At nine years old, while looking for something to do on a rainy day at a relative's cottage, I found an article on becoming a black belt in judo.  I read it several times, which amazed my mother because I refused to read anything even in school.  I looked at pictures and gathered information this way, even in comics.  I can only immagine the concerns I caused my mother and father.  I was immediately attracted to this strange martial art and wanted to learn.  My mother did not support it because it was Japanese, a country my dad and many others just finished fighting.

A few years went by til I was fifteen at which time I had started working parttime.  In those days we helped with the home expenses as soon as we earned money. It was called room and board.  As I look back now I can see the importance of learning to contribute to the family.  Not sure this thinking is alive and well these days.  Anyway, the extra money was mine to use how I wanted and this is when I started thinking about finding a place to learn Judo.  My interest was rekindled due to a teacher at our school offering judo lessons after school.  This was not enough for me, it just whetted my appetite.    

I looked up the closes Judo Club I could find, which meant I had to walk two miles to get to the closest bus run into Scarborough at Kennedy which was a twenty minute run.  I went in one day, which took a tremdous amount of courage on my part, because I was a very shy loner.  Lucky for me the front door was already fixed open for fresh air.  The dojo was a store front with a hugh red dragon painted on it.  The same one I use today.  It was named Hiryu Judo Club.

I went in and a caucasian man about five foot six inches, wearing a yellow turtle-neck sweater,  asked if he could help me.  I said, I would like to learn Judo.   He sat down on a couch beside me and asked why.  I said I wanted to learn to fight.  His answer to me was, if you learn with me you will learn to fight so you don't have to and will even turn and walk away when struck.  Of couse being a teenager that knew everything, I was thinking to myself that if some hit me and I knew how to fight, there would be no walking away on my part.  Boy, did I set the karma in place.

After several months of training while at work there was a big Gerrman boy that did not like me and while stocking the shelves suddenly I felt a explosive pain on the side of my head and I turned to see Hands Hansburger looking at me with a glint in his eye.  I looked at him and saw myself noting what I could do to him.   But I did nothing except walk away.   After about two weeks we met with each other in the stock room.  He came toward me and thought this time we were going to settle up.  Hands reached up as he approached opening his hand and said he was sorry for hitting me and he had a lot of respect for me.  I asked why and he said he was talking to a friend of mine and found out I have been training for a while and wondered why I didn't respond when he hit me.  I told him that I train with people that know how to fight and we still hurt each other by acident and I didn't want to fight someone that doesn't know how.  We became very good friends from that day on. 

My Sensei Art Martel's words came to mind.  Thus my first lesson from training in a traditional approach to a real martial art.  Note Judo was not a sport in those days.  The police and military all trained with judo as hand to hand combat.  I had started on a path of very deep wisdom and learning.  Humility and confidence had surfaced and changed me forever.

More thoughts to come, stay tuned.

While continuing to train I found a hunger for more than just learning techniques or the desire to excell. There seemed to be something lacking that the real masters knew but only revealed itself to those who found the "key". This was my thurst but without ego as my controller.

Once again I went to books as a resource. Zen and meditation seemed to needle me. Even though many of the pages of information were not sinking in, some was and I began to bring sitting meditation into my routines. I even found the odd judo student of like mind so we dabbled as best we could to bring softness into our judo as we worked out. Our Sensei Martel encouaged us as we moved in this direction.

With some sucess I was asked to compete in tournaments which I did. Although successful I quickly found the attitudes accompanied distastful yet did my best to support both our dojo and judo in general. I will simply add at this point that the competitive sport approach ended with one of the more serious challenges to my love of Judo. In 1964 Judo went into the Olympics and the few years before there was extremely poor judgement by those in the leadership posiitions. The bottom line was Judo as a martial art was all but pressured into the past and continues to remain there. I suspect I am one of the few remaining hold outs with the martial approach to this fantastic martial art but I am not long for this world either. "

The lesson here was the Ego out of control by those I looked up to. These "masters" were so focused on one approach to using Judo as a sport at world levels that they actually attacked the clubs that were not interested. This was my first lesson at being idealistic and expecting those looked up to, to have their ego under control. It was very apparent that they had no interest in humble, respect of all others. Experiencing this politics and behaviour almost resulted in my dropping out of martial arts all together. But instead my Sensei, who was one of those pressured to comply, encouraged me to go on, grow as a person and martial artist keeping my eye on finding and living the "way" of a true martial artist no matter what the odds and our Dragon would continue to represent what is real and truthful and of value in connection with martial art training. Several decades later Hiryu Bushido Kai stands again for the value of traditional values of real martial arts training.

Unfortunately I had to move on to other martial arts to continue to grow and bring my students along the same path. Next post will take us further along my "path" and the resulting exciting discoveries

There are many benefits of studying traditional or classical martial arts that are not part of the "contemporary" approach.  This is unfortunate as, as time goes by the very elements of the "real" martial arts that have centuries of history are watered down to the point that there is little benefit from walking path.  It is a commercial sell out focused on recreation and weight loss.  This is not a total loss but we are fast getting to a shadow of what is offered by martial art training.

