Just Sit

Shikantaza
祇管 打坐
Just sit

Sometimes, a good martial artist just sits and does nothing. Long ago, Furuya Sensei put up a scroll with Dogen Zenji’s words which read: 祇管 打坐 (Shikantaza).  Shikantaza means “Just sit.” It is easy to take it at face value and say, “just sit” but recently I read a quote by Dr. Rebecca Ray that helped me to understand it. She wrote, “Sit with it. Sit with it. Sit with it. Sit with it. Even though you want to run. Even when it’s heavy and difficult. Even though you’re not quite sure of the way through. Healing happens by feeling.” In that moment, I realized that Dogen’s words are how we achieve one of the highest teachings in the martial arts - equanimity. We can’t all have great days. Some days are just “blah.” This malaise is something that happens a lot during the holidays as the days get shorter and we find ourselves not in the greatest mood. When life is giving us a case of blahs, sometimes the best thing to do is just sit with it and do nothing. Sitting with it means not trying to make it better but at the same time not allowing it to get worse. This is how we understand equanimity in the martial arts and meditation. Equanimity is the ability to have “mental calmness, composure, and evenness of temper, especially in a difficult situation.” In meditation training, equanimity is taught as the ability to observe and not react. In swordsmanship, equanimity is the ability to not be swayed in one direction or another by our opponent’s advances. In class, we are supposed to train with different partners who will have different bodies, skill levels, and temperaments. Exposing ourselves to different levels of adversity enables us to develop a certain level of tolerance. With time, training, and tolerance, we will eventually develop an equanimous mind that isn’t easily deterred. First, we have to learn how to observe and that can come as we just sitting with something. Then, we learn equanimity by allowing ourselves to do nothing. When we reach the pinnacle of our martial arts training, we no longer react mindlessly as one single act but allow ourselves to observe mindfully and then act appropriately as two separate actions. This is all easier said than done as some days we just feel “blah” and we don’t even feel like being, let alone getting out of bed. Author Brene Brown once wrote: “Whenever I'm faced with a vulnerable situation, I get deliberate with my intentions by repeating this to myself: "Don't shrink. Don't puff up. Stand your sacred ground." Saying this little mantra helps me remember not to get too small so other people are comfortable and not throw up my armor as a way to protect myself.” Martial arts training teaches us to stand up and confront that which is confronting us but sometimes the best way to stand up is to just sit and do nothing.

Today’s goal: Don’t react. Just sit back and do nothing.

Watch this video to better understand doing nothing

Momentum

A good martial artist knows the value of momentum. Momentum is the force that is generated when an object is in motion. If we have momentum, there is a higher likelihood that we will succeed. Generating momentum is easier said than done. When we think too far into it, momentum seems like something that is a mile away or something that is seemingly unachievable. This is especially true as we see other people’s “best lives” on social media. Getting to a place of momentum seems like we are looking up at the top of a mountain where we can’t even see its peak. However, the secret to momentum is that it is just one step away. Lao Tzu said, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” Thus, we build momentum step by step where one thing leads to another. One way to say “momentum” in Japanese is daryoku (惰力). Daryoku literally translates as “lazy power” because once momentum begins, it takes very little to keep it going and we keep it going by the process of doing. Success is typically a function of creating momentum in a certain direction. Once momentum is achieved then we can capitalize upon opportunities when they arise. That is why Roman philosopher Seneca said, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” Sun Tzu possibly also understood this when he wrote, “The surge of rolling flood water washes away boulders: this is called momentum. The swoop of a falcon strikes and kills its prey: this is called timing. Thus, for a skilled warrior, his momentum must be irresistible and his timing precise. Momentum is the tension in a crossbow arm; timing is the pulling of the trigger.” In the martial arts, we develop momentum through training and so the easiest way to develop momentum is to just come to class. Every time we do things like think about a technique or come to class, we are developing momentum. Momentum is made up of individual acts of doing. Momentum compounds which means that every act of trying and doing creates more and more momentum. I know Yoda said there is “no trying” but in every act of trying there is a little bit of doing and in each act of doing, no matter how small, helps to create momentum. Every day we are buffeted by forces which are trying to steal our momentum. Some days we can resist these forces. Other days we get knocked down by them. However, it is like what Albert Einstein said, “You never fail until you stop trying.” Regardless of what happens, just keep going and sooner or later you will have achieved momentum. Once we have achieved momentum, there is nothing that we can’t achieve and that’s why a good martial artist knows the value of momentum.

Today’s goal: No matter what happens, just keep going.

Watch this to better understand momentum

Throwback Thursday - Time Waits For No One

Furuya Sensei posted this to his Daily Message on November 29, 2004.

