Throwback Thursday - New Hope
Furuya Sensei posted this to his Daily Message on December 28, 2002
We are so smart, and it always seems that we are looking for the easiest way out! I see this all the time in martial arts so I really must say to you (please don't be mad at me) that martial arts are at an all-time low. Of course, most of us think that we are at an all-time high because everyone, referring to martial arts businessmen, are making so much money nowadays. When I say low, I am speaking about the art of martial arts itself and not what people have done to turn it into a commercial all for profit enterprise.
People often ask me, “What is the easiest way to do Aikido or Iaido?” This is what everyone is thinking! To dig a hole with a shovel, you need a shovel and a lot of elbow grease! There is no other way to get around it but today we are too smart. If I ask, "What is the easiest way to dig a hole with a shovel?" Most will answer, "Pay someone else to do it!"
One day, someone came to me and said, "No matter what, I want to study Aikido more than anything in the world! However, my wife needs my attention, my job is too busy, I live too far away, I don't have enough money, I go to school and have no time, I have three other hobbies and so I don't know when I can come to the dojo.” I replied, “Well, you have more reasons for not doing Aikido, then you do for doing it.”
We all have busy schedules but those who want to practice make time and opportunity to practice. Those who do not, will find one reason or another not to. It has always been this way as long as I can remember. I have many fine students who are admittedly the busiest people in the world but yet they make time to come to practice regularly.
People today look at Aikido and immediately try to find the “easy" way out! 30 years ago, there weren’t good dojos or teachers - how hard it was to practice back then. I used to drive all over Southern California each day to find a place to practice each day of the week. There weren’t many good teachers around to study under or even a decent mat to take ukemi on! Today, everyone has so much and yet I still hear the same complaints!
The New Year is upon us, Life looks like it is going to get tougher. We are thinking of war, many of us cannot even do an honest day's work because there are no jobs, and it seems that there is much suffering and pain in this world. It is not that everyone is so unfair to us and is treating us badly - no! We are just living in the world we have created for ourselves!
In Aikido, we gain more than strength. We gain clarity, focus and the skill to open our eyes and see everything very clearly! Regardless of what is going on, please keep up your training!
New Year's light brings New Hope, not once a year, but each day, we should celebrate this holiday!