Never Give up

A true martial artist never gives up. Many think that being a “true” martial artist means having strength, talent, or ability but those things mean nothing if we quit. One the main things that we are learning in martial arts training is how to have touki (闘氣) or “fighting spirit.” Fighting spirit is defined as “Having a feeling that you are ready to fight very hard for something or to try something difficult.” When a person develops a fighting spirit mindset then they will shishitenochiyamu (死して後已む) or “never give up until they are dead.” A long time ago, Furuya Sensei was admonishing us for being lazy and casually mentioned, “you should train so hard that people call this dojo, ‘oni dojo’ (鬼道場).” Coincidentally, I had just read a book on swordsmanship which translated oni as “hell” and so I thought Sensei meant that we should be training like we are suffering in hell. The other day, I happened to see that oni (鬼) really meant “ogre” or “demon” and that when you add the kanji 鬼 to another word, it means “sent from hell.” Curiously, I looked up the kanji and saw that one meaning for oni is “to be ogre like” and the explanation defined the traits of an ogre as being “fierce, relentless, and tenacious.” I thought to myself, “Ahh, that is what Sensei meant by oni dojo.” Sensei wasn’t calling for us to make the dojo a hellish place but rather that we should be training with the spirit like ogres sent from hell. When we are fierce, relentless, and tenacious or have fighting spirit, there is no way we would ever quit and therefore there is nothing that we wouldn’t be able to accomplish. Fighting spirit is 100% mental and so it is one of those things that we can’t be taught but we can learn. In martial arts training, we learn fighting spirit every day when we are confronted by adversity and surmount them. With every problem, difficulty, or discomfort that we overcome, our fighting spirit grows. Coach Vince Lombardi said, “Once you learn to quit, it becomes a habit.” So true indeed. A true martial artist isn’t necessarily the person who has physical strength, talent, or ability but they are the people who will stay and fight despite the odds or the opponents.

Today’s goal: What in your life could use a dose of fighting spirit?

Watch this video anytime you feel like giving up

Don’t Hate Mondays

“Sever the edge between before and after. - Takuan Soho

A good martial artist doesn’t hate Mondays. In fact, a good martial artist doesn’t see a difference between Monday or any other day of the week. A normal person gets to think, “I hate Mondays” as they live for the weekend or some other day where they think their lives would be better. This type thinking, that a normal person a gets to have, is called a discriminating mind. A discriminating mind has the luxury of judging things as being happy, sad, mad, or tied to any other emotion. A true martial artist doesn’t allow themselves the luxury of judgement and is supposed to have cultivated something called fudoshin (不動心) or “an immovable mind.” An immovable mind doesn’t mean “unmoving” in a fixed sense but rather that the mind isn’t moved or swayed by any one thing in one way or another. In his book, The Unfettered Mind, Takuan Soho called this fudoshin mindset “no-mind” and he wrote, “When this no-Mind has been well developed, the mind does not stop with one thing, nor does it lack any one thing. It appears appropriately when facing a time of need.” This demonstrates that one of the highest levels in Budo is to develop a mind of equanimity. Having an equanimous mindset means that our minds should be even keeled, mindful and always present which enables us to act appropriately to any given situation. This is opposed to a discriminating mind which mindlessly reacts to every little mosquito and also one which hates Mondays. Miyamoto Musashi might have understood this and valued it so highly that he put “Accept everything just the way it is” as his number one “rules of life” in a treatise called the Dokkodo. Honestly, I can attest that having an immovable mind is easier said than done and it is something that takes years or even decades to cultivate and I know that I am not personally there yet. Having an immovable mind is a practice and like all good practices, there will be good and bad days. The first step to attaining this high level is to become aware that there is no difference between Mondays or Fridays or any other day of the week. This is perhaps why Takuan Soho said, “Sever the edge between before and after.” Every day in practice, we are confronted with some obstacle or uncomfortableness. This uncomfortableness ranges from the doldrums of Mondays to getting struck in the head. The more we accept that which confronts us, the more our minds can become immovable and then no opponent or adversity will be able to upset our mind’s balance. When this happens, our minds will become calm as the smooth surface of water which can clearly reflect the perceptions from the outside world. A good martial artist doesn’t let their minds get swayed by any one thing. Thus, don’t hate Mondays, but don’t love them either. Mondays are just another day for us to put our training into practice.

Today’s goal: Train your mind to see Mondays as just another day.

