Needless to say, the environment in today’s world is becoming more and more chaotic, more and more dangerous, and more and more lawless, which is why more and more Americans have purchased firearms to protect themselves and their families. Regarding the protection issue, many Americans are carrying a concealed firearm with them. Some states mandate a CCW license, which stands for “Concealed Carry Weapon.” Other states allow “Open Carry,” which allows a person to carry a firearm without a permit.

How often in life do we get sidetracked with achieving all kinds of worldly things—name, fame, celebrity, riches, power, status, lands, titles, properties and on and on? The list of things we set out to accomplish in this life is endless, but the germane issue is that all worldly attainments are exactly that, worldly. Sound a little esoteric? Perhaps, but it’s true. Life is energy. It can neither be created nor destroyed.

From Parenting Wisdom: What to Teach the Children by Richard Andrew King. If there is any one thing that separates “grown ups” from children it is that Grown Ups, Own Up. Adults take responsibility for their own actions and do not blame others for their choices or lot in life. As the famous Indian Saint, Guru Nanak (the first of the ten Sikh Gurus), emphatically stated: I blame not another; I blame my own karmas.

From The Black Belt Book of Life: Secrets of a Martial Arts Master. In climbing high to reach nobility, and supportive of their sibling Ds, are the Cs of Character, Courage, Commitment, Concentration and Consistency. The first essential step to a spiritual life is character. Saint Sawan Singh Only a man’s character is the real criterion of worth. Eleanor Roosevelt The first prerequisite of a gentleman or a lady is a good moral character.

Remember this photo of Aidan “Smasher” Ligtvoet taken a few years ago when he was a very young aspiring martial artist in the Kiado-Ryu system? Obviously, he knew what he wanted to be! Well, look at him now at age 16! Smasher is all grown up. He tested for and accomplished his KIA Green Belt on Thursday, 26 January 2023. He now has a green light to move in accomplishing his first dan Brown Belt status.

From The Black Belt Book of Life: Secrets of a Martial Arts Master. In seeking patterns of success and a strategy to win, The “D” Line offers five clear maxims: Desire, Dedication, Determination, Discretion, Discipline. A strong passion for any object will ensure success, for the desire of the end will point out the means. Henry Hazlitt Desire is the key to motivation, but it’s the determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal—a commitment to excellence—that will enable you to attain the success you seek.

From Parenting Wisdom: What to Teach the Children. In the 1960s the American folk singing group Peter, Paul and Mary, popularized a Pete Seeger song entitled, Where Have All The Flowers Gone? It is not an unfair question in these early years of the 21st Century to ask, “Where have all the manners gone?” What are manners? Manners are social modes of action expressing respect and deference for others. Manners, or the lack of them, speak to the character of an individual and a culture.

From The Karate Consciousness: From Worldly Warrior to Mystic Master. Strength is internal power manifested in external form. As all qualities of Divine Individuality, it flows from the center of man’s Oneness with his Creator. It permeates all components of the life system—physical, mental, spiritual—and is the sustaining force in the quest for perfection. It is an absolute necessity for the student to continually increase his strength if he is to successfully progress in the continuum.

CONGRATULATIONS to Shaw “Wind” Shahriari for attaining his Blue Belt ranking! Wind is a devoted martial artist in multiple martial art systems in Iran (his home country) and the United States. The Karate Institute of America is proud to have him study in our Kiado-Ryu System. Everyone has their special skills. Wind has two that are distinctive. 1) his kicks are devastatingly powerful and 2) he is an excellent kata performer.

How wonderful it is to reunite with KIA students and friends—in this case with Annette Carden-Dale, aka “Warrior.” It’s been a few years since our last get-together and such events are always fun and enjoyable. “Catching Up” is one of life’s most meaningful and endearing experiences. Warrior began her martial arts studies at the Karate Institute of America, circa 2006. She was, and is, a great student—always focused, exuding a relentless spirit.