Do it Anyway

決死行
Kesshiko
To take action even though it may result in death.

The best martial artists do it anyway. Martial artists are supposed to have kesshi (決死) or “a do-or-die spirit.” To have a do-or-die spirit means that someone will give such an effort to achieve their goal that it might cost them their lives. This “do-or-die spirit” begins with this concept of doing it anyway or doing something despite our misgivings. To get to do-or-die, we need to change our perspective on how we perceive adversity. The Japanese have this expression called “3K” which means kitanai, kiken, kitsui (汚い, 危険, きつい) or “dirty, dangerous or difficult.” When I was younger, my mom used to say that “young people today don’t want to do anything that is dirty, dangerous or difficult” and she always included demeaning. Along with fear, these apprehensions happen to be the main things which keep us from achieving our goals. If we could get dirty or hurt or if it’s too hard or it could be too demeaning, then we probably won’t want to try it, let alone devote our lives to it. Therefore, to achieve our goals, we first need to learn how to overcome these adversities. It just so happens that these things are things which we face every day in our martial arts training. Every day in class, we must clean so we learn to get over kitanai or our fear of getting dirty. The techniques in the martial arts are lethal and in training, we get to confront kiken or our fear of getting hurt. In martial arts training, we have to get used to being corrected or called out for our behavior or attitude and so we learn to have thick skin and not take things personal or see them as being demeaning. Martial arts training isn’t for the weak at heart so in every class, we get to learn to desensitize ourselves to kitsui or our aversion to difficulty. Normal people don’t choose difficult. However, martial artists are not normal people and so they seek out difficulty because they know that where there is difficulty, there is also growth. When faced with difficulty, a martial artist doesn’t shy away but instead just resigns themselves to “do it anyway” no matter how uncomfortable, painful, or scary. The more we mindfully and consciously do it anyway, the more doing it anyway becomes a subconscious mindset or second nature. In the dojo, we can clearly see students cultivate this do it anyway mentality as they become more comfortable with rolling. When a beginner first learns to roll, there is a hesitancy to their movement. They sputter, second guess themselves and their roll looks kind of blocky. The more experienced a student becomes at rolling, the smoother their roll becomes and with this smoothness, there is less and less hesitancy. From here, the roll becomes a metaphor for life: the more we face something and work through it, the easier it becomes. Joseph Campbell said, “We must be willing to let go of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” To achieve anything requires that we build a tolerance to adversity and act despite the odds, uncomfortableness, or whether we want to do it or not. That is why when faced with adversity, the best martial artists do it anyway.

Today’s goal: When in doubt, do it anyway.

Watch this video of Ito Sensei explaining how to watch Aikido.

Throwback Thursday - Big Picture

Throwback Thursday - Big Picture

Furuya Sensei posted this to his Daily Message on July 13, 2003

We think we are much better and more intelligent than other animals but when we think about it, - not really. We have our massive brains and smarts but most of the time we really do not know what we are doing. We think we have our logic and reasoning to deal with every problem but in most personal crises, it doesn't help us at all. We are like most other of God's creatures on this earth - so perplexed and in awe of all of Nature's wonders.

It is only when we think we can conquer Nature that things run afoul. It is only when we think we are smarter and can beat everything that Life has to throw at us, that we are so easily defeated.

Harmony, as in the harmony of Aikido, is not something that we have made up and can control, it is the enlightened perception of the Universe as a single, integrated entity which O'Sensei has sensed and understood.

We shouldn't think to manipulate or control Nature, but blend with it and feel it and become one with it as we should be from the moment we are born until we are no longer here. When we realize that Aikido is much bigger than ourselves and that we should stand in awe of it, we may have the same opportunity to perceive it.

When we train, nothing will make any sense to us at all. It cannot! It is a living fact which is in constant growth and change. Only after many years of devotion and faith, will things become clear to us. Just keep training, that is all - there is really nothing else to think about.

When the tiny processes of our logic and reasoning become quiet and still, when the internal dialogue ceases, only then, will the bigger picture emerge before our eyes. We will still not understand anything but this understanding we keep insisting upon is only part of the illusion.

Keep up the good work in your practice!

Watch this video of Furuya Sensei and Dick Cavett doing Aikido

Dark Before Dawn

A good martial artist isn’t afraid of the dark. In Japanese, to be afraid of the dark is anshokyoufusho (暗所恐怖症). Through training, a martial artist learns to not be afraid of the dark because they come to understand that it is always darkest before the dawn. In Steven Pressfield’s book The War of Art, he writes, “The danger is greatest when the finish line is in sight. At this point, Resistance knows we're about to beat it. It hits the panic button. It marshals one last assault and slams us with everything it's got.” Pressfield’s assertion is so incredibly true. When I was a student, it was a tradition that you had to go to all the classes the week before your black belt exam and that all the students would give you a “vigorous” workout (aka beat you up). The week before my shodan exam I learned this lesson firsthand. In four separate classes, I got two sprained big toes and two sprained thumbs. I couldn’t believe it. In every class, people kept stepping on my feet or punching me in the thumbs! When a martial artist realizes that it is always darkest before the dawn, they aren’t discouraged when confronted with the last-ditch effort of their opponents to dissuade them from their goals. A martial artist isn’t deterred because every day in class they are faced with something that they fear or, at the very least, something that is uncomfortable. This could be something as little as attempting a new roll or something more fear inspiring like working with someone twice our size. Regardless, with every difficulty faced, we gain more confidence in ourselves and are better able to withstand our opponent’s sorties. This confidence enables us to walk into a dark room and not be afraid. We are not afraid because we’ve already duked it out on the mat with someone twice our size and usually come out none the worse for wear. With the confidence we gained on the mat, we take it into our daily lives and realize that the difficulties we face are just life testing our resolve. Everyone gets afraid - no one is immune. The difference is that when confronted with some kind of darkness, a good martial artist quietly says to themselves, “osorurunakare” (恐るる勿れ) or “be not afraid” and charges bravely forward. In Yamamoto Tsunetomo’s book Hagakure, he writes, “Even if it seems certain that you will lose, retaliate. Neither wisdom nor technique has a place in this. A real man does not think of victory or defeat. He plunges recklessly towards an irrational death. By doing this, you will awaken from your dreams.” With time and training, we come to understand that if we can weather the storm and make it through the darkness, our greater lives are waiting for us on the other side. That is why a good martial artist is not afraid of the dark.

