Are you a collector?
Soke often says “if you focus only on the waza, you will become only a collector of waza”. I believe that this is a comment that we have all heard numerous times.
I think the global point here, if you are not sure, is that fixation or attachment will weaken you as a budoka. What we seek and strive for in martial arts is “Internalization”. Without internalization, then what we have learned is useless to us.
Clearly, Soke has internalized this art and when it is internalized, it is real. That is why we all train with him and not the karate master on the other side of the mat. To internalize something takes many years of training. So, if someone was to say “I know this art, or I’m good at it” I would say, well how long have you trained? That person might have strong taijutsu and look great, but internalization is a natural process and takes time and there is no shortcut. I made this point in an earlier post about empty taijutsu. Even if someone can look good, does not mean that their taijutsu is not empty.
Back to the point about waza. It is natural to want to collect the waza, because then you have something tangible. When you have something tangible, then you can rely on it, sell it to others in a seminar and use it to get you somewhere. But the truth is what we are seeking in this art is not tangible. So beware of the desire to fixate on waza, and beware of those that will show you the waza. With this fixation, there is a lack of internalization, and not what we are striving for if we are training with Hatsumi Soke.
June 11, 2007 at 8:01 pm
Great post. This is a problem I had with many students, and friends. They were more interested in getting more and more waza and never really learning what was taught in class or a seminar. I see it as building a house. You can’t build a house to stand if you don’t build a strong foundation first.
June 12, 2007 at 7:21 am
Doug, nice blog. Not sure if you can remember back to your youth in Livermore California working at Dom’s Surplus or not. If you do, maybe you will remember me. Tom Ferreira. I was also into Martial Arts so we discussed those kinds of things. I remember well back then you were into Ninjutsu and always remembered you when I heard the word Ninja . This is like 25 years ago. Sheesh. Anyway, I have not been into Martial Arts for about that long anyway and finally have decided at the old age of 41 to get back into it. I also was interested as a youth in Ninjutsu and remembered once you had me grab you and you grabbed my hand and wow, the pain I had when you twisted it (or whatever you did). So during my searches lately I thought to myself if you were still into Ninjutsu and what became of you. I found a Bujinkan dojo in Sacramento and there I saw your name. I guess you really did stick to it becoming a 15th dan. Wow and I am impressed. You have done really well for yourself. Glad you are doing what you dreamed of. Anyway, just thought I would say hi and not sure if you remember me anyway. I remember you driving around in that old Willys Jeep. Although the Sacramento Bujinkan Dogo is over an hour drive for me, I may check it out. Time to get this old fat body in shape as they say.
Have fun in Japan!
Tom Ferreira
June 23, 2007 at 5:46 am
This post vibrates well with me. good one.
July 7, 2007 at 2:36 am
Embedded in the Waza, it seems, are many concepts. Some share the same concept or group of concepts and ideas. Perhaps the hard part is to look past the form to its heart. Somewhat like art. Do you see the picture or hear ths sound or can you look past that to the meaning or what you percieve to be.