The Thoughtful Sensei-Aikido Musings

188. Strategies of Teaching

Strategy most normally involves setting goals and priorities and then determining actions to achieve the goals and using resources to execute the actions.  Having a strategy entails a description of how the goals will be achieved with the resources and in many minds is primarily thought of as being a military or governmental idea; large or global as it were.  Strategy may also be applied to smaller venues, such as succession at a dojo or kai (martial arts school or martial organization).

A Samurai saying was that there are three kinds of people.  The first is the person (deshi) who understands the purpose of his teacher’s teachings and functions well within that limited scope.  However, he does not have many original or creative teaching ideas of his own and does not practice much. He can become a teacher of students but not a true leader or master of the art.

The second type of person is the one who, besides what he learns from his teacher, adds his own ideas of effectiveness into his skill sets and randori ability.  He practices long and hard to both improve those skills and his ability to communicate (and teach) those skills.  He is the deshi who excels and if put on a battlefield will likely as not prevail most of the time.

The third type of person is the one who does not learn all his teacher’s techniques nor absorb his knowledge but understands the ones he does learn.  He can become competent on the battlefield and in randori but is rarely able to grow beyond whatever direct lessons he has been taught.  Some would refer to him as being a “book person”; if it’s not in the book then does it exist.

The Samurai strategist who proposed these categories of students or deshi was referring in the larger sense to warfare on a larger scale but these may also be applied to the smaller universe of the dojo. 

The Sensei or Dojo Cho (dojo manager) needs the ability to do a couple of things here.  First, be able to identify which up and coming Yudansha fit into which category; and second, be a guide.  The Sensei must be able to teach, guide, and work with all three categories.  A dojo does not need only the second type of person who excels at everything at the potential expense of the other two.  A Sensei should be able to work with all three and assist each of those in improving, growing in understanding and ability, and becoming a real leader; his replacement as-it were and in so becoming, a testimony to the ideals of teaching.

L. F. Wilkinson Kancho

The Aikibudokan

Houston, TX

May 11, 2022

207. Spannungsbogen

Spannungsbogen - a German word that generally indicates a form of tension created by a sequence of events (or so say some dictionaries) and considering that there are more than one interpretation of the term such as the tension created by drawing the bow, or tension from self-denial. I would prefer to use the term as it is applied in a sci-fi novel recently made into a movie series; that is, the tension created by the self-imposed delay between desire for a thing and the act of reaching out to grasp that thing, or the tension between desire and action.

 

So does this mean that you could have personal issues come up that could hinder progress in your training in Bushido and martial arts? Yes it does and those issues could be severe enough to cause you to even stop training unless a means by which to mitigate the tension is found. Remember ... "self-imposed"; e.g. desire and action.

 

Many prospective deshi come into the dojo eager to learn. They've spent who knows how much time researching what they think will best fit their goals, reading up on the ryu, watching countless videos, talking to friends to sound them out on the idea, and generally working themselves up into a lather over the idea of Yoda-hood and becoming the next Mifune or Musashi (or maybe even Tom Cruise). Once they actually don the keikogi and begin training they come to the realization that, in a phrase, "it just ain't that easy" and suddenly action can't keep up with desire.

 

Building a steady training schedule, dealing with demands on personal (training) time put upon you by girl/boy friend or spouse, family, friends in general, job, household chores, shopping for victuals', (the list sometimes just seems like it never ends) can all get in the way of steady training leading to stress over ideas such as "I need to get ready for that Shodan demo but .... etc. ... etc ... etc. .... keeps getting in the way. What to do, what to do".

 

So looking at how to deal with the stress gives us migraines and flutters in the stomach and maybe makes us a little irritable. The answer is simple, (hah .. simple and who am I kidding). That is, acknowledge the need to deal with other issues outside the dojo, handle the demands, look at it as being just a short training break to catch your breath, and then just get back on the mat, and with some focus and personal self-discipline stop letting it impact your overall attitude and performance (in everything).

 

Some things in life just need handling and indeed, should be handled as rapidly and as thoroughly as may be needed ... AND .... once handled and out of the way it clears that path back to the mat. They (the issues) are what they are or in other words ..... what is, is and what isn't, isn't. They can't be avoided but they can be handled as may be appropriate.