Watch this video to better understand Mondays

Resiliency

“We don't rise to the level of our expectations, we fall to the level of our training.” - Archilochus

A good martial artist is resilient. A normal person typically chooses the easiest path. A martial artist is not normal and therefore always intentionally chooses the harder path which makes things hard on themselves. The reason why is because a good martial artist knows that hardships create resiliency and resiliency is the path to true inner strength. Furuya Sensei once wrote, “A samurai sword is made by folding the layers of iron over themselves over and over to create a thousand layers of iron which actually crisscross in a mesh giving the sword its great strength and resiliency. In the same way, correct repetition of the technique over and over again in one's practice creates many layers of understanding within one’s body and mind in the same way a samurai sword is forged. In Japanese, the words for ‘forging’ and ‘learning’ are often interchanged.” A couple of examples of this interchange are renshuu (練習) which means “practice” or  “polishing” and tanren (鍛錬) or “to forge” or “to discipline.” Today, more so than ever before, it is easy to take the comfortable well-lit path. However, the easy path is not the path to true mastery because it doesn’t create resiliency. Resiliency is the strength to bounce back from adversity. In Japanese, tsuyoi (強い) means “strength” but it also means “resiliency.” Thus, one can posit that true strength only comes about when one is resilient. We won’t know how resilient we are until we are tested and that is why a martial artist is always intentionally putting themselves in difficult situations. With each adversity overcome, our true strength or resiliency is revealed. Furuya Sensei also wrote, “When we suffer bad times, we always think that the world is against us. Actually, we can look at it in another way. The bad times we suffer are actually blessings in disguise. Only the purest gold is tested in the hottest fire, lesser metals cannot take the heat. Dogen Zenji said, ‘The greater the aspiration, the greater the enlightenment.’ Aspiration is always tested and polished by hardship.” In life and in the martial arts, we get to choose whether we want to be gold or some fake gold like copper and, truly, the only person who will know is ourselves. Archilochus said, “We don't rise to the level of our expectations, we fall to the level of our training.” Push yourself to reveal your best self.

Today’s goal: Become more resilient by purposefully choosing the harder path.

Watch this video to better understand resiliency

Instantaneous Action

電光石火
Denkousekka
Lightning speed

A good martial artist trains themselves to act instantaneously. Instantaneous action or shunji dosa (瞬時動作) means “to act without any perceptible duration of time” between thought and act. Earlier this year, former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was assassinated by an untrained assassin using a makeshift gun. Security experts revealed that there were 2.5 seconds between when the assassin fired the first shot and missed and when he fired the second shot and killed Abe. In the martial arts, we say, “Death comes with lightning speed.” Therefore, from a martial arts standpoint, 2.5 seconds is a huge amount of time. As martial artists, all of our techniques are supposed to become naraishou (習い性) or “second nature. This means that we need to learn to move without conscious thought. The reason why is because it is thought that our conscious minds can only process about 2,000 bits of information per second at a speed of 100-150 mph while our subconscious mind can process about 400 billion bits of information per second at a speed of up to 100,000 mph. That means our subconscious minds are 2 million times faster than our conscious minds. We need that speed because we are surrounded by shikaku (死角) or “blind spots” where there are things in motion which are imperceptible to our conscious minds. When those imperceptible things arise, we need to deal with them in an instant and in the most appropriate way. This is one reason why classes in the martial arts are supposed to be done in silence. This quietude enables us to get into an henseiishikijoutai (変性意識状態) or “altered state of consciousness” where our minds become hyper-absorbent and we are able to train techniques into our bodies easily. When we train our subconscious to act, so that our movements become intuitive or as the Japanese say, “kuuki wo yomeru” (空氣を読めるよう) or “we are able to read the air” and we just move instantly and seemingly without thought. The difference between life and death is often just a few seconds and that is why a good martial artist trains themselves to act instantaneously.

Today’s goal: What in your life can you make second nature?

Watch this video to better understand the subconscious.

Rise Above

The best warrior rises above. One state of being that all people who study a martial art are supposed to be aspiring to is kyomutentan (虚無恬淡). Kyomutentan means “to rise above the trivia of life and remaining calm and selfless.” A dojo is supposed to be a respite from the outside world - a place where we can go and let the outside world and all of its distractions fall away. Furuya Sensei used to say, “Cut off your head and leave it at the door.” The dojo is the place and training is the mechanism that we use to fine tune ourselves. In training, we learn to distinguish the difference between what is important versus what is urgent. When someone strikes at us, the strike is urgent but what is more important is how we deal with that blow mentally, and emotionally. If we allow our minds to be overly distracted by the strike, then we will act inappropriately and most likely get hit. If we stay calm and focused, then we will most likely maneuver appropriately and not get hit. Nakayama Hakudo said, “If you think about striking you will become confused. If you think about not striking you will become confused. It is when you are calm and not thinking about striking or being struck that real victory lies.” This may seem like an overly simplistic idea, but it is super complicated in a practical sense, but that is why we train. In class, there are numerous things that we bring into the dojo which can distract us and when we add in attacks it is easy to lose sight of the moment, our presence, and our calmness. When our minds are calm like the smooth surface of water, then it can clearly reflect the perceptions from the outside world. When our minds are stirred, then the reflection becomes distorted, and we will have difficulty perceiving the reality of the situation. Kaibara Ekken said, “A noble man controls frivolity with gravity, awaits action in a state of calm. It is important for the spirit to be whole, the mood steady, and the mind unmoving.” On a moment to moment basis, we are bombarded by things, people, and situations. Typically, if we react, we are doing so mindlessly and not from the present moment which usually results in an inappropriate reaction. Understanding this, we train so that we may act mindfully and appropriately. We cannot control what happens to us, but we can control how we respond to it and that is why the best warriors rise above.   

