Value of Defeat

“Failure is the key to success; each mistake teaches us something.” - Morihei Ueshiba

The best martial artists understand the value of defeat. Most people, even seasoned practitioners, think that the martial arts are about winning and losing. However, the goal of the martial arts is not to vanquish our foes or to even win. The true goal of martial arts training is to change - change into better people. Therefore, losing is almost a necessity. In losing, we receive the two greatest gifts: humility and graciousness. We can exhibit humility and grace in winning but we cannot learn humility or grace in winning. Therefore, the only way to learn humility and grace and ultimately become a better person is to lose. Author Steven Aitchison wrote, “People change for two main reasons: either their minds have been opened or their hearts have been broken.” Understanding Aitchison’s quote, our hearts have to break in order for our minds to be opened. Interestingly, the Japanese kanji 心 is interchangeably used as either “heart” or “mind” depending on the context and lends itself to this idea of the heartbreaking creates an opening in the mind. Understanding this, the idea is that a person who has never lost will be incapable of showing true humility or true graciousness. We have to lose in order to learn the value of humility and when we have learned that then we naturally come off as being gracious. In most cases, we cannot be truly gracious without a sense of humility. When people watch Aikido or just about any other martial art, they are naturally only focused on the nage (投げ) or the one “doing the technique.” It is only human nature to focus on the hero as we identify with their dominance or confidence which we desire to have in our own lives. However, being the nage is the culmination of ability but to get there we must first focus on being the uke (受け) or the one who “receives the technique.” The reason why is because to take ukemi (受け身) or “receive the technique” is to be on the losing end of the collaboration. By taking the ukemi, we are unknowingly teaching ourselves humility as we not only accept but perfect the losing side of the partnership. In the martial arts, it is said that “winning too much is a bad habit.” Winning too often or being the nage too much is bad for us because it feeds our egos and that is why losing is so crucial to our growth in the martial arts. Perhaps that is why in the martial arts we are forced to take ukemi because to take ukemi is the physical practice of higher conscious concepts like humility, perseverance, or courage just to name a few. Someone once said, “Never let success get to your head and never let failure get to your heart.” Understanding this, winning, or losing is not really the point. In the martial arts and in life, we are all searching for a way to positively experience the ups and the downs. Losing teaches us so much more than winning but the thing which all the best martial artists are trying to really lose is their egos and that is perhaps why O’Sensei said, “Failure is the key to success; each mistake teaches us something.” Martial artists aren’t losers, but they understand the value of defeat.

Today’s goal: Nelson Mandela once said, “I never lose. I either win or I learn.”

Watch this video featuring Denzel Washington to better understand losing

Vigilance in Victory

“When you think you’re safe is precisely when you’re most vulnerable.”
- Shimada Kambei, Seven Samurai

A good martial artist never lets their guard down. An often-quoted trope in martial arts training is that we should be “striving for balance.” The interesting thing is that we must strive for balance but never attain it. That is because to be balanced is to have “the right amount — not too much or too little — of any quality, which leads to harmony or evenness.” To be “vigilant” or youjinkengo (用心堅固) means that we “keep a careful watch for possible danger or difficulties” and to do so requires that we be ready to attack or defend at all times. Therefore, to be vigilant, we have to at least be 51% or more on the ready and if we are in a state of balance, then we are neither ready or not ready but since we are neither then we are not ready. Therefore, by definition, balance is the opposite of vigilance. An argument can be made that by being balanced or at ease, we have a better sense of clarity from which to spring from. This might be true but most of us might find complacency and mistake it for balance. Perhaps that is why we encourage people to “strive” for balance instead of advocating that they “attain” it. To be ready means to not let our guard down. In Japanese, one way to say “to let one's guard down” is ki wo yurusu (氣を許す). Ki in this sense means “mind” and yurusu means “to allow” and so it is implied that to let our guard down is to allow our minds to drift or lose focus. When I was a student and we got lazy, Furuya Sensei used to scold us by saying, “Don’t fall asleep.” Explaining this, Sensei once wrote: “We must continually be determined in our own minds and hearts to be constantly aware and on the ball. Without this strong commitment and direction in our heads, we will always be a little slow and always and always late to the draw. Eventually, when the opponent attacks and beats us and has already left, then we might even wake up!” Thus, Sensei didn’t mean to literally not fall asleep physically but to be ever vigilant and not lose focus mentally. One of my favorite quotes from the movie Seven Samurai is where Kambei says to Shichiroji, “When you think you’re safe is precisely when you’re most vulnerable.” Victories and feeling safe have a way of lulling us into complacency and all martial artists know that complacency is the road to defeat. The best opponents are willing to wait and be patient for us to fall asleep and for complacency to set in. When we lower our guards and our swords get dull, then they will attack us. A Japanese proverb that supports this idea of being ever vigilant is kattekabutonoo wo shimeyo (勝って兜の緒を締めよ) or “to tighten your helmet after a victory.” The meaning is that when we are victorious or when things are going well, we have the tendency to let our guard down and so we must be vigilant even in victory and tighten our helmets just to be safe. Understanding this, a good martial artist is ever vigilant and thus never lets their guard down.

Today’s goal: Don’t be a good victim. Always be diligent in your efforts but completely aware of your surroundings.

Watch this short video to better understand vigilance

Asking For Help

The best martial artists ask for help. There are only two types of people who don’t need help: gods and liars. Gods aren’t people and they won’t or can’t ask for help and since none of us are gods and martial artists don’t lie, then even the best at times need sukedachi (助太刀) or “help.” Sukedachi means “help” or “assistance in a fight” but it directly translates as “Help with a big sword.” This could mean that the person needs assistance with a heavy burden or needs the help of someone with a big (or strong) sword. In the old days, a martial artist never spoke about their weaknesses, shortcomings, or needs. One reason for this was because a samurai was always supposed to be proud and as such the proverb goes: “A samurai, even when he has not eaten and is hungry, uses a toothpick like a lord.” Another reason for a person to be stoic was because Japanese society adheres to a group mentality mindset where the success or harmony of the group is valued over the individual and expressing one’s individuality would be considered selfish. The martial arts reason to hide one’s shortcoming was because it was thought that if others knew of our suki (隙) or “weaknesses,” then they would tsukeiru (付け入る) or “use it to their advantage” and defeat us. This martial mindset is understandable and even warranted to some degree. However, the way a modern martial artist looks at it is that a lower caliber martial artist tries to hide their shortcomings, situation, or circumstances. At this level, hiding openings is more about embarrassment. By asking for help or allowing people to see who they really are makes us feel uncomfortable and we think that it will make us appear weak. It is said that at a high level, a martial artist has no openings. By openly displaying their shortcoming, it takes makes the weakness into a strength because they are aware and are not ashamed or scared of it. Therefore, to admit that we need help demonstrates a high level of ability because to ask for help requires a certain amount of awareness, humility, and courage. One of the things which I love to hear is the sound of people rolling before and after class. In addition to the sound, what is especially wonderful is when people are practicing their rolls and a senior student is helping them. This before and after class interaction between students is a demonstration of the health of a dojo because it is an indication of the level of mutual collaboration, trust, and dedication. A person who doesn’t trust won’t ask and a person who is not dedicated will not help. A dojo is a special place where people come to grow together but that growth will only occur if the teacher and the students work together because as Henry Ford once said, “Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.” If you need help, don’t be afraid to ask. Asking for help doesn’t show that you are weak - it shows that you have the courage and humility to ask. That is why the best martial artists ask for help.

