Upon consideration for Sho-Dan, I would like to express my gratitude to the ninja lineage for compiling the information through the centuries, maintaining a practical art for the cultivation of the warrior spirit on its many different levels. This appreciation extends a great deal to my most recent personal lineage offering direct impact on modern budo and the battlefield arts. Those most recent are Moko No Tora Takamatsu sensei, Yoshikai Hatsumi sensei (who shares his birthday with me), An-Shu Hayes sensei, and Intoshi Isler sensei. Although, I have only met the latter two of the four, no fervor is relieved from that appreciation.
The positive difference To-Shin Do has made on my life resonates through the awareness of negativity through ignorance, greed, and anger. This awareness allows me to practice controlling my thoughts, words, and deeds by following the tenets of focused conviction in mindful action. To give a reason, I chose ninjutsu over other martial arts would thereby further display my ignorance because I believe ninjutsu chose me.
Martial arts are the canvas for warriors artistic expression and the protector of his/her spirit. The end state for the martial artist is to master their artistic expression by attaining the imminence of divinity. So mastery becomes the purpose for repetition. All the while, leadership, is the ever-developing attribute of the warrior. Thus, the warrior earns leadership through wisdom and wisdom through experience. In turn, experience offers stronger artistic expression, and the circle becomes an infinite process. To initiate this process a person must begin by maintaining the humility to understand the pitfalls of their ego and, as a result, they will carry the aura of someone wh...
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...generation of speed and power delivering the body’s movement to the warrior’s will.
The master on the battlefield, when engaged in violent conflict can discourage attackers without harm. Discouraging attackers without harm places opponents in a peculiar situation, one which facilitates manipulation toward favorable battlefield conditions. When manipulating the conditions on the battlefield to a more favorable situation, the master must keep the Code of Mindful Action foremost in thought. Following the tenets of the Code of Mindful Action will lay the groundwork for peace through the establishment of trust and respect, further creating an imperceptible beginning which develops a full process facilitating the perceptible beginning. This vantage allows the ninja to establish their own rules which, with properly focused intent, evolve into love resulting in harmony.
As the cessation of the century approached, Rhee had accomplished more than he had ever hoped, garnering awards and apperceptions virtually too numerous to count. He had been denominated one of President George Bush’s Daily Points of Light. His ebony belt students included not only Members of Congress, but eminent figures like Tony Robbins, Jack Valenti, and Jack Anderson. He had appeared on the cover of Parade magazine with Cheryl Tiegs. And he had been designated by Ebony Belt magazine as one of the top two living martial artists of the 20th Century.
It is up to us to preserve the countless lives that could be lost if one man lost his temper, to stop the development of military grade weapons, and instead nurture ideas that can heal, ideas that can help the world evolve. We don’t need weapons. We don’t need bloodshed. We don’t need useless fighting or brutal violence. We don’t need to be like Batman and offer ultimatum. What we need is to heal together, to evolve together. What we need is
Discipline. Faith. Desire. Respect. That’s what Tang Soo Do is all about. Not the desire to punch someone in the gut, not the faith that you get another chance to hurt somebody, not the rude way of acting, not the respect towards the betrayers. Tang Soo Do is about the desire to learn. The faith in someone to let them make peace with you. The discipline in which you show people that you are respectful towards all. The respect toward those who are loyal to you. With the help of Tang Soo Do, not only can we have better self-defense, we can also become better people who are known for their desire, discipline, faith, and respect. And we can learn this by following the Articles of Faith, 10 simple sayings that give us a guidance to life but are essential rules to follow.
