Be Hungry

Aiki Dojo Message - Be Hungry

The best martial artists are hungry. In a martial arts sense, to be hungry means that one has a strong desire or craving to learn something. On a certain level, it is the teacher’s job to feed that hunger or starve it. Starve it? Yes, some students need to be fed while others need to be starved to create hunger. Sometimes, deprivation, and the hunger it creates, enables some people to flourish. Matcha green tea is that way. The secret power of green tea lies in how well you deprive it of sunlight when it is growing. Matcha is specially produced using only pure Gyokuro tea leaves. Somehow, shading the green tea bush from sunlight forces it to produce higher concentrations of chlorophyll which increases the tea’s antioxidant concentration and gives green tea all of its health benefits. Students can be like that too. Every student has potential but because some students are unaware of it. Because they are unaware of their vast potential, they don’t know how to be “hungry.” Thus, the teacher may have to deprive them just enough to create a desire to improve. From this point of view, starvation is beneficial and can bring about something much better than if it was not deprived. Some things we have to feed while other things need to be starved. The trick is in knowing when to feed or when to deprive. The interesting thing is that it is actually not up to the teacher at all. Whether one is being fed or starved is up to the student and how they perceive their training. As we get older, we realize that everything that has happened to us, good and bad, has made us who we are. We could not have become who we are if it was any other way. Sometimes, we need to “starve” so that we can realize our true potential. Being hungry or not getting what we want can create the desire to work harder and that’s why the best martial artists are always hungry.  

Today’s goal: What can you deprive yourself of to make yourself better? 

Watch this video of Berton Braley's poem The Will to Win

Throwback Thursday - Wishes

Furuya Sensei posted this to his Daily Message on June 12, 2003. 

Have you ever thought about wishing? There is an interesting saying, “Be careful what you wish for." In Japanese, it is negaigoto wa yoku kangaete shinasai (願い事はよく考えてしなさい) which means “Think carefully about your wishes.” Most of us, if we had three wishes, may fall into the typical trap of asking for untold wealth, youth and the return of loved ones, etc. As the typical story goes, after our wish, everything goes bad. We always think that we know what we want and will always make the best decisions for ourselves. However, it can turn out that what we wished for was the wrong thing, delivered in the wrong way and it winds up with exactly what we didn’t want.

The same goes for "winning." We win a contest and think that we have the advantage over others or that we are better than others but wind up with just an empty victory. Winning for the wrong reasons is not winning at all. It is very much like making a wish and inadvertently wishing for the wrong thing. More often than not, we win for exactly the wrong reasons. In winning, we must do it correctly.

At the same time, we should be careful how we "lose" as well. If we lose incorrectly, we feel like we have lost everything! No, we lost a game or a contest. We didn’t die so it’s not a big deal. We might lose something in our lives but, in most cases, we can still recover. Therefore, even in losing, we must do it correctly!

Happy Lunar New Year!

時に遇えば 鼠も虎となる
Toki ni aeba nezumi mo tora to naru 
When the time comes, even a mouse can become a tiger

Happy Lunar New Year! 

To the best warriors, timing is everything. Today is the Lunar New Year and the beginning of the year of the Tiger. The tiger is supposed to be a very auspicious symbol in Asian culture and is a symbol of strength, military prowess, vitality and growth. The tiger motif was very popular with the samurai who wanted to have the strength and courage of a tiger on the battlefield. Before a battle, some samurai would write the kanji character for tora (虎) or “tiger” with one finger on the other palm of their hand and then swallow it. By swallowing the tiger, they hoped that it would give them the “power of a tiger” on the battlefield. Not only does the tiger symbolize courage and prowess, but when paired with a dragon, it is also supposed to bring about the blessings of prosperity and peace. One of the most important things in Aikido and in life is timing. It is said that those who can control spacing, and timing will dictate the outcome of the battle. Spacing and timing are interconnected. If we can control timing, we will have a command of the spacing. If we can dictate the timing, we usually control the spacing. Thus, if we can control spacing and timing, then we are most likely undefeatable. Therefore, when is the best time to do something? Now. Things are starting to change and as we can see from the symbology of the tiger, they are changing in our favor. The Japanese proverb toranoo wo fumu (虎の尾を踏む) translates as “stepping on a tiger’s tail” but it’s supposed to mean to “do something dangerous and to take a risk.” Therefore, now is the time to show your mettle. The best time is always now and that’s why timing is everything to the best warriors. 

I wish you all the best in 2022!

Today’s goal: What have you been putting off until now? Now is the time. 

