The Thoughtful Sensei-Aikido Musings

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

196. Time On, Time Off

As we age our perspectives change in the sense that we more carefully consider what did and what did not have importance in how we have lived these many years. We may find ourselves counting the days, months, years doing something with that something being marriage, how long we've spent time in the gym or at the dojo, how long we've had a particular job. What we count can vary of course based on our life choices.

So the question becomes, why do we not count time off? Why do we not count the days and the weeks off during which we did nothing but relax? And should we (count time off) or not? I for one would suspect that counting time off isn't much done for the simple reason that deep down in the inner recesses of who we are that some part of us understands that time off, the days, weeks, or months of "nothingness", of not putting in the time really isn't helping us learn, grow, progress, or reach that goal we claim to be striving for. In short, they don't count, they aren't helping us, and they aren't the ones (the days, weeks, etc.) that matter. Only activity and positively working forward count for us in the longer term.

When we steady pursue that goal (training in martial arts is the closest example since that is after all what we are talking about here) we slowly build momentum which will give us the opportunity to stay mentally focused, physically healthy, and additionally maintain the relationships we develop through our study. Maintaining momentum also helps in gradually digging into the deeper thoughts behind technique and heiho (strategy) and the relationship between the two.

Some people train every day and allow themselves no time off while others train two to three times a week. Whatever training schedule you pick and how you maintain your personal momentum really doesn't matter as long as you do (maintain it). But remember, the days off don't really count for much of anything other than falling backwards and retarding your path forward.

L.F. Wilkinson Kancho

The Aikibudokan

Houston, TX

July 18, 2023

 

195. A Wider View

Being the guy (or gal) who runs the dojo doesn't have a whole lot of advantages; long hours, legal and financial obligations, marketing, trying to keep everyone happy, working to vary lesson plans and avoid boredom as much as possible are examples. One clear advantage however (of running the dojo) is that of changing the curriculum and class focus when the mood strikes. Sometimes that mood consists of new training drills to help the beginners, sometimes it might be rolling into a old-new (new-old) kata that no one has seen for lord knows how long, and sometimes it might be something really different and far from the normal keiko.

As an example, our primary kata set is known by several aliases including "Ju Nana Hon", "Randori no Kata", or "The 17 Attack Movements". All beginners are immediately introduced to this work almost from day one and promotion to 1st and 2nd dan is based on an improving ability to show this work. It is foundational with most of the more advanced kata sets being based in large part upon these specific foundational techniques.

We also teach a system of knife fighting that was developed for the military by special operators for survival in the field. One night we had the idea to combine the two and show a larger picture of how Aikido can be the platform upon which one can build. It is a cold reality that if attacked from too close a distance then you (the defender) will be unable to draw any weapon, be it knife, gun, or otherwise which means that you (the defender) will have to intuitively resort to empty hand techniques first (such as The 17 Attack Movements) before reaching for a weapon. They call this the "Tueller Rule" and it is widely discussed and taught in police training circles.

So in class one night we discussed the reality of over-dependence on the weapon being carried, and when to go for it during an attack. In Texas this is very pertinent since so many citizens have concealed carry permits or carry a knife for self-defense (known as EDC or Everyday Carry). Because of this legally granted ability (to carry) combined with a lack of hand-to-hand training, the untrained non-martial artist develops an acute over-reliance on that weapon.

The result was a class session in which everyone put a rubber training knife in their obi and then had their uke attack. Tori the defender had to avoid the attack, do the empty-handed technique, and only after throwing or pinning the attacker pull the knife to finish it.

So this was a spur-of-the-moment that had value but that can only be done if you the Sensei run your own dojo, or are a senior enough Sensei such-that the Dojo-cho/Kancho allows you to do so (in our dojo our most senior people have this level of teaching authority). My old Sensei from years ago would never have allowed any such lesson (unless he himself thought it up) so that freedom of creativity (of hand-to-hand then to knife) came in the form of a very practical drill (based on a well recognized training rule, i.e. Tueller) for an important life lesson.

Another example would be drills in randori or a modification of a basic technique normally taught to beginners or intermediate players as an expanded example of what can be possible. While one may argue that beginners only need to work on the very, very basics the counterargument may be made that exposure to more advanced ideas early on results in developing curiosity about what is to come and offers a different way of doing a basic principle that may improve their current overall understanding.

