温故知新
Onkochishin
Learning from the past
Today, the word “traditional” has become the most controversial word in martial arts training. “Traditional” has either a negative connotation and used disparagingly or is something others use to hide behind. So that begs the question, “What is does traditional really mean?” Dentouteki (伝統的) means “traditional” and the current definition is: “existing in or as part of a tradition; long-established,” “produced, done, or used in accordance with tradition,” or “something habitually done, used, or found.” No help there! Some traditional budo are 4000-5000 years old. So one has to wonder how much has been lost over the years? Logically, there will be some deviation with each generation and the math dictates that at some point the beginning product will be very different from the final product and will have no mukashinagara (昔ながら) or “To be the same as it was a long time ago.” Thus, can something truly be “traditional”? We should really think about budo like sourdough bread. Sourdough bread begins with something called a “mother” or a “starter.” A mother is a live culture that begins the fermentation process in the natural yeast so that the bread dough will rise. Without the mother, the bread won’t rise and it won’t be a good loaf of sourdough bread. Ideally, a traditional “mother” can last for a thousand years if it is cared for properly. So, a “real” sourdough loaf has an element in it that can be traced back thousands of years. Over the years, my definition and understanding of traditional has changed. Obviously, because of the math, there is no possible way for today’s martial arts to be “exactly” like the original and on a certain level it shouldn’t because it should be evolving. Thus, the “mother” in this sense is the training and the tradition is the care we apply to the mother. Since, we can’t do it exactly the way it was done in the past then the only thing we can do is to be serious about the process. This seriousness is what keeps us on track and helps us to keep the deviations at bay. If a person cares and is assiduous about doing the best that they can then a small piece of the beginning can still be found in a traditional loaf of bread or in a traditional martial art and thus it can be transmitted to the next generation. Be traditional or serious about whatever it is that you do.
Today’s goal: Think about what traditional means to you.