Watch this video to better understand the tiger.

Be Ready

油断は禁物 
Yudanhakinmotsu!
Be ready!

The best warriors are ready for anything. General James Mattis once said, “Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet.” His assertion might seem crazy, but it makes perfect sense to a martial artist. In the old days, it was hard to determine friend from foe and there were a lot of formalities within the samurai world. So, a samurai had to always be polite but also think of every person as a frenemy and have a backup plan to fight them if need be. General Mattis’ assertion is about having a readiness mindset just in case something happens. A warrior is supposed to be able to size up their opponent in an instant. They have to be able to quickly ascertain their opponent’s strengths, weaknesses, style of fighting or any other pertinent detail which might be useful. This mindset is hard to cultivate on our own. However, there is a way to do it in the dojo by archetypes. An archetype is a typical example of a certain type of person. In training, we learn to build archetypes by watching people during the taiso (体操) or “warmup.” As we watch the other people in the warm up, we get a sense of their abilities and flexibilities or lack thereof. Later in class, we make a correlation between how they moved their bodies in the warmup and how they did the techniques. This correlation is what helps us to create archetypes. There will only be a few dozen or so archetypes just as in mythology there are only 12 different types of archetypes. Later on, when we see someone on the street, we can recognize their archetype and we use that as the basis to craft a plan to defeat them. Just as in all relationships, there are good archetypes and bad ones. Until we can determine who is who, we have to be polite but also be crafting a plan to deal with each person if necessary. Nobody knows what will happen next and that’s why the best warriors are ready for anything.  

Today’s goal: Be polite, but also be ready. 

Watch this brief video to better understand archetypes.

Validation

能ある鷹は爪を隠す
Nouarutakahatsume wo kakusu 
The skilled hawk hides its talons

A true martial artist does not seek validation. Seeking out praise or validation is the most dangerous path in the martial arts. The ego is fed by validation. In trying to quench our egos, we seek out validation which could cause us to do dishonorable things like lie, cheat or steal. In the Hagakure, Yamamoto Tsunetomo writes, “It is a wretched thing that the young men of today are so contriving and so proud of their material possessions. Men with contriving hearts are lacking in duty. Lacking in duty, they will have no self-respect.” Therefore, the best thing to do is seek a humble mindset. One way of doing that in class is to always think that the teacher is correcting you whenever they are making a correction. Developing this type of technique has many benefits. First, it helps us to develop a 360-degree awareness to “know” what is going on all around us which later becomes the basis of situational awareness. Also, we learn how to do more than one thing at a time which teaches us how to think ahead. Next, regardless of who they are correcting, we can get the benefit from that correction even if we don’t need the correction. Finally, we gain humility or a mindset that isn’t searching for validation because we are accepting the correction by employing this technique. Miyamoto Musashi said, “Do nothing which is of no use.” A martial artist knows that if we can’t eat it or use it as a weapon, it is useless. Validation and praise are ephemeral - it makes us feel good in the moment, but it can cause us to become too prideful and as they say, “Pride comes before the fall.” There is always something that can be learned in every situation regardless of how “good” we are. Knowing this, the skilled hawk hides its talons and that is why the true martial artist does not seek validation. 

Today’s goal: Remember, you are enough. Nothing more is needed. 

Watch this video of Jim Carrey to better understand validation.

Throwback Thursday - Humanity

Furuya Sensei posted this to his Daily Message on August 30, 2005.

Humanity - Nin

The Japanese character for humanity is “nin” (仁). It is written with two radicals for "person" (人) and “two”(二).  Originally, I think it was written with the same radical for “person" twice or, in other words, written by writing two "people." We cannot have humanity all by ourselves, but humanity begins with the presence of the other person. How we interact and respond and relate to the other person or other people is what creates "humanity." In classical Chinese philosophy, nin is a very important concept and underlies all ethical thinking in China - and this thinking spread all over Asia including Japan over the many centuries from earliest times. 

Humanity is created by observing rules of respect, duty, compassion, bravery, loyalty, filial piety, etc. but this is also all under the overall idea of harmony. Through humanity we create “order” (or reason) and "harmony." Through this harmony, we enjoy peace in the country, in our families, and within ourselves in both mind and body. We can say that "humanity equals harmony" in Eastern traditional thinking. Because of this, we have Reigi Saho (礼儀作法) or “manners.” 

