Throwback Thursday - A Dojo
Furuya Sensei posted this to his Daily Message on July 15, 2005.
Although a dojo needs four walls and a roof, it is the students and members within which make a dojo. The greatness of a dojo is determined by the spirit of the dojo and how well everyone works together. A dojo is not a business nor is it a religion. Spirit is cultivated by proper reigi-saho or “etiquette” and manners. How everyone can work together in harmony and in good spirit is the greatest accomplishment of all - even great countries and governments in the world cannot achieve this so easily.
Fighting, pettiness, jealousy, power struggles, small mindedness and selfishness are typical and common - anyone can do this, it is not an accomplishment at all. None of this “pettiness” leads to greatness of spirit or accomplishes anything good. Being small only shows one's mediocrity and a lack of understanding of the true spirit of Aikido and practice.
In real Life, we often have to put ourselves first above anything. In practice, we put the other person first. It is in putting others first that we can refine ourselves and develop a sense of nobility and bring beauty into our Lives. This is the spirit of a dojo.
Watch this video of Furuya Sensei from the summer of 1991