Today’s goal: In everything you do in life, be calm and rise above.

No Tomorrows

明日は明日の風が吹く
Ashita wa ashitanokaze ga fuku
Tomorrow will take care of itself

The best martial artists don’t believe in tomorrow - they believe in today. Normal people believe in tomorrow and think “shizumusearebaukabuseari” (沈む瀬あれば浮かぶ瀬あり) or “What falls today may rise tomorrow.” On a certain level, thinking that there will be another chance tomorrow can be healthy and, in thinking so, it creates a sense of hope in the face of an otherwise desperate situation. The problem in thinking that tomorrow actually exists is that it could cause us to not do our best or even give up. Gense (現世) is an old Buddhist term that literally translates as “present world” but the deeper meaning is “being ready to live.” The martial arts are born out of strife on the battlefield and so, in a sense, a practitioner’s mindset is supposed to be one of inochigake (命がけ) or “life and death.” The warrior of old had to learn how to live knowing that they were going to die and thus cultivated a mindset of “being ready to live.” Today, we don’t fight for our lives and so having a life and death mindset is not normal. Living today or being ready to live is something that we have to cultivate or habituate. One way to habituate this mindset is in how we do our martial arts techniques. Often times in class, I see students start a technique but then stop part way through when they think they have made a mistake. From there, they go back to the beginning and start all over again. When I see this, I always admonish them and try to explain that the martial arts are not like a video game where they can hit the reset button and start all over again when things aren’t going their way or when they have made a mistake. In life and in the martial arts, we have to deal with what comes. We don’t get to put it off for tomorrow. With training, we will come to understand that regardless of what we are doing, our bodies will always be present (today) even if our minds are not (tomorrow) and so today is really a mindset. A good martial artist with a today cultivated mindset will realize that they have made a mistake and in realizing so, they will make a correction in their movement as they go in order to get things back on track rather than stop and start over again. This is how we, as martial artists, can begin to habituate a today or “present world” mindset. In the martial arts and in life, there are no do-overs and thus this idea of tomorrow is an illusion. Alice Morse Earle said, “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 is why it is called the present.” Tomorrow never comes because it is always today.

Today’s goal: Forget about tomorrow. Give yourself the gift of today.

Watch this video to better understand today

Manners

礼に始まり礼に終わる

Rei ni hajimari, rei ni owaru

Everything begins and ends with respect

A good martial artist always behaves carefully. For the most part, traditional Japanese martial arts were born out of Japan’s Feudal era where even the smallest infraction or act of impoliteness could result in a fight or death. This is no more apparent than in the ill-fated tale of the 47 Ronin where events are set in motion because of a breach of etiquette. Understanding that one’s life could be lost because of some rudeness or carelessness, a samurai was always supposed to err on the side of decorum. Understanding this, decorum and etiquette were put into place to keep warriors safe rather than to oppress them. In modern martial arts, it is the same way. When I was a little kid, my older brother studied Kendo. Every Friday night, we had to go watch him train and it was so boring, and I hated it. The reason why I hated it was because if my younger brother and I were going to be inside the dojo, we were supposed to pay attention and maintain some level of decorum. My mother would never allow us to misbehave or slouch while the class was going on. This was in the 70s before smartphones and so we just had to sit there. Most of the time, we had to be inside because the dojo was in a bad neighborhood. Local gang kids would jump the fence and try to beat us up and so we were constantly seeking refuge inside the dojo. One night, a group of high school aged kids jumped the fence. It was like a scene out of the Karate Kid or something as they chased us into a corner. They were yelling some racial slurs and pushing us around. Just as they were about to beat us up, one of the Kendo teachers came out of nowhere and subdued the biggest kid with a choke and joint lock. As he wrenched the kid’s body, he said, “This is a dojo, show some respect.” Writhing in pain, the kid nodded. The Sensei gave him one last hard squeeze and said, “Good. Never come back here.” I’ll never forget the wide eyed and scared look on their faces as they ran out. He then looked at us and said, “You guys are making too much noise out here. Go inside and don’t forget to bow before you enter the dojo.” I remember that when he said that to us, I got scared. By those kids misbehaving and not adhering to the proper etiquette, it actually saved us. In the dojo and in life, our behavior dictates how others will treat us. Therefore, our actions have consequences and that is why a good martial artist always behaves carefully.