Sometimes, we may look at these manners or formalities as rules which we feel obliged to break or ignore. . . who likes rules? But we must understand that the meaning is slightly different here. It is not a matter of rules for the sake of rules. These rules or manners called reigi saho teach us the best way possible to express our humanity towards others. The purpose of this is to create harmony. In many ways, Aikido and reigi saho are two sides of the same coin teaching us to create a harmonious world through humanity. I hope you will think about this and put it into your practice.

A Trusted Sword

Warriors are supposed to be trustworthy. In martial arts training, we are trying to become tanomoshii (頼もしい) or “a person worthy of trust.” Trust might be one of the most crucial elements in any relationship in not only combat but in life as well. If we cannot trust the person standing next to us to protect our flank, then we will surely perish. That is why a warrior cultivates themselves and tries to become as reliable as a shinraidekiru ken (信頼できる剣) or “trusted sword.” A martial artist is supposed to be an upstanding person and every day in class, we work on becoming trustworthy. On the mat, our partners trust that we won’t intentionally hurt them and we, in turn, don’t breach that trust by purposefully hurting them. Off the mat, we clean up after ourselves and treat each other respectfully. The more we act appropriately, the more other people trust us. Our actions on and off the mat dictate to others our true character and indicate whether or not we can be trusted. In the old days of the martial arts, training wasn’t open to everyone. A teacher would only accept a student by recommendation or if they were from a “good” family because there had to be some accountability. A person or family’s good name was at stake if someone they recommended acted inappropriately. Interestingly, in Japanese, to gain someone’s trust is futokoro ni hairu (懐に入る) which translates as “to get in someone's pocket” but it’s also the term used in Sumo for getting close to one’s opponent. Someone once said, “Trust takes years to build, seconds to break, and forever to repair.” In the martial arts, it is the same way. In the martial arts or in life, the worst thing is to be thought of as untrustworthy. The Japanese say, “Cherry blossoms among flowers warriors among men.” A martial artist is supposed to be a person of character and that’s why they are trustworthy.

Today’s goal: Become a person worthy of trust. 

Watch this video to better understand trust.

Give it Your All

The best martial artists give it their all. In Japanese, “to give something one's all” is kiai wo ireru (氣合を入れる). Kiai wo ireru translates as “to put your fighting spirit into it.” The more we train, the more we realize mononoaware (物の哀れ) or “the transience of life.” There is an awareness that comes about when we realize how lethal a martial art can be but also how fragile life can be too. In class to honor 2nd Doshu, Kisshomaru Ueshiba’s passing, we displayed Japanese fan with calligraphy 合氣道一路 that he had brushed in 1997. 合氣道一路 or “aikido ichiro” could mean Aikido one path or the straight path of Aikido. The meaning is supposed to be pondered by each person. One way to think about it is that there is a large element of luck involved in order for things to line up so that we can do the things that we want to do. Some people might be thinking, “No, I am a motivated person.” That might be true, but we must also realize that we are lucky enough to find ourselves in a position to follow our passion. We are lucky enough to be “able” to train, to have a teacher, to have our life circumstances line up or just simply have the time to train. Therefore, if we are able to study a martial art, we are one of the lucky ones. Understanding the role that luck plays in giving us the opportunity to do something, we shouldn’t squander it. Those that study Aikido understand this and should ichiro or put their all into following the path of Aikido. We should be grateful that we are fortunate, and we show our gratitude by applying ourselves. Life is like that too. Each day 150,000 people die and those people don’t get a tomorrow. Realizing this, we don’t squander the opportunity that having a today brings us. A martial artist doesn’t put off until tomorrow because they realize that tomorrow might not come and that’s why the best martial artist always gives it their all today.  

Today’s goal: You have the opportunity, what are you going to do with it? 

Watch this video of David Goggins talking about putting your all into something.

Throwback Thursday - Samurai Focus

Furuya Sensei posted this to his Daily Message on April 29, 2003. 

A samurai is a warrior from feudal Japan which began in the early 11th century and ended in 1868 with the restoration of Emperor Meiji to the throne and Japan once again became a monarchy. During this feudal period, Japan was under feudal warlords occupying their territories and who employed warriors to serve them. These warriors were called "samurai," which comes from the Japanese word samurau (侍) meaning "to serve.” The noun form of this word is "samurai" meaning "one who serves (a feudal lord)" or "warrior." Martial artists today practice the modern versions of fighting systems the ancient warriors or samurai utilized on the battlefield. Today, martial arts not only includes the Japanese fighting systems used by these warriors of long ago but many other modern fighting systems and disciplines from many other countries. To be a samurai means that one must be devoted to their work, be dutiful to all of their friends, filial to their parents, humane to all living creatures, and be wise and strong. It means that they must value honor and respect above all else. A samurai never lies or cheats or is lazy. Finally, in everything a samurai does, they give 100% of their mind, body and spirit to it - this is what a samurai “is.” In daily life, we should practice this focus in every single moment of the day - even when we are asleep!