Today’s goal: Remember, as Mahatma Gandhi said, “In the midst of darkness, light persists.”

Watch this video of Steven Pressfield to better understand Resistance

Go For Broke

奇貨可居
kikaokubeshi
You must seize every golden opportunity.

The best martial artists go for broke. “Go for broke!” was the war cry of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team during WWII. The 442nd was almost entirely comprised of Japanese Americans. To atattekudakero (当たって砕けろ) or “go for broke” is to take a chance when an opportunity presents itself. This “go for broke” mentality comes from the samurai who were supposed to have a mattanashi (待ったなし) or “it’s now or never” mindset. This was part of their resolve as warriors to seize every opportunity when it presented itself because they didn’t believe in second chances. To be able to seize an opportunity, one needs to be able to see one. Martial artists are supposed to constantly be searching for suki (隙) or “weak points” in their opponents. These openings are what they will use to gain an advantage over their opponents and defeat them. A martial artist searches so much so that they suki wo mitsukeru noga jozu desu (隙を見つけるのが上手です) or “get good at finding weak points.” Finding a weak point is only half of success. The other half in succeeding is to seize the initiative when it presents itself. Indirectly, this is something that we practice with every technique in class. When we are the nage (投げ) or “one who throws,” we are the ones being attacked. With every attack, we may not be aware, but we are teaching ourselves how to read our opponents movements and then seizing upon the opening when it presents itself. For the other half of the class, we act as the uke (受け) or “the one who receives the technique” and we are ones attacking. All attacks are irimi (入り身) based. Irimi means “to move forward.” Thus, with every attack we are unknowingly learning how to move in and seize the advantage. Therefore, simultaneously both the nage and the uke are working on seeing openings and seizing upon them. Seizing the initiative requires the proper timing but it also requires being able to see the opening and having the courage to act upon it. With time and experience, the ability to read the opponent and seize the initiative becomes second nature. This is where Aikido training bleeds over into daily life. We get so good at seeing opportunity and seizing upon it in class that we begin to do it in every aspect of our daily lives. This is why the martial arts is really about creating change. First, we need to realize that we either want something or that we have a problem that needs addressing (seeing the opening). Then we must have the ability to address it and take advantage of it or change it (seize the opportunity). Atattekudakero means “to go for broke” but it also means “nothing ventured, nothing gained.” Louis Pasteur said, “Chance favors only the prepared mind.” Pasteur knew that when the opportunity presents itself, we must be ready to take a chance because it’s now or never. That is why the best martial artists go for broke.

Today’s goal: Think about your life. Is there something that needs change? It’s now or never.

Words Have Power

“Watch your thoughts, they become your words; watch your words, they become your actions;
watch your actions, they become your habits; watch your habits, they become your character;
watch your character, it becomes your destiny.” - Lao Tzu

A good martial artist understands words have power. Some ancient Japanese people believed in a concept called kotodama (言霊) or “the mysterious power of words to alter reality.” Furuya Sensei defined kotodama as “word spirit.” I am not an expert on kotodama and this is not a discussion on kotodama, but what I do know is that words have power. Words have potentiality and intentionality and according to an article on icytales.com, “Words are the most potent weapons available to human beings. An individual can choose how to use it, either positively or negatively. Words possess an energy that can heal, help, hurt, or destroy.” In Japanese, they say, bushi ni nigon wa nai (武士に二言は無い) or “A warrior does not have a double tongue.” This is supposed to mean that a person who follows the way of the samurai does not engage in duplicity or acts deceitfully by saying one thing and then doing another. On the surface, this proverb was supposed to mean that a warrior is supposed to live their lives with integrity. Upon deeper reflection, this idea also holds true in how we “speak” to ourselves. What we say to ourselves is much more important than what we say to others. David James Lees said, “Be mindful of your self-talk. It’s a conversation with the universe.” An article on healthline.com, defines self-talk as, “Self-talk is your internal dialogue. It’s influenced by your subconscious mind, and it reveals your thoughts, beliefs, questions, and ideas.” For the most part, self-talk is conditioned behavior. If we don’t know who we are or what we want to say, we are apt to just say anything or repeat the words of others. Largely, the words that we say to ourselves are so subconsciously ingrained that we don’t even hear them anymore - we just feel their effects. In the dojo, we are supposed to be mindful of our behavior. We are supposed to mind the things we say, do and think. The reason why we are supposed to be mindful is because it is the act of being mindful which creates changes in us. For instance, in the martial arts, it is said rei ni hajimari, rei ni owaru (礼に始まり礼に終わる) or “Everything begins and ends with respect.” In the beginning of class we bow and say Onegaishimasu (お願いします) or “please.” At the end of class, we thank all of our training partners. The act of saying please and thank you helps to change our mindsets, and this is one reason why we leave the dojo feeling better than when we came in. This is one way training changes us. We come in self-centered and leave a little less selfish. Ideally, by changing the words we use, we change their charge and thus change how they affect us. The other day, in my daughter’s kindergarten class, the teacher was teaching them the power of “yet.” She said, “Don’t say, ‘I am not good at reading.’ ‘Instead say, I am not good at reading, yet.’” Brilliant! By adding the word “yet” to the end, we change the charge of the sentence and thus change the intentionality. Someone once said, “You can change the course of your life with words.” As a martial artist, we should be mindful of the things we do but more importantly the things we say to ourselves. Farshad Asl said, “Everything you attract into your life is a reflection of the story you believe and keep telling yourself.” The mindfulness we create with our actions, words and thoughts can align us with the universe and that is why a good martial artist understands that words have power.

