Taikyoku is literally translated as “grand ultimate”, and in Chinese, the kanji characters are pronounced Tai Chi. The word Taikyoku can also mean overview or the whole point – seeing the whole rather than focusing on the individual parts, and keeping an open mind or beginner’s mind. The beginner’s mind is what is strived for during training and in life. The beginner’s mind does not hold prejudice and does not cling to a narrow view. The beginner’s mind is open to endless possibilities. That’s why a practitioner should never think that as soon as it ascends in the latter or more complex katas the first and most basic ones loose importance, therefore, keep an open mind.
