Aikijudo-Jitsu™ Ryu

Training in the Old Ways

Tomodachi,

I have stayed away from developing relationships with entrepreneurial sensei who have commercialized, diluted, and to an extent corrupted the old and traditional martial art systems. The topics of philosophy, theology, strategy, poetry, and art no longer seem to be taught in any of the ryu I have visited.  Fighting and physical force seem to be the only options on the self-defense menu.  They merely seem to focus on the physical aspects of the martial arts, competitions, and mixing components of martial arts for more progressive forms of competition. 

Aside from Aikijudo-Jitsu, there are but a few exceptions I know of:  Morihei Ueshiba's Aikido, and those remaining Aikido dojos with a strong and direct connection to the Hombu dojo in Japan, and some Judo dojos that are staying true to Jigoro Kano's system.

I believe there are still sensei today that are legitimate Shodan practicing within other systems—Shodan of old—dedicated to maintaining the old ways with virtue and integrity.  I suspect they are like finding the proverbial needle in a haystack. This is very saddening to me because many of the old masters are either now existing in their next life, or they are close to it.  We are but a generation away from being disconnected permanently from our heritage, culture, and cherished traditions.

I'm sure you have heard many fables and stories of how it was in the old days, but I would like to give you an insight into how it really once was.  I think it might help provide a different perspective for you; and possibly hope of finding what you are looking for.

Let's go back about 500 years.  Put me in a dojo in a small town, at about the age of 40.  I am the sensei.  The dojo was constructed with money donated by the parents of my students, or perhaps an endowment.  My students provide for all of my needs in exchange for training.  And then one day you show up, about 12 years old, and ask for training.  If I accept you as a student, you will spend the next 20 or 25 years training at my side every day. 

You will spend several months working on a single technique.  You will perform chores to learn patience, humility, and to build up your strength.  You will spend hours upon hours in study of philosophy, theology, poetry, art, general studies, and strategy.  Eventually you will assist me in teaching the younger students.  Once you reach age 35, and if I feel you are the right man, I will call you out among all other students.

I will be dressed to the 9's in my ceremonial kimono and hakama.  We will square off on the mats, bow, and say "onagaishimasu."  I will then present you with a very thick bound book, or series of scrolls.  It is time for you to go, and I have given you a copy of the dojo's complete training materials.  You are ready to go and start your own (franchised) dojo with instructions issued, and promises made to keep the traditions and training methods the same as you were taught.  This is what it means to be Shodan.

It is not the end of your training by any means.  It is merely the beginning, as it was for me back in 1989.

I was fortunate to live the modern-day equivalent of the story above.    I have stated in the past that I felt like I lived the Karate Kid scenario, but that is only partially accurate.  In truth my dojo was situated atop a hill covered with 3' of prairie grass; not a building in a small Japanese village.  I can still remember standing on top of the hill waiting for Manuel, close to dusk, with a nice breeze blowing through both my hair, and the tall prairie grass.  That is a memory that I will always cherish.  I remember wishing to stay in that moment for the rest of my life.

My sensei was a true master who trained in, and stayed true to the old ways.  I reflect quite often on how very fortunate I was to have been invited by Manuel to train.  At the end of my last day with him, before I shipped out to Navy boot camp, Manuel came bounding out of his basement with his arms full.  He carried several books on philosophy and martial arts and put them in my car.  He gave me a hug, smiled, and I asked him, "How can I repay you for all you have done?"  He smiled very big and said, "you don't owe me anything; just pass along what I have taught you in the same way."  He winked at me, and then he left. This was in July of 1982.

I did not realize it at the time, but that was the moment he retired.  He passed the torch to me.  Aikijudo-Jitsu Ryu is my tribute to Manuel, and it is my promise to him to be true to, and to keep the old ways alive.

Onegaishimasu!

Troy M. Wussow
Aikijudo-Jitsu™
April 9, 2010

"The River" A Gift to a Well-Respected Friend

The path we are all set upon is similar to a long and winding river. Sections of the path are calm, swift, and rapid. We may even encounter a few beautiful and deadly waterfalls along the way. With eyes forward, ears absorbing the sounds of nature, oars in the water, we can then successfully predict and adjust for many of the changes to come. Beyond our control, there are also times when the path is curved, silent, and otherwise void to our senses.

Feeling blind and alone—distended from nature—this is when we are on guard with our bodies poised to expect the unexpected. Anticipation of the unknown often causes a significant change in our chemistry: our muscles contract, our senses heightened, and this steals valuable energy and resources from our bodies. We must learn to manage our resources in moderation if we are to make it through to the end. Natures moods are unpredictable, and so we invoke self-awareness to ensure self-control.