Today’s goal: “Talk to yourself like you would to someone you love.” - Brent Brown

Watch this video to better understand how self-talk effects us

Embrace Failure

道場で泣き戦場で笑う
Dojo de naki, senjo de warau
Cry in the dojo, laugh on the battlefield 

The best martial artists don’t fear failure; they embrace it. There is a power in failure that comes about when we change our perception of it. This positive view on failure possibly comes from the popular Asian proverb shippai wa seiko nomoto (失敗は成功のもと) or “failures are the stepping-stones to success.” Every good martial artist knows that everyone fails and no one is immune to it. Through training, we come to realize that failing doesn’t make us a failure. To fail means “to be unsuccessful” but we should think of it as not successful, yet. To “be” a failure is actually a misnomer because a person can fail but no one at their heart “is” a failure. Failure is actually singular and an isolated event, but it can feel like a pattern. We can fail at an attempt but that does not mean that we “are” failures. So, to say that a person is a “failure” is just something that someone says to be derogatory. What all good martial artists should embrace is that it’s ok to fail. Failing means that we are in the process. If we are repeatedly failing that means, at the very least, we are repeatedly trying. William Hewlett, one of the founders of Hewlett-Packard said, “If you don’t fail on a regular basis, you are not trying hard enough.” There was once this Nike commercial years ago in which Michael Jordan says, “I've missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” Understanding Jordan’s assertion, a person who never tries will never win. The truth is that no one ever loses forever and so if we change our perception about failing, then we can use our failures as stepping-stones toward success. In battle, failure most likely resulted in losing one’s life. Therefore, a warrior would train hard because they believed in dojo de naki, senjo de warau (道場で泣き戦場で笑う) or “Cry in the dojo, laugh on the battlefield.” They laughed because the difficulty on the battlefield paled in comparison to the failures that they endured in the dojo. They also laughed because there is a finality that they have come to accept by enduring all of these failures in the past. Today, the edge between life and death doesn’t exist for most people as most of us don’t fight in life or death battles. That is part of the absurdity of learning a martial art - most of us will never use it to defend our lives. Training also brings about the realization that most things in life can’t or won’t kill us - they are just uncomfortable. Therefore, training in a martial art becomes a method toward self-improvement. When we can see past the judgement of failing, we can see that failures are just how we become successful and only part of the process en route to becoming successful. Yamaoka Tesshu said, “As a samurai, I must strengthen my character; as a human being I must perfect my spirit.” Part of this perfection that Tesshu is referring to comes from accepting failure as part of the process. Everyone fails and that is why the best martial artists don’t fear failure; they embrace it.

Today’s goal: Don’t forget. No matter what happens, you are not a failure. You just haven’t succeeded yet.

Don’t Give Away Your Power

無刀の心
Muto no kokoro
Strength of our spirit

The best martial artists never give away their power. Lao Tzu said, “He who controls others may be powerful, but he who has mastered himself is mightier still.” What Lao Tzu could be referring to is the buddhist/samurai concept of jiriki (自力) or “personal power.” The term jiriki comes from the Japanese idiom jirikikosei (自力更生) or “to improve one's way of life without relying on the help of others.” In other words, a samurai was supposed to live or die by their own efforts. People can help us, but in the end, we have to do it all on our own and to do so requires inner strength. In swordsmanship, a martial artist’s inner strength is often talked about within the idea of muto no kokoro (無刀の心) or “The heart of no sword.” Muto no kokoro is a concept that illustrates that our true strength doesn’t come from our ability with a sword, but rather from the strength of our spirit. Unfortunately, it takes a long time to develop our muto no kokoro or inner fortitude. The prolific swordsman Miyamoto Musashi alluded to the length of this process when he said, "It takes 1,000 days to forge the spirit and 10,000 more days to polish it.” Based on Musashi’s assertion, if we trained every day, 1,000 days would take a little less than three years or much longer if we only train once a week. During that first 1,000 days, we need the support and guidance of our parents, teachers, friends, and comrades in arms. Their guidance molds and shapes us into the people we are to become - it helps forge us. After the forging process, we begin the journey of acquiring our own wisdom. From here, we use their guidance and wisdom as a sort of polish which brings out our own beauty or humanity or in this context our personal power. This process is supposed to take 10,000 more days or around 30 years if we trained every day or much more if we trained much less. Ideally, at the end of the 10,000 days, we would have polished ourselves and brought out the beauty of our wisdom or jiriki and would have a knowing or awareness of who we are not only as martial artists but as human beings as well. Theoretically, based on the old traditional way, this whole process was supposed to take around 40 years if we started training when we were six and half years old. 40 years seems like a daunting amount of time, but perhaps we can shrink that number down because we now have the internet and are so much smarter and clever - haha! This whole arduous process is just to realize that the root of our power comes from knowing ourselves and taking ownership of our lives. Understanding this, the Soto Zen monk Shunryu Suzuki said, “The most important point is to accept yourself and stand on your two feet.” To take ownership of our lives and stand on our own two feet is the true foundation of our wisdom. A good martial artist knows that asking for help isn’t a weakness and accepts the help and guidance of others. However, a wise martial artist knows who they are and informs themselves with the guidance of others but doesn’t rely upon it because in the end they are alone and solely responsible for their lives. That is why the best martial artists never give away their power.

Today’s goal: Before you do something, ask yourself, “Am I giving away my power?”