 

So don't drive yourself crazy over small issues but look to the larger flow of ideas. Work to follow a Stoic idea of dealing with what is necessary and recognizing what is not necessary. After all, if it is necessary then it can't be avoided and should be looked at as just one item in life that should be done and put behind us, and not fretted over.

 

The moral here is to not let your Spannungsbogen (self-induced tension) get in the way of your heiho (strategy) for your keiko (deeper training in Bushido and the martial arts).

 

Originally Published July 5, 2024

206. Come On, You Can Trust Me

Many times over the years the question has arisen of "why reishiki" (why so much emphasis on ritualized manners) as seen in Old School dojo.

When I first began training many (too many it seems sometimes) years ago I and everyone else simply followed along and, I might add, felt very "Samurai-ish" for doing so. Most dojo of all types used some form of courtesy, manners, or ritualized greetings of each other after walking into the dojo to train. Over the years however much of this has been lost other than in the most traditional of dojo.

Most dojo as far back as hundreds of years ago used strictly formed and shaped courtesies (reishiki). This included bowing to the Shinza when entering the dojo, then bowing to the Joseki and the Sensei, then bowing before stepping onto the mat, then bowing into class, then bowing to Sensei when he gave the lesson, then bowing to the training partner both before starting and then ending the keiko, then bowing out of class, bowing off the mat, and bowing out of the dojo when leaving. It also included calm behavior and tone of voice and cooperative attitude and in modern social terms, no discussing of sex, religion, or politics. You are there to train and learn and not debate or argue.

So the question comes up ...... "Why?".

After many years of training and teaching, I finally stumbled across and read old papers out of several books on Bushido that gave and confirmed the answer that I had already arrived at years before ..... that is ..... since we are training in techniques, tactics, and strategies that could if fully applied result in serious injury or death we need to have and to train in what could be termed a "High Trust" environment. This High Trust environment both provides a comfortable atmosphere and also increases learning since stress creates fear which retards the educational process since you spend time looking over your shoulder as it were. Over time, the reishiki becomes a natural part of who you are as a martial artist and a Budoka.

People can get frustrated, angry, (a possible product of a "bad day") or overly stressed and energetic and throwing too fast or hard, or over-applying joint locks so using a highly formalized system of ritualized manners and behaviors is the most effective way in which to keep all those bad ideas at bay. In this fashion our training partner can trust us to protect him, and he in turn protects us. Basically, I can "give" him my body for training and know that he will not deliberately harm me.

In recent years and with the advent of sports martial arts, these ideas have fallen into disuse or forgotten altogether. In some cases no bowing is seen at all or if still used looks somewhat like a kid bobbing for apples at the spring party. Sometimes they might shake hands before slamming their training partner into the center of the earth, winning the match, and then jumping up and down like a kangaroo while screaming "I'm the best"; not a productive attitude in an activity that is often billed as character building. This lack of teaching and using formalized manners that over time creates a better human being has today become one of the differences between Koryu (Old School) martial arts which includes a study of the differences between life and death, and sports martial arts in which trophies may be pursued.

This is a thought to carry forward and to understand in your study. Once you are fully accustomed to the reishiki and understand the rationales, it becomes a welcome part of your keiko (deep and serious training) and is no longer that mysterious Japanese "thing" that it seemed when you first began the journey of Bushido.

Originally Published March 22, 2024

204. A Quick Idea Regarding Training Variations

Musashi once said that to be effective in combat you had to see the big issues and also see the small issues. This is paraphrased of course but the general idea here is that you have to be able to intuitively identify everything that the opponent is doing from his general kamae (posture) to where his feet are.

The difficulty here is that at some point the amount of data being observed and the processes seen in action simply becomes overwhelming. Where is his right foot and which direction is it pointed (indicating where he can step). What about his left foot. Where is he looking (high, low, your eyes, your chest). What is his combative kamae. How do you position your kamae in reply. Is his sword blade properly angled. The list of what to look at and for is simply endless. How to handle it?

Kata is designed to teach combative scenarios. Sword takes a kamae. Stick (or sword, or empty hand) takes a kamae based on the attackers' actions and appearance. The attack comes, the defense is met, end of action. Wash, rinse, repeat.

