Our Values

Strength Through Diversity

The White Lotus Association promotes and strengthens the diversity of martial arts through its concepts, curriculum and codes of faith, love, honor, courage and peace. In a time when many martial art systems decry others to build themselves up, the White Lotus Association believes all traditional and authentic systems have something unique to contribute to a serious martial artist. At the same time it is important to have a structure and a system to work out of in order to appreciate the different arts. While it is possible to attain a black belt level one from the association — this is an exception for the martial artist who trained many years in eclectic arts without attaining black level or from a system that did not provide such ranks – the primary mission of the association is to work with black belts of various levels and help them achieve diversity of training and elevation to higher levels of black through a credential rank system. This builds respect both for the high level student who earns degrees through recognized system material and builds respect for other arts and their teachers.

As noted earlier revenues are equally distributed through all teachers who join. There are no pyramid or Ponzi schemes. To avoid martial art politics and to limit power and control of leadership within the White Lotus Association, all black belt members have an equal vote – and leadership positions within the association including the president, vice-president and secretary are elected every four years.

The White Lotus Association endeavors to be an organization all members can be proud to belong to – for the approach we strive together to make connections and friends across the nations and diverse martial art systems, for the values and ideals that we unify around as martial artists, and for the skills we learn and a ranking system based on merit so that we may always be learning and improving ourselves and all becoming warrior with compassion, seeking peace and protecting all in need.

Value Curriculum

Faith: “I will seek internal virtues above temporary values”

Love: “I will serve others rather than be served”

Honor: “I will stand with the truth and my convictions”

Courage: “I will stand in the light with all darkness around me”

Martial Arts: “I will be a warrior with compassion, seeking peace and protecting all in need”

To begin the journey in martial arts – to start something new in one’s life — takes faith. Upon entering a student is challenged physically and mentally so it takes courage to meet these difficulties and keep going. After a time the discipline and respect one develops from following their faith with courage leads to honor – self-respect. Once a person has self-respect they can grow further in showing and giving respect to others – love. These four virtues help create the ideal of martial arts: “a warrior with compassion.”