Watch this short video to better understand self-worth

Don’t Focus on the Outcome

神社を尽くして天命を待つ
Jinji wo tsukushite tenmei wo matsu
Do your best and leave the rest to fate

The best martial artists don’t focus on the outcome. When we focus on the shohai (勝敗) or “outcome,” our minds have predetermined the place where victory or the end should be. By having a predetermined endpoint, our minds are putting a cap on our tolerance. Thus, if we reach the place where we thought the victory would be and it doesn’t materialize, we run the risk of losing hope and we end up quitting. The problem with trying to anticipate the end is that the true end or outcome of something is completely arbitrary. In Japanese, they say shobu wa tokinoun (勝負は時の運) or “Victory depends on the luck of the day.” Letting go of the outcome and giving up our attempt to control it enables us to live in the here and now where we can focus solely on doing our best. Understanding this, the Japanese say Jinji wo tsukushite tenmei wo matsu (神社を尽くして天命を待つ) or “Do your best and leave the rest to fate.” In the olden days, having a mindset based upon winning or losing was thought of as akinai konjo (商い根性) or “The businessman’s mind.” The businessman is always “calculating” their actions for profit. The warrior has samurai katagi (侍氣質) or “samurai spirit” and is only concerned with being resolute and doing their best. In Yamamoto Tsunetomo’s book Hagakure, he writes, “A real man does not think of victory or defeat. He plunges recklessly towards an irrational death. By doing this, you will awaken from your dreams.” As it is understood in Buddhism, the dream in this sense is a mayoi (迷い) or “illusion or delusion” which keeps us from reaching enlightenment. From the standpoint of the martial arts, through our training, we are trying to reach a similar type of enlightenment called myou (妙). At the level of myou, there is no winning or losing, just sublime movement. Neurological scientists believe that the human brain is incapable of focusing on two things at once. Therefore, to reach this sublime state, we must either focus on winning which will disable us from doing our utmost best or focus on doing our utmost best and disregard the desire to win. If samurai means “one who serves” then we must only focus on doing our best. Today, most of us are not fighting in battles, but we can still use this samurai mindset to better our lives. By not focusing on the outcome, we can just pour ourselves into the act of doing and free ourselves from the confines of achievement which today’s society so greatly covets. That is why the best martial artists don’t focus on the outcome.

Today’s goal: Don’t focus on the outcome; only focus on doing your utmost best.

Throwback Thursday - Hidden Meanings

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

One of my favorite design motifs in Japanese Yagyu tsuba or "swords guards” is the saihai (采配) or “War Baton for a Commander.”

The war baton design has a secret meaning and this design is especially unique by what is not represented. This is referred to as rusu moyo (留守模様) or "missing design." If we study the Yagyu sword guards deeply, we understand that the war baton  signifying battle or warfare is always paired with the hora or conch shell. The large conch shells were made into horns and used by mountain priests and those who practice ascetics. Paired together, the design refers to the deep connection of military arts and spiritual discipline. In some tsuba with this war baton motif, the conch shell is missing but if we are initiated into the Yagyu teachings, we understand that this is “supposed” to be there and only "hidden" or implied. To the uninitiated person, they would only see the design alluding to warfare. The Yagyu student would understand that this is deeply connected to spiritual training (represented by the conch shell horn) which may or may not be represented.

Much of Aikido teaching is the same. We must see what is there in the art and we must see what is NOT there as well. Both sides are meaningful. In Japanese arts, the emphasis is on what is not represented, much like an ink painting which shows so much "blank" space. This so-called blank space is supposed to be so meaningful and purposeful. This is very evident in Japanese poetry as well.

In Western poetry too, words often conjure up an image which is not actually represented but only implied. So, it is true with Aikido as well. Do not see Aikido as a sport or exercise - see Aikido as an art like poetry or painting and see what is presented and also what is NOT represented.

In this, only the deep connection between the painter and the viewer or the poet and the reader can render its deeper meaning. So, it is with Aikido practice as well - only between the teacher and student can the true art be materialized. Please don’t miss class.

Honor Thyself

The best martial artists honor themselves. We usually think of honor in regard to “treating someone or something with admiration or respect.” Thus, from the standpoint of being egotistical, the idea of honoring ourselves can seem very selfish or self-centered. However, try to think about honor from the standpoint of living the Way and staying true to oneself. In Japanese, shoushinshoumei (正真正銘) means “to be authentic.” When we live authentically according to the Way, we behave in a manner which is in line with our beliefs and what we think is right. Honoring oneself then becomes a gesture towards ourselves which reflects the person that we either are or the person that we are striving to become. One way to say “honor” in Japanese is katami (肩身) which is also how the Japanese say “shoulder” or “body.” Interestingly, the other day in sword class, Watanabe Sensei said, “When your shoulders sit, the technique has entered your body.” Therefore, doing something correctly has a direct effect on our bodies. When a person is “feeling proud,” their shoulders sit, their posture improves, and we relax which is what the Japanese call katamigahiroi (肩身が広い). Conversely, when a person is “feeling ashamed,” then their shoulders “tighten and rise”and the Japanese call this katamigasemai (肩身が狭い). To live in alignment with our beliefs, it can help to ask ourselves one question before we do something: “Does this honor me?” This one question helps us to align with our goals and beliefs. In class, when we are about to do something egregious to our training partner, we should ask ourselves, “Does this honor me?” In our daily lives, before we pretend that we don’t see someone in need, we should ask ourselves, “Will this honor me?” Honoring oneself is a mindful choice and by asking ourselves this one question, it brings us back to the present moment and keeps us on task. The best way to determine if something honors us or not is to look at how we feel after we make our choice. If we feel something negative afterwards like regret, anger, or resentment, then our decision typically did not honor us. If it creates a positive feeling afterwards like happiness, calmness, or contentment, then it usually means our decision honored us. Another way to know if we are going in the right direction is if we have to hide, rationalize, or validate our choice. If our actions came to light and embarrassed us, then we probably weren’t acting in accordance with our inner values or living up to the person that we are striving to become. We should respect and honor others but at the same time, we should not forget to honor ourselves - this is the highest form of self-love. After all, this is our life and our choices and so we should be aware of it and proud of it. A true martial artist always stays true to themselves and behaves according to their beliefs and that is why the best martial artists honor themselves.