Flash of Lightning

While hunkered down in quarantine, I watched the movie Sanjuro with Toshiro Mifune. There is a great line of dialogue that the Chamberlin’s wife says to Sanjuro: “I hesitate to say this after you so kindly saved us, but killing people is a bad habit. You glisten too brightly, like a drawn sword. You’re like a sword without a sheath. You cut well, but the best sword is kept in its sheath.” Thinking about her assertion, I remembered that the flash of light that is reflected off the blade of a sword is called shiden (紫電) which can also mean “a flash of lightning.” While researching the Japanese word for a flash of lightning I came across the Buddhist term nyoronyoden (如露如電) which translates to mean that “Existence is as mutable and incorporeal as the morning dew or a flash of lightning.” I remembered that Furuya Sensei had a sword that was named Morning Dew and I always wondered about origin of the name. Reading about nyoronyoden, I understood why the swordsmith could have named the sword Morning Dew. The name Morning Dew might have been used to remind the wielder about the tenuousness of life which is as fleeting as a flash of lightning or disappears as quickly as the morning dew. In swordsmanship, supposedly, the shiden from the opponent’s blade is the last thing a person sees before they are cut down. Understanding the gravity of the consequences of drawing one’s sword, it is said that a warrior should never draw their sword recklessly. Sensei liked a swordsmith from the 1840s named Arikoto who would inscribe all of his swords with this poem: Yaki tachi wo saya ni osamete, masumasu masurao no kokoro wo togari keri or "Before you draw your tempered blade, keep it in its saya and polish your soul first of all.” A sword is nothing more than a tool. The flash from our blade can be used to kill others but that is too juvenile. The best warriors use their swords to destroy their own egos and that is why “the best sword is kept in its sheath.” The true shininess of our blades doesn’t come from our ability to kill but from our ability to show restraint.  

Today’s goal: What can you do to let your blade shine without pulling it out? 

Click the picture to see the scene of the Chamberlin’s wife admonishing Sanjuro.

Warriors Admire Butterflies

死から目覚め生き返る 
Shi kara mezame ikikaeru 
Wake from death and return to life.

Warriors admire butterflies. Warriors admire butterflies because warriorship is the process of transforming oneself and, in Japanese culture, the chou (蝶) or butterfly is the symbol of transformation. The process of becoming a butterfly is not unlike the process of transformation that one undergoes in training. Students and butterflies are both put into difficult circumstances that they have to overcome in order to be successful. In training, we should always give our training partners the strongest attack that they can handle. I am not advocating that we be jerks to each other, but rather that the attack should be firm yet mindful. We should try to develop our sensitivity when attacking our opponents so that our attack has just enough pressure to firmly nudge our partners to grow. Furuya Sensei used to say, “Train with them up to their level and just one step further.” A firm attack takes us out of complacency and forces us to overcome and grow. One step further supposedly takes us to a place where optimal growth occurs. This optimal place is a modern construct. In the days of old, it was trial by fire and a person was regularly pushed way outside their comfort zone or crushed by their training partners. It was the sink or swim mentality. Teachers and students of old believed in Nietzsche’s quote, “That which does not kill us, makes us stronger.” When I was a student, Sensei used to say, “Aikido is only for the elite.” I used to hate that because I thought that he was talking about it from a societal class perspective. However, today, I understand that “elite” means that special person who can not only endure the trial by fire but also make it through. The Japanese say, “to wake from death and return to life” which alludes to Nietzsche’s quote that in surviving hardship we are reborn stronger. Training teaches us how to overcome adversity and we use that adversity to make ourselves better. Like the butterfly, we overcome and are remade into something beautiful - a better human being. That’s why warriors admire butterflies.   

Today’s goal: What can you do to transform yourself today? 

Watch this video to better understand living.

Throwback Thursday - More Practice

Furuya Sensei posted this to his Daily Message on August 29, 2002. 

