Reishiki & Trust: Beyond Form

Recently I came across this quote:

“A practitioner who ignores reishiki is not merely rude; they are unreliable.”

The hairs on the back of my neck stood up.

To be unreliable is the opposite of maintaining.

While the Japanese are captivated by the image of the rōnin, their lived reality emphasizes belonging to the whole, acting in its interest, and maintaining harmony.

Martial traditions engaged in the use of violence for political ends recognize the good of the whole—and the completion of the mission—as the pinnacle, while the people who make up those traditions fight and die for each other.

Unreliability, therefore, is not a minor failing; it is a violation of trust.