What does Daruma mean? 

Symbolism and tradition are of great importance to martial artists; the name Daruma is rich in both. Here are the reasons we chose It. 

Who was Daruma? 

The Daruma was an Indian sage who lived sometime in the 5th or 6th century. He is the founder of Zen Buddhism and, according to Chinese legend, concerned by how frail they were when he visited their monastery, began instructing the Shaolin monks in martial arts and physical training. It is said that he meditated for so long to find enlightenment, that his arms and legs withered and fell off due to atrophy. This myth led to the creation of the Daruma doll. 

The Daruma doll 

The Daruma doll is a good luck symbol and talisman in Japan. Daruma dolls have a round shape, are hollow and weighted at the bottom so that they will always return to an upright position when tilted over. In Japanese, a roly-poly toy is called okiagari, meaning to get up (oki) and arise (agari). This characteristic has come to symbolize the ability to succeed, overcome adversity, and recover from misfortune. In Japanese popular culture Daruma is often accompanied by the phrase "Nanakorobi Yaoki"; translated this means

 "seven times down, eight times up"

Daruma eyes

Daruma are made with the eyes left blank. Upon deciding on a goal or task that needs to be completed the owner of the doll will focus on this desire while drawing a pupil onto one of the eyes. The Daruma will then serve as a reminder of the goal to be achieved. Once the desire has been accomplished, then the second pupil will be added in. One explanation of how the custom started is that in order to motivate Daruma-san to grant your wish, you promise to give him full sight once the goal is accomplished. Whatever the reason, the Daruma is a great symbol of perseverance, strength, overcoming difficulty and always trying to better oneself. These are the core philosophies of martial arts that we try and live by every day.