In one of Saito Sensei's last seminars, someone asked him to make some comments and one of the comments he made was, "Practice tai-no-henka (Tenkan Kokyo-ho) everyday." For such a high-level teacher, I think this is a great comment to make and I respect him for it. Yes, we should practice Tenkan everyday, day and night if possible. I see many black belts who have many years of experience but still, their tenkan movement is not yet right. Many things in Aikido, and many other arts, are like this. They require constant practice - within this constant repetition, one can begin to see the finer points of the movement and begin to refine their own technique, little by little. This is the only way - there are no short cuts and no matter how clever or good we think we are, we still need to practice. In Japanese, they say, "Nama hyosha wa oo-kega." Or, "it is the inexperienced warrior who sustains the greatest injury!" We may think we are experienced and we may think we practice hard but most of us are not nearly close to our goals! I am considered an authority on Japanese swords and sword guards in this country and there are not many around who has studied this subject in detail as I have or for as many years. Occasionally, I call my friend in Japan to ask a few questions. He is one of the number one authorities on this subject. I am sitting there listening to him on the phone, hearing him easily and so clearly explain certain points of the sword to me, and all I can think to myself is, "What a stupid beginner I am!” In everything, we always need more practice.

Throwback Thursday - This Moment

Furuya Sensei posted this to his Daily Message on December 3, 2002. 

A relationship with another person is not easy. The true connection between two people is always spiritual and therefore very tenuous. It is always based on trust, respect, love, a common point of interest or destiny. Most of us base our friendships on money or advantage, this is not good.

The samurai used to say, "Ichigo Ichie” (一期一会) or “one time, one meeting.” To them, everything was a one-shot deal. Based ichigo ichi, we should meet and treat each person as if it is the last time we will ever see them. This was very true in the days of the samurai on the battlefield. Every morning, we wake up not knowing if we will see the evening or if we will ever share the next meal with our friend.

There is nothing more precious than our relationships whether it be family or friends. Everything must be done to maintain them and preserve and nurture them - we are not on the battlefield! If we want a peaceful society of harmony and friendship, we must do everything in our power to make it such.

I see people come and go in the dojo all the time. Becoming a member of a dojo is not like shopping at a grocery store running from one to the another for the best bargain or prices. Becoming a member of the dojo is like becoming a member of a family. This is a very important concept of the dojo and we have forgotten it today. A dojo is an “old" family where everyone sticks together though thick and thin.

Why do I feel it is so important to stick together through thick and thin? Because of "Ichigo Ichie." Because we never know when we or the other will be gone.

Watch Furuya Sensei demonstrating in 1990.

Master the Moment

In the martial arts, the successful student is the one who can master the moment. In order to master the moment, we have to be good at sente (先手) or “seizing the initiative.” Sente translates as “first hand” but it’s supposed to mean taking the initiative. When we match up with our opponents, we should be constantly scanning them for suki (隙) or “weak points.” Once we discover an opening, we need to act quickly to seize the opportunity and, hopefully, the victory. Seizing the initiative is thought to be the best way to dictate the outcome and defeat our opponents. Life is like that as well. Furuya Sensei would often admonish us by saying, “there is no time left.” If we lived to be 101 years old, then we would have only lived 36,500 days. Doing the math is shockingly sobering. Sensei was right to admonish us because the opportunity to live our lives is right now - not tomorrow. Tonight is hatsukeiko or “the first practice of the year.” For a martial artist, January 1st shouldn’t be that big of a deal because although the date might change, the path still remains the same. However, coming to hatsukeiko is a symbolic gesture. Sometimes we stumble or sometimes we need to reaffirm ourselves and so by coming, we are symbolically saying that this is the path that we are choosing to take. We are seizing the initiative with the opportunity that being alive has afforded us. Martial artists train themselves to live following the Japanese proverb “issun no kouin karonzubekarazu” (一寸の光陰軽んずべからず) or that “not a moment should be wasted.” Today we are alive and able and thus we train because that is what we choose to do with our lives - we seize the initiative. Writer Alice Morse Earle said it best, "The clock is running. Make the most of today. Time waits for no man. Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That's why it is called the present.” That is why the best martial artists master the moment. 

Today’s goal: Seize the day because tomorrow might not come. 

Watch this video to better understand seizing the day.