By repeating a properly thought out and structured kata (generally based not on fantasy but on records of historically correct combative actions .... such as the Chudan section of SMR Jojutsu) both participants are able to repetitively see what a correct posture and attack should look like and by observing this, develop an intuitive understanding of everything involved (the "large" issues); and from that develop combatively effective responses. At that point becoming aware of the "small" issues becomes easy because they are fewer in number and easy to see; the "large" issues already being well known and internalized.

An analogy would be that of a professionally serious pianist who gets up every morning and plays their scales, groupings of notes, and has a sequence of graded exercises they are working through. Not one of those is useful by itself and they are largely artificial (sometimes painfully so), but the net effect it has is to make it so there is range, good timing/cadence, understanding of transitions and speed changes, and accuracy. This is how you make your music rock solid and reliable -- and professional musicians swear by it. The difference between a 9th grade high school band and a symphony is millimeters and milliseconds.

An old Judo Sensei many years ago (and once upon a time) said that it was his opinion that all Judo kata came from randori; it being his thought that kata was not necessary, only randori. Most observers who were there disputed that opinion (not to him directly since he was know for his strong opinions) but the Japanese proved that direction of the information flow to be incorrect (but somewhat on point) which is where the kata came from; repetitive practice of combat sequences of attack, defense, counter-attack, counter-defense that were observed, analyzed, and then made into formal kata for practice and eventual understanding of randori.

So, practice kata .... correctly .... a lot ..... more than a lot .... and do it right. Be like Musashi.

L. F. Wilkinson Kancho

The Aikibudon

Houston, TX

December 6, 2023

203. Put Your Nose Into the Wind and Climb

For your consideration ....... training in Bushido and your chosen martial art form (for me that's Tomiki Ryu Aiki-Jujutsu and the koryu combat school of SMR Jojutsu) is a lifetime path. I started in high school in the late 1960's and find myself some 50 years later still training and still running a dojo.

 

Now at age 71 (72 if you count your gestation as an extra year as the Japanese do) I likely have at least another 10 years to go on the mat, maybe 15 or 20, who can know for certain.

 

That means that if my luck holds, I could have a total of 60 to 70 years on the mat. Or put another way, if I consider that a full training phase is about 20 years or so, then I will have passed through 3 full 20-year phases during my life.

 

The 20-year idea is about how long it should take to start training and then reach 6th Dan or 7th Dan or so; that rank being the rank at which you should know every technical aspect and kata for your system, being fully functional in all, and have the beginnings of a complete and deep understanding of the more spiritual, esoteric, and philosophical aspects of it all.

 

20 years is about one-third of the way through that time span of 60 or so years which means that the first third of the journey is to learn the basics (and internalize them) meaning that the journey to learn what Bushido and Aiki-jujutsu is truly about, in a deep philosophical fashion, starts in earnest at about the 20 year point with the important ideas still remaining to be discovered and explored.

 

Climbing a mountain would be an example. Walking towards the highest point (the summit) the climber is able to see further and further out, acquire a feel for how everything changes the closer to the top he gets, such as the forest gradually changing to tundra, and then rocky peaks. As he continues the upward journey he sees more and more and can see further and further and theoretically gain a fuller understanding of the mountain itself.

 

The rub here is that if the climber stops at any point, then he is missing what comes next and should he never reach the summit then he will not enjoy the complete vision nor will he be able to savor the joy of all the efforts expended in reaching it, the journey being the important part of it all, more so than the actual goal.

 

Tragically, all too many times during this climb he thinks that he has reached the summit and stops and becomes satisfied with what little he has found. And sometimes he deludes himself into thinking that he has arrived and simply does not know what he does not know.

 

The moral to this story is simply that of never stopping the climb and most especially never assuming the uneducated position of assuming that there is no more hill to climb and no more to learn; which in and of itself can create a form or arrogance (aka "I know it all").

 

Look at the journey as a long-term journey of learning and not a one-time course. After all, it's your life and not a semester at university. Life goes on while that semester will certainly come to an end.