Today’s goal: Furuya Sensei used to say, “It is better to ask and bear a moment of shame, than not to ask and endure a lifetime of ignorance.”

No Destinations

武道はあてなき旅
Budo wa atenakitabi
The martial arts are a journey without a destination.

The best martial artists know that there’s no there there. In the martial arts, it is said, budo wa atenakitabi (武道はあてなき旅)  or that “the martial arts are a journey without a destination.” Thus, there is no there that we are trying to get to. There is no destination because the martial arts journey or douchuu (道中) is about self-development not self-perfection. If we think that there’s a destination, then our minds create an end point and a predetermined amount of time to get there. When we don’t get there or don’t meet our time goal, then we are apt to quit. Also, by thinking that there’s a finish line or end point, then our minds have already created a limitation and limitations in the martial arts mean death. Miyamoto Musashi said, ”It takes 1,000 days to forge the spirit and 10,000 more days to polish it.” A day consists of working eight or more hours and so the math works out to about 30 years without a day off. Author Malcolm Gladwell asserts that it takes 10,000 hours of study for the average person to become an expert but in Japan, a person is not considered a takumi (匠) or master level craftsman until they’ve spent 60,000 hours refining their skills. That’s the equivalent of working eight hours a day for 20.5 years without a day off. Martial arts is considered a high level craft since it deals with life and death. All higher level arts require ryuuryuushinku (粒々辛苦)  or “toil.” To toil means “to work hard tirelessly” and the martial arts are all about toiling. Understanding this, every day in class, students and teachers should have a goal - something they are working on, something they are toiling on. I often ask my students, “What are you working on?” I am amazed when most don’t have a focus or something that they are trying to figure out. They think that just coming to class will make them better. They aren’t necessarily wrong as even Woody Allen once famously said that “90% of success is just showing up.” However, just relying on showing up is what normal people do. A martial artist is not a normal person and so they have to do more than just show up - they have to toil. To toil is to engage in a continual cycle of awareness, actively applying oneself (toil) and creating incremental change. Actively applying oneself means to be mindfully engaged in something to the nth degree or smallest detail. To do that, we must be mindfully working on something and not just mindlessly showing up. The greatest skill a martial artist can possess is the ability to toil and to do this we need to realize that training is a journey towards perfection but not the attainment of perfection. When we have this journey mentality, everything becomes either a lesson or a test. Lessons help us gain mastery and tests demonstrate to us where we are on our quest towards mastery. The higher we go, the more difficult the road and so the truth about life is that the quality of our lives might improve but at the same time life is only getting harder. It never gets any easier because one or all of the four undefeated opponents are always chasing us: the Grim Reaper, Mother Nature, old injuries, and Father Time. If we stop when we have arrived at a destination, then one of these opponents will catch us. That is why the best martial artists never stop because they know that there’s no there there.

Today’s goal: “If you get tired, learn to rest, not to quit.” - Banksy

Watch these two videos of Demetrius Johnson and his ability to never stop moving

Don’t Lose Hope

“No matter if the enemy has thousands of men, there is fulfillment in simply standing them off and being determined to cut them all down, starting from one end.” - Hagakure

The best martial artists never lose hope. Hope is defined as “an optimistic state of mind that is based on an expectation of positive outcomes.” However, hope is more than just an optimistic state, it is a feeling. Writer and musician Andy Crouch said, “Human beings can live for 40 days without food, four days without water and four minutes without air. But we cannot live for four seconds without hope.” Hope is this feeling or spark that we have inside of us that when we feel it, it drives us. One way to look at hope is that its like this power inside of us which gives us life and thus it is our touki (闘氣) or “fighting spirit.” Conversely, when we lose that feeling, we lose hope. When we reach our level of hopelessness then our minds will fall, our bodies will give up and our opponents will be able to defeat us. Interestingly, one way to say hopeless in Japanese is kainashi (甲斐なし) but when you breakdown the kanji, it means “lack of beautiful armor.” If hope is like armor, then we can cultivate it. Every martial artist’s armor has three layers of defense: body, technique, and mind. The first layer is tairyokuzukuri (体力作り) which means “to develop of physical strength and stamina.” In order for our opponents to break our fitness or our bodies, we either simply need to be out of shape or they need to push us beyond the limits of our preparation. The next level is jutsu (術) or “technical” where we develop technical ability, strength, and stamina. Typically, we think that a strong defense is built around strong technique. It is commonly thought that the better our technique, the better our defenses will be, and this is not presumably wrong, but once our fitness goes, then technical failure is not far off. The final and most important level is  tsuyoikokoro (強い心) which means to have a “strong mind” but translates as “having a strong heart.” To have “heart” in a martial sense means that someone is able to be resilient and keep fighting forward in the face of difficult or overwhelming circumstances. Every day in class, we are supposed to be challenging each other on a physical, technical, and mental level. In swordsmanship, this is referred to as kiarasoi (氣争い) or  to press one’s opponent to failure “in the spirit of mutual combat.”  The theory is that with every spirited attack that we overcome, our bodies become stronger, our technique will improve, and our minds will become more resilient. In other words, our armor improves and with it our hope or belief in ourselves grows. In the spirit of mutual combat doesn’t mean to train with malice or to be a jerk about it. Mutual means together - we make each other better. Furuya Sensei used to say, “Push them to their level and then one step further.” We train hard and our opponents push us so that when adversity does strike, our armor is strong and that’s perhaps why Archilochus said, “We don't rise to the level of our expectations, we fall to the level of our training.” To train is to cultivate hope and, in this sense, belief in the feeling that we are worthy enough to challenge any adversity. No matter who we are, every person has a breaking point. Understanding this, the best martial artists train themselves so that although they may fall or falter, they never lose hope.   

Today’s goal: “Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.” - Desmond Tutu

Attack their Ki

This article originally appeared in the Spanish language magazine El Budoka. Read the Spanish version here: El Budoka

The best martial artists attack their opponent’s Ki with their Ki.

In the 1940s, 10th Dan Kendo legend, Moriji Mochida was demonstrating Kendo in front of the Emperor of Japan during the Emperor's Cup Kendo tournament at Noma Dojo. At this demonstration, some say Mochida reached a place of enlightenment with the sword. During the match, Mochida effortlessly struck his opponent and calmly and deftly parried every one of his opponent’s aggressive attacks. It is said that Mochida’s seme (攻め) or “attacks” were almost supernatural because he seemed to lead his opponent’s attacks which caused his opponent to miss.

When we attack our opponents minds or thoughts it is called kizeme (氣攻め) or “to attack their Ki.” In swordsmanship, to understand seme, students must learn it through something called san sappo (三殺法). San sappo are “the three ways of using a sword” or “three ways to kill.” The three sappo are: ken wo korosu (剣を殺す) or “to defeat the sword,” waza wo korosu (技を殺す) or “to defeat the technique,” and ki wo korosu (氣を殺す) or “defeat the spirit.” It is obvious from this list that the first two sappo are easy to obtain because they are tangible or perceivable to the naked eye. The last sappo requires a great deal of skill brought about by a lot of practice. Each sappo seems to build upon the previous one.

To defeat our opponent’s sword, we must become one with the sword. One way to think of this is that we learn how to use the sword, and this is also where we begin to develop our cut with the sword. Here we learn how to properly grip the sword, properly swing the sword, and build up our stamina. The other day in swordsmanship class, Watanabe Sensei said, “Proper grip usually means proper posture and a balanced center which enables us to create a proper attack.”

