One of the things I miss the most about living in Misawa, Japan is simplicity. It was a nice little town; I believe the main industry was agriculture. If you weren’t a farmer or fisherman, you either worked for the military base in some capacity or you worked in Hachinohei, an industrial town 45 minutes to the north.
I also miss training at the aikido dojo located in the Misawa City Gym.
I miss training at the dojo in Spring and Fall. Summer and winter - - sucked. The building was not heated or air conditioned. The windows were open most of the year and there were times in the winter when we had to clean the frost off the tatami. Speaking of tatami, (mats) these were REAL tatatmi with a wood frame - not the rubber ones used today. The mats laid on a cold concrete floor. The dojo was stark and plain. There was a tatami side and non-tatami side for the karate students. The entire gym had a distinct smell of fish and urine. There were no showers and the bathrooms were typical Japanese style; a porcelain covered hole in the ground.
But it was enough. More than enough, actually. We had a place to train, the rent was cheap and the experience was life-changing.
Enough is a concept we all struggle with. A lot of us work in jobs we hate and we subsequently buy things we can’t afford to rationalize the jobs we hate. We convince ourselves that we must have a vacation to relax and rest but then spend so much time and money on resting and relaxing that it's over before we know it. In order to maintain this lifestyle into retirement, financial experts suggest having anywhere from $800k to a million dollars in the bank by age 65 because it’s the only way you can have…enough.
The martial arts industry (yes, it’s an industry) bases much of its marketing on the concept of never having enough. There is always one more belt to strive for, one more competition, a title or status to work hard to achieve. I’m not saying that having goals and aspirations is bad thing but when it morphs into “the” thing that drives your training it simply becomes unsustainable. And that’s when a lot of people quit.
People also become accustomed to having a place with really nice furnishings. Showers, locker rooms, lots of new equipment, etc. They want the high-end fitness center with a juice bar - not a martial arts dojo. And they are willing to pay for it. If I were a smart businessman, I’d take advantage of this concept and sell lots of marked up equipment, self-defense class packages, etc. I would cater to little kids and their parents, offer an after-school program and make sure we were on the tournament circuit. Let me be clear: there is absolutely nothing wrong with any of those things. These are high-end services delivered by dedicated instructors and people will pay for good service.
All I'm saying is that I don't need to make six figures and have a huge commercial school with a floating floor. I do not want or desire to hold any type of position in a martial arts organization. I just want and need enough. Believe me, I’m not trying to sound like a martyr. I’m just a guy who chased after stuff I thought I needed and deserved only to realize I wasted a lot of time and energy. There is a great deal of wisdom in suffering and denying yourself certain things you think you need and deserve. Much of that comes down to ego.
I challenge you to name one long-lasting world religion, philosophy or path to enlightenment that advocates feeding your ego and your desire for more stuff - whatever that stuff is for you.
At their core, Buddhism, Taoism, Christianity, etc., call for mitigating the ego, not feeding it. And how do we feed our ego? We case after money, fame, power, toys, sex, titles, excessive comfort…you name it. Most pursuits are fine when taken moderation but disastrous when overdone and then become our task masters. The more we chase after stuff, the further we get from the reason we sought it in the first place. Including religion, by the way. But that’s another discussion.
Some times I think we forget that Do means “path to enlightenment.” In my experience, enlightenment doesn’t happen when we avoid discomfort through consumerism, laziness, or other ego-driven pursuits. Enlightenment happens when we seek discomfort, when we give more than we take and when we are thankful for having what we need.
If you ever make it out to our dojo, you won’t find us in a strip mall. We have some equipment, a lot of it home-made. It gets cold in the winter and hot in the summer. You will sweat, you will shiver, you will go home with bumps and bruises. Rank will come slowly and painfully. You won’t have any titles and you won’t win any competitions. If you stay long enough, you will develop self-discipline, self-worth and some functional defense skills. Most importantly, through a little bit of discomfort you will gain wisdom and make lasting friendships.
And that’s enough.
Dave Magliano
Tatsu Dojo
Jissenkan Budo
Dojo Cho
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