
Before reacting emotionally,
take a moment to regain your composure.
Then consider how the relationship
can be made better.
From rei as etiquette in the dojo
to rei as a way of living.
We believe this is also part of what it means to
“Bring Budo into Life.”
How We Understand Rei in Budo
Rei is not about submission.
Rei is not about diminishing yourself.
Rei is a way of learning to respect both yourself and others.
Rei teaches us how to handle the power we develop.
Rei is a form of Budo wisdom for building better relationships between people.
At IBMA KYOKUSHIN KAI,
we believe it is important not only to practice the outward forms of rei,
but also to understand and reflect on their meaning.
Akira Masuda’s Approach to Rei in Budo
Akira Masuda does not regard rei in Budo
simply as formal etiquette or as a way of confirming hierarchy.
He sees it as a practice through which we regulate ourselves,
recognize the existence and position of others,
and maintain better relationships between ourselves and those around us.
He also believes that precisely because Budo teaches us how to develop power,
we must consider how that power should be used —
and when it should not be used.
These ideas concerning rei, strength, self-control,
and our relationships with others
are explored in greater depth through Akira Masuda’s Budo research
and Takushin Budo.
Related Pages
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