To defeat our opponent’s technique, we must make the sword part of us. One perspective is that the sword naturally moves with the movements of our bodies. Our bodies, arms, and sword move as one unit which enables us to issue power efficiently and effectively.

The final level of combat is done in the mind. Once we have mastered the physical or how to defeat our opponent’s sword and technique, then we harden our minds. Our opponent uses their development at the first two levels to unnerve us and attack our Ki. When our minds have been overcome, this is referred to as kyo-jitsu (虚 実). Kyo-jitsu refers to one’s state of mind where we strike our opponent when we are in a faster subconscious instinctive mindset because our minds haven’t been compromised. We get led astray and get hit because our minds have been attacked and unnerved and here we are in a slower reactionary state of conscious mindset called kyo.

Ideally, when we have aligned the Ki of our bodies and our minds, then our Ki becomes unified. Then, theoretically, when we have aligned the Ki within ourselves, then we become immediately aligned with the Ki of the universe and we become enlightened just like Moriji Mochida.

Therefore, at the highest levels, the best martial artists rely more on the development of their Ki rather than their physical technique. However, understanding this, Ki is one of those concepts that is regularly misunderstood.

Ki means “life force” or “energy” and its kanji (氣) is made up of the radical for steam or breath (气) and is combined with the character komei (米) or “rice.” This explanation gives us a physical representation of the theory that Ki is “energy.” The stored energy is released in the form of steam as the rice is cooked. When I was in acupuncture school, they defined Ki as “energy about to become matter and matter about to become energy.” Both of these explanations help us to understand the word or concept of Ki but don’t help us to understand how to cultivate it or use it.

There are a lot of techniques and theories available as to how to best cultivate one’s Ki. Koichi Tohei and his devotees have a lot of Ki exercises which are designed to help us activate our Ki. It is my opinion that, at the beginning, most students use physical strength or employ biomechanics instead of actually using their Ki to make the Ki exercises work. I posit that most Ki exercises or techniques can’t actually be learned but, rather, those exercises are demonstrations of one’s Ki ability.

When I was a student, Furuya Sensei rarely ever spoke about Ki. The only times that he spoke about Ki in Aikido were at public demonstrations or at seminars. In his day to day classes, the focus was on technique development and not digesting theoretical ideas. The reason for this is because abstract theories can easily lead students astray and that Aikido is, first and foremost, a martial art. To support Furuya Sensei’s methodology, in Zen and Confucius in the Art of Swordmanship by Reinhard Kammer, the master replies, “Swordsmanship is basically the exercising of the Life Force and, therefore, at the beginning of the study the Life Force is exercised by means of technique.” Therefore, it is my understanding that one’s Ki will naturally be cultivated by just practicing kihon-waza or the basic techniques on a daily basis.

Now, with that being said, there is a time and place for everything. It is thought that a student should start to cultivate their Ki and attack their opponent’s Ki at around sandan or 3rd degree black belt. The rationale is that 3rd Dan is where we should have cultivated a certain amount of technical ability and thus the natural progression of training turns inward.

The only problem is that 3rd Dan takes about 15-20 years. In my experience, a couple of ways to speed up one’s cultivation of Ki is with meditation and breathing exercises.

Meditation enables the practitioner to still their minds. When our Ki is calm or heiki (平氣), then our minds are calm and composed. The highest teaching in Budo is equanimity. Equanimity is a type of enlightenment for martial artists because they have the ability to jitsu or act mindfully and not kyo or react mindlessly. Most don’t need more than 30 minutes a day of mediation to help cultivate their Ki.

Breathing exercises teach the practitioner to properly take in more oxygen which steadies the mind and enables the body to focus more appropriately. In Japanese, this is called kigaraku (氣が楽) or “to be at ease." The easiest breathing method is Box Breathing. First, breathe out slowly, releasing all the air from your lungs. Breathe in through your nose as you slowly count to four in your head. Hold your breath for a count of four. Exhale for another count of four. Hold your breath again for a count of four. Repeat for three to four rounds and once or twice a day to help cultivate your Ki.

Utilizing our Ki to defeat our opponent’s is the highest level in any martial arts training. Students and teachers should take care to not start this training too early as physical acquisition should be at the forefront of one’s training. Like Moriji Mochida, when we can attack our opponents Ki with our Ki, we can lead their Ki and almost dictate their movement. When we are attacking someone’s mind or Ki, it opens them up to being defeated and that’s why the best martial artists attack their opponent’s Ki with their Ki.

Movement Creates Change

Samuel Johnson, “Idleness never can secure tranquillity.”

One hidden secret of martial arts training is that movement creates change. One way that movement creates change is based upon something called borrowed discipline. If we don’t naturally have the skills, fortitude, or discipline to create change, then we can borrow what we need from our martial arts training. Every day in class, we learn all these different things while we are just practicing the techniques. On the surface, we are learning how to negotiate ourselves physically. A person strikes at us and we answer with a block, punch, or redirection. On a more deeper level, we are also learning things like perseverance, dedication, courage, and the value of hard work just to name a few. We then use them or, in a sense, borrow them from our training and use them to create better lives for ourselves. For instance, let’s say we want to build up the courage to ask someone out on a date or ask our boss for a raise. To build up the courage, every class we single out the biggest or most difficult people that we are afraid to train with. Every time we do this, it builds fortitude and courage. We then borrow the courage to conquer that fear that we learned by taking on people bigger and stronger and then use it to ask for what we want. The rationale is that scared is the same scared and courage is the same courage. The same thinking can be applied to all the things in our lives that we want to change but don’t have the skills to do so. In this way, the martial art training and its movements transform us. Neuroscientist Andrew Huberman said, “Use the body to shift the mind.” Huberman likens movement to a mechanical system which spreads the chemicals that are released in our brains when we move, and those chemicals or hormones enable us to change our minds and our moods. In Aikido, we are trying to achieve something similar in our movement which is called ki no nagare (氣の流れ) or “the flow of ki.” When our ki is flowing, we are healthy or genki (元氣). When our ki is not flowing, we are “unhealthy” or byouki (病氣). The flow of ki is an actual thing but it is also a metaphor. By moving our bodies, we have the potential to move our ki which in turn shifts our minds and enables us to create change. If you want to change something, change it first in the dojo. Then borrow that discipline and make changes in your regular life. Understanding this, the best martial artists know that movement creates change.

Today’s goal: If you want to change something about yourself, move your body to move your mind.

Watch Andrew Huberman discuss movement

Be a Role Model

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

On April 24th, the legendary martial artist, Fumio Demura Sensei passed away (9/15/38 - 4/24/23).