Today’s goal: Mind your manners. You never know who’s watching or what could happen.

Watch this video to better understand what it means to have manners

Throwback Thursday - Treasured Sword

Throwback Thursday - Treasured Sword

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

When we consider what we have, we are always happy. But somehow, when we begin to think what we don't have, we are never satisfied. Isn't it better not to go there in the first place?

In Zen, there is a well known saying: "Ho-ken wa te ni ari.” "The Treasure Sword is in your hand." Everyone searches of their "treasure sword" (wisdom) yet, it is something which we already possess in our own hearts.

More often than not, we have everything we need to be happy but not realizing we already possess this "treasure sword," we are unhappy and complain about this and that.

Intentionality

一念岩をも通す
Ichinen iwa wo mo tosu
Single-mindedness pierces even a boulder

A good martial artist has intentionality. Shikousei (志向性) or “intentionality” is “the fact of being deliberate or purposive.” As a philosophical construct, intentionality is the mental state which guides our actions. Alan Cohen said, “When your intention is clear, so is the way.” The Japanese character for intention (志) is made up of the character for warrior (士) and for heart (心). One can surmise that to have intention, or a focus is to have the heart of a warrior. In everything we do, we must first set our intention and then constantly reaffirm our intention to ensure that we are on the right track. Intention is akin to positive self-talk or a positive affirmation. Intention gives us direction and thus having the proper intention sets the tone, keeps us on track and helps us to succeed. In Junichi Haga’s book Secret’s on Kendo, he writes how his initial attack is always a strong tsuki or “thrust.” He commented that the tsuki is almost always parried but what it does do is set up the success of the subsequent attacks. The same thing happens in class. Students should take a moment before class starts and quietly set their intentions. What do you want to work on? What do you want to achieve? What type of class do you want to have? Setting our intention by answering these types of questions helps to bring us into the moment and puts our minds in the right space. In Aikido, and I am sure in all martial arts, every movement is itotekina ugoki (意図的動き) or “purposeful movement.” Conversely, in the martial arts, there also should not be any muda (無駄) or “waste.” When our minds and bodies move intentionally, we achieve something called shinshinichinyo (心身一如) or “mind-body unity” and it is at this juncture where we become truly undefeatable. That is why the Japanese say, “Ichinen iwa wo mo tosu” or “Single-mindedness pierces even a boulder.” Intention is then the basis for true inner strength and inner strength is what we use to overcome adversity and achieve our goals. What makes a martial artist good is having the ability to know where and how to apply their focus. When talking about focus, Furuya Sensei used to say, “Don’t just dig holes, you have to dig in the right places.” Therefore, in the martial arts and in life, we should always think and move intentionally and purposefully because when the intention is clear, the way will be too. That is why a good martial artist always has the right intentionality.

Today’s goal: Before you start, set your intention. 

Throwback Thursday - Be Open

Throwback Thursday - Be Open

Furuya Sensei posted this to his Daily Message on October 26, 2003.

It is important to remember the fundamental techniques, but it is also important to keep in mind the fundamental principles of Aikido as well. They are both like two wheels of a cart. By principles, I mean to be relaxed and well centered, directing one’s focus correctly, and keeping our posture straight.

We should never force the technique even though our partner may be using force. Work for "correctness," not strength. Aikido is not a competitive sport, it is training for the self.

Be understanding and put the other person before yourself. Of course, we are thinking about ourselves - but in Aikido training, it is the other person in front of us who is important. This is the most difficult concept for people to understand. This is only because we live in a very self centered world today.

Follow tradition before you follow your own ideas. Aikido is the refinement of O'Sensei's genius and the genius of many of his students over many generations. More often than not, their wisdom exceeds ours. Eventually and quite naturally, our own genius will emerge as we train and gain experience. Wait for this to happen naturally.

In your training, and in your Aikido go beyond right or wrong, just or unjust. Do not fret or worry or feel bad because of any injustice to yourself or others. Only focus on your training. Let the higher powers judge others and their actions - that is not a part of our concern or our Aikido. To quit because we may feel wronged or because we have a difficult time, is not Aikido. To see and experience injustice is only to direct oneself more strongly in our own direction. This is very difficult to understand but very important for us to learn in order to continue our practice.

We have everything we need to master Aikido within ourselves, in each human being, there is no such thing as "plus" or “minus." Never forget this in dealing with ourselves or others.

In Aikido, there is the power of reason and the power of faith. In trying to understand Aikido, most people use reason. Please know that, from times immemorial, the power of faith was the stronger power. Faith can encompass reason, but it is hard for reason to embrace faith.

Following this, there are many things we will not understand in Aikido. This is NOT because Aikido does not make any sense, it is more often that the vessel is too small to hold Aikido. Faith means acceptance, like an empty vessel which desires to hold as much water as possible. Please be open about everything.