It is hard for me to believe that Thanksgiving is over and we are racing towards Christmas and the New Year soon after. Every year seems to move faster and faster for me. Is it just that we have made ourselves so busy? Is time really flying away faster? I hardly have time to waste any time!

Time is precious and there is so much to do for my students and so much more to pass on to them. Yet, my time is limited with them and I can only see them a few minutes each time when they come to the dojo. My energies grow less and less as I get older. I finally, I always wonder to myself, “When can I get some rest for myself? When can I start to take care of myself?"

I suppose I can drop everything and start right now - but I am thinking too much about my students and the dojo - how can I?

When a person gets older, they begin to see how short Life really is and how little time they have to do what they want to do. Please take my word for it and get off your duff right now and begin to do what you’ve always wanted to do. Time waits for no one. Young people today always think there is a "tomorrow," but, in reality, we only get a few "tomorrows" and that is it!

Live in the present, be in the present, do in the present. This is the best advice I can offer.

Kouinyanogotoshi (光陰矢のごとし) or “time flies like an arrow,” and like an arrow, it never comes back.

Throwback Thursday - Vulnerability

Furuya Sensei posted this to his Daily Message on January 21, 2002.

One should never hide their vulnerability. Maybe this sounds very strange in a martial art because it is assumed that we are trying to be brave and strong at all times. Of course, we should be courageous in everything we do, but we must also understand that it is part of a human being’s original nature to be weak and vulnerable too. In our strength, humans can show what they can do, in their weakness, humans can show their own humanity as well. In our weakness, we can see how others are weak and how we need each other to get along in this world. In this case, it is better to be weak than to be strong. Ultimately, we should try to understand in our Aikido, and in life, how to be weak and strong at the very same time.

Photo: Furuya Sensei from the late 1980s with uke Douglas Firestone Sensei

Watch this pitch video for a TV show featuring Furuya Sensei that was never picked up.

Great Stories

Easy adventures don’t make for great stories.

A good martial artist knows that growth is a mindset. Each person has nobishiro (伸びしろ) or “room for growth.” However, this growth or potential is something that we have to continually seek out - it doesn’t just fall into our laps. A martial artist understands this and that is why they are always chasing their limits - they want to see just how high they can go. In order to achieve our greatest heights and truly know our selves, a good martial artist ventures into places that are new, scary, or uncomfortable because they know that different is where growth occurs, and that sameness or comfort doesn’t inspire growth. Henry Ford said it best, “If you always do what you always did, you'll always get what you always got.” In a dojo, we learn this growth mindset as we try to become more and more skillful at the techniques. At the beginning level, the teacher demonstrates the technique, and we try to copy it. This is known as minarai keiko (見習い稽古) or “The practice of watching and copying.” Later on in our training, we have to learn to see the smallest details and “steal” the technique from the teacher. We must “steal” the technique because it is said that a teacher never teaches you the secrets but that you must “steal” it from them. In Japanese, “the practice of stealing the technique” is known as nusumi keiko (盗み稽古). To be able to see and eventually steal the technique, we have to develop our eye to “see” what is hidden in plain sight and we have to develop our ear to “hear” through the din of what is being said. Once we have sharpened our eyes and tuned our ears, we can turn our focus on improving other aspects of our lives and seek out greater and greater challenges. These greater challenges aren’t necessarily hard, but they also shouldn’t be easy or comfortable either. The only thing that matters is that it takes us out of our comfort zone. The greater the reward, the more difficult the challenge and the greater the story afterwards. The difficult or uncomfortable path is the one that is the most beneficial to our growth. This idea is expressed succinctly in the last line of Robert Frost’s poem The Road Not Taken: “Two roads diverged in a wood and I - I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” In the martial arts and in life, there are no limits. The only limits which do exist reside in our minds. Therefore, we should continually seek out opportunities to take chances and take risks because those opportunities are what create the most growth and make for the greatest stories.

Today’s goal: “One must try, every day, to expand one's limits.” - Mas Oyama, Founder of Kyokyushinkai Karate

Fallback Friday - Be in the Moment

Furuya Sensei posted this to his Daily Message on March 25, 2002.

Nowadays, I think that many think of Aikido practice as mere “play." This is why I think we do not have the focus and mental direction as we had before. In everything we do, play, work, study or even sleeping, we need to be in the moment, focused and aware. Until we can appreciate this, we will never become the true warrior that we continually dream about.