So basically the ability to be creative (as the Sensei in charge) can result in better lessons, a more open-minded curriculum, and an expanded view of the principles that make everything fit together and actually work.

Your job as the deshi or junior Yudansha is to not become confused when you see something that you've never seen before (sometimes known as the "Whut tha'?" response) but instead, focus and do the work and while doing so consider the larger picture. You may be surprised at how your horizons open and how much "new stuff" you learn.

L.F. Wilkinson Kancho

The Aikibudokan

Houston, TX

July 7, 2023

194. The Fog

The phrase “Onward Thru the Fog” originated at a 60's head shop in Austin, Texas called Oat Willie's (a comic book character) not far from the University of Texas campus. No one really knows (at least I don’t) what the "fog" refers to; hint .... it is a "head shop" but even that is a guess. Oat Willie's is still open today some 60 years later continuing to do what a head shop does, but the question remains, what is the "fog" (other than the inability to see clearly to the other side)?

In our journey into the martial arts and the mythos of what is called "Bushido" there is so much information out there that one can become lost in the "fog" or put another way, you begin to be unable to see the forest for the trees. Either way you care to describe it, you sometimes find yourself lost in your study and not certain which path is the best one for you; remembering that other than the requirements of the ryu you study there is no "correct" path per se, only a path that fits you, your personality and character, and your goal (assuming you know what your goal even is).

And I am assuming here that you have found a true martial pathway and are not training at a "McDojo".  And I am also assuming that you have chosen the old flow koryu path of you “becoming” the ryu and not doing the modern or gendai idea of “making it your own”.

This "being lost in the fog" can manifest itself in several forms. One is that you decide what kata/work you like the best (because you can actually do it and it feels good) and then spend your entire life doing only that, leaving out the broader work. In the Tomiki Ryu that broader work is all 7 of the advanced koryu kata plus all the randori work and all the drill sets AND the work from Kano's Judo that was the basis for both Judo and Aikido (that work from Kito Ryu Jujutsu and Tenjin Shinyo Ryu).

Thus, we sometimes we see deshi decide to only work on one or two of the advanced kata which results in both a loss of the system because they never see or do large parts of it, and a growing lack of understanding the underlying realities of the work (esp. when we consider that older and wiser heads than ours put that work there for a reason).

Years of this entropic attitude can keep the deshi active in the dojo but no real advancement in deeper knowledge may be realized and they become stuck in place.

In my martial career I have always tried and looked for other areas of study to look at. While I began in MA in Tae Kwon Do, then Kodokan Judo, then to Aikido and at one point even took a brief side-trip into BJJ to improve my newaza from Judo, I was always looking for an enhancement of my studies. Once I was able to involve myself with a koryu combative weapons study (SMR Jojutsu) I found (and indeed continue to find) that at some point the psychological aspects of a true koryu weapons/dueling system begin to manifest and bleed over into my hand-to-hand work.

While each of these areas are of interest and are a welcome change of pace from doing the basic Randori no Kata over and over again (no matter how much that work is still important) the real value in branching out into all the work comes from the realization that at its most basic level, true principles (sen, seme, musubi, metsuke, ma-ai, riai, et al) are universal regardless of what may or may not be in your hand, or whether you take ukemi or not.  The real issue here is that in order to fully understand all the facets of each principle you must study and internalize all the work.  In other words, understanding sen, sen-no-sen, sen-sen-no-sen (for example) depends on more than one kata such that each kata teaches only one aspect of any one principle.  All the kata must be studied to fully understand and more importantly be able to utilize that principle; each kata covering only a small aspect of it.

L.F. Wilkinson Kancho

The Aikibudokan

Houston, TX

July 4, 2023

193. Branching

As deshi promote upwards to higher ranks a sort of entropy can sometime set in.  Years of doing the same kata (basic, advanced, or otherwise) can create in one’s mind a sort of "over-familiarity" and the idea that not much is left to do, other than to go to the dojo and teach a few beginners before sushi and sake apres' dojo.  Years of this entropic attitude can still keep the deshi active in the dojo but no real advancement in deeper knowledge can be realized.

