“Practicing kata is not just for the sake of doing a beautiful performance. The meaning and value of practice lie in doing it with your heart and soul. A stunning performance is a natural consequence of practice, but it would be a mistake for that to be your only goal. Zazen is meditation practice through sitting, while Karate is the practice of meditation through the movement of kata. In Zazen, the path is achieved through movement in stillness, while in Karate, the way is achieved by seeking stillness in movement. If you use martial arts to train your mind and understand it, you'll never get tired of martial arts, and there is no reason you should not be able to continue practicing for the rest of your life. Kata is the heart of Karate because it's an ideal means of self-cultivation and self discipline.”
- Genwa Nakasone (translation by Mario McKenna)