Small Steps

大取りより小取り
Ootoriyorikotori
Light gains make for a heavy purse

A good martial artist minds the small steps first. Sometimes things become overwhelming when we take them as a whole. Therefore, in order to fully digest something, sometimes it is better to take them in smaller bites. Author Darren Hardy called this the Compound Effect. “The Compound Effect is the principle of reaping huge rewards from a series of small, smart choices.” The Japanese called this idea kaizen (改善) or the “continuous Improvement” method. In kaizen, improvements are created with continuous small and ongoing positive changes which end up affecting the success of an entire project. Skill acquisition in Japanese traditional arts is very much based upon this idea of kaizen or the Compound Effect. For instance, in meditation, students are asked to search for one place within themselves which is calm. By noticing this one place of calm, we hope to build upon that mindfulness and carry that calmness to every part of our body. The same can be said in the martial arts. Whatever technique we are trying to improve, we should first focus on one aspect which we are doing well. From this point, we add a layer to it to improve upon it. We don’t have to do something drastic in order to change something. Sometimes, the most meaningful change comes from something small and seemingly insignificant. For instance, if we were trying to improve our kirioroshi (切り下ろし) or “overhead cut” in swordsmanship, Furuya Sensei suggested that we first “focus on our grip, then stance, and then posture.” By focusing first on these three small things in succession, we should be able to eventually do a good overhead cut. This is what Aristotle meant when he said, “Well begun is half done.” One of the biggest killers of our motivation is to become overwhelmed. When we are overwhelmed, many of us shut down and can’t seem to get the motivation to improve upon something let alone start at all. Understanding this, the US military uses this strategy called Compartmentalization where the soldier is supposed to break up a large or overwhelming task into smaller more palatable bites. This enables the soldier to avoid becoming overwhelmed and help them to complete their mission. This is perhaps the logic behind Sun Tzu’s quote, “Opportunities multiply as they are seized.” Smaller more achievable steps build upon themselves and lead to greater and lasting success and that is why a good martial artist always minds the small steps first.

Today’s goal: Make it small and achievable. “Even specks of dust if piled up can become a mountain.” - Japanese proverb

Watch this video to better understand how small steps add up

Know the Truth

吾 唯 足 知
Ware tada taru wo shiru
I seek only to know contentment.

A good martial artist seeks only to know the truth. Every day, a normal person spends a majority of their day mired in their “story.” The story is a narrative that our ego creates to help us interpret the events that are happening around us. Most times, the story is not entirely true and is an inaccurate or one-sided interpretation of things, people, or situations which are happening all around us. These preconceived interpretations which we craft into stories, color the way we “see” things and it influences how we negotiate them. Sun Tzu famously said, “All warfare is based on deception.” O’Sensei advocated that “In true budo there is no enemy or opponent.” If it is true that all warfare is based upon gihen (欺騙) or “military deception” and if “the true victory is self-victory” or masakatsu agatsu (正勝吾勝), then the only real battles are then the stories that we tell ourselves. Understanding this, martial arts training has to always be based upon jitsu (実) which means “truth,” “sincerity,” or “honesty.” We, as martial artists, cannot prepare ourselves properly if we are basing our training on falsehoods or misinterpretations. The more the narratives are untrue, the more likely we are to be defeated as we incorrectly estimate our own true ability or the true abilities or strengths of our opponents. In training, Furuya Sensei used to say, “Cut off your head and leave it at the door.” His metaphor was supposed to caution students against not only bringing their own personal baggage into the dojo but also coming in with preconceived notions about Aikido or training. Training is hard enough, but it is much harder when we add things in especially if they may not be entirely true. Long ago, a university professor visited the Zen master Nan-in searching for enlightenment. Before Nan-in could speak, the professor began to tell him all he knew about Zen. Nan-in smiled and began to pour him a cup of tea. The professor kept talking and Nan-in kept pouring. At one point, the cup began to overflow and the professor shouted, “It’s overflowing, no more can go in!” Nan-in stopped and said, “Like this cup, you are full and nothing more can go in. How can I show you what Zen is unless you first empty your cup? Please come back when your mind is empty.” Anais Nin said, “We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are.” When our minds cannot see things objectively, then our minds are apt to react mindlessly. With proper training, our minds can see things objectively and then we can act mindfully with spontaneity and appropriateness. A good martial artist understands that the only true opponent is the self and thus the only true deception is the story that we tell ourselves. Armed with this understanding, seeing things as they are enables us to reach contentment and that is why a good martial artist seeks only to know the truth.

Today’s goal: What is the story that you are telling yourself? Is it actually true?”