Today’s goal: Before you do something, ask yourself, “Does this act bring me honor?”

Aiki Dojo Message - Know Yourself

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

The best martial artists strive to know themselves. There is a saying, “Know your enemy, know thyself, and you shall not fear a hundred battles.” To know yourself means that you have an intimate understanding of your own strengths and weaknesses and that you also have a true understanding of what it is you want in life. The normal person usually lives the opposite life where they live knowing little to nothing about themselves and they are pulled her and there by the will of others. True power comes from dealing with and understanding your own darkness. Carl Jung said, "Knowing your own darkness is the best method for dealing with the darknesses of other people.” Understanding this, since the other does not exist, then knowing yourself will enable you to know your enemy and thus not fear a hundred battles. This is the secret to the martial artist’s true power. True power is the ability to control yourself and to not be controlled by anything or anyone. Sun Tzu stated that “all warfare is based on deception” and so knowing oneself enables a martial artist to not be deceived and ultimately manipulated into defeat. Therefore, to be the master of our own domain, we must be in control of our inner life as much if not more than our outer life. Someone much smarter than me once said, “People bring their stuff to the mat.” What he meant was that training has a way of bringing out our true inner selves. Perhaps it is the repetitive movement or the quietude. Regardless, if we have things that haven’t been dealt with, then they can surface before, during, or after class. Typically, the things that come up are the negative or more darker aspects of our psyche. When our inner darkness rears its head, we shouldn’t think of it as a bad thing. Rather, the surfacing of these issues gives us the opportunity to address them and eradicate them. Will Mcavoy in the TV show Newsroom said, “The first step in solving a problem is recognizing there is one.” Thus, Aristotle was right when he said, “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” True power is not being physically strong, but rather it is the ability to overcome adversity and we overcome it by knowing who we are. Therefore, if we can know ourselves in the dojo and in life, our lives would be our own and there will be few people who could stop us. That’s why the best martial artists strive to know themselves.

Today’s goal: Spend some time figuring out who you are and what it is you want out of life.

Don't Show Off

刀を振り
Katana wo furimawasu
To show off

The best martial artists don’t show off. In Japanese, one way to say “showing off” is katana wo furimawasu (刀を振り). Furimawasu means to “brandish,” “wield,” or “swing” something like a sword in order to show off. Typically, we giyo (技癢) or have the “desire to show off our abilities” because we feel inadequate. In varying degrees, every person suffers from the same disease - not good enough disease. When we feel that we are not good enough, we tend to hide that feeling by showing off. Thus, showing off is typically a sign of insecurity and demonstrates a poor level of character. Understanding this, a martial artist’s greatest asset in the battle of feeling not good enough is restraint. In Japanese, to have self-restraint is jishuku (自粛). The kanji directly translates to mean “to quiet oneself.” The translation gives us some insight into how the Japanese understand self-restraint. Thus, to have self-restraint, we need to quiet the voices which are telling us that we are not good enough. When we give into our feelings of not being good enough and show off, we have lost touch with reality and the present moment. To come back to reality and the present moment, we need equanimity and self-compassion. Equanimity enables us to allow the feeling to pass without buying into it. Self-compassion is the ability to talk to ourselves with kindness and compassion which gives us the ability to talk our way out of the feeling if we get too absorbed in it. This is where training comes in. Every day in class, we are confronted by things which we may not be good at or need improvement. This creates the situation of inadequacy but in a safe space. Being or feeling safe enables us to confront those feelings and practice dealing with them in a healthy way. This is where we learn to be equanimous and allow the feeling to pass without addressing it and where and how we learn to stair step our way out of those feelings using self-compassion and talking to ourselves compassionately. The disease of “not good enough” is something that everyone struggles with - it’s human nature. Realizing this, a good martial artist never gives into the feelings of not being good enough and thus suppresses their desire to show off. When we feel the feelings of not being good enough, we should close our eyes, take a breath, and come back to the moment. The nature of training teaches us that nobody is perfect, we all have something to work on, and that we shouldn’t be so hard on ourselves. In the martial arts, it is said that “the skilled hawk hides its talons” and that is why the best martial artists don’t show off.

Today’s goal: Try to be present and realize the moments when you are not feeling good about yourself and showing off to hide it.

Watch this video to better understand feeling like you’re not good enough

Throwback Thursday - On Violence

Inside Karate July 1985 issue. Furuya Sensei being interviewed. The article is titled: The Path of Aikido: Breathing in Unison with the Universe

Throwback Thursday - On Violence

Furuya Sensei posted this to his Daily Message on October 1, 2004

To make a sword which cuts well or design a weapon which can kill many people is a product of man's intellect. To take this sword and turn it into a tool for self-enlightenment is a product of man's spirit. This is how I think Aikido came about.

Violence, whatever name we give it or however we rationalize it or dress it up or make it look like something else, is still violence.

I think that many people practice Aikido like an exercise or use Aikido like a weapon or tool for their own personal gain. Aikido does not only express a clever method of self-defense, or a way to express one's power, it is also the expression of a lineage. It is through the lineage that we are connected with O'Sensei and other great teachers going into the deep past - the source of our wisdom. I think that we must never forget this aspect of our practice.

Violence only breeds more violence. Like a chicken can only give birth to a chicken. To chip at a rock, you will only get a smaller piece of rock. You can only get apples from an apple tree. We like to say that we can attain Peace through violence - but, if we think about it seriously, it is only a flimsy excuse to absolve ourselves from our desire for violence. It doesn’t work this way ultimately as we can see this in our world today where violence continues and continues without end. . . . unabated.