 

L. F. Wilkinson Kancho

The Aikibudon

Houston, TX

October 24,2023

202. A Further and Larger Level of Being

How does anyone grow as a person. How do you become something that you are not. How do you escape from the shoe box that you grew up in and become aware of the larger world outside the bubble that you normally exist and live within. How do you become something you are not (yet).

The answer is reasonably simple but it must become a regular part of your life. You need people in your life that are further along than you, people that have a bigger vision, people that are more experienced in the ups and downs of life, people that are out of your league in terms of knowledge and sophistication, people that are more mature emotionally, intellectually, and experience-wise.

Long story short, you need to be exposed to new levels of knowledge, understanding of life, maturity, and experience so that you can go to your own new levels by being around new sources of knowledge, a broader view of life, and deeper information on new topics.

I came to martial arts from a small country town that when compared to a big city was incredibly backwards. We had lots of BBQ and Tex-Mex food but we didn't even know what a pizza parlor was and something such as Chinese food or sushi was equivalent to an invasion from outer space ...... and philosophy ......... what in the world was that. Buddhism, Taoism, meditation ..... scary stuff to be avoided and belittled.

So I begin training in Aikido & Judo and am immediately exposed to those, and many other new ideas that changed my way of life. New foods, new ideas, new information, new people all of which taken together opened my eyes. My old attitudes about such things as martial arts, even politics, changed and grew larger in scope allowing me to better understand the good and bad points, the strengths and weaknesses of everything around me including different opinions, and new training ideas. In effect, I became a more worldly and sophisticated person open to exploring new ideas.

However, as an interesting side note, I also became more discriminatory in what I did and accepted; that is, greater knowledge can manifest itself by our having a deeper understanding of everything around and what is desirable, or undesirable and what to accept or not accept. In other words, growing up in a small country town had resulted in a lack of depth and accepting (or denying) many things at their face value, also known as naivety.

A dojo is different from other endeavors. People who go to the same church tend to have the same ideas on religion and philosophy. People who belong to the same book club tend to read the same books. People who live in the same area of town tend to go to the same bars and restaurants and eat the same repetitive selections of food.

Martial artists however generally start training with only one thing in common, learning martial arts and maybe getting in shape but they all come from different backgrounds. Everything else you may know (or think you know), believe in, or have experienced is very likely completely different from everybody else on the mat so every day working with others potentially results in new knowledge and information to be exposed to ....... and then there is "Apre's Dojo" or the social hour after practice as you discuss everything and anything over a cup of sake where you go into "being exposed to new ideas" overload.

So, learn from your training partner and the teachers and begin to grow your horizons. Use this idea as just one more reason to train in Bushido (a word, an idea, and a way of life that I didn't even know existed until I put on my gi for the first time and stepped on the mat).

And ..... pay attention to the Sensei at your dojo. The word Sensei after all translates as "One who was born before"; not necessarily by a calendar but instead, one more experienced in life, more broadly educated, and knowledgeable (in all that "new stuff").

L  F. Wilkinson Kancho

The Aikibudokan

Houston, TX

October 4, 2023

201. Hey! Whats That On Your Shelf?

Once upon a time there was a monk without any eyelids who was sitting in a cave and his arms and legs fell off, and when someone asked him what he was doing he replied, "Listening to the ants scream".

I don't know about you, but I'd be looking for the way out of the cave at that point.

It's a funny story but one repeated often in certain Zen and martial arts circles, the story of Bodhidharma and the basis for the Daruma Doll. On the front of the doll is kanji that literally reads to have “eyes open” -- a subtle nod to the Daruma Doll’s Buddhist roots referencing enlightenment and the person the Daruma Dolls are based on.

Daruma Dolls are based on a monk named Bodhidharma who lived in the 5th-6th century. He was known to be highly dedicated to meditation and austerity, which helped grow his reputation. Like many religious/spiritual figures in history, there is the historical person and the folklore that grows bigger with every repetition.

One story is that Bodhidharma spent 9 years facing a cave wall in deep meditation with his eyes wide open, never blinking. His striving for enlightenment was so intense that his arms, legs, and body atrophied and fell by the wayside but his spirit remained firm. Because of this parable, Bodhidharma grew in popularity through all of Asia and finally in Japan. He’s also credited for introducing Zen Buddhism, Zazen meditation, and green tea. 

