Fortunately, I have managed throughout my life to refrain for gaining too much knowledge pertaining to lumps... but I am vagely familiar with bumps... and bruises and aches and pains and very sore muscles from hours upon hours of practicing the Ken Suburi in the hopes that if I sweat enough and work hard enough I'll eventually pass out and during my state of euphoria I'll be visited by the Stupidity no Kami who will pass down a few divine secrets sort of similar to how Minamoto Yoshitsune was taught the secrtes of the sword by Sojobo, the Tengu King. I have been training for a while now and that still has yet to happen but perhaps one day.... you just never know.
Whether or not I am ever visited by a Kami or a Tengu or any other supernatural being is irrelevant. I will keep right on training day in and day out, month after month, year after year. This is Shugyo, training. Unfortunately for most people involved in the martial arts whether it be Aikido, Jeet Kune Do, Hapkido, Karate-do, a particular type of Koryu, or any other version that you can attach a name to, they never really get involved in Shugyo. They just practice. They come to class twice a week, learn what little they can and go home without a second thought about what they just did until the next class rolls around. This is very sad, I personally view it as tragic and a very great loss. All Sensei can do is hope that these students will keep coming back enough times to finally realize the benefits that are waiting for them if they choose to seek them.
I never was one of those students. From the first moment I set foot in the dojo I felt a very deep connection almost like gaining something in my life that was missing until that moment and that connection has only grown stronger over the years. Even so it has taken me quite a while to understand the importance of Shugyo, and I'm fairly certain that I'll never fully understand the scope or depth of this sort of training. You see, to me Shugyo isn't about just what happens in the dojo. It also includes everything that goes on in my life outside of the dojo. I believe that one should take the lessons that are taught in the training hall and apply them in every moment of your life. Lessons such as patience, respect, compassion, cooperation, honesty, not just with other people but with myself. Learning to be brutaly honest with myself was and is still one of the hardest things I have ever done, but it has allowed me to address many of my weaknesses and start out on the path to overcoming them. Being involved in Shugyo has allowed me to create some very deep friendships through my constant study of compassion and understanting of others' emotions. It has made me a better technician in the dojo because I have learned the value of slow practice and patience with others, and again honesty with myself. Instead of blaming uke for not falling correctly, I have learned to take responsability for my own mistakes and this has made a huge difference in the way I progress in the art. I literally took the job that I have now because I viewed it as a great oppertunity for me to continue in my Shugyo, my work is very political and public, I have to deal with people all day long, some friendly, some not so friendly. I try to approach each situation with the lessons of Aikido training in mind. Needless to say that I have made many mistakes but I continue to progress in the area of self control, it's just like a big key that has opened many, many doors.
I've read many books and articles and been involved in lots of conversations that talk about how the martial arts can change your life. I agree 100% But only if you take your training seriously, only if you allow it to become Shugyo. How can swinging a wooden sword around for hours and hours make you a better person. The fact is that it can't, not unless you approach the training with a good mindset. Practice with sincerity, in the hopes that learning to use the sword and learning how powerful it really is you'll never have to resort to unsheathing it. Practice your techniques with compassion in mind, understand that by learning to hurt people you can then choose not to.
Contribute your heart and soul to the ceremony at the beginning and ending of each practice, perform the etiquette as deeply sincere as you can possibly manage. Treat your partners as though you were responsible for their very lives and then give yourself to them completely. Take these lessons outside of the dojo and into your very being and become one of few who are really doing O-Sensei's Aikido.
This article was originaly posted to the Aikido Journal by JD Paul ( jdpaul@amigo.net ) and was reposted with permission.
Special thanks to the Aikido Journal. Please pay them a visit as they have an amazing site with a wealth of information.