To end violence, we must cease to be violent - this is the difficult part because we are so attached to power, sex, money, and our egos.

There is no way to rid ourselves of our lust for power, money, and our ego because it is a part of man's nature. The function of wisdom is to manage our egos and use wisdom in a positive way or to live in a way which expresses Peace and Harmony. We find this wisdom on the mats in correct practice.

It is violence that animals must die and plants are uprooted so that we can nourish our bodies and live. There is no way to avoid this unless we ourselves cease to exist. By living in awareness of the lives lost for our sake and being forever grateful that we are blessed with such sacrifices daily, means that the lost lives have not been in vain and this is how violence can be mitigated.

I know this does not make much sense to many of you. It is only another example of how many things in this real world can only make sense in the spiritual. To live only in the so-called real world, only means that nothing will ever make sense to you at all. . . . . Please think about this.

Read the article from this magazine cover here: Inside Karate

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

Throwback Thursday - Greater Self

Furuya Sensei posted this to his Daily Message on May 2, 2004

In one sense, we must practice with kindness, in another sense, as a martial art, Aikido is very strict and demanding. As you go higher in rank and experience, Aikido is more unforgiving and becomes more difficult - you must understand this as a part of your training and Path. It is the challenge and the overcoming of many difficulties that you can polish yourself and discover your greater self.

Please continue your faithful training and please continue to seek to find yourself deeper and deeper in this art of Aikido. Loyalty is a great virtue, very rare in this day and age. Loyalty means that you can be trusted and relied upon without any doubt - this is the greatest compliment anyone can pay to you. Be loyal and committed to the Aikido spirit.

Correct form (manners) develops correct attitude. Correct attitude develops correct form. You can understand a path better when you travel it both ways going to and from. In your practice, look at everything from the standpoint of your practice, NOT your self. The self you generally rely on is not your true self, Your True Self understands and has already mastered the Way.

Live up to the Rank

Thank you all for the congratulatory wishes on my recent promotion to 6th Dan. I am very humbled to have achieved this promotion. I aspire to live up to this prestigious promotion and I promise to work hard to be a person worthy of this achievement.

This article was originally published in the January 1, 2023 edition of Spanish language magazine, El Budoka. This article was kindly translated into Spanish by Santiago Almaraz Sensei.

Live up to the Rank

by David Ito

Rank in the martial arts is something that we have to live up to. 

Shoushin (昇進) or “promotions” in Japanese martial arts have been around for a long time. However, it is only in the last couple of hundred years that it has been codified. 

In Japan, prior to the Tokugawa era (1603-1868), there was no such thing as budo as most martial arts were military systems that were only taught within families or within clans. Students of a military system were training primarily for the battlefield and so imminent battle made ability the sole focus of one’s training and so there really wasn’t really a need to systematize rank. 

After 1603, military arts became koryu (古流) or “schools” teaching military arts and these arts became available to people outside of clans and families. The is where the birth of rank and promotion begins. At this time, a dedicated student could receive a menkyo (免許) or an “authorization” to teach but achieving this approval was very difficult. Most teachers only gave out one or two menkyo in their lifetime. Later, a student who was truly proficient, dedicated and loyal could then receive a menkyo kaiden (免許皆伝) which meant “License of total transmission” and were then allowed to open their own school. 

In 1883, during the Meiji era (1868-1912), Judo teacher Jigoro Kano adopted the kyu (級) or “junior” rank and dan (段) or “senior” ranking system. This system of ranking was influenced by the strategy board game Go (碁) which had a stratified system of ranking its players. Later, Judo’s system of ranking was adopted by other martial arts schools all over Japan and Asia. Also, depending on one’s style of martial arts, after student ranks, there were also Shogo style teaching ranks or titles (称号) like shihan (師範), kyoshi (教士), hanshi (範士), renshi (錬士), fukushidoin (副指導員) and shidoin (指導員). 

One of the main reasons for the modern construct of ranking is that it was supposed to help students and teachers “understand” where they were in their development. Each specific rank was supposed to dictate a certain level of ability or development. 

The problem is that most student misunderstand rank and promotion. Often times, when a person is promoted, they either feel guilty because they don’t feel they deserve the rank or they become egotistical because they think they are entitled to it and overestimate themselves.  

When I was a student, Rev. Kensho Furuya had two basic points of view of how a martial arts students should look at promotions. On one hand, Furuya Sensei would say, “A student must become the rank that they are promoted to.” Another thing Sensei would say was, “Students earn their ranks long before they get promoted.” As a student, I didn’t really understand and thought that Furuya Sensei was just being contradictory. Now as a teacher, I totally understand why he made these statements.

Some students don’t think highly of themselves and being promoted feels embarrassing because they either think that they don’t deserve the rank or that their ability falls well below the rank. For the student who feels this way Sensei would motivate them by promoting them and say, “A student must become the rank that they are promoted to.”

For a student who thinks highly of themselves, Sensei would make them wait to be promoted so that they can learn humility and say, “Students earn their ranks long before they get promoted.”

Essentially, both of those statements really mean the same thing. They both are about “becoming.” Regardless of how well we did on the test or how we achieved the rank, we must live up to that rank. 

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. 

Poor self-confidence or self-esteem are concepts that many of face not only in the martial arts but in life too. Martial arts training can help to build our confidence or self-worth and how it does this is by teaching us to put in the work. If a person has the mindset that they must “become the rank that they are promoted to,” then they would work hard to “be” that rank. Thus, with hard work and time, we will become that rank and do that promotion justice and build something that no one can ever take away from us.

