8/15/07 - It has been awhile since i have written here. The Sixth Dan test is over and I believe it was a great success for me! I was able to overcome many physical limitations and perform at a personal level of success. I was able to bring together black belts past and present to help be a part of the celebration. I was able to inspire many students, instructors, and master with performance. I was able to have many family members at the test to see me in action for the first time or the first time in many, many years. It will be a day that lives in my memory for many years.

During the month of August and September, I am putting an emphasis on "True Meaning" of martial arts in my classes, and I thought I would share a few thoughts here:

If you look at the words martial arts, they are kind of the beauty and the beast. The word martial relates to that which is military and would include instruction in destruction, killing, and strategies of beating opponents. The word art would relate to those things that aethetically pleasing, and would include teachings that would be more about inner growth and less about competition.

The two words seem to be in paradox, but together they are the two sides of the yin and yang that seem to bring it's students into balance. The word that brings these two forces together is RESPECT. When we bow in the martial arts, we lower ourselves to the flags, which would represent that which is bigger than us and to our classmates and instructors. This is a sign of modesty, not so much submission. The martial side of our practice trains us to be strong inside and out, but without the art side we would all be bullies!

The art side emphasises that with respect to nature, ourselves, and to those around us, we operate best in cooperation not just competition, and by not showing off, putting others down, or raising ourselves up at other's expense we best empower ourselves to reach higher as human beings!