The Hagakure, has been dubbed the book of the samurai. It was written after a century of peace around 1716. It came to be the guide of samurai ethics until the end of the feudal period. Its short passages reflect and outline the qualities that make a samurai. Yamamoto Tsunetomo expresses in the hagakure the framework and mindset of being a samurai. “Although it stands to reason that a samurai should be mindful of the Way of the samurai, it would seem that we are all negligent. Consequently, if someone were to ask, ‘what is the true meaning of the Way of the Samurai?’ the person who should be able to answer promptly is rare. This is because it has not been established in one’s mind beforehand. From this, one’s unmindfulness of the Way can be known. Negligence is an extreme thing.” (Wilson, 17)
Conflict is constant. It is everywhere. It exists within one’s own mind, different desires fighting for dominance. It exists outside in nature, different animals fighting for the limited resources available, and it exists in human society, in the courts. It can occur subtly, making small changes that do not register consciously, and it can occur directly and violently, the use of pure strength, whether physical, social, economic, or academic, to assert dominance and achieve one’s goals; this is the use of force. Yet, with the use of force, the user of force is destined to be one day felled by it. “He who lives by the sword will die by the sword.”
Simpkins, Dr. Annellen and Alex. "The Way of Virtue." Tae Chun Do Webpage. Web. 19 Apr. 2011. .
Masatsusu, Mitsuyuki. 1982. The Modern Samurai Society: Duty and Dependence in Contemporary Japan. New York: AMACOM.
The wars, the victories, the defeats and deaths arose from the warrior’s duty to the Buddhist Law. These warriors lived their duty and this is reflected through the tales that illustrate actions that include loyalty and respect towards other warriors.
Before earning my black belt, I never saw myself as someone who could accomplish great things. I always undermined myself by not using my full potential. I rarely tried to prove myself correct when someone else shot down my statement because I did not know I had the tenacity to take action.
“To conquer frustration, one must remain intensely focused on the outcome, not the obstacles.” I still remember this quote from Within I Rise by T.F. Hodge because this specific quote has helped me through my long and winding journey toward the black-belt. It started with my friend in fifth grade showing me what he learned in karate class the day before, and me asking my mother if I could join. My brother and I went to our first class and I instantly fell in love with the sparring, grappling, fighting combinations, self-defense, and of course, learning to use nunchucks. It was not long before I had my eye on the black-belt, but there were many obstacles ahead. Less than one percent of all students at my karate school end up getting to
The film demonstrates the long-lasting martial arts through the sword fight between the warriors. Chinese martial arts are a unique mixture of self-defense, exercise, meditation, harmony, and self-discipline. Additionally, it uses the strength of body and brain. Each battle scene in the movie depicts that martial arts virtue peace instead of violence. It is shown in the scene, where nameless (Jet Li) is fighting with broken sword while floating on the lake and drawing a pattern with their sword. The martial arts define the styles of Chinese tradition and life of the warriors. It is one of the important aspects of Chinese culture as it is deeply imbedded in China, and it serves as a representative of the culture. It has enhanced my understanding on importance of martial arts in Chinese culture.
Before explaining about the leader, he has told about the relationship between leadership and followership. Leadership and followership represent a continuum. Followership sets the pattern for leadership. The leader cannot cheat up and get trust. The leader’s own style of followership provides the model for his own people imitate. A leader never think about only himself, he always think
...ften members of the warrior caste (kṣatriya) whose moral obligation (dharma) includes leadership in battle .
Leaders can have a powerful impact on the futures of many, and the way in which one approaches leadership is paramount to the type of impact one will have. Continual growth in the areas of knowledge I have and seek to acquire, as well as recognizing my leadership style and utilizing my personal strengths to the fullest, is vital to the successful implementation of my personal philosophy of leadership.
It rises even more when you start to successfully spar and win against people. Discipline comes from listening to your instructor. Asking questions such as “Do I face my fist this way or that”, questions like these are what you should listen to. By listening to and doing what your sensei says you will learn discipline. Integrity comes from showing up every day and doing your best, even win your instructor is helping someone else. Honesty comes with this as well, when you admit your mistakes on the exercise it helps you know that honesty is right. Enlightenment comes from knowing there is a higher power and following the Way. Timing is a skill that takes both mental and physical disipline. You must learn to read your opponent’ rhythm and use a rhythm they don’t expect to get in them in your critical distance line and