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10th Anniversary Seminar

This past weekend, the Seikokan held a seminar to mark its 10th anniversary.  Actually, there were a lot of things to celebrate.

• This year was Sensei Lemmon's 30th year in Yoshinkan Aikido
• Last week, James N. and Mark C. tested successfully for Yondan.
• Last week David H. became the 10th person to earn Shodan at the Seikokan

The seminar itself was fabulous.  A number of instructors came to share their unique perspectives on the art.

• Jim Jeannette Sensei (7th Dan)
• Robert Mustard Sensei (7th Dan)
• Mark Lemmon Sensei (6th Dan)
• Nic Mills Sensei (5th Dan)
• Ashley Hennessy Sensei (5th Dan)

There were several dojos and other senseis who came to train, and everyone had a good time.

Friday night featured an hour and a half class with Robert Mustard Sensei.  I have reviewed Robert Mustard Sensei Clinics before and I feel like I can never say enough about his Aikido or his teaching.  Mustard Sensei spent some 10 years in Japan at the Honbu dojo and was able to study under Gozo Shioda Sensei, Takeno Sensei and Chida Sensei.  (Although to ask Mustard Sensei, he does not claim himself to be a direct student of Gozo Shioda, who died in 1994).

Mustard Sensei's messages are constant:

• proper posture
• proper timing
• relax
• if you want power, don't use it
• if you want to go fast, go slow

No matter how many times I encounter these teachings, Mustard Sensei is always able to express it in a fresh and living manner.  He is both funny and serious in his teaching and genuinely wants to help you understand something about Aikido.  I would also like to note that the Friday class included Hanshi Albert Mady (10th Dan Isshinryu Karate), who came out in support of the Seikokan Anniversary.

Saturday was the day of multiple perspectives...

Ashley Hennessy Sensei is a student of Amos Parker Sensei (8th Dan) , who in turn was a long time student of Terada Sensei (10th Dan). (Terada Sensei died in 2009)  Hennessy Sensei shared some Yoseikai variations on sankajo, which were characteristic of the art as practiced in Terada Sensei's lineage.  At the conclusion of his class, Hennessy Sensei presented Lemmon Sensei with a certificate issued by the Yoshinkan Honbu, congratulating him on his dojo anniversary and his personal milestone of 30 years in Aikido.  It was a big surprise and greatly appreciated.

Nic Mills Sensei, who considers himself a student of Mustard Sensei, reinforced many of the principles that we heard from Mustard Sensei on Friday night.  Using techniques such as shomen uchi kotegaeshi, Mills Sensei focussed on connection and distance between sh'te and uke, as well as the importance of smooth fluid lines.

Mark Lemmon Sensei used hiji-ate kokyu nage to demonstrate where uke is strong, and where he is not. Dispelling some older misconceptions of the technique which made uke's fear for their limbs, Lemmon Sensei put the emphasis on off-balancing uke, through the shoulder via the elbow and arm.  Even though  Lemmon Sensei has been my direct teacher for seven years, he continues to find new ways to convey familiar principles, allowing his students to deepen their understanding and to never think that they 'know it all'.

Jim Jeannette Sensei, who was not originally scheduled to teach, was persuaded to do so (to the appreciation of all).  Jeannette Sensei is a humble and understated teacher with amazing technique and an ability to convey what is needed to help his students better grasp the principles behind the movements.  Jeannette Sensei focussed largely on the connection between Sh'te and Uke and the superiority of position, movement and relaxation over muscular strength.

The classes concluded with a final lesson from Robert Mustard Sensei, who brought together the points of the day with an emphasis on timing, fluidity and relaxation as the gateways to martial power.

Later that evening, many of the students and instructors attended a party at Rob and Jackie's  house.  Bonds of friendship that were formed on the mat over the past two days were cemented around a kitchen island.  Friends were made, and common threads of spirit will encourage continued connection.

The spirit of giving and receiving that ran through the weekend was very welcome.  With the great level of talent present on the mats for the weekend, there was certainly potential for ego to rule the day.  However, the spirit of open mindedness and the desire to understand other perspectives pervaded.

I can not express enough gratitude to all those involved.  Thanks to all of the instructors who shared their  understanding.  Thanks to all the aikidoka who came to learn from this wonderful format.  A special thanks to Mark Lemmon Sensei for putting it all together and cultivating what was an outstanding experience for all.

Growth and Maturity

My teacher once told me a story about a man who was looking to enroll his two sons at our dojo. They had earned black belts in another art (a striking art) after about 2 years. The father wanted the black belts to carry over. Sensei told him that it did not work that way, and we never saw them again. (Sensei, I apologize if I got any of the details wrong).

There was a mind of gain at work in that father, but it was not a unique one. In the martial arts, people often view a black belt as an end. Get there, and you're done. Even those who hang around a while can become more concerned with rank than with the art itself.

At other dojos I have seen people pushed ahead because they "put in their time". People rush forward as though they need to get somewhere. Maybe they need to get to Shodan so they can have a black belt. Maybe they want to get to Sandan so they can promote people to Shodan. Maybe they just want to get to rank "X" so that they will be more senior than 'so-and-so'.

