Looking back to the late 70s and early 80s when I started training in martial arts, I tend to cringe at some of the depictions karate and kung fu (gung fu). Many of us believed these mystical fighting methods afforded disciples superhuman abilities only to discover that it was nothing more than a bunch of hype, bravado and just plain fantasy. Remember ninja movies? Holy cow. Who wouldn't want to be a master of death, have the ability to shape-shift and always get the girl at the end...of the movie? No offense to folks out there who practice ninjutsu, otherwise known as Bujinkahn, but once you do a little research on this art, for example, you find out that there was nothing magical about it. The ninja, considered a lower class samurai, was usually paid to covertly cause disruption, unrest and/or discretely eliminate political adversaries. One of my favorite events from Japan's feudal era involved a documented account of a ninja assassination. Apparently, a shogun was murdered while sitting on his personal commode because a ninja hid under the seat in the muck and waited for the hole to be covered by the only man who used it. And then preceded to skewer his victim. Spear enema...hell of a way to go.
But this was not budo - the path to enlightenment through martial arts. Budo is a modern concept, an ideal way to train body, mind and spirit in the attempt to enhance society. Today's bujinkan is now considered budo as well as other arts like karate, aikido and judo.
You know, one of the most difficult aspects of starting and maintaining a traditional martial arts dojo is trying to get people to understand what we do and why it's relevant. There are a number of Facebook and Instagram ads with former Navy Seals (maybe?) that sell their products by exclaiming how useless traditional arts are in a fight. A lot of people I speak to believe karate, for example, is nothing more than a hobby for kids and teens or maybe something that old people do in a park or at the YMCA...aka tai chi. And of course, many of the men I meet between the ages of 18 and 40ish think the only real martial art is MMA. It used to bother me, but. with so much information out there, it's really hard for people to see the value of traditional training that includes history, ettiequte, uniforms and lots of punching air. We are so used to getting the answers right away, that we often tend to think one dimensionally...the same reason why we can't seem to all get along these days, but I digress.
Traditional martial artists are often grouped with the same crowd that attends the occasional renaissance festival; a bunch of quirky folks who like to dress up in medieval clothing and pretend to be a part of history. And, I must admit, in many cases that's not far from the truth. A martial arts school can be a "safe" place for some people who believe that they have gained some type of unique skill that gives them the edge over just about anybody they encounter. No, really, I know people like this. They strut around in uniforms and black belts that only have significance within their particular school. Someone I know pretty well once spoke of taking their aikido skills to a local bar, ready to "throw down." This person was not a fighter, had never been in a real confrontation and had a very thin grasp of reality as well as the art they practiced. That lack of understanding was prepetuated by the school itself in many ways. A true dojo offers all of its students a chance to experience reality in the form of non-compliant training partners as well as consequences for failing to block or avoid a real, uninhibited attack. A school that claims to teach self-defense arts should frequently place people in a vulnerable position where their egos are constantly challenged and eventually mitigated. A real dojo will teach the realities of hand-to-hand combat and demonstrate why it's the last thing you ever want to get into.
But a dojo is not just about fighting. It's a place that offers a unique opportunity to learn about yourself; your strengths, weaknesses, biases, fears, frustrations and so on. A seasoned teacher will create an atmosphere that allows people to work together for a common goal; self-perfection. Self-perfection doesn't happen if you buy into the "black belt" program that offers a speedy ticket to your goal. It doesn't happen if you always seeking the next rank, title or coveted Senior Instructor patch. Self-perfection doesn't happen if the only way to achieve it is to prove what a badass you are. Those are all egotistical pursuits and have nothing to do with budo. The ability to defend yourself with these skills requires dedication and is a long, arduous process. But training to improve your mind and body as well as to temper your ego (everything you think you deserve) is more relevant than it ever has been.
And holding onto the past is not necessarily a bad thing. It reminds us of where we come from and gives us reference. When Terri past away, I had the monumental task of sifting through our family's entire life and boxing things up so that I could downsize. Over the past few years, I have occasionally revisited some of the boxes that have a lot of her things as well as the stuff she wanted to hang onto, things like the kids' books, all of their toys, etc. Admittedly I typically do this with a glass of bourbon because it can be a little tough. Inevitably I come across the stack of old, beat up records we carted around for 20 years. I haven't had a record player in a long time and I have access to all the music I want through the various platforms available today. Most of the albums are scratched and worn and would probably sound terrible. Yet, every time, I put them back in the box and decide I'm not ready to let them go. You see, when we were first married, we actually didn't have a T.V. But we did have that expensive stero system I bought at Sears and we spent a lot of Sunday mornings drinking coffee and listening to those records. Irrelevant? Hardly.
Every time I put on my training uniform and tie my old, worn out belt, I'm also donning a mindset that has connections to my past. I don't just wear it during class, but also during my individual training sessions that include lifting weights, hitting the bag, etc. My uniform, dogi, helps me to focus my mind on whatever training I'm involved in at that moment. And the archaic weapons and kata that I use in my practice, though considered useless by modern combat sports experts and armchair martial arts masters, are not only relevant but vital to my on-going pursuit of self-perfection. It all has a purpose not unlike that old stack of records or the many pictures I have around the house that remind me of the past and allow me to celebrate the present.
I'm old and experienced enough to know that our seasoned and newer students don't enjoy everything we teach at the dojo. Not everybody likes karate kata; some I'm sure, would be just fine if we only focused on fighting with more of an MMA type mindset, sparring with gloves and all that. Well, I've been there and done that and I can tell you this with certainty: that path eventually comes to an end. Training the old way with customs and courtesies, with reps and basics, with kata and attacker/defender type kumite offers a lifetime of practice. It's practical, it's beneficial...and it's relevant.
If you are a student here or at another dojo, I encourage you to learn about the history of the arts you practice. Don't be afraid to ask questions and never feel like you have to follow your teacher blindly. People who won't answer your questions typically don't have a real answer. Try to understand that budo is really about seeking knowledge and wisdom. Wisdom only comes through hard work, pain, and sacrifice.
That's been my experience, anyway...
Dave Magliano
Tatsu Dojo
Jissenkan Budo
Dojo Cho
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