One of the biggest problems 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. 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.” Mr. Miyagi jokingly said in The Karate Kid, “Belt means no need rope to hold up pants.” He was poking fun at the modern student's desire for rank because he knew that, for the most part, rank, titles, and colored belts mean nothing. Thus, if a person adopts the mentality that they must “earn their ranks long before they get promoted,” then they would be less likely to become egotistical. 

With every advancement and level reached, we are supposed to be living the Way of our martial art 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. Furuya 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 getting a promotion is something that we have to live up to.

Read the Spanish version here: El Budoka

Wry Smile

The best martial artists always have a wry smile or kosho (苦笑). In the west, there is a difference between a bitter smile and a wry smile. A bitter smile is supposed to show disappointment while a wry smile indicates “a false acceptance of something that is negative.” In Japanese, there is no distinction between the two as both kusho (苦笑) and nigawarai (苦笑い) mean “a bitter smile or wry smile” but are supposed to be a form of sarcasm or satire. In the martial arts, a wry or bitter smile is similar to the Japanese understanding. Martial artists are always supposed to be undaunted, and they show their undauntedness with a wry smile. The wry smile demonstrates that they won’t be defeated easily. Everything that a martial artist has gone through in their training and in their lives has made them harder to kill and with every adversity they surmount, they become stronger and stronger. Smiling in the face of adversity comes from the martial arts idea dojo de naki, senjo de warau (道場で泣き戦場で笑う) or “Cry in the dojo, laugh on the battlefield.” The harder a martial artist works, the harder they are to beat. In old martial arts movies, the hero always sarcastically laughs when their life is threatened. This is known as a hardship laugh. They laugh not because of some nervous fear but rather they laugh to mock their opponent’s arrogance to say, “Do you think I will be that easy to kill.” Another way to look at a wry smile is from the context of the First Noble Truth in Buddhism or dukkha (苦) which is common translated as “All existence is suffering.” Thus, if all of life is suffering and all paths have strife, uncertainty, pain and uncomfortableness, then we should choose the path that we want. Thus, a martial artist wryly smiles as if to say, “This is my life and my choice.” Nietzsche said, “To live is to suffer, to survive is to find some meaning in the suffering.” Understanding the Buddhist perspective, then on a certain level there is no one meaning - it is a cycle. The martial arts are a constant cycle of self-improvement - we have realizations, work on them, fail, work some more but ultimately we improve. The laughable realization comes when we become aware that under each layer of improvement lies another layer that needs improvement - this is the game. There will always be another opponent to defeat (usually yourself) or another layer that needs to be attending to. Understanding that this is the game of life, a martial artist wryly smiles when confronted with adversity. Someone once said, “Every time you find some humor in a difficult situation, you win.” In the martial arts and in life, smile to remind yourself that this is the path that you have chosen and smile so that your opponents know that you won’t be easily defeated. That is why the best martial artists always have a bitter smile.

Today’s goal: “Smile in the face of adversity, be contemptuous of danger, undaunted in defeat and magnanimous in victory.” - Sumitro Djojohadikusumo

New Year's message

“It's only those who are persistent and willing to study things deeply, who achieve the master work.”
- Paulo Coelho

The best martial artists are shitsuyo (執拗) or “persistent.” Interestingly, the old way to say persistent was shu (執) and the kanji is made up of two characters: happiness (幸) and circle or complete (丸). Looking at this kanji, one can posit that happiness is achieved through persistence. Talking about persistence, Furuya Sensei said it was like the Yagyu suisha (水車) or the “water wheel” motif in Yagyu tsuba hand guards. Discussing suisha, Furuya Sensei once wrote, “Who can stop the sword moving like the rays of the sun dashing between the ocean waves? It naturally, spontaneously, and persistently finds the opening.” Understanding this, those who are successful are the people who don’t give up. Therefore, for the coming year, I wish you nothing but persistence.

Whatever you dream you have - may you be persistent

When nothing seems to be going your way - may you be persistent

When all hope seems lost - may you be persistent

When you’ve bitten off more than you can chew - may you be persistent

When it feels like no one believes in you - may you be persistent

If you start something, don’t stop - may you be persistent

If you want to achieve something - may you be persistent

When the odds are against you - may you be persistent

In trying to make your dreams come true - may you be persistent

The best warriors aren’t necessarily the people with the most talent. A person becomes the best mainly because they were persistent and didn’t give up. Your happiness is within your reach, but you must be persistent to achieve it. This year be bold and push forward like the rays of light passing through an ocean wave. If nothing else, the best martial artists are persistent.

This year’s goal: Remember, as Benjamin Franklin once said, “Energy and persistence conquer all things.”

Fortitude

“The spirit must be forged or polished through training!” - Rev. Kensho Furuya

As the year comes to an end, many people are making their plans for the coming year and that includes resolutions. A normal person sets goals and wishes for things like cars, promotions, or weight loss. A good martial artist only wishes for fortitude. From a martial arts sense, fukutsu (不屈) or “fortitude” is the inner strength to keep going when we have nothing else left. People often think that excitement, passion, or motivation are the keys to success and on a certain level it is true. We can be successful when we get excited about something, we can feel motivated and get things done or we can get fired up with passion and make things happen. However, the problem with those traits is that they are externally influenced and can easily run out. Excitement tends to fade over time, motivations can wane in the face of adversity and the fires of passion can be extinguished with defeats. When excitement, motivation and passion run out, then the only thing we can rely upon is our inner fortitude. Webster’s dictionary defines fortitude as “The strength of mind that enables a person to encounter danger or bear pain or adversity with courage.” Fortitude is one of those traits that we learn when we study a martial art. However, fortitude is not something that a teacher or an art can teach us because it is something that we must learn for ourselves. Our fortitude is solidified or forged within us every time we confront adversity. Every time we stand up and put ourselves out there, we solidify our inner fortitude. Furuya Sensei discussed fortitude and often likened training to the creation of a samurai sword. He once wrote: “The samurai sword begins as nothing special, just an ordinary pile of iron sand which is melted together to form a clump of iron called a tamahagane. The tamahagane is separated and is folded into layers over and over to create a thousand layers of iron which actually crisscross in a mesh and, in the future, will give the sword its great strength and resiliency. The swordsmith works the metal into what will be its final most crude “sword” shape. A sword is not born with a keen edge, only its potential. Its true value and beauty only comes forth with the help of polishing and sharpening. It is under the skill of a master polisher (teacher) that a sword can realize its singular strength, beauty and sharpness — a work of art, whether it is a sword or one’s life.” Martial artists are human beings and just like normal people, our inner strength ebbs and flows. Understanding this, a martial artist’s New Year’s resolution isn't for cars, promotions, or weight loss but for fortitude - the strength to carry on when they have nothing left. Sir Francis Bacon said, “Fortitude is the marshal of thought, the armor of the will, and the fort of reason.” The martial arts are the only path where one hopes that when the time comes, they will have the courage to act and the fortitude to succeed. We won’t know how much fortitude we have until the time comes and that is why a good martial artist only wishes for fortitude.