The best martial artist is someone to look up to. To be a paragon or someone to look up to in Japanese is bushinokagami (武士の鑑). Bushinokagami translates as “warrior mirror.” Understanding this, the best martial artists act as a mirror and reflect back on others a better version of themselves. Demura Sensei and Furuya Sensei were very good friends for many decades. Most people think that practitioners of different styles of martial arts would be rivals, but at the highest level, there is nothing but respect. However, here’s a story about the time that Demura Sensei defeated Furuya Sensei. For about two decades, Furuya Sensei used to organize martial arts demonstrations in the Japanese American community and invited Demura Sensei’s group to demonstrate Karate. One year, Furuya Sensei organized a huge formal demonstration at the now Aratani Theatre in Little Tokyo and invited Demura Sensei to demonstrate. At one point during the performance, our two groups met backstage. To the uninitiated, it might have looked like the beginning of some sort of gang fight as our two groups met face-to-face as we passed each other just before Demura Sensei was about to go on. Furuya Sensei walked up to Demura Sensei and formally greeted him. We all stood behind Furuya Sensei and Demura Sensei’s students all stood behind him. As they talked, Demura Sensei ever so slightly turned his head and in the most quiet and subtle way said something that I think was, “chairs.” Immediately, all Demura Sensei’s students quietly ran off in different directions. In response, Furuya Sensei turned to us with a gritted teeth smile and angrily said, “get some chairs” and we all loudly and chaotically ran off in search of chairs. In what seemed like forever, everyone was searching for chairs in the crowded backstage area filled with theatre equipment. Comically, all the students came running back all at once holding chairs or something to sit on. No sooner than we all arrived, they both bowed to each other and just walked away. Dumbfounded, all the Karate and Aikido students just stood there holding their chairs with sheepish grins. I was the last one to return with my chair and I ran up to Furuya Sensei gasping for air and said, “I got a chair.” Sensei walked past me and angrily said, “Put it back!” Later that day, Sensei chided us on our poor performance and said, “Man, you guys have to be more on the ball like Demura Sensei’s students.” By the way Sensei said that and the look on his face, it was clear that he admired Demura Sensei, but it was also clear that he was bested. Over the next two decades we demonstrated with Demura Sensei many times and Sensei always used Demura Sensei’s demonstration as the example of how to demonstrate well. The misconception is that the martial arts are about winning and losing or developing the physical skill to dominate others. This might be true at the superficial or beginner’s level. However, at its highest level, the true measure of one’s prowess is that in their presence, they make you want to be a better person. Most people don’t know that the Mr. Miyagi character in the Karate Kid film franchise is based upon Demura Sensei. The Mr. Miyagi character or Demura Sensei has gone on to influence several generations of martial artists and martial arts teachers. To reach this level, dictates the true greatness of Demura Sensei. Demura Sensei will forever be the example of what it means to be a great martial artist and a great teacher. He was truly a warrior among men.

Today’s goal: Be someone that is worthy of being a role model.

Watch the trailer from The Real Miyagi the documentary about Fumio Demura’s life

Down-to-Earth

I am saddened to hear that Sifu Harry Wong has passed away.

The best martial artists are down-to-earth. When a person is kind, unassuming, and friendly, we call them “down-to-earth.” In Japanese, hanashinowakaru (話の分かる) means "down to earth” but it translates as “share time.” Therefore, a person who takes the time to share a moment with you could be considered down-to-earth. In the world of martial arts, it is easy to get a big ego and step on others especially when we are skillful or popular. Malcolm Forbes once said, “You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him.” Recently, I learned that Sifu Harry Wong passed away. Harry Wong was a long-time friend of my teacher, Rev. Kensho Furuya. When I was a student, he would often drop by the dojo to bring Sensei gifts and hang out with him. Regardless of martial art styles, the two of them shared a mutual admiration of one another. As students, we could see Sensei’s fondness for Harry because Sensei would address him by his first name even though he was a high-level instructor. Conversely, Harry was unpretentious and always showed Sensei respect by addressing him as “sensei.” I don’t know how they addressed each other in private, but I think Harry called him “sensei” in front of us so as to not usurp Sensei in front of his students. Sometimes they would watch class and other times I would hear them talking or watching TV in Sensei’s office. Harry was around so much that he was almost like family, so we just knew him as “Harry” and not Sifu Wong. I just remember that he was just this super cool Kung-fu teacher who dropped by to see Sensei. He would often come to our Christmas parties and was always nice and approachable. One year, I messed up something with the gift exchange and Sensei got mad at me in front of everyone. When I came back to the table, Harry patted me on the back and said, “Don’t let it get you down, man.” Sensei could be kind of strict and seemed very stoic, yet Harry and Sensei often teased each other. He was one of those guys that could make Sensei laugh and was one of the few people that could get Sensei to break character. After Sensei died, Harry would drop me a line from time to time that just said, “just thinking about you” but I hadn’t seen him in 15 years. Honestly, I can say that I didn’t really know Harry, but he knew me. Last year, Harry nominated me for the David Chow Humanitarian award and when we spoke, he said, “I believe in you.” I was taken back because he was a well-known Kung-fu teacher and Sensei’s friend, and I felt like a nobody. The last time I saw Harry was March 4th when he showed up at Sensei’s gravesite for Sensei’s memorial service. He said, “I have come here several times, but can’t find Sensei’s grave.” Sensei died 16 years ago. Harry didn’t have to visit Sensei’s grave but because he did and that showed what kind of person he was. It is true that “You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him.” From what I have read on the internet, I wasn’t the only one Harry touched. Harry was a martial artist among martial artists and each of us should work hard to be great but still strive to be down-to-earth like Harry. Rest in peace, Harry!

Today’s goal: Do something for someone who can do nothing for you.

Watch this video from Harry’s Dynamic Strength DVD

Be Generous

The best martial artists are generous sometimes to a fault. Generosity means “showing a readiness to give more of something, as money or time, than is strictly necessary or expected.” Ninkyou (任侠) or “generosity” is the one samurai quality that is rarely talk about because it is a given. Remember in the Hagakure, it states, “If a warrior is not unattached to life and death, he will be of no use whatsoever.” What that means is that a samurai generously offers up their most prized possession - their life. Therefore, the samurai is generous to a fault which means that they will give themselves 100% “even if it means that it brings them harm or discomfort.” A samurai’s generosity is true generosity because it comes without the desire for reward. This samurai generosity is carried over into the martial arts. Most don’t realize that a traditional martial art runs on generosity and I don’t mean from a financial point of view. In a traditional dojo, the teacher is supposed to give 100% of themselves to the development of the student and to the proliferation of the art. For instance, the teacher is always supposed to arrive earlier than the students and is supposed to prepare the space and create an environment that will optimize the student’s development. Teaching the class is the tip of the iceberg and few people see exactly what the teacher does in order to create the opportunity for the students to learn. From the standpoint of the student, it might seem as if their only job is to show up and learn. On a certain level that is true, but the student is also supposed to give 100% of themselves. Like a samurai, a student is supposed to learn how to be generous with their prized possession. Each day in class, students “give” their bodies so that other people may reach the pinnacle in their training. This generosity is given at their own risk and so it should not be abused or taken lightly by the teacher or the other training partners. The founder of Kyokushin Karate, Mas Oyama once said, “Personal greed and egoism are things that cause human beings to forget respect for others and violate rules that have been established for the sake of peace and friendship.” Understanding this, a true martial artist respects the generosity of others and never takes advantage of their kindness and is in turn generous sometimes to a fault themselves. In addition to meaning generosity, ninkyou also means “helping the weak and fighting the strong.” Therefore, the practice of generosity prepares us for the ultimate sacrifice of giving ourselves in service of others and that’s why in budo, they say, “Living is hard, dying is easy.” In the martial arts and in life, to be the best is to work tirelessly in the service of others and that’s why the best martial artists are oftentimes generous to a fault.

Today’s goal: Just one time, go out of your way to help someone else. Tomorrow, wash, rinse, and repeat.

Watch this video to better understand the value of generosity.

