Mondo—talks about combat, persistence, willpower and community

Mondo talks take place during warm-up. They present fundamental principles in martial arts and our worldview.

Each talk begins with a quote. The quote serves as a nucleus for thought and discussion. You can find the quotes here, organized by topics.

The three roots of martial arts learning appear at the beginning of the list: Kata, Randori, and Mondo. Kata represents patterns of action and order. Randori is the meeting between chaos and order. Mondo connects the thinking part to the doing part.

The quotes cover diverse topics: fighting, beginning of training, continuation of training, emotional regulation, community, and dangers. Each topic presents different aspects of practice.

The purpose of these talks is to connect the world of thought to the world of action. They allow us to stop, think, and understand the meaning of what we do.

We encourage critically thinking about the mondo outside of training as well. They can serve as tools for observation and deeper understanding of the practice.

The quotes are not absolute examples. They are starting points for independent thinking and developing a personal understanding of martial arts.

These conversations have continued for many years. Some quotes have evolved over time. Others remained unchanged. All form part of our shared tradition and knowledge.

When you hear a quote for the first time, treat it as a question. With time and experience, your own answers will reveal themselves through practice.