Welcome to the November issue of Bu Jin's Online Newsletter!

This month our home page features an essay contributed by subscriber Geoff Goodman. It seems particularly appropriate to lead off this issue with Geoff's motivational essay, since his message speaks to each of us, regardless of the art or the path we have chosen to follow. While Geoff speaks of aikido in his essay, which is his personal path, feel free to substitute the name of your art as you read.

When we literally travel a road or take a trip, part of the pleasure are the experiences and scenery along the way, scenery that often enriches our lives and spirits. In the Bu Jin Online Newsletter, we strive to offer meaningful scenery, so to speak. So in this issue, if you are an aikido practitioner of one style or another, we hope you will enjoy and gain from the articles on Toyama Ryu Batto Jutsu; and if you happen to be an iaido practitioner or a naginata student, perhaps the peek into Aikikai Honbu Dojo in Tokyo will add to your knowledge. Regardless of our chosen paths, it behooves us to appreciate the experiences and scenery, thus expanding our horizons and deepening our understanding. We sincerely thank the contributors who have shared their experiences for all to enjoy.

It's a Journey, Not a Destination
Contributed by Geoff Goodman*

"How long does it take to get a black belt?" the visitor inquires. He is in his twenties or thirties, and he has dropped by the dojo to inquire about Aikido. I reply that it usually takes several years. "Oh..." he says, crestfallen, "I'd hoped I could pick one up in one or two years." We won't see him again. What he is looking for is not to be found at our dojo. We are interested in sharing an extended journey on the path of Aikido. He is interested in arriving at the destination, having made as little commitment as possible.

Perhaps some people are only able to see destinations, and are unable to grasp the value of the journey. Such people may see a black belt in the same way they see a high school diploma, as a symbol of a program that has been completed. For these people, martial arts training is something you do in order to add it to your list of "been there, done that".

Aikido does not lend itself to instant gratification. Perhaps it is because of this that Aikido has a reputation of being a martial art for more mature participants. Those who enjoy Aikido are usually the types of people who like to savor the experiences along life's path.

Many people have compared Aikido to a path through life. The first, certainly, was O Sensei himself. In naming the martial art that he founded, O Sensei used a term that evokes that image. "Do" means "way", as in Aikido, the way of aiki. In Chinese, the comparable term is "tao". The Japanese and Chinese characters for these terms are similar, and both suggest forward movement.

It is this forward movement along the path of Aikido that brings the true rewards of practicing the art. There is a common bond in knowing that all your predecessors began at the same starting point. Everyone must experience being a clumsy novice before there is any possibility of becoming an agile expert. There is mutual respect among practitioners of the art. The beginner respects the experienced aikidoka, for his or her dedication and expertise. And the experienced one respects the beginner, for his or her willingness to tackle the difficulties of learning the basics.

The path of Aikido is interesting because the view changes along the way. The physical environment may be the same, but what you are experiencing may be very different as you reach different levels in your personal development:

The thrill of seeing a new technique for the very first time.
The sense of satisfaction in mastering the basics of a technique.
The challenge of competing with one's peers to develop competence in techniques.
The rewards of teaching others the techniques that you know.
The satisfaction of developing a deeper mastery of techniques.
The enlightenment of understanding that goes beyond technique.

Above all, there is a growing understanding that the changes along the path form the reality. It's the journey, not the destination, which provides the value.