In our traditions, when a deshi receives a certificate in recognition of what they have done, and perhaps what they are capable of being, they are guided to observe it, celebrate the accomplishment, and then place it in their sock drawer.

If you believe that budô is really a thing which should become a part of one's life, you must step back and take a long and objective look at the image you project. The simple truth is that people who wear jeans and baseball caps work for people who don't, and its not a bit different than 17th century Japan where the people who wore silk kimono were in charge of the people who didn't. Yes, I know that the majority of people walk around saying things like this is a free country and everyone is equal. If you believe that, you're very naive.

There exists, among many of today’s students, a certain amount of confusion as to the difference between a Ko-Budo and a Ko-Bujutsu. Of particular interest to the martial artist is the difference in attitude required from the students of these respective arts.

During a recent conversation on budō, the topic of just how difficult it is to judge a kata in an open karate tournament came up. For a JKA black-belt to judge a series of JKA kata is not too hard. But, what if he has to look at a series of kata from schools as diverse as Shorin-ryū, Gōjū-ryū, and Wadō-ryū? Aside from the fact that there are major differences in techniques, there will also be some major differences in the philosophy behind the techniques.

The journey is a long one, from basic jūjutsu to the ethereal realm of pure aiki, yet it is a road oft traveled. Some people never make it past the primitive stage of a thump on the head, while others take a few faltering steps and lose their way. But the magic remains. A magic that, once experienced even for a fleeting moment, traps an individual in a silken web.

Each instructor will have HIS budo; a way of doing a certain group of things that are unique. This budo is the sum of his years of training, distilled and filtered, and flavored with his own spirit.