In John Adams, a biography of the second president of the United States by David McCullough, we get a look at Adams' life as he followed many paths — as lawyer, farmer, scholar, revolutionary, orator, member of the First Continental Congress and, eventually, President. John Adams lived in a world where war and the threat of war was a fact of life. His way of dealing with martial conflict 200 years ago has lessons relevant to us, as 21st century martial artists.

In this book McCullough writes:

One evening, watching his granddaughters Susanna and Abigail blowing soap bubbles with one of his clay pipes, Adams wondered about the "allegorical lesson" of the scene:

Adams wrote: "They fill the air of the room with their bubbles, their air balloons, which roll and shine reflecting the light of the fire and candles, and which are very beautiful. There can be no more perfect emblem of the physical and political and theological scenes of human life. Morality only is eternal. All the rest is balloon and bubble from the cradle to the grave.”

Adams, as a former power broker, now an old man, was reflecting on the impermanence of the phenomena of life. When we practice the martial arts, even as we prepare for conflict, or prepare ourselves to face the demands of ordinary life, we ought not wait till our old age to reflect on what it is that will really last. We ought to ask, “What will really affect the quality of our own lives and the lives of the people we touch?” I can say that from my point of view, and from the point of view of John Adams, it is not our accumulation of power itself, our ranks, titles, trophies or knowledge. Rather, it is the quality of the strength, determination, kindness, and decency that we embody and pass on to those we teach and practice with. If our influence in these matters is good, it will outlast us and all those who will ever know us, perhaps for centuries.

For John Adams, this was not a matter of abstract philosophy. He was deeply concerned with self-defense during his Presidency. The political principle he followed on a national level reminded me of the principle of "karate ni sente nashi" (‘There is no first attack in karate”.)

During his presidency, John Adams' position on national defense was opposed from both sides of the political spectrum. Of the two parties who opposed him, one group advocated heavy spending on national defense, and going to war as soon as possible.

The other party opposed investing in defense, and opposed going to war. Adams had experienced the American Revolution first hand and knew what fighting meant. He believed that, under the circumstances, weakness made attack inevitable. He supported a strong national defense, while vigorously striving to avoid war. Adams prevailed in his position and was vindicated.

This is a good demonstration of the karate principle of "no first attack" — while nonetheless training consistently and diligently. "No first attack" is not a matter of pacifism or passivity. It is a practice of martial strategy and morality at once.

It seems clear that at age 90, John Adams' insight into the impermanence of things and the endurance of virtue was possible because of the way he lived his life. He had been vigorous. His mind was now peaceful. At the end of his life, he was not nursing grudges, fearing his waning strength, or seeking his place in history. He could see what mattered and what was trivial. He had been courageous and strong. His mind was clear. He could see what would last and what would pass away.

His ability to obtain this degree of clarity and insight itself was a result of the way he lived. It is difficult for us to see the way in which our actions, of body, speech and mind, (our karma) influence the quality of our understanding. But if we look closely, we can see that our minds condition our choices, condition the quality of our lives, and form the impact we have on others.

This is why it is useful to understand the somatic foundation of mind training in karate. The idea of "mind training" in karate involves a much broader concept of mind than that usually found in the West, where mind and body are often divided from each other. Understanding the somatic foundation of mind training in karate helps to explain the relationship between the way our physical training conditions our minds, and the way this affects the way we make strategic decisions in conflict situations and otherwise. It offers insight into the importance of the "No first attack" principle.

When we use the word "mind," we may be referring to widely differing mental functions. Those relevant to "mind training" in karate include: proprioception, sensation, categorization, concept formation, cognition, calculation, reflection, perception, discrimination, awareness, understanding, emotion, apperception, mental stability, clarity, sense of self, philosophical orientation, knowledge, will, intention, mind-beyond-thought and insight into reality... and all of them are often lumped together in the one term "mind."

All of these aspects of mind have a physical foundation, and all are susceptible to positive change through the skillful use of the body. This is only logical, since in reality, the body is not separate from the mind. They are integrated; they act as a whole.

Thus, in the practice of martial arts, neither the "search for knowledge," nor mechanical repetition of movements will suffice to make your defensive skills effective, or your development as a human being very deep.

In karate practice, we have to know what we are after, acquire the means that will take us forward, and go. We must be patient and consistent in our application of effort. We must continually be scrupulous in examining our motivation, our methods and the results we are achieving. We must refuse to be sidetracked, intimidated or encumbered. Then we can hope to finish our work before our time runs out. This is mind training as well as physical training.

With this high degree of tenacity and attention, we will discover the purpose of karate.

As a strong leader or a serious practitioner, it may happen that you will not be appreciated fully for your sacrifices and good qualities. It will happen that people will stand in your way and create difficulties for you. You may feel alone. If you are provoked to anger, don't get angry. Just persevere in doing what is right. Then, at the end of the day, at the end of your life, you will see that what you have done is good.