Read more about Furuya Sensei here: http://www.kenshofuruya.com

Know Grace

A true warrior knows grace. Kudoku (功徳) or “grace” is to show kindness to others even if they don’t deserve it. Grace is not something that we are actively taught as we are learning a martial art. Naively, we think that our teachers are training us to be lethal so that we may become “killers.” However, nothing is farther from the truth. In swordsmanship, we train so that we can deliver itto hissatsu (一刀必殺) or a “one cut kill.” To kill with one cut is not to make us more deadly. On the contrary, it is to make us more merciful. One might think, “This person is our enemy. Shouldn’t we make them suffer?” It is true that this person is our opponent but are they really our “enemy?” The job of being a samurai wasn’t glorious. In fact, to the Japanese, a warrior was thought to be a distasteful profession because they had to deal with blood and death which were thought to be aku (悪) or “impure” and that impurity brings about misfortune. Thus, from a samurai standpoint, this person who faces them was just as unlucky as themselves. They both have drawn the unlucky straw and have resigned themselves to their fates but at the same time, they both take their responsibility seriously and so they both have developed themselves to be worthy opponents. Understanding that the person facing us is no different than we are, we don’t hack them to death which would cause them to unduly suffer. Instead, we show them mercy by felling them with a single cut. It is said that a good warrior sees what is apparent while a great warrior sees what can’t be seen. A person attacks us - that is apparent. Aikidoists understand the universal truth that everyone suffers. So, what can’t be seen is that the person who is attacking us is attacking us because they are suffering. Therefore, if we too suffer and act out our suffering, then should we be destroyed when we trespass against others? When we are suffering, we want kindness, compassion, and forgiveness. Therefore, to be worthy of receiving grace, we should deliver it in kind when others trespass against us. It is easy to destroy or kill, untrained people do it every day. Every person deserves grace but only a true warrior is strong enough to give it.

Today’s goal: Show someone grace today even if they don’t deserve it. Give grace to get it.

Watch this video to better understand grace

Lead by Example

花は桜木人は武士
Hana wa sakura gi hito wa bushi
Sakura among flowers, warriors among men.

The best martial artist leads by example. The Japanese say, “hana wa sakura gi hito wa bushi” (花は桜木人は武士) or “Cherry blossom among flowers, warriors among men.” This is supposed to mean that the cherry blossom is the most beautiful flower and the warrior is supposed to be the best human being. In the past, Japanese culture was a warrior culture and so it was thought that the samurai were supposed to be the pinnacle of society because they followed the Way (道). Senshi no michi (戦士の道) or “the Way of the Warrior” is a way of life that dictates that the warrior follow a set of rules regardless if they are on the battlefield or off. Understanding this, in 1900, author Inazo Nitobe wrote Bushido: The Soul of Japan and tried to extrapolate a set of virtues that he thought embodied the samurai. The seven virtues of bushido are: Justice (義 gi), Courage (勇 yu), Benevolence (仁 jin), Respect (禮 rei), Honesty (誠 makoto),  Honor (名誉 meiyo) and Loyalty (忠義 chugi). A samurai who embodies these virtues exemplified what it meant to be a good person and thus would really be a warrior among men. Trying to emulate the Way of the Warrior, the martial artists of today are supposed to be a people of character. A dojo is a utopian structure where the students get to practice the Way of the Warrior. In a dojo, every person is simultaneously a senior or “sempai” and a junior or “kohai” to someone else. Therefore, even if we have just started, we might find ourselves someone else’s senior. Understanding this dictates that we act exemplarily at all times because we never know who is watching or who is going to follow our example. Furuya Sensei used to always say, “Always act as if your teacher is watching.” His admonishment was meant to warn us that one bad apple could spoil the bunch but also that the best warriors could bring out the best in others. That is why the best martial artists always lead by example.

Today’s goal: What can you do to lead by example?

Conscientiousness

There are no bystanders in Budo. A bystander is “a person who is present at an event or incident but does not take part.” Bystanders are people of inaction. Martial artists are kodoka (行動家) or “people of action.” Martial arts skill is not something that we miraculously get over night. There are no shortcuts or programs to download which will help us learn a martial art faster. The tried-and-true method of getting good at a martial art, or anything for that matter, is to simply put in the work. Putting in the work is one of those things that is hard because it is so simple. In order to put in the work, we must be a willing participant or in other words, we must choose to do the work. The Japanese say, “zaisan wo kuitsubusu” (財産を食いつぶす) which means “you will go broke in idleness.” The same thinking happens in the martial arts. Martial arts skill is ephemeral. If we do not keep up our skill, it will perish. John Quincy Adams said, “Idleness is sweet, and its consequences are cruel.” So true indeed! The two greatest opponents in training are laziness and complacency. That is why Furuya Sensei used to say, “Hold your sword every day so that your body doesn’t forget.” In a dojo, it is the same thing. If we allow inaction to enter the dojo, the dojo will fall into disrepair. Most things that make a dojo work go unseen. Every dojo has a small group of people who make the dojo run smoothly. They are the organizers, the facilitators, and the repair people - they are the doers. A doer is one of those people who can’t let things go idly by. If they see a piece of paper on the ground, they pick it up. If they see someone struggling, they help. There is a cruelty in watching someone suffer. That is why the best swordsman trains to kill with one merciful stroke. If nothing else, a martial artist is nenire (念入れ) or “conscientious” which means they are “a person who wishes to do what is right, especially to do their work or duty well and thoroughly.” What holds us back from being conscientious? Most likely fear. Dale Carnegie said, “Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home, and think about it. Go out and get busy.” There are no bystanders in Budo and that is why a true martial artist is a person of action.

