| In 1979, Soke Masaaki Hatsumi, grandmaster of | | | | before we even sat down to discuss your |
| the nine martial traditions that make up the core | | | | becoming a full student under me. Still, this is |
| training of the Warrior Concepts Mastery | | | | different from the traditional training in that a |
| Programs, wrote a book entitled Mono-no-Mikata, | | | | teacher usually did not teach Budo right away. |
| Kangae-Kata ["Ways of Seeing, Ways of | | | | This "trial" period may have lasted several months |
| Thinking."] In it, he wrote a section called Deshi-iri | | | | or even years. The new person was made to |
| which, translated from Japanese, means | | | | clean the dojo, wash his senior's training clothes, |
| "Becoming a Student" or, more literally, "Entering | | | | work on the meals and cooking, and run errands. |
| an Apprenticeship." | | | | It was only once the teacher recognized that this |
| I'm sure that many of you have noticed that, in | | | | person's personality could put up with these |
| my articles, I write more about mental aspects | | | | mundane inconveniences, that he was taught the |
| than anything else. The purpose for this is that | | | | martial arts and put through the often |
| you should realize the importance of your attitude | | | | remorseless training on a regular basis. |
| before you enter martial arts training, especially | | | | When I say that this training is not for everyone, |
| the kind of authentic warriorship training that I | | | | I'm not just talking about it in a sport or |
| focus on in my programs, as opposed to the | | | | preferential way... |
| general or conventional kicking/punching | | | | ..like basket-weaving is for some and ice hockey |
| sport-activity that so many get involved with | | | | for others. |
| these days. | | | | Especially here in the West where we have been |
| Unlike today, the traditional means for a person to | | | | taught that, if we are a paying consumer, we can |
| be accepted as a student of a warrior master | | | | get whatever we want... |
| were quite different. Today, a person enrolls in | | | | ..the business has to prove itself. |
| the training and, from day-one, the teacher says, | | | | No, what I'm talking about is the difference |
| "Fine, step this way" or "do this technique like | | | | between someone who wants to do something |
| this." But, according to Hatsumi-sensei, imagine | | | | because it "looks neat" and someone who feels |
| that an aspiring student, someone hoping to learn | | | | so compelled to do something that they will |
| the martial arts, comes to the dojo hoping to | | | | endure whatever they have to along the way to |
| train. The teacher of the dojo did not accept that | | | | fulfilling that desire. |
| student immediately. He decides whether to admit | | | | Training in Budo ("martial ways") is tough. |
| him or her after watching them on repeated | | | | Those who lack a martial artist's insight are either |
| visits, burning with the desire to become a | | | | dismissed or eventually fade away. This is not |
| student, and observing their attitude. So, that | | | | meant to be cold or uncaring, it's just the way it |
| type of person would be accepted. | | | | happens. Teachers can see who has the potential |
| Students in the mastery leadership and SWAT | | | | within them and who does not... |
| instructor training programs at Warrior Concepts | | | | ..regardless of what any one particular person |
| should remember that a recommendation was | | | | says or does to try to prove otherwise. |
| necessary and certain criteria had to be fulfilled | | | | |