The responsibility is with the Sensei or Teacher.  Much of what I see is not unlike children attempting to do things different from their parents to make things better for their children.  Respect for elders is all but ignored and responsibility is down played.  Learning in a traditional Dojo will not allow disrespect at any level. I found comfort in this knowing what is expected just like any military organization. My Sensei took it upon himself to make sure we leaned and followed the edicit of a Dojo.  This was not done boss others around, it is however, our way of recognizing the hard work done by others and their kindness in sharing their knowledge with others.

It is not supposed to be easy.  Life is not easy so why not learn the self-discipline it takes to succeed in life at whatever one is attempting.  When the going gets tough courage and self-discipline will help you succeed if you have developed it.  It is the Sensei's responsibility to help develope these character traits even if it takes one out of their comfort zone.  As a matter a fact this is exactly what our Sensei must do or they sell their students short. Currently this is not as appreciated as it should be either by the students or the modern day "Sensei". 

Sensei Martel did more to assist me in these areas than my own parents and tears fell at his funeral several years ago as a result.

While training under Sensei Martel in Judo he would push me to my limit then a little more, especially when I reached brown belt and it was apparent that I was going for Shodan (the coveted Black Belt).  He tried to frustrate me and challenge me to help me learn how to deal with difficult situations.  This was necessary for me to learn how to control my emotions and stress.  One watching might think he was bullying me, yet I understood and appreciated his actions to the point that when he stopped pushing and started to stand back and observe, I was upset and asked him what I did wrong to make him upset with me. He explained that it was now time to "walk on my own".   He had seen what he wanted and assisted with shaping my character to the point he knew I had what I need to stand on my own and continue my studies even in his absence.  Now this is a real Sensei.  Much like a great parent, he took the hard way to teach me and prepare me for success in anything I choose to do.  Learning to fight so I wouldn't have to was only a perk of little value in comparison to what a well led Dojo has to offer its students.  Nothing stops me if I make up my mind to achieve as long as it is done with respect, courage and self-discipline.

As life continued and I moved to Vancouver and started a family, my Judo studies slowed down but didn't stop.  Vancouver being closer to Japan lent itself to some very good Dojos.  A few years out their and starting to work for the RCMP I transferred home to Port Perry and set up a Dojo.  Hiryu Judo Club was alive again in Port Perry.  My lesson from separating from Judo was to begin here.  Karate was on the rise and Judo had lost its respect as a martial art and it continued to change to an Olympic sport.  I did my best to stand but I stood alone which meant I had to move to another martial art.  This was in the 1970's

I moved to Karate as a base martial art once I attained my Black Belt and continued to move upward in rank.  Then I moved on to Iaido to try to satisfy my thurst of deeper meaning to Budo Studies.  Studying Sword lent more opportunity to meditate and look to spiritual study.  Energy awareness revealed itself but I still was floundering.  What was becoming more revealing was the degree of indepth detail was required to find my way in anyone of the martial arts I have been studying.  I needed to find the principles and follow them and most important keep my mind and awareness honed to as high a level as I could.  I started to look to healing energy with Rieki and became a master in this area.  Soft energy was revealing its self as a fresh face and the poser I can generate from it.

Learning to stop "pushing the river" and letting go while going with the flow became a whole new world which was to change me as person in many areas.

Having my own real Dojo instead of rented basements or halls to teach was a way to become a full time professional martial artist.  This was important so all became real both for me and my students.  A way of life 27/7 became a reality, not just a hobby or career.  I had already been a printer, mailman, salesman for life insurance, Royal Canadian Monted Police, to university as a mature student in sociology major, to Christian Minister, to founder of Durham Deaf Center to Executive Director of Bob Rumble Center for the Deaf to the purchase of and founder of Hiryu Bushido Kai Martial Arts Center and 24 years later we are still serving our community.

How our programs were set up and ran was based on my experiences while learning from some of the best Canada had to offfer.  The discipline and  respect required is important to be effective instructing and creating the proper atmosphere.  Much is has happened over the years to water down both the content of martial art styles and the approach to instructing all to the detrement of the arts.  I can not see this as acceptable but there sure is a lot of pressure for the students to change things the way they think they should be taught and what they should be taught.  This is sad and distructive much like a child demanding a cookie when they want it no matter what the parents want.  And you know what, this is exactly what is happening.  But I can not allow it in our the Dojo.  Although wisdom, experience and age has changed things some what in our classes, which I think has changed things for the better, however there is a limit.  Se we at HBK have maintained a rich environment for learning real martial arts of which I am proud and all the students that make it Black Belt status.  Those that come and drop out for various reasons are the majority and this is as it is supposed to be.  Black Belt is not for everyone or it has no value.  To achieve a black belt in martial arts should reflect an exceptional individual, the least of which is their fighting ability although it too must be exceptional.

So opening the doors to HBK 24 years ago was like opening the doors to life changing experiences for anyone that could make it though the years of study, much like a University or College. And this is the way it continues today I am proud to say.