Nature may choose to narrow our paths, or create obstacles to interrupt our grove. We may have to remove ourselves from the path, walk a ways to find a different entrance, and then continue our journey. Success requires us to be patient, especially during times when the breadth of the river seems as wide as an ocean. The waters a still-calm with no discernable currents; we again find ourselves feeling lost and alone. We must invoke reason, knowledge, wisdom and love when physical strength is no longer sufficient.

Physical strength is never sufficient. Virtue teaches us to row smarter, harder and longer than before to continue downstream. Barely back on course, we now find ourselves growing tired and weary. We must look intently around to find those we love, and those who love us. For we are not meant to make this journey alone. Wisdom teaches us to stop and rest to rebuild our strength, reflect on our past, learn from the unexpected, and reposition our strategies. Stopping from time-to-time as we must, our oar is out of the water.

Oars serve as both rudder, and our physical connection to the conditions of the currents. If our oar leaves the water, then we lose awareness of the flow and control of our path. While we may not choose the path and location of the river, we are empowered to choose how to proceed down the river, and those with whom we journey together. We must keep our eyes forward, our courage steadfast and true, our minds calm, and our oars in the water.

Troy M. Wussow
Aikijudo-Jitsu™
April 10, 2010

The Importance of Learning Who We Are

Tomodachi,

Who are we? Do we really know?

I believe that we, as a species, have grown way too fast in technology. I believe that many, if not most of us are lost in all this technology and rapid growth. I know I was, until I figured out who and what I am. It was very difficult and confusing. I can do so many things, but I eventually realized it is par for the course for someone like us: I have the ADHD too. <big grin> But I'm more of the ADD than HD. I also believe the ADD is a gift, not a problem or a diagnosis. I had a friend at my last job that approached me a few years ago who said that she was diagnosed with Adult ADD. Her physician prescribed a medication for her. She claimed that she is feeling much better now. I was silently enraged.

I had to go back to the past about 300 years to really discover who and what I am. I had to get rid of all the technology and go back to nature, so-to-speak. I had to look deep within myself to see just what my raw talents are: the things that I naturally do well, and the things that bring me the most joy and happiness. Given my raw talents, I believe I would have been a warrior/protector, a blacksmith to fabricate my own weapons and metalwork needed by the towns-folk, and an instructor to help out the community and my fellow warriors.

I have also watched just a few people in my life time that I have heard described as "working within their own", or doing the thing that nature designed and constructed their body and mind to do. People who are labeled as a "natural" at what they do, or people who describe a job or function they do as coming to them naturally; these are people that are working in their own. This is how I felt when I was welding. This is how I feel when I am in the dojo. In fact one of the happiest times of my life was between 1989 and 1993 when I welded during the day, then came home and practiced and taught martial arts all night; and all week. My energy seemed to never end; the students pooped out before I did.

The confusing thing to me about this was that I was looking for one thing that I am supposed to be doing, but eventually I realized that there are several things I was designed to do, and they are all connected. Nature designed me to be a warrior, a blacksmith, and a teacher. It is in my DNA. I am convinced about the warrior side because the martial arts have come to me so easily, and it is metaphysical; I simply feel it through to my bones. The blacksmith was a different story.

My father talked me into being a welder in the Navy. Many years later my sister started an interest in genealogy, and discovered that all of the Wussow men, dating back at least 8 generations were all blacksmiths and whitesmiths. ...interesting. I am a natural at metal work too. Between 1988 and 1993 there were only two known TIG welders in Kansas City that were qualified to weld Titanium: myself, and another man that worked for Bendix. No one taught me either: I just started doing it. I was also the first civilian welder to ever write a non-destructive testing procedure for aircraft grade II titanium through the American Welding Society.

The teaching thing was first discovered in boot camp (long story). Suffice it to say that I knew then I was an effective teacher; even for a 17 year old. I need to interject something here: I am not telling you all of these things to show off, or to toot my own horn. I got rid of that kind of ego long ago. I am hoping that my story will demonstrate to you that when we are working within our own, there is nothing we can't do. We excel, we stand out, we appear to be geniuses to other people because they are still lost, and not doing what nature designed them to do.

So why am I a web developer? It is not my first choice of occupations. I can do it, and I'm good at it, but not nearly as good and efficient as my peers. I am not a natural at it, and I have to work much harder at it to keep up. I have to do it because of money so that my spouse and I can survive in this new high-tech world. Welding doesn't pay much anymore, and neither does general teaching, or self-defense instruction.

So there it is. Now my friend, who and what are you? Once you know who and what you are, if you don't already, we can begin to talk about training and how to proceed.

Onegaishimasu

Troy M. Wussow
Aikijudo-Jitsu™
April 8, 2010