Today’s goal: What can you do to be more conscientious?

Watch this video to better understand the bystander effect

Teamwork

Aiki Dojo Message - Teamwork

“Teamwork makes the dream work.” - John C. Maxwell

The best dojo works together as a team. Being able to work together as a team demonstrates the level of training inside that dojo. If the teachers and students in a dojo work well as a group, then one can surmise that the level of training in that dojo is good. However, if the members of a dojo don’t work well together or there are too many “individuals,” then one could suspect that the training there as a whole is not good. Teamwork demonstrates our level of training because it is one of those things which cannot be faked. Teamwork requires, among other things, respect, communication, mutual trust, and most of all self-sacrifice. In an Aikido dojo, more so than any other type of dojo, the members have to work together as a group because Aikido relies on having a person to take ukemi. Also, the ai (合) in Aikido means “to meet” or for things to come together which seems like the definition of group. When something comes together well, we call it harmony. That is why Furuya Sensei used to say, “In a dojo, you must learn to work together in harmony.” Someone once said, “it takes a village to raise a child.” Likewise, it takes a dojo to develop a student. From cleaning the dojo to taking ukemi, none of these things can be done alone and they require a bit of self-sacrifice. A dojo is supposed to be a bushidan (武士団) or “a group of warriors that come from related or dependent families.” In this sense, we win or lose as a group. In a dojo, we are trying to learn the seven virtues of bushido: Justice (義 gi), Courage (勇 yu), Benevolence (仁 jin), Respect (禮 rei), Honesty (誠 makoto),  Honor (名誉 meiyo) and Loyalty (忠義 chugi). If we look deeply into these traits, none of these things can be achieved without hard-work and self-sacrifice. Thus, the only way any of us gets anywhere is by working as a group and helping one another. The Way is hard enough, but the journey is made a little bit easier when we go as a group. Leadership guru John C. Maxwell said it best: “Teamwork makes the dream work.” A dojo is a group of people working together toward the common goal of improving themselves. Our teamwork exemplifies our true level of ability and that is why the best dojo works together as a team.

Today’s goal: What can you do to be a better dojomate?

Watch this video to better understand teamwork

Throwback Thursday - On Guard

Throwback Thursday - On Guard

Furuya Sensei posted this to his Daily Message on June 7, 2003.

It is easy to learn the physical techniques in martial arts but it is very difficult to catch the right mental attitude and spiritual posture to understand the martial arts. This is where most students need more effort and perseverance.

Most people follow what they think is right but what is right for you yourself personally may not be the same "right" for your training and Aikido. We may be very intelligent but this does not necessarily mean that we will be right in our training as well. Because of this, we must constantly be in awareness and constantly on guard. . . .  - to catch everything there is to learn.

In this regards, the health spa mentality will not do. Martial arts training as I constantly remind everyone is not sports or exercise. Nor is it play or just a game.

As the Ancients say, it is Life at the border of Life and Death. Don’t misunderstand this! It means that Life must be taken to its fullest and to its highest level within one's self! In this regard, it is definitely not play or a game, it definitely requires a great deal of personal focus, effort and courage.

The attitude which lacks focus and the mentality that one knows it all or is too arrogant are both the worst enemies to our training. For this, we must ever vigilant and constantly be on guard.

True Freedom

“Mind over matter represents the triumph of will over physical hindrance. Our thoughts are our weapon against the world.” - David Adam, 'The Man Who Couldn't Stop'.