Be Formidable

一寸の虫にも五分の魂
Issunnomushinimogobunotamashii
Even a tiny bug will defend itself. - Proverb

A good martial artist is formidable. Formidable is defined as, “To be strong and powerful and, therefore, difficult to deal with if opposed to you.” In Japanese, one way to say, “formidable” is tegowai (手強い) which can also mean “difficult, tough, redoubtable or stubborn.” Interestingly, tegowai literally translates as “strong hand” which suggests that someone formidable has a certain amount of physical power or prowess. Every person has jiriki (自力) or “self-power.” The problem is that most people don’t realize that they have power or don’t know how to tap into it. Martial arts training is one way to release or harness our power. One of the first things that happens when a person starts martial arts training is that they unknowingly hold their breath. This is what makes them tire out or hyperventilate. We hold our breath because it is a biological response that happens automatically because of stress, worry, or fear. Therefore, one of the first things we learn in martial arts training, most times unknowingly, is how to control our breathing. All martial arts movements are based upon kata (型) or “predetermined movements.” All kata movements are timed with inhales and exhales. Holding our breath or breathing in or out at the wrong time causes us to become winded faster and skews our thinking. When we breathe properly, it intentionally calms our nervous system which in turn impacts our heart rate, blood pressure, stress response and immunity. In sword class the other day, Watanabe Sensei said, “When your shoulders sit, the technique has entered your body.” This was interesting because in order to breathe properly, we must be relaxed with the proper posture. So, when the technique “enters” our bodies that means that we have stopped holding our breath and at the same time, we can start to control it as well. Being able to control our breathing enables us to control our minds and our response to adversity. Formidable can be translated as “strong hand” but that doesn’t mean indestructible because formidableness is really a mindset. The formidable mindset doesn’t mean that adversity doesn’t scare us, but rather that we are game to challenge adversity rather than cower from it. In training, it is a really interesting shift when a person finds their power - you can actually see a shift in the way a person walks and carries themselves. The Japanese say, “issunnomushinimogobunotamashii” (一寸の虫にも五分の魂) or that “even the weakest and smallest beings have their own wills, so do not make light of them.” Every person has power and it is the goal in every person’s life to find it. In the martial arts and in life, when a person finds their power, they will become a force to reckoned with. A good martial artist has found their power and that is why they are formidable.

Today’s goal: When things get tough, grit your teeth, furrow your brow, and say to yourself, “I am formidable.”

Watch this video to better understand breathing and mental power.

Learn to Say Nothing

雉も鳴かずば撃たれまい
Kijimonakazubautaremai
The pheasant would not be shot but for its cries.  - Proverb

The best martial artist learns to say nothing. To say nothing is a skill. Most talking is meaningless and is usually an attempt to manipulate, influence, shore ourselves up, or fill an otherwise uncomfortable silence. Martial artists understand this and thus train themselves to say nothing. As martial artists, we are supposed to be trying to find a place in our training in which we are seijaku (静寂) or “quiet.” This stillness is a place void of pretension, grandiosity, and fakeness. In class, students and teachers alike are supposed to be quieting not only their movements, but their minds as well. To quiet one’s movement doesn’t mean move quieter. To quiet one’s movement is to iron out all the extraneous nuances and wasted movements in our techniques. These movement affectations are what our opponents will exploit in order to defeat us. In Japanese, they say kijimonakazubautaremai (雉も鳴かずば撃たれまい) which means “to avoiding unnecessary talk can prevent disaster” but this proverb literally translates as “The pheasant would not be shot but for its cries.” To quiet one’s mind is to smooth out the constant inner chatter. This includes negative self-talk, self-doubt, or any other distracting banter that might be going on in our minds. A quiet mind is a mind that is calm and composed. Typically, when our minds are quiet, then there is no need to engage in meaningless talking because we no longer need to manipulate, influence, shore ourselves up, or fill the uncomfortable silence. Silence in this case is a measure of our aptitude. The philosopher Lao Tzu said, “Those who know do not speak. Those who speak do not know.” Quietness has a sort of gravitas to it in mind and movement. From a swordsmanship standpoint, this quietness can be referred to as seichu no do, do chu no sei (靜中動 動中靜) or “movement in calmness, calmness in movement.” Furuya Sensei commented on this by writing, “This calmness does not come from a mental other-worldliness or from a psychological denial of what's going on around yourself. It is a calmness which is derived from complete training which allows you to think and move freely at will.” Creating calmness within ourselves creates the ability to be comfortable and capable with saying nothing. By saying nothing, when we do say something, we open the door to saying something profound or meaningful which would obviously demonstrate our true level. The best martial artists are supposed to have restraint and thus train themselves to say nothing.

Today’s goal: Think before you speak and ask yourself, “Should I say nothing?”

Photo credit: https://www.artstation.com/davidbenzal

Watch this video to better understand silence.

The Ripple Effect

“The undisturbed mind is like a calm body of water reflecting the brilliance of the moon. Empty the mind and you will realize the undisturbed mind.” Yagyu Jubei

The best martial artists understand the ripple effect. Martial artists recognize that every action carries consequences and repercussions. While ordinary people may struggle to see beyond their immediate needs and self-interest, martial artists stand apart in their understanding of the ripple effect or hakyuukouka (波及効果). The ripple effect occurs “when there’s an initial disturbance to a system which propagates outward to disturb an increasingly larger portion of the system, like ripples expanding across the water when an object is dropped into it.” With this understanding, a skilled martial artist remains mindful of their words, actions, and thoughts, knowing that positivity fosters positivity and negativity breeds negativity. There is a tendency for people to bring the outside world into the dojo so that they can “workout” their frustrations physically. On a superficial level, this is harmless as they work it out on someone or something. The problem with doing it in a dojo is that we are working it out on others and so our actions can have repercussions. For instance, let's say we crank someone’s wrist a little too hard as we are getting out our frustrations. Afterwards, that person resents us and wants their revenge - first repercussion. Later that night, our partner can’t sleep because their wrist hurts - second repercussion. The next morning, they are grumpy and yell at their spouse or kids - third repercussion. That afternoon, they can’t type well because their wrist is injured, and they are also tired from not sleeping the night before and they screw up a big presentation - fourth repercussion. After talking with their spouse about it, they realize that martial arts training is impacting them negatively and decide to quit - fifth repercussion. This ripple keeps going on and on and it all began with our decision to let out our frustrations in the dojo. Conversely, let's say we don’t try to take out our frustrations on others and just have the intention to train hard and have a good class. This intention has a positive ripple effect and creates positive repercussions like camaraderie, weight loss, or any other benefit from exercise and is compounded by nobody quitting. The ripples that we create go unseen and reach farther than we will ever know. The difference between a normal person and a martial artist is that a martial artist is aware that their actions have consequences and repercussions. Understanding this, a martial artist tries their best to mind their actions, choices, and words so as to minimize their negative impact on others. In everything we do in the martial arts and in life, we must be mindful that we have the power to affect the lives of everyone around us. None of us exists in a vacuum and, like dropping a pebble in a pond, everything we do has consequences and repercussions.

Today’s goal: Be mindful because you have the power to make someone’s life better.

