Early Paths That Shaped Me

Before arriving in Okinawa, several experiences prepared me for what I would eventually learn there. Karate was the first. It introduced me to routine, respect, and the quiet discipline of repeating movements until the body moved without hesitation. In the dōjō (道場), I learned early forms of etiquette, bowing, and focus. I also tried za-zen (座禅), even though seated meditation never suited me. Still, it taught me that steadiness of mind was something people trained for, much like stances or breathing.

My time in the Marine Corps reinforced many of the same ideas. The training was direct and demanding. It taught composure, responsibility, and doing each task with intention. I recognized that these values overlapped with the warrior mindset I had already encountered through budō (武道).

I was also drawn early on to the lives of Zen monks and the history surrounding them. Their endurance, attention, and sense of purpose stayed with me as I read more about their world. I saw similar threads in the roots of Okinawan karate and its connection to older Chinese and Shaolin practices. None of this made me a scholar, but it gave me a background that helped me pay attention once I reached Japan.

While living in Okinawa, I sometimes visited a Buddhist temple on quiet Saturday mornings. These visits were simple: incense, morning light, and a brief moment of calm. They left a lasting impression. After I returned to the United States, I slowly found my own balance between what I learned from Zen and what I appreciated in Greek Stoicism. Both offered steady ways to move through life with clarity and restraint. Over time, they naturally shaped my routines, without becoming a formal system.

These early influences did not define me, but they prepared me to understand Okinawa with a clearer mind and more patience.