The true battle is within. One goal of martial arts training is to achieve kikentaiichi  (氣剣体一致) or the juncture where “spirit, sword and body become one.” At this juncture, we find busshinichinyo (物心一如) or this liberation where mind and matter are one and there is no mind and there is no body. Getting to this place physically is the easy part where all we need to do is put in the reps. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “The ancestor of every action is a thought.” Thus, to be able to put in the reps requires that we have the mental fortitude to do so. Therefore, the harder and more important training happens in the mind.  Being able to push ourselves physically past the point of failure requires mental fortitude. Understanding this, we realize that all martial arts training is shuyo (修養) or “mental training” or in other words that the true battlefield lies within. It seems like the older I get, the more training becomes mental, and I realize that physical toughness pales in comparison to mental toughness. One thing that surprises me about aging is how quickly and easily my body falls out of shape. I remember reading a study in college that stated that the average professional athlete starts to lose conditioning after 10 days of inactivity. I also recently read an article that stated that we lose 50% of our muscle strength after three weeks of inactivity and a 20 % decrease in VO2 max after four weeks of inactivity. Shocking! To me, putting in the work is easy, but actually motivating myself to stay active is hard. William Butler Yeats said, “It takes more courage to examine the dark corners of your own soul than it does for a soldier to fight on a battlefield.” Thus, staying in shape requires things like passion, motivation, drive, persistence, etc which are all mental constructs. Yagyu Tajima No Kami who founded the Yagyu Shinkage-ryu school of swordsmanship once wrote, “The goal of training in swordsmanship is to overcome six kinds of disease: the desire for victory, the desire to rely on technical cunning, the desire to show off, the desire to psychologically overwhelm the opponent, the desire to remain passive in order to wait for an opening and the desire to become free of these diseases.” Understanding Yagyu’s admonishment, martial arts training is all seishinsen (精神戦) or “a mental war.” Strangely, the more we age or the more proficient we become, the stronger  our inner foe seems to become. Later on in our training, we realize that pushing ourselves in physical training was just a mental dress rehearsal for the real battle later on which lies within. That is why O’Sensei advocated masakatsu agatsu (正勝吾勝) or that “the true victory is self-victory. Once we reach the apex of our training or as we get older, our minds will play a greater role in our training. Understand this, we realize that we can only truly be free when we have won the inner war of the mind and that is why the true battle is within. Happy 4th of July.

Today’s goal: Begin the journey now to master your mind.

Watch this video of ultra-marathoner David Goggins to better understand the battle within.

Self-care

Every good martial artist is a black belt in self-care. Self-care is a modern concept which has only recently become fashionable. Self-care is defined as “the practice of taking an active role in protecting one's own well-being and happiness, in particular during periods of stress.” In the past, most martial artists followed Judo legend Masahiko Kimura’s work ethic of outworking their opponents. Kimura was famous for san bai no do ryoku (三倍努力) or “Tripling one's effort.” He said, “If my opponent trains for one hour, I will train for three.” Martial artists of old, wouldn’t let anything stop them from training. They trained through world wars, injuries and illnesses, and things like broken bones and concussions were badges of honor to them. There is some merit to this “no pain, no gain” mentality, but it can also become a detriment if not balanced out correctly. Today, we are “standing on the shoulders of giants” and have the benefit of not only hindsight but science as well. People of the past only knew how to work harder and they didn’t understand things like moetsukishoukougun (燃え尽き症候群) or “burnout syndrome.” In the past in our dojo, personal time was frowned upon. Furuya Sensei lived in the dojo and taught a majority of the classes and so he couldn’t understand the need for days off or the need to have a work-life-dojo balance. The unspoken feeling was that “Sensei wasn’t taking any days off and so neither should we.” In my opinion, this mentality created a lot of good Aikidoist but it also contributed to a lot of people quitting because of burnout or battle fatigue. Burnout is about how our body deals with stress and the signs of stress that aren’t readily apparent or how little injuries can gradually become big injuries. Today, we understand stress and have things like smartwatches and Fitbits to monitor our inner health. By working smarter not harder we understand that rest and recovery are just as important, if not more important, than working hard. O’Sensei said, “The real Way of a Warrior is to prevent such slaughter — it is the Art of Peace, the power of love.” Thus, true peace and love begins with the self and so self-care is really about the compassion we give ourselves. Jack Kornfield said, “If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete.” Before we can truly defeat anyone, we must first master ourselves and that mastery begins knowing thyself and at the heart of that is healthy self-care. Every person will have different needs and so each person’s self-care will be slightly different - it is a personal journey. Aikido is about balance and true balance at its core is about self-care and that is why every good martial artist is a black belt in self-care.

Today’s goal: You matter. How can you take care of yourself?

Watch this video to better understand self-care.