The doll has two eyes, both without pupils. The idea is to decide upon a desire or goal, paint in the left eye, and then when the goal has been accomplished paint in the other eye. Once both eyes have been painted in signifying the accomplishment, then the doll is taken to a temple to be burned so that the spirit of the doll may be released. To be honest though, even after I have achieved the goal and paint in the second eye, I keep the doll on my office shelf as a reminder of what perseverance can accomplish; and I have more than more one.

In life, we all tend to set a goal and look up one day, possibly years later, having not only not reached the goal, but maybe not even remembering having set it. A function of the Daruma Doll is to serve as a reminder of the goal and its' eventual attainment.

We have recently adopted the idea of giving a doll to every new deshi with the suggestion of setting as their personal goal that of being promoted to black belt. Then, once they reach 1st degree (Shodan), we give them a second Daruma Doll with the suggestion of reaching the end of the 1st tier of dan ranks and being ready to start work into the 2nd tier. A little known rank organization in Aikido is that Shodan through Yondan is the 1st tier (basically lower ranking black belts) and Godan and up is the 2nd tier or senior instructor/Sensei ranks.

While life is known for getting in the way of our life-goals with some things simply being out of our control (what's that saying .... accept what you can't change) making a personal goal and commitment to yourself is important. It's one thing to break a promise made to someone else but it's entirely different when we break a promise made to ourselves.

Part of training in Bushido and part of becoming a Bushi (warrior) is learning to set goals and develop life organization and personal discipline to reach (that goal). Failure to do so can negatively influence our opinion of ourselves (at a deeper level) and hinder our reaching our full potential in life.

L. F. Wilkinson Kancho

The Aikibudokan

Houston, TX

September 20, 2023

 

200. It Comes With The Job

Taken for granted. Have you ever felt taken for granted.

 

It's completely normal you know. Open a dojo and start holding classes. Over years of operations everyone just gets used to the dojo always being there,and classes being available on a dependable schedule.

 

Don't want to train 'cause you have to meet the gang at Happy Hour? No problem, the dojo will be there.

 

Don't want to train 'cause you have to mow the yard. No problem, the dojo will always be there.

 

Tired and just want to surf the couch tonight. No problem.

 

Got errands to run. No problem. The dojo is there, will always be there, and I can drop in and train any time I want.

 

Well, maybe it will .... and maybe it won't ..... be there that is.

 

Sensei are human and are only here for a while as are we all ... until we (and they) are not. The dojo itself, since it is run by the Sensei, are also here for a while ... and then it is also gone. Old age, illness, creeping decrepitude, sometimes economic issues, and eventually death appear in the picture at some point.

 

Every Sensei who has been on the mat for a while and who has dedicated some portion of their life to promulgating the system that they teach is acutely aware of these aspects of life in general; especially if they teach an older or specialized form of the ryu or are teaching an actual and recognized koryu. Sport Karate and things such as BJJ or "self-defense classes" are pretty much a dime a dozen and if one dojo closes, a dozen more spring up to replace it since what they teach is fairly common.

 

However, if a koryu form is involved then it is entirely possible that part/most/all of what is being taught is old, not widely available, and cannot be replaced. That is, it was founded perhaps hundreds of years ago and may include work that is not well known, that originated as part of an other old system and has been subsumed (with that other system now gone and lost) or that has work that includes unique teaching pedagogues (teaching drill sets) that enhance learning and retention of the old forms.

 

And as regards not replaceable, it is a simple truth that the societal, cultural, economic, and military/law and order conditions that any old ryu was created to deal with no longer exists. As an example, since no one duels with swords on a daily basis, how would Shindo Muso Ryu Jojutsu (or Niten Ichi Ryu Kenjutsu instance) be recreated since the ryu was formed as a response to Musashi (long dead some 400+ years). Or Daito Ryu Aikijujutsu for that matter, especially since BJJ, Kickboxing, and Sport Karate are currently all the rage and the need for a secret court martial art that is privately taught to only a select few by personal transmission is no longer common.

 

So what is to be done if a Sensei teaches what essentially is an irreplaceable ryu but sees the need to preserve it. How does that happen. How does he save a martial art that was built on the battlefield for one-on-one conflict and that paradoxically is today more practical than carrying around military-style firearms or even a small sidearm with a carry permit that have limited use in most situations.