Watch this video to better understand how we use the story

Face Your Fears

Happy 11-11

A good martial artist faces their fears. Given a choice between the easy Way or the hard Way, a martial artist always chooses that which scares them or makes them uncomfortable. The reason why is because each of us has a kitai (鬼胎) or “secret fear.” This secret fear is the underlying barrier which keeps us from growing or reaching our highest level. Typically, it is the thing which keeps coming up over and over again and it keeps reoccurring because we haven’t yet dealt with it.  Martial artists understand this cycle and that is why they actively choose to osore ni tachimukau (恐れに立ち向かう) or “face their fears.” Martial artists know that facing their fears is the only way to break the cycle and create true and lasting change. Each person’s uncomfortableness or fears might be relative, but the feelings of fear are the same. Our apprehensions range from mere uncomfortableness to full blown fear with the desire to run away. Regardless, fear is “an emotional response in reaction to something that may be dangerous or threatening.” Martial artists know that despite feeling real, the feelings of fear are not tangible and thus like President Franklin Roosevelt once said, “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” Understanding that the feelings of fear are the same from fear to fear, a martial artist trains to deal with managing the response to the feeling. Everyone experiences some level of apprehension or fear and only a liar or a fool says otherwise. Thus, a dojo is a safe place to confront the feelings of fear and the fear of failure. Every day in training, we are confronted by something that is uncomfortable or causes us fear. These things run the gamut between something as benign as not wanting to go to class because we are tired to being scared because someone bigger than us is trying to hit us on the head. By facing the fear, we become desensitized to its paralyzing nature and by overcoming the fear, we learn to be calm and act appropriately to the situation. This is how the martial arts build self-confidence. It is not that martial artists don’t feel uncomfortable or feel afraid, they just don’t get overly emotional and paralyzed by it. Whether we are facing a difficult technique, working with a difficult partner, working on a difficult work project, or being confronted by a bully at school, the feelings of fear are the same. In the dojo and in life, don’t let uncomfortableness or fear keep you from trying something new or doing something that you want to do. It is like what William Hewlett, one of the founders of Hewlett-Packard once said, “If you don’t fail on a regular basis, you are not trying hard enough.” Whatever it is that makes you feel uncomfortable or afraid is the route you must take - the struggle is the Way. True change lies at the center of struggle and that is why a good martial artist faces their fears.

Today’s goal: “If it scares you, it might be a good thing to try.” – Seth Godin, The Practice

Watch this video to better understand facing our fears

Throwback Thursday - Humble Growth

Furuya Sensei posted this to his Daily Message on March 26, 2002.

Sometimes we have to start the learning process at its most basic level. Sometimes it is important just to look and listen very carefully and then try to "understand" or "do" what has just been taught. I say this because I find that most people only "see what they want to see," “hear what they want to hear," and "do only what they want to do." At these places, there is no room for any learning to take place. To open up to another, to be vulnerable in this state, or to be a little humble and obedient to another's suggestion or ideas is very difficult for many people. We like to be in control. In learning, we are never in control, we are always in a state of flux, - growing, changing, developing, emerging, discovering, questioning, learning, receiving, giving. There is no control for us here - we must lose many of your defenses, walls, closures, and protective mechanisms in our brains and become open and receptive and then something will come to us. This is very hard. Learning is like investigating an unknown land. We do not know what to expect but we have to be prepared for everything and at the same time be able to absorb everything around us. Only a few students have the humility to undertake this brave quest for discovery and growth.

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

Give Compassion

A good martial artist always gives compassion. In Japanese, jin (仁) can be translated as  “benevolence” or “compassion” but as with most things Japanese, there isn’t really a one to one translation. Jin may mean benevolence and compassion but the two are not quite the same. Benevolence is the “disposition to do good” while compassion is “the deep awareness of the suffering of another, coupled with the wish to relieve it.” Thus, they both have the desire to help or do good but only compassion has the awareness of suffering. In the beginning of one’s training, the natural course of development is to focus on the physical. Hardening our bodies and acquiring technical skill leads to a certain type of ego as most people over identify with their strength and defeating others without any type of moral deliberation. This can be the understanding of satsujinken (殺人刀) or “the sword that takes life.” Later, as we develop and mature, we realize our own humanity and discover katsujinken (活人剣) or “the sword that gives life.” At this place, we come to understand another definition of jin - humanity. Humanity is to have “compassion, sympathy, or consideration for all living beings.” With this understanding of humanity, a martial artist learns that in order to get compassion or humanity, they have to be willing and able to give it.  The Japanese say, “nasakewahitonotamenarazu” (情けは人の為ならず) which means “By doing good for others, we do good for ourselves.” The literal translation is “Compassion is not for other people's benefit.” We see this same understanding in the movie Seven Samurai as Shimada Kambei says, “This is the nature of war. By protecting others, you save yourself. If you only think of yourself, you'll only destroy yourself.” All martial artists have the ability and temperament to destroy others. Therefore, because the potentiality to destroy or hurt others exists, we need to temper it with compassion. Today marks the third anniversary since my friend and student Michael Stinson took his own life. Many of us trained right alongside Michael and never knew how much he was suffering. It is not that his problems are any of our business but rather that as martial artists, we train to be aware and perhaps we should have at least suspected it. Michael’s passing reminds us that in order to give life, we need to be aware of what is happening around us. John Watson once wrote, “This man beside us also has a hard fight with an un-favoring world, with strong temptations, with doubts and fears, with wounds of the past which have skinned over, but which smart when they are touched. It is a fact, however surprising. And when this occurs to us, we are moved to deal kindly with him, to bid him be of good cheer, to let him understand that we are also fighting a battle; we are bound not to irritate him, nor press hardly upon him nor help his lower self.” Understanding this, the best martial artists know that to destroy others is to destroy oneself and thus to get compassion, we need to give it. That is why a good martial artist always gives compassion.

