1. A PERSON'S HEART IS THE SAME AS THE HEAVEN AND EARTH.

2. THE BLOOD CIRCULATING IS SIMILAR TO THE MOON AND SUN.

3. THE MANNER OF DRINKING IS EITHER HARD OR SOFT.

4. A PERSONS UNBALANCE IS THE SAME AS WEIGHT.

5. THE BODY SHOULD BE ABLE TO CHANGE DIRECTION AT ANY TIME.

6. THE TIME TO STRIKE IS WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY PRESENTS ITSELF.

7. THE EYE MUST SEE ALL SIDES.

8. THE EAR MUST LISTEN IN ALL DIRECTIONS.

PRECEPT 1: A PERSON'S HEART IS THE SAME AS THE HEAVEN AND EARTH.

During the last decade, man, as a technological innovator, has accelerated his rate of learning and accomplishment at a rate far beyond the imagination of the most visionary of science's founding fathers. This very intelligence has made man the strongest of earth's guests because man is able to utilize natural resources to his advantage and is the only creature to perfect the use of tools for his own needs. As he is the strongest so is man weak...weak because of his vanity and selfishness. Master Shimabuku relates a story of an old Chinese man who was traveling through the countryside when a terrible storm broke loose. Upon seeking shelter in a nearby cave the old man found himself face to face with a tiger who had, himself, fled the elements and sought shelter in the cave. The old man, for he was wise with his many years, had no interest in anything but shelter and made no motion toward the tiger whatsoever. The tiger also bore no malice toward the old man and in this manner they shared the cave together. They both had something in common and were in harmony. So, "If a man's heart is the same as the heaven and earth" he has no quarrel and therefore no need to fight.

PRECEPT 2: THE BLOOD CIRCULATING IS SIMILAR TO THE MOON AND SUN.

The moon and sun are necessary to life itself. Without there energy and growth cycle, plants could not survive. And since animal life is directly dependent on plant life, then man himself  could not exist without the moon and sun. A plant may bend in the wind, but if it breaks then it dies. Animals must move or they will die for they must move to seek food and shelter. So it is with the blood...it must move or we will die. If it is taken from us we will die just like the broken plant. Without the moon and sun and their effect on environment, existence itself would be impossible. Without blood man could not exist thus "the blood circulating is like the moon and sun".

PRECEPT 3: THE MANNER OF DRINKING IS EITHER HARD OR SOFT.

The hard-soft or yin-yang principle is repetitive throughout eastern thought. As to drinking, one can sip (soft) or gulp (hard), with each having its purpose and offsetting the other. In karate there are both hard and soft techniques. When blocking a blow it is possible to meet the attack head on, force against force (hard) or deflect or parry the blow so it misses you, dissipating its force as it goes by you (soft). Good self defense techniques are often the result of using both hard and soft movements to produce the desired results.

PRECEPT 4: A PERSON'S UNBALANCE IS THE SAME AS WEIGHT.

This is one of the more obvious precepts of the code and its principle is one of the first taught to beginning students. If you are unbAlanced then it takes a minimum effort by your opponent to upset you and you fall as though felled by a great weight. This principle is applicable in virtually all phases of everyday life. If a person is out of his depth in his job and achieves his position through a frail structure of weak qualifications, then he is in a state of unbAlance and can be easily upset (replaced) by a person with strong qualifications.

PRECEPT 5: THE BODY SHOULD BE ABLE TO CHANGE DIRECTION AT ANY TIME.

In its self defense reference this means being able to meet attackers from any direction. Most fighting stances utilize this principle by placing more weight on one foot than the other. If the body weight is split half and half between both feet then neither can move without upsetting bAlance. When most of the weight is on one foot then the other is free to move, attack or change stance. To master everyday living one must, in a similar manner, be able to handle problems of all types coming from a variety of sources. We all know someone who is such a specialist at one thing that he cannot cope with other types of challenges. To be ultimately successful, whether at living or self defense, one must be aware of everything around him and be able to deftly change directions to face new problems as they arise.

PRECEPT 6: THE TIME TO STRIKE IS WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY PRESENTS ITSELF.

It sounds so simple yet is so often neglected. In any strata of society, the people who get ahead are those who can spot opportunities and are not afraid to act on them. This concept is of the utmost importance in self defense situations where opportunities may come only in a split second and you must act on them at that time. If a drunk in a bar says he is going to whip you and then reaches for a beer bottle, you know it is time to move. By his own words he has already made it a self defense situation and it is the fool who will wait for the beer bottle to start swinging before he moves to defend himself. Examples of this principle are countless and can be as exciting as a recovered fumble in a football game or as routine as stepping in to complete a job for the boss when another employee has let him down.

PRECEPT 7: THE EYE MUST SEE ALL SIDES.

Literal application of this idea means developing agility in the use of peripheral vision. The next time you are going down the sidewalk try walking with your eyes ahead in a natural unfocused attitude. As this comes more easily to you, you will notice that movements and objects on either side are much more easily registered. This is applicable in human relation by trying to always consider the other man's view of the situation. Most things in life, ideas included, take on new meaning when reexamined-examined from another viewpoint.

PRECEPT 8: THE EAR MUST LISTEN IN ALL DIRECTIONS.

This obviously ties in with point seven. It is impossible to "see" another person's point of view until you "hear" his reasons for thinking that way. This can be hard to do if you are involved in a discussion, the outcome of which will have a direct effect on your life. The trick is to totally dispel your opinions from your mind and listen to the other man as if you were an impartial judge. If there is truth in his words then the truth will become obvious. It can never become obvious if your mind is obstructed by your own thoughts. The ability to hear in a 360% circle greatly increases the amount of information you take in and gives your mind more material to work with when you have to make decisions. The next time you are in a crowd of people listen carefully to conversations beside you and behind you. With a little practice you will be surprised at how much more interesting life can be than by restricting yourself to what is directly in front of you.

                                " CONCLUSION "

With comprehension of these basic principles it is easier to relate them to life and, indeed, to each other. Is your ear as big as heaven and earth? Are you always bAlanced when the opportunity to strike presents itself? Can you change direction while looking in only one direction? The purpose of this code and the philosophies of other styles is to elevate you, the student, from merely being able to perform given physical actions. Having the fastest side snap kick in your school is of little importance if you do not understand when to use it, and more important when not to use it. Increasing your perception of life around you will make you grow as an individual.