 

He trains his replacement in the same fashion as he was trained; by his predecessor, who was trained by his predecessor, who was trained ..... well you get the idea. This is how you (You) ended up studying a 450 year old martial art form or perhaps a slightly more recent (maybe "only" two hundred or so years old) but still a deeply built form every bit as complex and sophisticated (such as Daito Ryu Aikijutsu).

 

So this links back to the idea of "I can train anytime because Sensei and the dojo will always be there". Maybe.

 

In a very real sense Sensei is training his replacement at every class. Whether or not you personally are training specifically to be his replacement is immaterial. Remember that no Sensei or Dojo Cho (head of training hall) started out to become the person that runs the shop. Instead, he just got interested in the work and trained and one day looked up, had the seniority and knowledge, and opportunity and simply stepped into the position of either being the #1 guy or, being a support person behind him.

 

There is an old saying that goes, "Every Sensei out there opened a dojo in order to keep training". That is so very true. At some point you become so high ranked that you can't change dojo because you will likely find that you know more than the other guy and probably outrank him; the issue being that "everyone" seems to take 6 months of classes, buys a DVD, and opens a dojo or refuses to put in the decades of work necessary to honestly reach a Shihan or Hanshi level. So at that point you either retire from martial arts training or completely change art forms (from Aikido to Kick Boxing for example). Then there's the problem of your aging out and wanting to still train but not at a competition dojo against kids in their 20's or 30's.

 

So the gist of this is that to maximize your opportunity to learn what could be an arcane art form that could disappear one day, you train as often as you can and by doing so you increase the odds that the ryu continues and that one day either you or one of your training partners could be "That Guy" .... the one who continues the ryu and passes it forward, the benefit of which is that you to get to "keep training".

 

L. F. Wilkinson Kancho

The Aikibudokan

Houston, TX

September 11, 2023

199. How Did He Do That

Over the last five decades of my training in martial arts I’ve observed that promotions are one of the big events in a dojo, in a students’ life, and their career in Bushido.

Aside from the sense of personal accomplishment that the deshi feels upon being promoted, the promotion itself brings a certain sense of pride and accomplishment to the entire dojo if considered from the aspect that everyone in the dojo has at one time or another been their training partner.

The first thought that goes through their mind is, "Well, if so-and-so can do it then so can I because I've been training with him". Then the second thought may be, "He did that kata really well and I helped him learn it because over the last few weeks that is what he and I have been working together on, so in a way I can take a little credit for his success".

Both of these are completely true, but they leave out the important part which is how the newly promoted deshi actually did it and while it sounds trite it is in all actuality true; that is, "They Did The Work". They went to class on a regular basis, trained, put in extra time with their training partner, and learned what needed to be learned.

So many times, we see someone who has only half-hardheartedly focused on the next promotion and while they are learning and progressing, their way forward is slower than it could (or should) be. They may get upset at not being "auto promoted" but once they understand the requirements for the rank they are working towards things tend to smooth out, esp. as the other deshi provide encouragement.

Promotions (and the attending demo) have so many positives that anyone who runs a dojo should require demos for certain ranks, esp early black belt ranks. If properly done then it shouldn't become a difficult or scary thing for the promotional candidate and it can serve to get the entire dojo behind them. In effect, it builds a form of "Team Dojo" spirit that everyone benefits from.

More (most) senior black belt ranks (such as 4th Dan and up) don't necessarily have formal "demo requirements" per se but are actually more stringent in their requirements. The candidate must not only know (and show) technical proficiency in larger portions of the overall curriculum but must show the ability to explain in-depth knowledge of the concepts and principles. This ability is illustrated by the "work product"; e.g., the junior students that he has been teaching.

Since the work product is the real factor under review then it becomes impossible to have a public demo of the promotional candidate conducting a teaching lesson or having the junior ranks demo instead (as a form of review of the work product). So, a study and observation of the candidate within the normal dojo class environment over the long term becomes the means by which the final promotional evaluation is eventually made.