Today’s goal: Remember Michael today and “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”

If you or someone you know may be struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or dial 800-273-TALK (8255) any time day or night, or chat online. Crisis Text Line also provides free, 24/7, confidential support via text message to people in crisis when they dial 741741

Learn more about compassion and how to better see others by watching this video.

Happy Halloween

敵を知り己を知れば百戦危うからず
Teki wo shiriono wo shireba hyakusen ayaukarazu
Know your enemy, know thyself, and you shall not fear a hundred battles

A good martial artist isn’t scared of anything. I’m not talking about not being scared from a foolish standpoint because one thinks that they can beat people up. In a martial arts sense, I mean not allowing fear to overtake our inner composure. Martial artists are not impervious, indestructible, or invincible. In fact, they are human beings just like everyone else, but they have learned to have courage. Mark Twain said, “Courage is not the lack of fear. It is acting in spite of it.” Thus, having courage in a martial arts context means having strong inner composure regardless of the opponent or situation and having the wherewithal to act even if one is afraid. A normal person has something called fuuseikakurei (風声鶴唳) where they “hear the enemy in every leaf that rustles” and become scared at the slightest thing. To become frightened means that our Ki has become upset or ki ga dotensuru (氣が動転する). Conversely, having composure means that our Ki is calm or heiki (平氣). Martial arts training teaches us to be calm and composed and always do our best no matter what comes. Through training, we realize that all foes are the same regardless of size, demeanor, or fierceness. That is because in training, we realize that the real opponent is ourselves and the only true task is keeping ourselves calm in the face of adversity. That is why O’Sensei advocated masakatsu agatsu (正勝吾勝) or that “the true victory is self-victory.” Having inner calm is not something that always comes as second nature. Some people have to learn it and it can be learned. One way to learn it is to seek out those who are bigger, stronger or cause us fear in class; for they are the ones who will teach us how to stand firm. With every knock down, hit and stand back up, we become firmer and firmer and over time we develop not just thicker skin but the heart of a warrior. It is not that martial artists don’t get scared - they do and only a fool or a liar says otherwise. A person with a true martial artist’s heart doesn’t allow themselves to be overtaken by the fear. Nelson Mandela said, “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” Martial artists are always supposed to be calm, composed and centered and they never let themselves be overtaken by fear and that’s why a good martial artist isn’t scared of anything.  Have a safe and happy halloween!

Today’s goal: “Don't shrink. Don't puff up. Stand your sacred ground.” - Author Brené Brown

Watch this Brene Brown video to better understand fear

Camaraderie

“Sieges weathered, fight together, friends forever.” Maria V. Snyder

The best martial artist know that there is no cause without camaraderie. The journey of a martial artist is fraught with trial and tribulation. Because our journey is our own, it is easy to think that it is a singular adventure. However, nothing can be farther from the truth. The martial arts might seem to be a singular pursuit, but it is not something that we can do alone. No matter who we are or how great we think we are, we all need people to help us get to where we are going. Teachers need students, students need teachers and students need one another. Without others, our journey is just an exercise in egoism because no one can tsukiyonobanbakarijanai (月夜の晩ばかりじゃない) or “Sleep with one eye open.” Having someone to depend on enables the journey to be just a little bit easier. The Dalai Lama referred to this as interdependence and commented on this by saying, “We human beings are social beings. We come into the world as the result of others' actions. We survive here in dependence on others. Whether we like it or not, there is hardly a moment of our lives when we do not benefit from others' activities.” In Japanese, this interdependence is referred to as sougoizon (相互依存). My favorite example of interdependence comes from a scene in the 1958 movie The Loyal 47 Ronin. This specific scene does not appear in many of the other remakes, but it is one which I think typifies the interdependence of samurai honor. In this scene, the 47 ronin are trying to secretly move their weapons cache. While examining his papers, a high-ranking samurai of another clan catches the main character Oishi Kuranosuke in a lie. When he is caught in his deception, Oishi immediately apologizes and explains the situation. Hearing about Oishi and the other ronin’s plight and their plan to kill the rival lord and regain their honor, the samurai in charge lets them go and gives them safe passage through his territory. Hearing the verdict and overcome with emotion, Oishi responds, “Fellow samurai must support each other. We are never so keenly grateful for the kindness of others as when we have fallen on hard times.” Without this samurai’s help, there would be no story of the 47 Ronin. In Japanese, yuujou (友情) means “friendship” or “camaraderie.” Every martial artist is on the same path of self-discovery and self-development. This path can be hard and lonely as we live and die by our own merits. The bumps and bruises of following the Way tend to add up and can take their toll, but our journey is made just a little bit more bearable when we have people who support us. Every day in training, we need people to train with who will throw us down and we in turn need to throw them down too. This shared reciprocity creates a special bond that develops between people who have a common goal - following the Way. The best warriors know that nothing is accomplished alone, and no one gets to where they are going by themselves and that is why there is no cause without camaraderie.

