3. What does it mean when someone tells you that their house is a dojo? Does it mean more than a training site for martial arts? - Tracy T

... The martial artist's training and experiences are not limited to the dojo. The self-improvement attitude and approaches are transported to home as well into other contexts of daily life. The etiquette exercises in the dojo, that reflect respect, care, dedication, sincerity, contemplation, effort, calm, perseverance, positive and creative initiatives, provide the practitioner with a unique awareness that should be used in other environments. To confine the learning and practice experience to just only a single place and time will reduce the sphere of results and enjoyment generated from the martial art. The personal improvement in the physical, mental and spiritual areas, with the sensitivity and response awareness generated during the training in the dojo is extrapolated and utilized at home. The opportunity to "open" the dojo's walls to your living environment, will indeed allow you to get the best results and quality of experience possible in other circles of life. The ability to relate with others in harmony and with mutual understanding is a tool that also requires constant training and natural expression.
... A martial artist considers the dojo as a "laboratory" to explore and study a variety of generated emotions during the time there. Tolerance, solidarity, compassion, reactions and actions that look for an authentic use of the intellectual resources and intuitive process, and inner joy and calm are part of the training. Knowing our capabilities and abilities is not enough, they should be used productively and embodied with a "down to earth" human and social flavor. In the same way that we cannot conceptually narrow Nature to an ornamental flower arrangement, our training effort will be empty if we do not open our minds and hearts to a real and bigger reality.