Also a part of this overall decision to promote is a recognition that no candidate is fully prepared for that promotion. Instead, they are judged as being close enough with the anticipation of their growing into the rank. Another way in which to consider it is to acknowledge that no one is really at 100% of all the requirements but is deemed functional in all areas with the expectation of long-term improvement.

Are promotions sometimes granted without the candidate having a full awareness of all the technical and teaching and philosophical aspects? Certainly. Being able to conduct normal business management tasks and teaching support of the dojo (in cases such as Sensei being ill or out of town and that person taking over classes) means the dojo stays open that week and everyone stays excited and goes to train. Not every candidate for senior rank has the financial ability to pour money into the bank, but taking classes, teaching and supporting the deshi, illustrating the fundamentals, then showing emotional support to the deshi so that they continue to train and learn what many times can be frustrating material can be more important than simply writing a check; which for some becomes an all too easy substitute for doing the work.

Is everyone truly ever "ready" for that next big promotion? Not in the least. Remember that if you wait until the candidate is "completely, totally, absolutely" ready then they should actually be considered for the rank beyond that one (and very likely would never make it). To paraphrase Voltaire, "Perfection is the enemy of the good" (one of my Sensei' favorite quotes and I heard it often).

My Sensei had an interesting way to view it. When he promoted me to Nidan he said that I was finally a good Shodan; and of course, when promoted to Sandan he said I was a pretty good Nidan. This was his way of saying that yes, I still have weak areas, still have flaws, and still have improvements to make in how I speak to and relate to junior ranks and how I gauge my strength, power, and focus when working the material; and it clearly said that I had far to go and must expect to "grow into" the rank as my experiences at the new level deepened.

All of these ideas taken together make for a large and complex picture that any Sensei must work to manage. This picture is not simply and only technical but has serious spiritual aspects involved that go well beyond a simple punch list.

Over the years I've seen and heard criticism (some even directed at me) about why someone was promoted (or not) and whether they deserved it or were ready. Lower and less knowledgeable ranks tend to only see things as a two-dimensional photograph, like an old prom photo from high school. You could refer to the process as being 5-dimensional, but it is actually much more than height, breadth, length, width, and time. When you add in the extra dimensions (how well they communicate, average good or bad mood, time each week on the mat, visible commitment, support of the deshi, can they grow into a more mature senior position in spite of where they are "today", etc.) it becomes a complex flow of multi-dimensional energies that are impossible to measure in the Western sense and that only very senior ranks such as the Kancho or Soke are able to see the full dimensions of.

Put another way, the whole is always much greater than the sum of the parts and the whole itself is infinite in its capacity to grow.

Go to class. Train hard. Do the work. Get the promotion. Grow into your full potential.

L. F. Wilkinson Kancho

The Aikibudokan

Houston, TX

August 17, 2023

198. Bother or Opportunity

While it is not New Year’s yet, being August we are more than half way there so we can and probably should look ahead.  Japanese New Year is known as Shogatsu. Taking place on January 1^st to the 3rd (after Japan switched to the Gregorian calendar during the Meiji period) it is an important day in which both remembrances and celebrations occur. However, in Japanese dojo Kagami Biraki holds a more critical role in the New Year's celebration.

Sometimes known as "Opening the Mirror" it represents (to many) as being an opportunity to look at expanding opportunities in life, and of course in Budo.

For martial arts students today the New Year's celebration of Kagami Biraki has no religious significance but does honor the old samurai tradition of beginning the new year and is a time when deshi and Sensei alike engage in a common endeavor and rededicate their spirit, effort and discipline toward goals such as training and progressing in their chosen ryu.

It is additionally a time of re-dedication and commitment including that of preserving the art form for the benefit of future generations. Many times, life gets us down (or so the saying goes). At our dojo for example we have experienced the same events as have many others. An economic crash in 2016 that caused many students to lose jobs and cease training, then a hurricane that took out over 100,000 homes and businesses (putting literally 10's of 1,000's out of their homes) and more students had to cease training. Then another economic issue to work on surviving, and finally the Covid lockdowns and mandates over the last two years that in some cases has both former and new prospective deshi overly fearful of getting back on the mat and being around people.

All of these are events that are "normal" in the overall flow of life, the universe, and everything but each also contains the potential to close a dojo or to give deshi a reason to give up and cease training.