Today’s goal: Remember, nothing is as valuable as friendship.

Watch this video to better understand camaraderie

Throwback Thursday - Remain True

Throwback Thursday - Remain True

Furuya Sensei posted this to his Daily Message on August 2, 2003.

Viewing the flowing waters - suddenly, I perceive the Essence of Zen! - Zen poem

Water changes according to its immediate circumstances but it never changes its Nature and always remains true to itself.

The wooden ladle for the tea ceremony or hishaku (柄杓) continually goes from the hot water to the cold water but never changes its Nature and is useful in any and all of its changing circumstances.

This, I think, is what we are searching for in Aikido and in our lives.

Photo: From a late 90s photo shoot at Black Belt Magazine for Furuya Sensei's book The Tao of Aikido which never came out. Uke: David Ito

Watch this video of Furuya Sensei explaining and demonstrating Aikido in 1988

Heal Thy Self

Martial artists have the power to heal themselves. This is not some arcane secret, but this “self-healing power” or shizenchiyuryoku (自然治癒力) is more of a mindset - it is the ability to pivot and create self-change. Our ability to self-heal begins as we try to improve our martial arts techniques. In order to gain mastery, we need to be able to “see” the most subtle incorrect detail in our movement and change it. When I say “see,” what I mean is to become aware of it. Typically, we become aware of how well we are moving by the corrections given to us by our teacher. The teacher gives the student a correction which helps them “see” the areas which need improvement. With time and experience, we should be able to “see” our own shortcomings and improve upon them ourselves. From the mat, we take our ability to see subtleties and apply that self-awareness to our daily lives. Seems easy, right? The biggest problem is not in our ability to see but in our ability to make a change. When we notice something subtle that we know needs to be changed, it takes a lot of courage and humility to change. Human beings are funny. Most need to be hit over the head before they make a change. Author, Stephen Aitchison said, “People change for two main reasons: either their minds have been opened or their hearts have been broken.” Having our hearts broken is much more painful. This is where the true power of martial arts training comes into play. Training gives us not only the humility to see the subtlest detail but also the courage to act upon it. As a martial artist, we know that sooner or later a shortcoming will fester and become an opening ripe for attack. Knowing that not facing it will create a problem in the future, our martial arts training compels us to address it now. William James said, “If you can change your mind, you can change your life.” Being able to see what needs to be changed and then changing it gives us the ability to heal ourselves and that is why a martial artist has the power to heal themselves.

Today’s goal: Don’t wait for it to hit you over the head, change it while it’s still subtle.

Watch this video to better understand how to heal yourself.

Live the Rank

Being a good martial artist is something that we have to live up to. Nobody starts out on top nor does anyone start out good. Likewise, there is also no such thing as a prodigy. In the martial arts, every person has to put on their pants one leg at a time. When I was a student, Furuya Sensei once said “A student must become the rank that they are promoted to.” As a student, I used to think this was an odd statement because he also used to say, “Students earn their ranks long before they get promoted.” As a student, I didn’t really understand and thought that Sensei was just being contradictory. Now as a teacher, I totally get it. Both of those statements really mean the same thing. They both are about “becoming.” We often think that attaining rank means that a person has arrived or that they have somehow made it. From the outside looking in, most think that a black belt means that we have become invincible or as the old joke goes, “that our hands are now registered as deadly weapons.” For the most part, rank, titles, and colored belts mean nothing. With that being said, rank is actually something that we must live up to. With each rank or promotion there is a standard that is commensurate with that rank. It should be a given that all ranks should be accompanied by some level of physical competency, but that isn’t the only qualification. More than physical capability, each rank should come with a sense of responsibility or as Voltaire put it, “With great power comes great responsibility.” In other words, a person who is 6th dan should act like a person who is ranked 6th dan. If a person has the mindset that they must “become the rank that they are promoted to,” then they would have humility and would be less likely to let their egos go awry. If a person adopts the mentality that they must “earn their ranks long before they get promoted,” then they would understand the value of hard work and would be less likely to become egotistical. The biggest problem with promotion is entitlement. With entitlement, we think that being given rank means that we are given something which makes us special and with that attitude, our egos flare up. On the contrary, with every advancement, we are supposed to be living the Way more and more. For instance, a person who is 5th kyu has less responsibility and expectation than a person who is 5th dan, but they still have responsibility nonetheless. Sensei likened the discipline that a high-ranking martial artist must have to the rings on a tree. He said, “The closer you get to the center, the tighter the rings get.” Rank does not come with entitlement; it comes with responsibility and that is why being a good martial artist is something that we have to live up to.