Learn to Let go

剣は瞬息心氣力一致
Ken wa shuniki shinkiryoku itchi
“You must use your sword in an instant with mind, spirit, and body in unison.”
- Chiba Shusaku Taira no Narimasa, Founder of the Hokushin Itto-ryu Hyoho school of swordsmanship

The best martial artists learn to let go. How we grab our opponent is an indicator of where we are in our training. In swordsmanship, Chiba Shusaku Taira no Narimasa advocated Ken wa shuniki shinkiryoku itchi (剣は瞬息心氣力一致) or that “You must use your sword in an instant with mind, spirit, and body in unison.” To have this unison in an instant begins with how we hold the sword. Watanabe Sensei said, “Proper grip usually means proper posture, a balanced center and a clear mind.” When we face off with our opponent and touch the tip of their sword, the sword acts as a conduit and will tell us everything we need to know about our opponent. Through how hard or soft they are gripping the sword, we can gauge their inner calmness, balance, and posture, just to name a few. All of these things that the sword is telling us are indicators of how well the opponent is trained and their level of prowess. O'Sensei often said “We should execute Aikido technique as if holding a sword.” Thus, that which holds true in swordsmanship also holds true in Aikido. In Aikido, how an opponent grabs us is an indication of their level of ability. In the beginning, we are taught to grab strongly and purposefully with our whole body. However, what happens is that beginners think that more is better and end up putting so much strength into their grab that their body can no longer move with the technique which causes them to get tired faster and maybe even injured. Later on, we learn to grab with that same intensity but also with a sense of legerity or to grab properly and with the right power which creates a connection with our opponent but at the same time allows our bodies to move with the technique rather than against it. Grabbing with legerity enables us to protect ourselves in the movement. How hard we hold on is also an indicator of where we are in life as well. One of the highest teachings in swordsmanship and just about every other traditional Japanese art is equanimity. Equanimity is the ability to notice what our minds are holding on to, letting go of that thought and returning back to the present moment. Yoda said, “Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose.” Yoda said that because being able to let go demonstrates one’s true prowess while holding on too long to something only shows our real weakness. In life and in the martial arts, we shouldn’t hold onto any one thing too tightly and that is why the best martial artists are learning to let go.

Today’s goal: What are you holding on too tightly to?

Throwback Thursday - Forget The Self

Throwback Thursday - Forget The Self

Furuya Sensei posted this to his Daily Message on February 15, 2004.

A good Iaido student always keeps their teacher's words in mind when they practice, a so-so student only hears their own words and opinions and nothing else.

This is an attitude of "Only I know what is best for me!” This type of student never understands the kindness of the teacher and thus, will never become a good one themselves.

If a teacher's talks just to hear the lovely sound of their own voice, their students will never go very far. If a teacher teaches to truly guide and develop their students, it would be silly for the students not to listen eagerly and with sincerity.

Some wise person once said, "In order to study the self, one must first forget the self.” How true this is! In order for the teacher to teach, they must forget about themselves. In the same light, in order for a student to learn, they must also forget about themselves.

We never really forget about ourselves, but this is the only way to lose our “obsession" with ourselves - our greatest obstacle in all aspects of our lives. Please think about this point well in your practice.

Fight Like Hell

地獄のように戦
Jigoku no yoo ni tatakau
To fight like hell

A good warrior knows desperation. Once Furuya Sensei asked the class, “Do you think I would rather teach in heaven or in hell?” We all sat there silently thinking that his question was rhetorical. From the silence, one student abruptly answered, “heaven!” Sensei replied, “No, I would rather teach in hell because those people would be fighting desperately to get out while the people in heaven would be too complacent.” I remember it was a cold and rainy day, the mat was crowded elbow to elbow and there were buckets out because the roof was leaking. Everyone in the class was trying to be cautious of the conditions so we were all naturally a bit slow. However, it seemed that we were a bit out of it and so Sensei was admonishing us for being too complacent. I think that Sensei’s question was trying to instill in us the idea that we should always be “fighting like hell.” Jigoku no yoo ni tatakau (地獄のように戦) or “to fight like hell” is to “use all of one's power or effort to fight against something.” In order to fight like hell, we must imagine that we are in hell and trying desperately to get out. To know hell or at least imagine it, we must first have known desperateness at some time in our lives. To be desperate is defined as “feeling, showing, or involving a hopeless sense that a situation is so bad as to be impossible to deal with.” Once we have known desperation and its sting, we know we never want to feel it again and so we fight like hell to get away from it. In Japanese, this is known as yuusen (勇戦) or to put up a “desperate fight.” On a certain level, we can only truly learn when we are desperate. To be desperate is to feel hopeless, but in this context, it means to be so hungry for something that we will do anything to learn it. Thus, the feelings of desperation are what create the hunger for true learning. When we feel desperate, we will shichukyukatsu (死中求活) or will “desperately look for a way out.” Understanding this, a teacher tries to create an environment which brings out the student’s fire or their hunger. Sensei once wrote, “There is an old saying: ‘Do not fire until you see the whites of their eyes!’ I would like to say, ‘Do not teach, until you see the fire in their eyes!’” We should use our past feelings of despair as motivation to push us to achieve our goals in not only the martial arts but in life as well. A good warrior knows desperation and uses it but never gives way to it.

Today’s goal: Be desperate enough to fight for what it is you want.

Watch this video to motivate yourself to fight like hell