Watch this video to better understand the ripple effect

Start From Zero

満は損を招く
Man wa son wo maneku
Arrogance leads to downfall.  - Proverb

The best martial artists cultivate a Zero-based mindset. It is often thought that nurumayu (微温湯) or “complacency” is the martial artists greatest opponent but the true villain is kyoman (驕慢) or “arrogance.” Interestingly, the word kyoman is made up of the two kanji for “pride” and “laziness.” Understanding this, martial artists know that arrogance leads to complacency and complacency ushers in defeat. Sometimes, this arrogance is subtle and not always overt but is just something that unknowingly creeps in over time. This possibly happens because of the unspoken fact that most martial artists will never have to use the skills that they cultivate. Therefore, a martial artist assiduously trains for an inevitability that will most likely never happen. Sometimes, once we realize that the inevitable is never going to happen, we unknowingly contract subtle arrogance. Subtle arrogance is not really an overt arrogance which is focused on being better than others but rather an arrogance that creates complacency because we stop improving ourselves because we become used to thinking that we are “so far ahead” of everyone else. Realizing that this subtle arrogance could happen, the good martial artist creates constructs to circumvent it. One strategy is to have a Zero-based mindset. A Zero-based mindset is the habit of waking up every day thinking that we are at zero and must re-build ourselves regardless of what we achieved in the past. In Buddhism, this could be known as shoshin (初心) or “the beginner’s mindset.” Regardless of what we call it, this mindset is a forced humility of sorts where we pretend to be starting at nothing. This mentality keeps us hungry and helps to enable us to put in the work. The problem with a Zero-based mindset is that it can come from a dark place because the easiest way to create this mindset is to think that we have to work because we are “loser” with a victim based mentality. Thinking you are a loser is problematic because it can become habit forming and detrimental over time. Martial artists aren’t victims and so everything has to be done from a place of positivity where curiosity and wonderment are paramount. With this curious mindset we think, “I wonder how far I can go?” This enables us to focus more on starting from zero than being zero. In Japanese, ryoutounoinoko (遼東の豕) means “to take pride in something mundane” but the literal translation is “to be so ignorant of the outside world that we think that we are one-in-a-million when we really are more like one-in-five.” That’s the rub, we have to think that we are one-in-a-million so that we can take pride in the everyday mundaneness of continuous training for an inevitability which may never come. In the martial arts, arrogance is the presumption that once we achieve a certain level and are good that we will always be good and we can agura wo kaku (胡座をかく) or “rest on our laurels.” To rest on our laurels is “to be so satisfied with what one has already achieved that one makes no further effort.” Martial artists never rest on their laurels and that’s why the best martial artists cultivate a Zero-based mindset.

Today’s goal: William Pollard said, “The arrogance of success is to think that what you did yesterday will be sufficient for tomorrow.”

Watch this short video of Jocko Willink talking about Zero mindset

Throwback Thursday - The Tiger's Back

Throwback Thursday - The Tiger's Back

Furuya Sensei posted this to his Daily Message on December 5, 2003

Quite a few years ago, one student approached me and said that he wanted to begin Zen sitting so I sent him to the nearby Zen temple telling him to go there and ask to join their Zen sitting group. A few days later, in practice, he didn't say anything, so I asked how he liked joining their group.

He said, "I didn't like it at all. When I said I was interested in Zen sitting, the priest was very nice. But when I told him that I also studied Aikido, he frowned and said that Aikido was no good and that I should quit. I was very angry and insulted at his words, so I just left and never joined them.

I told my student that this is very odd behavior and that I will go to the temple and ask the same question and see what happens. I knew that there was a new priest there, but I didn't have the chance to meet him yet.

I went and met the new priest and also told him, "I want to join your Zen study group and I practice Aikido in the nearby dojo.” He said exactly the same thing, "Aikido is no good, you better quit and just do Zen sitting!” I smiled at him and said, "Ok, I will go back and quit Aikido at once.” "No, no!" the priest cried out, "don't quit! I was just kidding you. Usually, when I meet martial artists, they are very arrogant, so I just wanted to test your mind! I apologize!"

After we introduced each other, we began to laugh. It is such a small world. This new priest was also formerly an Aikido teacher. He was first called to the Boston area to teach Aikido on the recommendation of Nobuyoshi Tamura Sensei of France at the Macrobiotic Institute in those days. But after a while when this young priest returned to Japan on personal business, he met a Zen priest and quickly entered a temple where he stayed for several years in training. In order to replace him, Tamura Sensei recommended the wonderful, more highly qualified Mitsunari Kanai Sensei. I met Kanai Sensei in 1968 while I was going to school in Cambridge. Such a small world.

In Zen, often such dialogues take place. It is always easy to get offended if we hold too much pride within ourselves or are too rigid in our thinking. Usually, priests are just challenging each other’s practice or level of training. Someone once said that asking a Zen master a question is like jumping on a sleeping tiger's back. Easy to get on, but hard to escape after!

Watch Volume 1 of Furuya Sensei's The Art of Aikido video series

Empower Yourself

The best martial artists empower themselves. A martial artist is only supposed to be in the now, never gazing too far forward and never looking back. To focus on the now is to chikarazukeru (力尽ける) or “to empower” oneself. Empowering oneself means “to make a conscious decision to take charge of our lives and ultimately our destinies.” To overemphasize the past is to have a self-defeating mindset. The normal person is always trying to get back to the past. For them, they look back on their younger years with fondness when they were younger, fitter, better looking or just less encumbered. We all want to go back because it is natsukashii (懐かしい) or “nostalgic.” The problem is that the person who we were back then doesn’t really even exist anymore but in our minds. In order to go back, we have to defeat one of the five undefeatable opponents: The Grim Reaper, Mother Nature, Father Time, neglected old injuries, and the Self. If anyone of these five undefeated catches us first, we will never be able to go back. A martial artist understands that we can’t become who we are supposed to be if we cling on to the person that we were. Thus, the only undefeatable foe that we have any chance of beating is the Self and that’s why O’Sensei advocated for masakatsu agatsu (正勝吾勝) or that “the true victory is self-victory.” A clue to how we begin the journey of self-victory could be in the Buddhist monk Takuan Soho statement, “Sever the edge between before and after.” One way to think about this is that if we let go of the past and not think about the future then victory can be found in the present moment. Alice Morse Earle said, “The clock is running. Make the most of today. Time waits for no man. Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That is why it is called the present.” Every morning when we wake up, we are the lucky ones. Every day, approximately 151,600 people die worldwide. Thus, every morning, we are reborn anew and should make use of the time we have now. In class, students up to a certain rank are discouraged from thinking. What I mean by thinking is not so much how to do the techniques but the baggage that comes along with thinking about how they are doing the technique. For instance, I always remind students that they should stand up straight with their heads up and look forward while they are doing the technique. One reason for this is that I can actually see them judging themselves with their body language as they are throwing someone down. Encouraging them to stand up straight with their heads up and looking straight ahead is symbolic body language indicating empowerment. In other words, this symbolic gesture enables them to “fake until they make it.” The 151,600 people who die yesterday don’t get to have a today. Martial artists understand this and so they try to squeeze the most out of the now because tomorrow they might be one of the unlucky ones. Saint Mahrer once said, “Time and tide wait for no man.” Martial artists know this and that is why the best martial artists empower themselves.

Today’s goal: Tomorrow never comes because it is always today.

Watch this video to better understand on what to focus on.

Test Your Mettle

The sum of our obstacles will always be greater or equal to our own prowess.