Today’s goal: What does responsibility mean to you?

Watch this video to better understand

Throwback Thursday - The Power of Thought

Throwback Thursday - The Power of Thought

Furuya Sensei posted this to his Daily Message on January 18, 2005.

Real & Un-Real: The Power of Thought

In the physical, real world, it is easy to say, "O'Sensei is passed away and gone." In the spiritual world, he is still alive and well and always watching over us. As long as we know or believe O'Sensei is here with us - we always must correct our practice and do good deeds.

Whether we can prove his presence with us or not by science is not the point in our practice. As a way to guide and instruct our selves and develop our Aikido practice, it is always better for him to be “here.” Sometimes, when we think in a certain way, it is good for us and helps us to lead better lives.

In the old days, there was no real proof that smoking was bad for us. For some, it is quite deadly and for some, there was no effect at all. However, it is simply better for ourselves, whether it is true or not, to think that smoking is bad for us and then not even try it.

Some people may find this silly. We think we are only directed by the real facts in daily life but if we look carefully, we will discover more than anything, we are directed by impressions, and judgements and ideas which are not necessarily true at all.

In the tea ceremony, we try to think of ourselves as making tea for our guest as if it is the last time we will ever see them again. This is called ichigo ichie ( 一期一会). Of course, it is not true, and we might see them in our next practice but in thinking this way, we find that we can draw the energy and effort to make the best tea possible for someone else.

On the other hand, I used to have a student who thought that whatever he did was better than anyone else. He always thought that he was better than others. He was always disappointed in life and, of course, he could never understand why. This led to a lot of disappointment, confusion, and frustration in his life. Many things are like this in life and even in our Aikido practice.

The other day, I read about a photographer who was blind. This seems impossible in theory, but in real life, it is quite true. Many years ago, when I was quite young, the best Muso Ryu Jo teacher in Japan only had one leg. Can you imagine to do Jo with only one leg? If we think that something is impossible, then it is quite possible to be impossible. When we go ahead and think, "I can do it," whether something is seemingly impossible or not - we probably can do it. I am a firm believer in this.

The other day we were discussing how to teach Aikido to a person who is blind. Of course, if they say to themselves, "How can I do Aikido if I am blind?” maybe they can't do it at all. Of course, if they say to themselves, “I can do it whether I am blind or not," then I think that energy drives them to become very good at Aikido despite their lack of vision.

If we want to become very good in Aikido, we can certainly do it. The main point is whether we believe it or not.

Watch this video of Furuya Sensei demonstrating and explaining Aikido in 1988.

The Way

This Road
by Matsuo Basho

この道や Kono michi ya This Road!     

行く人なしに Yuku hito nashi ni  With no one going —

秋のくれ Aki no kure Autumn evening.

A true martial artist follows the Way alone. Every year, as the heat of summer begins to retreat and the coolness of autumn arrives, I always think about Basho’s poem This Road. There is this weird sadness that comes with the ending of summer which perhaps coincides with the fact that my birthday is always the last day of summer. Regardless, summer is over and with it comes this loneliness as less students come to class, and I become frustrated because all the work seems to be left for me to do by myself. On one hand, with this loneliness, I find myself becoming pessimistic about the Way (道) and frustrated with my students’ seemingly lack of discipline, progress or dedication. In another way, I find myself forgetting that the Way is a singular pursuit or something which must be practiced “alone.” Reading Basho’s poem and Robert Aitken’s commentary on this poem in his book A Zen Wave, always helps to remind me that there are at least two ways to understand the Way. In a pessimistic superficial interpretation of this poem, This Road is about Basho’s frustration with the lack of people on the path or how none of his students are living up to his expectations. To support this interpretation, Asataro Miyamori commented that Basho’s poem reflects that the Way is as “dreary and lonesome as an autumn evening.” One deeper but different meaning of this poem is Basho’s realization that the Way is a road which each of us must travel alone. Aitken commented on this poem by saying “You are born alone, you have realization alone, you die alone.” Understanding this, we realize that following a Way is a singular pursuit which means that it must be done itteni (一手に) which can translate as “alone” but can also interpreted as being done “single-handedly.” A teacher can teach something to us, but we alone learn it. A martial art is something which can only be practiced by ourselves - nobody can do it for us. Sure, people are in the room and a teacher might even be teaching us, but the learning is done alone or by ourselves. We can travel with other followers of the Way whose paths can merge at time with ours, but ultimately we must walk the path by ourselves under our own power. We are born alone, we have realizations alone, we die alone. The Way can be frustrating but that is why Furuya Sensei used to regularly say, “The Way is hard.” We must walk our own path under our own power and that is why a true martial artist follows the Way alone.