It is difficult to move forward, to progress, to advance, to learn, and to do so on a constant basis with so many hindrances to overcome. To continue to positively move forward, to work through life's obstacles and maintain a positive attitude is, or should be, one of the meanings behind "mirror opening" and the attending examination of our focus, direction, and attitudes.

If we can maintain our life-flow forward and not just fall by the wayside in failure, then we have truly learned one of the important lessons of Bushido and truly understand the deeper meaning behind Kagami Biraki.  Every day can be a “mirror opening” if you let it.

L.F. Wilkinson Kancho

The Aikibudokan

Houston, TX

August 9, 2023

197. Personal Goal - Teaching Goal

A meme sometimes circulates on the internet that goes something like ...... "I'm a popular loner. I know a lot of people and a lot of people know me, but my circle is small and I'm usually by myself".

For those of us who are long-timers (life-timers) in Bushido and the martial arts world this is likely truer than not.  Over the many years of putting in the training time and work that it takes to excel at something simultaneously complex and sophisticated but at its essence very primal, we've changed, matured and are blunter and more direct than in the past.  We've probably become scary in some ways but gentler in others and we likely have outlooks on "life, the universe, and everything" that don't really match those of most of the people around us.

For example, if we have an argument with someone who is angry, we tend to not easily back down.  In fact, we may deliberately provoke them in order to test the depths of who they are.  It likely won't lead to a true confrontation but it's not easy to intimidate us; something that most people don't understand (and may therefore fear) since so much of society today involves itself with various levels of loudness and attempted intimidation tactics (such as raising their voice or making accusations such as "That's a lie").  They simply do not understand what is happening on a deeper level when they are working the angles to win the discussion and the most they get out of us is a bored, "Well .... ok .... whatever" or we just flow-on and act as if it never happened, almost like we just didn't notice; that "non-response" in-and-of-itself possibly being within the realm of heiho (or deeper strategy).

Martial arts gives the long-term practitioner something that no other activity (be it golf, poker, a pick-up game of baseball or basketball, or psychotherapy) can give that makes you different and apart from the normal's (the common person on the street who does not have your calmness or focus).

That is, when you spend 100's or 1,000's of hours on the mat learning to read and then physically and spiritually dominate an opponent in training then a simple loud argument in "civilian life" has little impact on you.  After all, if you can "whack" someone bigger than you, then that apoplectic maniac with the bulging eyes and throbbing veins in their neck and temples will have little success at establishing their dominance; in short, they have none (dominance over you) and they simply cannot understand why as it has worked so well on others ........ but not on you.

While this may sound overly simplistic consider this. In a changing society with all the crazy insanity, arguments over anything at all, lighting quick memes, 30 second sound bites, apocalyptic news reports, crazy people who fly off the handle into personal assault or road rage for seemingly no good reason, and internet news panic porn (aka "click bait") it can be really difficult to "abide" and "maintain" (your peaceful, calm, and relaxed attitude).

In the 60's they referred to it as "stay cool man" and your parents may have said "take a deep breath before you act" all of which helps avoid hyperventilating and "stroking out" and then making what could be a serious mistake.  You in effect have learned to be "above the fray" making you that person who stands alone and acts as an independently thinking individual who is not a part of the surging crowd moving as a mindless group; and, if you do choose to react then it is on your terms, on your time frame, and intuitive in its conduct.

If you train and learn to use that self-confidence, “centered-ness” and grounding that it teaches and gives you, then it positions you to let the weirdness and crazies roll off your back like water off a duck; instead of over-reacting like that apoplectic maniac who loses control and greatly regrets what comes after.

"If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you ....." Rudyard Kipling

They may not understand you .... but you understand you.

Stay centered.  Stay grounded.  Stay relaxed.  Be cool man.  Get into the keiko and set yourself apart. Budo (or Bushido, your choice) is to be lived and not just dabbled in like we just happened to be at the dojo that day.  Or as in a recent movie based on the book, be one of the "Humans" instead of one of the "people".  As I've said for many years now, "We Sensei sift through the people to find the humans".  Not my quote but I still get to steal it once in a while.

L.F. Wilkinson Kancho

The Aikibudokan

Houston, TX

August 2, 2023