A good martial artist is always looking to test their mettle or kigai (氣概). Interestingly, the kanji for kigai translates as “condition of one’s energy.” One’s mettle is “their ability to cope well with difficulties or to face a demanding situation in a spirited and resilient way.” Thus, if the condition of our ki is strong, then our mettle or ability to handle difficult situations would also be strong. In order to test our mettle, we must face adversaries who are kotekishu (好敵手) or are “worthy opponents.” The reason that we choose someone who is a worthy opponent or someone of superior ability is because in the martial arts, we aiteshidai (相手次第) or “we determine our attitude according to our opponent.” If our opponent is shoteki (少敵) or a “weak opponent,” then they won’t bring out the best in us. In sumo, sumo wrestlers are supposed to kokyu wo awaseru (呼吸を合わせる) or “synchronize their breathing with their opponent’s prior to the start of a match.” On the surface, they synchronize their breathing for timing reasons. In a deeper sense, there is this idea that a person of greater or equal strength breathes differently than a person of lesser skill. Therefore, the synchronization of breathing becomes a metaphor meant to mean that a stronger opponent behaves differently and, theoretically, breathes differently and thus by synchronizing with a superior opponent, we become greater as a result because they bring out the greatness in us. In the west, we say “iron sharpens iron.” The Japanese equivalent is sessatakuma (切磋琢磨) which means “to improve by mutual encouragement.” The best martial artists know that the stronger they are, the more difficult opponents they will have to face. It seems unfair, but this truism seems like one of the unfortunate laws of the universe. Thus, the sum of our obstacles will always be greater or equal to our own prowess. This gives us the opportunity to rise to the level of our challenge. That is why the best always want to oomonogui (大物食い) or “defeat a superior opponent.” In battle and in life, we don’t get to choose our opponent and so we must always be ready. That is why a good martial artist is always supposed to assume that their opponent is of equal or greater skill. This assumption enables them to never be caught off guard and it also enables them to be ready to rise to the occasion. For most of us, our greatest opponent, battle, or adversity has yet to be revealed. When it does come, we won’t know if we will rise to the occasion or be crushed by the weight. That is why to get a better sense, a martial artist is always seeking out greater opponents or challenges to test their mettle.

Today’s goal: In everything you do, don’t take the easy route - challenge yourself.

Watch this short video of author Robert Greene discussing challenging yourself.

Try Your Best

“One must try, everyday, to expand one's limits.”
- Mas Oyama, Founder of Kyokyushinkai Karate

The best martial artists always try their best. In Japanese, one way to say, “to try one’s best” is funtoudoryoku (奮闘努力). On this day, four years ago, Steve Shaw passed away. When I think of Steve, I remember that he was one of those people who always tried to do their best. In Steve’s last email to me he was talking about moving up to the high school level and he wrote, "I have tried very hard to be patient with myself in the transition, but I still am not where I want to be. That's one of the ways I know it is a worthy endeavor.” Today, “trying” is frowned upon as if it is some sort of negative affirmation. Whenever a person says, “I’ll try my best” someone always corrects them like a 5th grade English teacher and says, “Uh, don’t you mean you will do your best?” The other day, I read a web article on Psychology Today, where someone stated, “As soon as we say that we are "trying" to do something, we build into our intention the potential for failure, or, at the very least, limited success. When we say that we are "doing" something, it sets us up to succeed right out of the gate.” Yoda, himself, also famously stated in the Empire Strikes Back, “Do or do not. There is no try.” I get it, from today’s standard of self-help, “trying” can set us up for failure. The problem with this stance is that no one succeeds at everything that they do and thus some things naturally result as a try. This “only do” mentality can set us up for low self-esteem or an aversion to the possibility of negative outcomes in the future. For me, when I think of trying vs. doing, I think that everyone is doing their best, but a good martial artist is trying to be better. To try means “to make an attempt or effort to do something.” None of us starts out as a master nor are there any prodigies. Therefore, every success begins as a try. When we only “do” and don’t “try,” we set up an expectation that we should succeed in everything that we do. With this mentality, a person can think, “If I am not going to win, I am not going to even try.” This sets us up to never step out of our comfort zone unless we are sure that we are going to win or that we are going to do something well. People above the age of 40 hate participation trophies. I get it, I hate it too. However, what the participation trophy does is that it creates a positive feeling about one’s effort regardless of the outcome. This sets up the young person to try things out in the future without the past negative memory of a grown person ridiculing them for coming in last. I saw this in full effect the other day. Every year, we help out at the local Zen temple and pound mochi, and people come by and watch. I noticed that people over the age of 40 will never try it out, but all the young people jump right in and give it a try. With this observation, I posit that the 40+ year old person worries about their performance and doesn’t like to “look stupid” or fail, but the younger person has learned to try their best and just have fun. That is the mentality that I think of when I think of Steve. Steve always had this huge grin even when he was supposed to be serious which used to drive Furuya Sensei crazy. I like to think that he grinned because he knew that he was trying his best and that he was just trying to have fun. Steve is sorely missed but I am sure that he is up in heaven trying to do his best, but still driving Sensei crazy. Be like Steve and just do your best. Remember, everyone is doing their best, but a martial artist is trying to be better.

Today’s goal: In everything you do, just try your best.

El Budoka magazine: Reverend Kensho Furuya: Modern Samurai

Editor's note: Ito Sensei's article originally appeared in the March edition of El Budoka magazine in honor of his passing 16 years ago.

Reverend Kensho Furuya: Modern Samurai

Many of us like to think that we are living the Way of the samurai, but how many of us really are? Reverend Kensho Furuya was a swordsman, Aikidoist and teacher who lived the Way.

The best way to describe Rev. Kensho Furuya was that he was an old-world samurai who was born too late. Furuya Sensei’s old samurai sentiment was, at times, too impractical and unrealistic for this modern day and age. He believed that a samurai life should be one of loyalty, duty, filial piety, economy and hard work, while living a simple and stoic lifestyle.

Rev. Kensho Furuya was born Daniel Masami Furuya on April 25, 1948, in Pasadena, California in the United States. Furuya Sensei was a Sansei or third generation Japanese-American whose grandparents immigrated to the United States in 1919. Furuya Sensei’s father was a member of E Company of the famous 442nd Regimental Combat team in WWII.

Furuya Sensei comes from a long line of samurai. His maternal family lineage were retainers and served as samurai under the daimyo, Takeda Shingen in the 16th century. Takeda Shingen assigned Furuya Sensei’s ancestors to establish a branch of Asama Jinja Shrine in the Yamanashi prefecture and they have been the hereditary custodians for over 450 years.

During the Sengoku period, Furuya Sensei’s paternal family ancestors were high ranking samurai of the Ikoma Clan in the Bitchu Province occupying the Takamatsu Castle which is in present-day Okayama Prefecture. Takamatsu Castle was originally built in the 16th century by the Daimyo, Ikoma Chikamasa who was a retainer of Oda Nobunaga and then Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

Furuya Sensei’s grandfather was proud of his samurai lineage and tradition and he tried to teach the ways of the samurai warrior to him when he was a child. Furuya Sensei said that he always felt a sense of responsibility to maintain his family’s samurai ancestry as the only grandchild in their immediate family.

At the age of eight, Furuya Sensei began his martial arts training and received his shodan or first degree black belt in Kendo at the age of ten. By the age of 14, Furuya Sensei earned his second rank of shodan in Aikido as well.

Furuya Sensei studied Kendo and Iaido under many great teachers when he was a teenager. He used to vividly recall how masterfully the famous Kendoist Torao “Tiger” Mori moved and that he once saw Tiger Mori attack with tsuki so hard that his opponent was lifted up horizontally. Furuya Sensei also studied swordsmanship, Kendo and Iaido under Takiguchi Yoshinobu Sensei who was a well-known Kendo teacher and an expert in Itto Ryu swordsmanship and Iaido. Furuya Sensei’s most notable Iaido teacher was Takeshi Mitsuzuka Sensei who was a student of the founder of Iaido, Nakayama Hakudo.