Today’s goal: For the New Year, remember, as Furuya once said, “The only key to success is to just embrace your practice and continue to polish yourself.”

Watch this video of Furuya Sensei discussing incorporating Aikido into your daily life

Throwback Thursday - New Hope

Throwback Thursday - New Hope

Furuya Sensei posted this to his Daily Message on December 28, 2002

We are so smart, and it always seems that we are looking for the easiest way out! I see this all the time in martial arts so I really must say to you (please don't be mad at me) that martial arts are at an all-time low. Of course, most of us think that we are at an all-time high because everyone, referring to martial arts businessmen, are making so much money nowadays. When I say low, I am speaking about the art of martial arts itself and not what people have done to turn it into a commercial all for profit enterprise.

People often ask me, “What is the easiest way to do Aikido or Iaido?” This is what everyone is thinking! To dig a hole with a shovel, you need a shovel and a lot of elbow grease! There is no other way to get around it but today we are too smart. If I ask, "What is the easiest way to dig a hole with a shovel?" Most will answer, "Pay someone else to do it!"

One day, someone came to me and said, "No matter what, I want to study Aikido more than anything in the world! However, my wife needs my attention, my job is too busy, I live too far away, I don't have enough money, I go to school and have no time, I have three other hobbies and so I don't know when I can come to the dojo.” I replied, “Well, you have more reasons for not doing Aikido, then you do for doing it.”

We all have busy schedules but those who want to practice make time and opportunity to practice. Those who do not, will find one reason or another not to. It has always been this way as long as I can remember. I have many fine students who are admittedly the busiest people in the world but yet they make time to come to practice regularly.

People today look at Aikido and immediately try to find the “easy" way out! 30 years ago, there weren’t good dojos or teachers - how hard it was to practice back then. I used to drive all over Southern California each day to find a place to practice each day of the week. There weren’t many good teachers around to study under or even a decent mat to take ukemi on! Today, everyone has so much and yet I still hear the same complaints!

The New Year is upon us, Life looks like it is going to get tougher. We are thinking of war, many of us cannot even do an honest day's work because there are no jobs, and it seems that there is much suffering and pain in this world. It is not that everyone is so unfair to us and is treating us badly - no! We are just living in the world we have created for ourselves!

In Aikido, we gain more than strength. We gain clarity, focus and the skill to open our eyes and see everything very clearly! Regardless of what is going on, please keep up your training!

New Year's light brings New Hope, not once a year, but each day, we should celebrate this holiday!

Trust

渡る世間に鬼はない
Watarusekennioniwanai
All people aren't evil; don't distrust everyone

All the best martial artists know trust. Someone once said, “Trust is the root of all light and human endeavor, man’s survival can only be a result of the shared trust we have in our own humanity and desire to live.” Understanding this, being able to truly trust demonstrates a high level of martial arts ability. “Trust” or shin (信) is a human imperative but for one reason or another it might not be so innate for some of us. To trust someone is to give that person our “faith or confidence” which in turn can be used against us. Martial artists tend to be more fushin (不信) or “mistrusting.” This mistrust is based upon ideas like Sun Tzu’s statement that “All warfare is based upon deception.” Obviously, if someone is going to attack us they are probably not someone who can be trusted. Understanding this, the Japanese created the proverb bushi wo mitaradorobotoomoe (武士を見たら泥棒と思え) or “Warriors always assume the worst in people.” This idea of not trusting others can be seen in every martial arts kata (型) as they are all based upon mistrust with the thinking that “if someone attacks you like this, then you would do this…” At the early stages of training, we tend to be “closed off” and foster a kamae (構え) or “stance” which is “closed” to prevent others from attacking us or defeating us. Later on in our martial arts journey, we learn to trust ourselves and adopt a more “open” stance. We can open our stance because with time and training, we realize as someone once said, “We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are.” Therefore, not trusting others really begins with us and so how much we open ourselves is a reflection of how much we trust ourselves and not in how much we trust other people. This is where the idea that martial arts training builds confidence comes from. We see this idea of openness from the Japanese word yurusu (許す) which is one of the words for “trust.” Trust in the context of yurusu means “letting one’s guard down.” Ki wo yurusu (氣を許す) or kokoro wo yurusu (心を許す) both mean to  “allow” one’s “energy” or “heart” to be open. Once we gain the ability to open up and self-trust, we no longer mistrust others because “We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are.” Trusting ourselves creates the realization that all people, including us, are suffering, and are only doing the best that they can and so there is no need to be afraid and no need to take things personally. Trust enables us to move with fluidity because we trust ourselves enough to let others in and that is why all the best martial artists know trust.

Today’s goal: Remember, as Lao Tzu said, “Those who do not trust enough will not be trusted.”

Watch this video to better understand self-trust.