Today’s goal: Understand, as Furuya Sensei once wrote, “To be discouraged is part of training.”

Watch this short video by Alan Watts discussing the self.

Be Fallible

武士はみな誤りに陥りがちだ
Bushi wa mina ayamari ni ochiiri gachida
All warriors are fallible

A good martial artist embraces their fallibility. This may seem like an odd statement to make because most people think that a martial artist strives to be perfect or is a person who is beyond reproach. The perfect martial artist might be thought of as someone who is infallible, indestructible, invincible or doesn’t make mistakes. However, nothing could be farther from the truth. Truth be told, a true warrior is someone who is not only fallible but is also defeatable. It is in knowing that we are not perfect which is the catalyst which drives us to improve ourselves. Improving ourselves physically is easy and only requires reps. Improving ourselves internally is much harder and thus to the true warrior, the perfection that we seek is within. That is why O’Sensei advocated masakatsu agatsu (正勝吾勝) or that “the true victory is self-victory.” William Butler Yeats confirmed this when he 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.” Understanding that the true journey is within, one aspect which is sometimes the most uncomfortable is to examine our own mistakes. Our mistakes demonstrate our true level of ability - they show us where we need to put in the work. Facing our mistakes or shortcomings can be painful but change is not easy nor is it comfortable. Johnny Cash said, “I learn from my mistakes. It’s a very painful way to learn, but without pain, the old saying is, there’s no gain.” So true indeed. When we see someone who is accomplished, we only see the end result and we don’t see all the struggle, suffering or mistakes which made them into the person who stands in front of us. When it comes to being a martial artist, there is no such thing as being a prodigy. No matter who we are, the road to mastery is paved with mistakes and so every person has to struggle and struggling is all about making mistakes. We should take care to remember that there is a difference between a mistake and a failure. Mistakes are errors that we learn from which become the foundation of later successes. Mistakes that we don’t learn anything from become failures. Our fallibleness is what makes us genuine, they make us unique. A person who is incapable of making a mistake is not only not a human, but they are also a person who isn’t growing either. Don’t shy away from your mistakes. They are one of the few things which are completely genuine and authentic - they are the things which make us human beings. That is why a good martial artist embraces their fallibility.

Today’s goal: “Make mistakes, be rebuked, stand corrected, and learn.” - Soshitsu Sen XV

Watch this video of Denzel Washington’s speech on failure.

Throwback Thursday - Watching the Back

Throwback Thursday - Watching the Back

Furuya Sensei posted this to his Daily Message on July 22, 2004.

Senaka wo miru: Watching the back

In English, we have a saying, "Watch your back!" which means to be careful of betrayal. In Japanese, we have a similar saying, “Watching the back," but the meaning is very different.

We often say, "They grew up watching their father's back." Or "They trained watching their teacher's back."

What this means is that the child was raised always by their father's side, not really saying anything, but quietly sitting there and watching his every move. Or, the student was always there by their teacher's side - or rather, sitting quietly behind him and watching his every move, always there.

In the early days, this is how we trained - quietly, always by our teacher’s side - not, "in their face" as we like to be today. Today, most students want to be "in the face" of the teacher and I think maybe some people like this.

Maybe I am of the old school, but just to have a student there - it is always such a comfort to me. . . and it is these students I think of the most.

It is not necessary to be in the teacher's face, I think, it is not necessary to be the "difficult" student either. Ultimately, focus on your practice and enjoy the practice. Whether it appears to be or not, the teacher is always there for you.

Many years ago, there was a teacher I followed all over Japan because I loved his Aikido so much and tried so hard to capture it. Yet, as much as I was there, he never paid much attention to me. Thus, I had to practice nusumi keiko (盗み稽古) or “steal” the technique because he wouldn’t teach me directly. As a matter of fact, I thought that he didn't even notice me or perhaps he didn't like me or thought I didn't have the talent to follow him. I didn't know anything at all. Many years later, I was surprised to find out that he had remembered me and knew all about me and had noticed how much I tried to “steal" his Aikido. I was so surprised. In those days, I think teachers were very subtle about the way they taught. Most of the time, such silly students like me, didn't even know what was going on. I wish students today could understand such wonderful and mysterious methods of teaching and learning between the sensei and the student.

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