Mind, Body and Self-defence - Three Elements

We often say that the essence of Shorinji Kempo is having a healthy mind, a healthy body and learning self-defence. We try to practice all three in the dojo (as well as outside), and try to improve ourselves and our surroundings with this, and our other key philosophy, 'living half for ourselves and half for others'. In order to progress, we don't have to beat each other up, kick higher than everyone else, just improve personally. The idea is to develop ourselves and to be 'better people'. What does that mean? 'The sort of people on whom you would rely', as the founder of Shorinji Kempo, Doshin So, put it. By improving yourself you improve the society you live in, and then the world. That may be a big claim, but we've got to start somewhere haven't we?