Three Stages of Learning

Kaisho [楷書]

The characters/ideograms mean "square style of handwriting; printed style of handwriting; block style; standard style." The first character means, "square character style; correctness," the second character means, "write."

Gyosho [行書]

The characters/ideograms mean "running script (a semi-cursive style of kanji)." The first character means, "going; journey," the second character means, "write."

Sosho [草書]

The characters/ideograms mean "cursive script; "grass" kanji." The first character means, "grass; weeds; herbs; pasture; write; draft," the second character means, "write." 

A long time ago I used the analogy of writing to explain the three stages of practice, training and learning a martial art. That analogy holds true and infers other aspects or principles of both theory and philosophy. The Japanese also have used the art of writing to explain how we learn both writing as an art form and martial practice as an art form. 

They use terms like "shingitai [心技体] or three qualities of heart, technique and physique (spirit, mind and body, etc.). Another set of terms to describe this process is also "shui-ha-ri [守破離] or three stages of learning mastery, i.e. the fundamentals, break with tradition and parting with traditional wisdom." 

Kaisho, Gyosho and Sosho are another method to explain the process of mastery in martial arts or any discipline. In a writing form one learns block lettering to begin then a semi-cursive form and as time continues and experience builds along with knowledge of the art one develops a unique cursive style that is similar to fingerprints - unique to one person. In karate the novice is learning fundamental principles and basic techniques, etc. where they feel and seem uncoordinated, predictable, and use up a good deal of energy. As a practitioner moves up a level they feel fluidity, skill, and more efficiency with their movements, etc. As one achieves a more senior level then they begin to look natural and relaxed, use of no effort, and become unpredictable, i.e. the embrace and display the full spectrum of fundamental principles of martial systems and effectiveness, etc. 

All of these terms provide various learning tools so a novice practitioner can become a student practitioner where the ultimate goal is to become a journeyman practitioner. You might ask yourself what it takes to achieve these levels, its practice, practice, practice and study, study, study and sweat, sweat, sweat and blood, blood, blood, etc.