It’s no secret to sports enthusiasts that the most outstanding athletes often begin their training in the most humble surroundings. The gift of the unusual or unique is an experience unlike any other, and one that must be shared. A recent visit to a tiny dojo on a narrow one-way street in Heraklion, Crete is such an experience.
The Aiolos Athletic Club is a Shitō-ryū Karate dojo run by a martial arts master on a singular mission. It is here that Sensei Georgios Soultatos is a guide on a grand adventure in self-discovery. For over 30 years this Karate Sensei has not only grown by traveling his path, he’s helped hundreds of students gain access to capabilities and knowledge few possess.
At 58, Soultatos is proof that discipline and balance keep you young. Training in Karate since 1983, his movements still carry energy and precision, like someone decades younger. He holds a 6th Dan Black Belt from the World Karate Federation (WKF) and the Hellenic Karate Federation (ELOK).
Soultatos is also a respected referee and examiner. His expertise extends further as he holds a Hapkido (2nd Dan) Black Belt and Filipino Combat Systems (5th Level). Soultatos recently underwent a rigorous examination by World Shitoryu Karate-do Federation (WKSF) President Iwata Genzo, who awarded the Cretan karate master the coveted 5th Dan Black Belt. However, accolades, trophies, awards and colored belts do not make Georgios Soulatos extraordinary. His love of the art and teaching others is his superpower. He exudes the perfect balance of humility and confidence.
Over the decades, Georgios Soultatos has taught hundreds of students of all ages. Many of his pupils are or have been champions. However, once again, the same qualities that the Sensei exudes are passed over to those under his tutelage. Again, a visit to the dojo on any given night will reveal a group of superb individuals with a singular mark of kindness and grace. There must be a saying in shodō (Japanese artistic writing) that defines this quality somewhere.
Perhaps by evoking the art of shodō, I may have fallen into the spiritual side of Karate Soultatos has tried to explain to me. The Sensei told me in an interview, “We are not creating warriors here. We are fostering better human beings.”
While Soultatos’ students gain invaluable training in self-defence, they can also achieve the ultimate goal, “kara,” which is derived from the term karate.
More than a philosophy, kara means emptiness, which is, in turn, manifested into form. Some may identify this with scenes from movies like The Matrix or The Last Samurai. No matter how you choose to understand this principle, seeing young children and teenagers unwittingly emulating their Sensei’s mastery of it is heartrending. Imagine finding such teachings happening in the middle of nowhere, Heraklion, a small town in the USA, or a remote village in Okinawa (see the Secret Cave of Channan).
