The
Shape
The
sides and roof are curved to send evil back where it came from, whenever
it tries to enter. The bottom forms the shape of an ax, used to sever
anyone who betrays the art.
The
word Kenpo
Meaning
"fist law", this represents the system that we study. The red color
of the letters signifies the advanced stages of learning.
The
word Karate
Japanese
for "Empty Hand." Reflects part of the heritage of the Martial Arts.
The
Dragon
The
dragon represents the intellectual and spiritual part of our art:
Spiritual strength, humility, and self-restraint. This is the goal
that we work to obtain. The red color represents the higher levels
of black belt. The yellow reminds us of the beginning levels of Kenpo,
and is a representation of from where we all began.
The
Tiger
The
tiger represents the earthly strength of the early stages of learning.
This is the stage where the individual is more impressed with his or her
own physical prowess. The red in the mouth represents the higher
levels of the art.
The
Circle
The
circle is symbolic of several things:
(1)
It depicts life itself, a continuous cycle where there is no beginning
and no end. So it is with the art of Kenpo -- It too is a cycle of
perpetual and unending movements or motion. Techniques follow a cycle;
movements are part of a cycle; humility, self-restraint, and physical prowess
are no more than components of a progressive learning cycle.
(2)
The circle is the base from which our alphabet stems.
(3)
The black lines on the circle represent the clock principle, a mental and
visual aid used when teaching.
The
Universal Pattern
The
lines found within the circle represent the various paths of motion as
envisioned by Ed Parker. The three diminsional aspect represents
not only potential paths of motion, but the depth of our System.
The
Chinese Writing
This
is a reminder of the originators of our art, the Chinese. It shows
that we respect them, though we do not serve them. The lettering
on the left (by the tiger's head) means "Kenpo Karate" (the law of the
fist and the empty hand), the art that we practice. The lettering
on the right (by the dragon's head) means "spirit of the tiger and the
dragon", a constant reminder that we want to attain the spiritual level
and that the physical level is only a stepping stone, or vehicle, that
we use to reach the higher or spiritual level.
The
Colors
The
white background is symbolic of the many beginners who form the base of
our art. The yellow stands for the first level of proficiency, the
mechanical stage. The gray is symbolic of the brain, reminding us
that this is a thinking art.