In my martial career I have always tried and looked for other areas of study to look at. While I began in MA in Tae Kwon Do I found that I needed something more so I gravitated to Kodokan Judo, and then to Aikido.  At some point years ago I found SMR Jodo (the Seitei flavor mind you) and then once introduced to SMR Jojutsu (the Koryu flavor) I changed to that as a fresh study that expanded my view of Budo but also began to answer questions that I didn't really know I had.

Here lately my interests have opened up to our new knife fighting class (a military style built by and for special forces operators) and police tactics (we are developing a small system and now have the opportunity to actively teach law enforcement).

While each of these areas are of interest and are a welcome change of pace from doing the basic Randori no Kata over and over again (no matter how much that work is still important) the real value in branching out comes from the realization that at its most basic level, true principles are universal regardless of what may or may not be in your hand, or no matter whether you take ukemi or not.

While it is true that in the beginning one needs to focus on the learning one's primary system (Aikido in my case) once you have moved beyond basic or intermediate levels and from there into advanced, branching out to look at a complimentary art can be a good thing.  It can enhance fighting skills, and both broaden and deepen your view of Bushido.

L.F. Wilkinson Kancho

The Aikibudokan

Houston, TX

June 20, 2023

192. Constipation

Taught a lesson in class one day.  A Yudansha got confused and couldn’t follow it.  Had a discussion after.  He finally figured it out with the admission of “If I had only paid attention to the lesson to begin with”.  For him, that was a valuable lesson in and of itself, more important than the actual material being looked at.  So, what happened?

Most if not all of the older, more senior and advanced Sensei have had this experience in their own careers in Bushido; e.g., that of “seeing” too much in the lesson and the topic at hand.

We spend years, decades, learning the work and internalizing the fundamentals, base kata and learning sets, doing intermediate work, advanced work, and then doing the keiko (deep, advanced and highly focused training) of all the variations along with the hiden (secret) ideas of that which is transmitted only verbally (aka direct transmission).  Taken as a whole, that study comprises a very large corpus or body of information to digest and put in its proper place in our conscious and subconscious minds as it is fully internalized, reactions set in place, and the neural pathways built.

The issue arises in that instead of focusing on that one moment and specifically on that lesson being taught, the mind sees the beginning of the lesson and leaps far ahead into variations such as “I could do this” or “I can do this, this, and this instead” or “If I tried that and he reacted then I could do this and this”.

All those variants are coming out of the body of the information already known and well-understood.  Those variants overwhelm and block the receipt of the new information and may even cloud the clarification of any older already known information that is being taught for that lesson albeit from perhaps a different viewpoint.

This blockage (or “constipation” if you like) of the mind occurs as all the variations upon branching decision points to more variations leap to the forefront and hinder paying attention to the specifics and focus of the lesson at hand, making it difficult to understand its meaning and value.  It is only semi-problematic when occurring in the context of normal class and instruction.  It becomes very problematic however when it occurs in self-defense situations.

What to do.  What to do.

It’s called having an empty teacup, or possessing a mind that is not clouded with prior perceptions or beliefs but instead, is open to new learning scenarios like it was a blank slate.  Taking each lesson individually and understanding its place in the corpus does matter

How to have and hold an empty tea cup.

Accept that the ryu already has most of the variations set in place via advanced kata.  Keeping it simple helps as some variations are unproven and not clearly differentiated, other than in the existing kata system.  Learn some internal discipline about focusing on the topic; it is after all not randori.  Then watch the lesson.  Understand the information and viewpoints being shown and discussed for that specific situation.  Do the work, e.g., the repetitions required to understand the lesson.  Focus on one idea at a time and stop trying to “multichannel process”.  Again, keep it simple.  Then and only then look at alternate views after having looked at the pure lesson first and understanding it and only then look at alternate views individually and not as a clump of amorphous shifting ideas.

Constipation can be cleared but first one must know and understand that one “is” constipated and then build the discipline to stop it.  I think that this is called the “mind” part of developing “Mind, Body, Spirit”.

L.F. Wilkinson Kancho

The Aikibudokan

Houston, TX

April 14, 2023