Be a Worthy Opponent

Make yourself into a hikigotae (弾き応え) or “worthy opponent.” We often think of our opponents negatively. After all, they are the people who are trying to defeat us and we in turn are trying to defeat them. However, defeating them doesn’t mean that we have to do it with contempt. Actually, those who oppose us should be looked at with a sense of honor and esteem. We should honor our opponents because we understand that what it takes for someone to get to the level to oppose us on the battlefield is not unlike our own journey of self-development and so we are, in a sense, siblings. In Japanese, taishu (対手) means “opponent in combat” but it directly translates as “opposite hand.” We also hold them in high esteem because a good opponent forces us to be better. In the 16th century during Japan’s Warring States period, generals Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin fought many bloody battles against one another and were bitter rivals. Upon hearing of Takeda Shingen's death, Uesugi Kenshin reportedly openly wept and said, “"I have lost my good rival. We won't have a hero like that again!” and reportedly vowed to never attack Takeda lands. The real reason we should hold our opponent in high esteem is because they are not really our opponent at all. In a sense, they are just the vehicle that drives us to become better. O’Sensei believed that the only real opponent was ourselves and that is why he advocated masakatsu agatsu (正勝吾勝) or that “the true victory is self victory.” In a dojo, the fastest way to make ourselves good is to make those around us good. It is the iron sharpens iron mentality. When we focus on making others good, it can’t help but force us to bring our A game as well. The best warriors are themselves the best opponents. Therefore, we should become a person worthy of being defeated.

I wish you all happiness, health, and wealth in 2022!

Today’s goal: This year, if nothing else, make yourself into a worthy opponent.

Watch this video to better understand being a worthy opponent.

El Budoka Magazine - The Year of the Tiger

According to Chinese astrology, 2022 is the year of the tiger. The Chinese believed that the tiger is the king of all earthly animals and it is a symbol of strength and bravery but most of all it is the animal responsible for the destruction of evil. Yagyu Munenori said, “Conquering evil, not the opponent, is the essence of swordsmanship.” Hence, the tiger was very attractive symbol for the Samurai in the conquering evil and reminding them to have courage and strength in battle.   

The samurai wanted to be courageous so the image of the tiger was very attractive to them. They believed in the image so much so that some samurai would write the kanji for tiger or “tora” with their finger on their palm and then swallow it just before the beginning of a battle hoping that it would give them the "power of a tiger” on the battlefield.

The power of writing the character for “tiger” perhaps comes from this idea of kuji-in (九字印) or “nine line mudras.” In the days of old, a warrior would cut five horizontal and four vertical cuts in the air or do nine different hand mudras in order to activate a protective incantation. Typically, the character for tiger is written as (虎) and has only eight strokes because the number eight is considered good luck in Chinese. However, the character for tiger that was written by a warrior before battle had nine strokes (see kanji in picture) which made it more of a kuji-in. Each cut, stroke or mudra was supposed to represent a word in the ancient prayer: Rin Byo To Sha Kai Jin Retsu Zai Zen (臨兵闘者皆陣列在前) which means “The bravest warriors surpasses all others at the front of the battlefield.” Activating a kuji-in was supposed to give the warrior the power to “act like a tiger” on the battlefield.

There is a famous story from 17th century Japan which illustrates the tiger and the samurai spirit. In 1636, a Korean ambassador came to Japan to pay tribute to Tokugawa Iemitsu, the third Tokugawa Shogun. The ambassador brought the Shogun many beautiful gifts from Korea like fine Joseon pottery and he also presented the Shogun with one live tiger. Tigers in that time were very rare since they are not indigenous to Japan. Iemitsu and his retainers went to visit the tiger which was caged in the Fukiage Garden. Among Iemitsu’s retainers were Yagyu Muneori who was the Shogun’s swordsmanship teacher, and Takuan Soho who was the Zen teacher to both Iemitsu and Yagyu. Iemitsu was in awe at the fiercely caged tiger who was scratching and growling at anyone who dared look at the cage, but when he looked over at Yagyu, the sword master just looked indifferent. Wanting to test his teacher, Iemitsu said, “As a master swordsman, show me how you would tame such a beast.” Yagyu Munenori was known for his swordsmanship and fearlessness and so he accepted the Shogun’s challenge. As he entered the cage, the tiger began to growl loudly. As soon as the tiger let out a roar, Yagyu pulled out an iron fan, let out a loud kiai and hit the tiger on the head. The tiger immediately quieted down and retreated to the corner of the cage looking angrily at Yagyu. Everyone in the crown cheered and clapped upon seeing Yagyu’s fearlessness and samurai spirit. As everyone was congratulating Yagyu, Iemitsu looked over and saw that Takuan had a displeased look on his face. So he asked Takuan, “Do you not agree that Yagyu Sensei’s prowess is remarkable?” Takuan turned and rebuked Yagyu by saying, “That is not the proper way to handle a tiger.” Thinking that Takuan would back down, the shogun humorously said “Then, please show us how it should be done.” Without hesitation, Takuan stood up took a single breath to center himself and calmly entered the cage. The tiger was still angrily sitting in the far corner of the cage when Takuan entered. Calmly, Takuan walked up to the tiger, rolled up his sleeves and extended his hand. At first, the tiger shifted and began to growl when Takuan outstretched his hand, but sensing no threat from the monk, the tiger relaxed and began to lick his palm. Takuan returned the tiger’s affection by stroking his nose. The crowd gasped and were quietly in awe of Takuan’s calm taming of the tiger. As Takuan left the cage, he turned to Yagyu and said, “While your approach was effective, you have created an enemy for life, but I have created a new friend.”