When I was in Tae Kwon Do in my youth, I really did not care about rank. Training was fun and I got a lot out of it. When I tried to get back into martial arts through karate as an adult, I had a need to gain rank, and regain what I had once achieved. It poisoned the experience and my interest died.

When I found Aikido, I just really liked Aikido. I had a sense of wanting to get to Shodan, since I had stopped just shy of my black belt in Tae Kwon Do. When I was granted my Shodan, I spent a few months of not knowing what to do next.  Having reached my goal, I was left wondering what to "do" next.  My training had been lightly coated with the same mind of gain and loss that had tainted my experience in karate.

I was fortunate to have good teachers in my life, so rather than being discouraged, my mind was redirected to what made Aikido so wonderful in the first place. Training. There is no one to beat, and no one to be beaten by. There is no one to pass, and no one to be passed by. The only opponent that can possibly arise is me.

The mental work that needs to be done with the fear of a jumping breakfall when receiving kotegaeshi is no different than the mental work that needs to be done with that feeling of needing to be a higher rank than 'so and so'.

There is no rank that can make you a worthwhile person. There is no title that will suddenly make you 'count' as a human being. You already do and you already are. It has always been thus.

Next month, if all things go well, my friend David will become the 10th person to earn the rank of Shodan at the Seikokan. It has been a well tred path for David. He is quiet, focussed and attentive to detail. He grasps the concept of spirit and expresses it in a sincere and humble manner. I am certain it will be a good test.

On that same day, Sensei's most senior students will be testing for Yondan. When I began training they were about to test for Ikkyu. I have watched their technique ripen and mature over time. This, ultimately is what we are cultivating in Budo. We refine technique, distance, balance, timing and spirit, the only way they can be: over time.

Spring and Balance

So far, this has been a very busy Spring on many fronts.  The dojo is no exception.  We have a Yondan test approaching for Sensei's 2 most senior students, an very solid adult program (top heavy and good quality), and Seminars out the wazoo.

Kenshu is wrapping up and the slightest sparks of excitement around the culminating presentation are beginning to build.  There is a lot of growth in the air.  Without looking outside or giving any attention to the weather, it feels like spring.

For me personally, this has been a very difficult year.  It has been difficult to stay healthy and work has been as hard and stressful as it has ever been in my life.  There have been many anchors to stability and sanity in these times.  Aikido has been a constant one.

The fall began with preparations for Nidan.  Although my cardiovascular conditioning was not where it was for Shodan, I felt good about the test in general.  It took over a month for the official promotion to come from Japan, but I was pleased with the experience.  From there, more and more things seemed to be competing for my time on training days.  Sickness and injury aside, the girls needed more of my presence this year, and I'd like to think I did a good job of being there for them.  Training time took a definite cut.  But when I was there, the challenges and the spirit of the training were waiting from me.

Earlier in my training, I would have been more likely to NOT make the extra time for my family.  Stress at home would result, and I would justify it by telling myself that I was doing something very important in personal development.  OR, I would also be likely to make more time for my family and spend a lot of energy feeling guilty that I was not at Aikido.  Choosing to undertake any personal activity outside of the home while maintaining a healthy family life is a balancing act to be sure.  No one can tell you where that balance should be.  Well, they can (and often do), but it does not mean anything unless the balance works for you and your life.

Spring is here and the fact that things are always changing is fairly evident.  The Kenshu presentation is approaching, and our dojo's own seminar will be part of our 10th anniversary celebration that testifies to Sensei Lemmon's efforts and those of the dojo community.

It is a time of growth and change.  Things come.  Things go.  Things are always different.  That is the balance.

Sharpening the Sword

Each Winter at the Seikokan, we engage in a practice called Kenshu.  Kenshu is a special class that covers the philosphy and advanced weapons that are required for students to advance to black belt ranks and even to become instructors.  The pace is quick and volume of information is high, so the student is forced to sharpen their martial mind.  However, the benefit of Kenshu goes far beyond the knowledge gained.  Kenshu is fundamentally a transformative experience.

Sensei begins each year's Kenshu with a challenge to refine your life.  Typically he says "Find something about your life that you don't like and change it.  Cut it out.  Forever".  It may be something small, or it may be something big, but the message is the same.  The process of Kenshu is not just a one hour class, once a week for four months.  Kenshu envelops your life.  The refining that occurs with jo, bokken, or kanji also occurs as we proceed through the course of our day.

The form of the class is simple enough, but it is very challenging.  Five  minutes before class is to start, everyone lines up in seiza.  Not knowing what will be covered, our weapons are on the mat behind us, ready.  Sensei arrives, bows in and gets right to work.  For the next twenty to thirty-five minutes, Sensei covers a principle relevant to budo.  He draws the kanji, breaks down the pictographic origin and talks about its meaning.  He always makes a point of showing how it applies to both Aikido and everyday life.  All the while, we sit without moving or adjusting anything.