Furuya Sensei’s first Aikido teachers comprise a virtual who’s who in early years of Aikido in the United States. In the 1960s, most Aikido teachers were only first or second degree black belt and most only taught part-time. Furuya Sensei was too young to open a dojo himself, but was qualified enough to be voted in as a member of the technical committee for the Southern California Aikido Federation. In his early years, Furuya Sensei studied with Tadaharu Wakabayashi and Isao Takahashi, but he felt that his first real teacher was Mitsunari Kanai Sensei. During Furuya Sensei’s studies at Harvard University in 1968, he studied under Kanai Sensei at New England Aikikai. In the early 1980s, Furuya Sensei also spent time assisting some of the deshi’s that were dispatched by Hombu Dojo to teach Aikido in the United States. From a distance, Furuya Sensei worked with Yamada Sensei by editing and publishing the United States Aikido Federation’s newsletter and by acting as Chiba Sensei’s assistant in 1981.

In 1969, Furuya Sensei received permission to become an uchi-deshi or “live in student” at the Aikido World Headquarters in Japan and arrived after O’Sensei had passed away. Furuya Sensei would go on to deshi under Nidai Doshu, Kisshomaru Ueshiba. While at Hombu Dojo, Furuya Sensei was a deshi alongside future notable teachers such as Ichihashi Sensei, Fujita Sensei, Suganuma Sensei, Sasaki Sensei, and Saotome Sensei. In addition to studying with Nidai Doshu, Furuya Sensei had the opportunity to study with Osawa Sensei, Arikawa Sensei, Yamaguchi Sensei, and Saito Sensei. Furuya Sensei credits Nidai Doshu as his Aikido teacher and Kisaburo Osawa Sensei as the reason he became a priest.

In 1974, hoping to train more regularly, Furuya Sensei decided to open his first dojo in Hollywood, California called Aikido Renbukai of Hollywood. Later, Furuya Sensei establishing the Aikido Center of Los Angeles in Downtown Los Angeles, Little Tokyo in 1984.

In 1989, Furuya Sensei was ordained as a Zen priest under Bishop Kenko Yamashita and received the name of Kensho (賢正). In 1991, along with Bishop Yamashita, Rev. Kensho Furuya spoke before the United Nations on the subject of world peace.

Furuya Sensei wrote numerous magazine articles and he frequently appeared on television programs speaking on the subjects of swords, Aikido, martial arts, Asian studies, and Eastern philosophy. In 1994, Furuya Sensei authored the acclaimed nine-volume video series, Aikido Shoshinshu: The Art of Aikido. In 1996, Furuya Sensei wrote Kodo: Ancient Ways.  

Furuya Sensei had been teaching for almost 50 years and often referred to himself as a “stepping stone” for his students down their paths of Aikido and Iaido. Furuya Sensei achieved the rank of sixth-degree black belt in Aikido and sixth-degree black belt in Muso Shinden Ryu Iaido with the teaching rank of Kiyoshi. 

Furuya Sensei passed away on March 6, 2007, while teaching class at the Aikido Center of Los Angeles.

We can see from this brief essay that Furuya Sensei lived this incredible life where he embodied the samurai’s ethos of hard work, duty, honor and stoicism. Furuya Sensei really was someone from a bygone era. Furuya Sensei was this person who dedicated his life to living the samurai ideals despite living in this modern world full of temptation and distraction. Furuya Sensei would often say to his students “The Way is hard.” This statement reminds us that a true samurai is not just a samurai because they swing a sword, but because they are people who strive to be loyal, humble, hardworking and steadfast no matter what.

In order to live the Way of the samurai, we need a strong sense of commitment, loyalty, patience, duty, honor, respect and the willingness to go through anything for our training. According to the samurai way, there is no reward or incentive in what we do. Everything we do must be on our own power and will. A samurai must be totally independent but as a strong individual who works well with others. The samurai spirit dictates that we must maintain a strong sense of honor and self so that we will do no wrong despite the temptation. A warrior never makes excuses for anything, their honor comes before personal profit and wealth and comfort. A samurai lives a life of poverty without any recognition. This is what makes a warrior so special and wonderful. Rev. Kensho Furuya lived the life of the modern samurai.

Read Furuya Sensei’s full bio at www.kenshofuruya.com

Read the El Budoka article

Do The Right Thing

The best martial artists always do the right thing at the right time. In Japanese, tadashiiokonai (正しい行い) means “to conducting oneself properly” or “to do the right thing.” Furuya Sensei would often say, “Always act as if your teacher is watching.” When our teacher is watching, we act appropriately and thus by acting “as if your teacher is watching” supposes that we would continue to act appropriately in their absence. This March 6th will mark the 16th year since Furuya Sensei passed away. When your teacher passes away, it becomes a final exam of sorts. It is the final exam because the teacher is no longer there to teach us directly and how we conduct ourselves going forward demonstrates whether or not we got all the information they were teaching. In other words, it is like taking a final exam but one that lasts for the rest of our lives. In addition to proper technique, a good teacher is also supposed to instill a sense of propriety in their students. Touhi (当否) or “propriety” is the ability to act appropriately regardless of the circumstance. Interestingly, when you take apart the word touhi, tou (当) can mean “to hit” and hi (否) means “to decline.”  Thus, propriety can be thought of as the ability to have “restraint” or“Just because you can hit someone, you probably shouldn’t.” When our teacher is alive or present, they bring a sense of “borrowed decorum” or tatasu (立たす) which means that they “help us to stand up” properly or enable us to make use of their level of quality or ability as we develop our own. To develop our own sense of propriety takes time and is difficult because when the teacher is not present, we tend to revert back to our former selves. However, with training and dedication, we learn to tatsutoriato wo nigosazu (立つ鳥跡を濁さず) which translates as, “The water stands still after a bird takes flight” but it means to have the ability “to do the right thing.” When the teacher is no longer with us, we honor them by continuing to do the right thing at the right time no matter what happens. People who study the martial arts are supposed to have integrity. Integrity is the junction between who we say we are and our actions. Essentially, it is who we are when no one is watching. It is hard to act appropriately because to do the right thing when no one is looking requires that we have self-discipline. Sensei understood this dilemma and that’s why he suggested that we “Always act as if your teacher is watching.” Now that Sensei is gone, I can honestly tell you that this is something that I think about every day, and it helps to frame every one of my decisions. For instance, a few months ago, I was in Spain, and someone fell down behind me. As I heard the sound, I turned around and was moving to help them before I even knew what was happening. Afterwards, I asked myself, “Did I act out of conditioning or is this my true nature?” I don’t really know but what I do know is that before that lady hit the ground, I was already en route without thinking - the training just kicked in. The other day in swordsmanship class, Watanabe Sensei said, “Proper grip usually means proper posture and a balanced center which will enable us to create the proper attack.” Thinking about this, propriety is what enables us to become successful regardless of what we are doing. The path to success is fraught with distractions and obstacles. The easiest way to do the right thing is to just act as if our teachers are watching. That is why the best martial artists always do the right thing at the right time.

Today’s goal: Who are you when no one is watching?

Watch this video of Furuya Sensei discussing the benefits of Aikido training