The samurai spirit is not one solely focused on killing. Samurai of old used to talk about the true spirit of warrior being bushinonasake (武士の情け) or “Samurai compassion.” A samurai is supposed to be a person capable of great brutality but that propensity for violence should be balanced out with compassion. A samurai fights and maybe even kills because that is their job but that doesn’t mean that they should enjoy hurting others. 

That is why Yagyu Munenori and Takuan Soho’s approaches to the tiger are supposed to represent the two sides of the mindset of the warrior. A warrior is supposed to be a person who embodies strength and courage in the face of adversity but they must also meet that adversity with a sense of calmness and execute their duty with reserve and compassion. 

A samurai calmness comes from their understanding of hikarakuyo (飛花落葉) or “impermanence.” They have resigned themselves to dying or in other words they actively embrace what the common person chooses to ignore. This doesn’t mean that they were apathetic or took death lightly. On the contrary, knowing that they were going to die, they held life in high esteem. The samurai mindset understands that life is impermanent. Hikarakuyo literally translates as, “blossoms fall and leaves scatter” and deftly paints this picture of life being beautiful but fleeting. 

The tiger is the perfect metaphor for 2022. The global pandemic has brought us face to face with impermanence. Nothing is guaranteed to us so we must make the most out of the time that we have left. 2022 could be our best year ever or it could be our worst. Nobody knows which way it will go. The uncertainty is as uncertain as the mood of a tiger. Thus, our approach should be to engage it with the fearlessness of Yagyu but also with the calmness of Takuan. We cannot change or control whichever way 2022 will come to be. We can, however, control how we approach it. Business leadership expert Brian Tracy said, “You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control your attitude toward what happens to you, and in that, you will be mastering change rather than allowing it to master you.” The tiger reminds us that we too must face adversity with strength and courage but most of all with calmness. 

Let it Go

The strongest warriors have the ability to let it go. In Japanese, to “let go” is yubi wo hanasu (指を離す) which literally translates as opening the fingers. Years ago, I asked Furuya Sensei if his parents ever spoke about their time in the Japanese American internment camps during World War II. He said plainly, “No.” When I pressed him about why, he said almost matter of factly that it was “shoganai.” Shoganai (仕様がない) means “it can’t be helped” but that is too literal. Shoganai is an attitude of resiliency that one gets from accepting an unfortunate situation and moving on from it. I wanted to know more so I asked Sensei if his very samurai like grandfather ever said anything about the internment camps and Sensei said, “The only thing he ever said about the internment camps was ‘war is war.’” Sensei’s answers always puzzled me because I couldn’t understand how they could seemingly just get over it. The more I trained in Aikido, the more I understood the attitude of shoganai. A weaker person holds on to that which they cannot change which is generally unfortunate things from their past. A stronger person has the ability to let go of that which doesn’t serve them. Miyamoto Musashi said, “Do nothing which is of no use.” Thus, anger, fear, and hatred don’t serve us and so holding on to them is of no use. The more we train, the more we come to understand humanity and that every person is suffering on some level. None of us are perfect and when we make a mistake, we hope that people give us kindness rather than destroy us. The strongest warriors understand humanity and so they have not only the strength but the ability to let it go. 

True Humanity

Like me, every person is good and only doing the best that they can. 

Like me, every person is suffering and going through their own stuff (sh*t). 

Like me, every person is unaware and so they may not even know that they are doing it. 

Thus, every person deserves kindness, compassion and forgiveness just like me. 

Be safe and have a Happy New Year! 

Today’s goal: You deserve kindness, compassion and forgiveness. Give it to get it.

Watch this video to better understand kindness.

Throwback Thursday - Humanity

Furuya Sensei posted this to his Daily Message on June 5, 2004. 

折伏の身功へ空しい

Shaku boku no mi kou e munashi

Our bodies are temporarily given, honors are meaningless.

In the Samurai mind, we have two ideas which, at once, both contradict each other and, at the same time, are quite compatible.

On one hand, the Samurai say, "Our body is temporary but our name (honor) will last forever. In this sense, our honor and pride and acts of courage will always be remembered so we must put this above our own selfish desires and interests and should always be on the side of righteousness.