At the conclusion of the lecture we stand up and let the blood return to our feet.  It begins with a warm rush, and is followed by a feeling of pins and needles and blood flow returns to the nerve endings in our feet.

With 30 minutes or less remaining, sensei demonstrates and takes us through advanced weapons techniques that are too involved to study in an all ranks class.  At the conclusion of the hour, we line up, bow out and Sensei leaves.  However, the work is not yet over.  Working together we immediately wash the mats and then begin copying the kanji from the board, making notes on the lecture and recording the sequence of the weapons technique.  There is no review, however an aspect of the collective mind allows us to support each other in this process.

After the first week or two, things seem straight forward enough, but over the span of about 16 weeks, the amount of information amassed is considerable, especially given the fact that there is no review.  At the conclusion of the course there is a test on the weapons techniques.  In actuality, it is inaccurate  to call it a test.  It is a demonstration for Sensei of what we have learned.  There is no passing or failing, but after having been through the process over the previous months, preparations are dead serious.

There is no one part of Kenshu that affects the transformation, but at its conclusion, everyone's technique is stronger and clearer than before.  The mind and the spirit have been sharpened.

O-Soji

Tonight is O-Soji at our dojo.  In the Japanese tradition, O-Soji is very much like spring cleaning, except that we do it as part of an end of year celebration.  We gather together in our dogi's and clean the dojo.  We wash the mats, dust, organize and generally do a "Big Clean up" (o-soji).  Following that effort we have a short but intense class, that in the past has included combinations of, 365 shomen giri with bokken, 365 back breakfalls, and even some hajime training.  The actual content varies, but the intent remains the same;  to burn off what remains of the year's energy.  Following the class there is a party on the mat with food and friends.  Together we celebrate the completion of a another successful training year.

One of the things I really like about O-Soji is that people often come out of the woodwork for this.  We get to see people who don't train on the same schedule as us or who have been away for some time.  It is a wonderful experience.

After O-Soji the dojo is closed until the new year.  We have a chance to rest and gather our intensions and resolutions for the new training year.  Please set some, whether your dojo observes O-Soji or not.  Goals can change, and being able to embrace or release as needed is very important, but intention focusses effort. During the week off, I will be setting my own, which I promise to list publicly.  That is another useful practice in setting intention.  For something like Aikido training goals, share them with someone who cares.  I don't know that that practice should be applied to all intentions, but here it seems useful.

One of the traditions associated with O-Soji is that of ending and beginning well.  We make sure to be at O-Soji because it is the last class fo the year.  We also make a great effort to attend the first class of the year.  In between, we do our best.

I hope this year has been good for you.  I hope it challenged you.  I hope you grew.  I hope, when the moment comes, that you are ready to let it go and embrace the new year.

Gambate!

Stages

This past weekend I tested for the rank of Nidan (second degree black belt) in Yoshinkan Aikido.  I did well, but it will be a few weeks before the official word returns from Japan.  As I continue to absorb the experience and what it means, I find myself reflecting on, and coming to better understanding the structure of the Yoshinkan ranking system. 

Although most dojos in North America use a system of coloured belts prior to the black belt, in Japan there are only 3 colours:  white, brown and black.  As one story goes, the belt (or obi) was the one part of the uniform that was not supposed to be washed.  In arts of the Way (those ending in "do") uniforms are traditionally white, as are the belts that came with it.  Naturally, over time the obi would darken with sweat and dirt, until it was essentially a "black belt". 

In Japanese Yoshinkan Dojos, students wear a white belt from 10th kyu through to 4th kyu.  In this stage, the beginner is learning many new things.  Effort is deliberate and mechanical.  Focus is on the placement of hands and feet and how to engage uke.  There are a lot of new things to learn at this stage.

From 3rd kyu to 1st kyu, the student wears a brown belt.  At this stage they have seen just about everything once, and have a solid, although basic grasp of form for both shite and uke.  Although each rank and test has its own complete set of challenges, there is a sense that the brown belt is in preparation for their Shodan test.  Things that are known get refined.  Effort becomes less mechanical as the Aikidoka begins to understand their connection to uke through feeling and experience.

The test for Shodan can be described as a demonstration that the individual has reached this point.  They have all the ingredients that the master spends a lifetime refining.  Here we could say that there is a shift from student to apprentice, or if it is a better analogy, from apprenctice to journeyman. 

Once Shodan is acheived, the belt can't get any darker.  However, those who have experienced these arts understand that this is not the mark of the end.  From Shodan onward, there is refinement.  A simple enough word, but it points to an on going development.  The student not only knows, but has experienced that there are different levels of knowing.

• fine mechanical details
• patience
• the importance of steeping and fementing both knowledge and experience
• manifesting both fluidity and form
• the awareness of how the art is both received and passed on 
• manifesting both the compassionate and martial minds

These are some of the major points of practice for me these days.  And if I truly have reached the standard for Nidan in Yoshinkan Aikido, I recognize that I feel as far from Sandan now as I felt from Shodan on the day I began to study this art.