However, at the same time, we live in a temporary world of constant change, we are here today and gone tomorrow. Thus, what is the meaning of such honor and pride?

The life of a teacher-priest is to be here for others and not really for ourselves. A teacher must teach humanity along with Aikido or it is not Aikido at all. As I gain more of my own humanity, I long for the same foibles and desires of others.

Aikido will bring us in touch with a higher, mysterious power but one should not become obsessed with this. Many translate this into a desire for power and authority and this is incorrect. One’s power must always be used to polish one's own humanity however perfect or imperfect humanity may be. We are not here for long and thus honors are meaningless but it is this very same honor which will last forever in the minds of others.

Watch Furuya Sensei being interviewed in 2005 on East Meets West

Redemption

汚名返上 
Omeihenjo
To redeem oneself 

The journey of the martial arts is really omeihenjo (汚名返上) or a journey of “self-redemption.” It is inevitable that not only in the martial arts but in life that we will make mistakes. Our character is defined by how we handle adversity and how we deal with our mistakes. Every day, we train, make mistakes, learn and grow. This process can best be summed up by the proverb nana korobi ya oki (七転び八起き) or “To fall down seven times, but get up eight.” Falling down and getting back up teaches us utarezuyoi (打たれ強い) or “resiliency.” Interestingly, the kanji for utarezuyoi directly translates as “strong hit” implying that we have to be able to recover from a strong hit in order to succeed. In Aikido, our partners throw us down and we have to get right back up and do it again. Thus, we are literally practicing this proverb and teaching ourselves resiliency with every Aikido technique. We learn that our character is defined by how we handle adversity and mistakes. When a normal person makes a mistake, they usually go to great lengths to cover it up, pretend that it didn’t happen or turn away from it. A martial artist isn’t a normal person and so they turn toward adversity and embrace their mistakes. O’Sensei said, “Be grateful even for hardship, setbacks, and bad people. Dealing with such obstacles is an essential part of training in the Art of Peace.” We should be grateful because our difficulties show us where the work needs to be done. Furuya Sensei used to often say, “Do not turn a mistake into a mistake.” Explaining this he wrote, “By running away from our errors or mistakes or not turning them into some kind of advantage or benefit is the ‘real’ mistake.” Therefore, the only mistake that we can’t recover from is in not trying to rectify or redeem ourselves when we realize that we have made an error. The martial arts teach us resiliency and thus we learn that nothing is broken beyond repair and that is why the true path of the martial arts is self-redemption. This year might be coming to a close but there is still time left in life to make a comeback and redeem ourselves.

Today’s goal: What can you do to repair something that seems to be broken? 

Watch this video to better understand redemption.

Be Considerate

A true warrior is considerate of others. In Feudal Japan, it was thought that a samurai’s skill was reflected more in their politeness and decorum than their ability to wield a sword. That’s why the Japanese say, “yaiba ni tsukimono wa rei ni suguru” (刃に強き者は礼にすぐる) or that “The skilled swordsman has superior manners.” Politeness and good manners were thought to be essential traits for developing one’s humanity. Humanity was a necessary requirement to balance out the samurai’s job of killing. In one respect, being considerate of others was for safety purposes. A warrior’s intention always needed to be clear so as to avoid any misunderstandings. If they were polite and followed the etiquette, then there was a lower likelihood that their actions would be misinterpreted and lead to the ugliness of fighting. This is the same in Aikido training, before we begin training with our partners we say, “Onegaishimasu” (お願いします) which basically translates as “please.” The timing and the way in which we say onegaishimasu enables our partners to get a sense of our intention, mood or state of mind. In our day to day lives, it can be easy to forget our humanity as we fight to get ahead. However, slowing down and taking the time to be considerate of others is what brings us back to our humanity. It's no easy task to give kindness, compassion or forgiveness to someone especially if they are trying to hurt us but that is what training is trying to teach us. It takes no training to hurt another person, but only a truly developed person is capable of giving kindness, compassion or forgiveness. Having the ability to be truly considerate of others shows great power. Christmas is supposed to be a time of giving and its arrival reminds us to be the people that we are training to be. It takes more strength to give compassion than it does to destroy others. Thus, a true warrior is always considerate of others. This holiday season, please do your best to be kind, considerate and tolerant of others - it shows your true level. Merry Christmas!

Today’s goal: What can you do to be more kind, compassionate or considerate? 

Watch this video of the care and consideration Japanese retailers use in wrapping gifts with one piece of tape.