OUR APPROACH

Dojo Intention - Budo Seishin Shuyo Dojo - 武道 . 精神 . 修養 .

I first started my dojo called Kenshinkan dojo in 2018 to further develop my own teaching style and emphasis, drawing from my other experiences in Chinese Chen style taiji quan and internal energy work (often seen as standing meditation).

The name of my dojo was also a gift from a senior teacher within Inaba sensei's close advisors. However, the full dojo name as gifted to me is: Kenshinkan Budo Seishin Shuyo Dojo and the name incorporates the responsibility to continue transmitting Inaba sensei's legacy of teaching (both physical and mental aspects), ideas and methodology to the next generation of interested practitioners / researchers.

Thus my plan to start a dojo here on Uist / Benbecula is quite simple. I will be available in a 'dojo space' to facilitate an atmosphere where other people who may be interested in pursuing a 'new' way of life and undertake a dedicated approach to the pursuit of physical and psychological challenges can hone their budo 'spirit / intention' via the concepts of seishin shuyo.

As an active budo-ka, I too need input and support and by teaching others; both myself and my students can learn, grow and develop together as one (quoted from one of my previous Japanese kendo teachers).

During the time I have spent training and studying budo, I have developed lifelong friendships with my peers and through the entity of the dojo, have created a strong support network for each other. My plan is to develop this here on Uist & Benbecula.

Benefits

In terms of the benefits of Aikido and swordwork. I personally believe that by tempering the body through physical training (tan-ren / 鍛錬), we naturally change the physiology of the mind-body link. From my own journey, this has had the effect of calming my mind and nervous system down, particularly at times of extreme and / or unexpected stress.

The fundamental body work and preparations for training can also help with your flexibility, balance and core strength development in a way that is more nuanced than a fitness class.

In this sense, within the research of 'fudo-shin / 不動心' or 'immovable mind' during a combative encounter utilises fundamentals of breathing techniques to calm the mind-body to a state where rational action can take place. As such the fundamental body movement training that I teach as well as the basics of internal energy work (e.g. diaphragmic breathing, placing psychological and physical tensions to the 'tanden' and gathering internal energy in the lower abdomen area) has, in my opinion, scientific parallels to Stephen Porges' polyvagal theory and how he proposes trauma victims can reshape their experiences and reactions to the trauma via the manipulation of the vagal nerve and the body components joined along it.

I also believe that there are also parallels to Bruce Perry's neuro-sequential model for managing trauma wherein one component of his approach is to use "patterned, repetitive somatosensory activities that help develop the child’s capacity for self-regulation" (taken from the Attachment Trauma Network website). The fundamental body-work that I teach as the foundation of studying budo has many similarities to this.

'Musubi' / 結び

This Japanese term 'musubi' can be seen as a mutual connection or tying together between two people or objects. This could be on a basic physical sense and with further research and training, developed onto the psychological level. As it is originally a Shinto term (Japanese religion) arising from 'musuhi' 産霊 , it is the 'motive force, life force' which, some exponents argue that this then transcends into the 'spiritual realm'.

Musubi is at the moment when there is a connection and as budo-ka, we utilise the technique of 'ai ki' 合氣(harmonising) to resolve the situation.

One of my other Japanese teachers stated that musubi is the 'birth or creation' of something new. Another way of thinking about it is how the meeting / clash of minds produces the conditions for creativity to happen. Hence the appeal of this concept as used by many other people could include: creative arts; social situations; conflict resolution.

'Budo' / 武道

The literal translation of this Japanese term is 'martial way' but a more in depth understanding requires us to have some basic appreciation of how these two characters are written.

If we firstly examine what martial means, Minoru Inaba Sensei states that the character Bu / 武 originates from the Chinese word for 'stopping a halberd' and is associated with the feeling of courage and a mindset of bravery. He continues to state that as a result of having these personal dispositions, the person isn't afraid and "even of death, either with a strong spirit of not fearing and not being nervous, or with the strong spirit of challenging in a battle".

Thus Minoru Inaba Sensei postulates that in the attainment of this kind of personal quality, we are "training the body and nurturing the psychological power to cope with battle"1.

However, in explaining the fuller encompassing term of budo, Minoru Inaba Sensei then makes the clear distinction between 'do or michi' (way or process) against 'jutsu' (techniques). He cautions against settling merely for the attainment of martial-techniques and the confusion in flexibly interchanging these two concepts with each other without a deeper appreciation of what each concept means.

Thus in defining the difference between these two terms, he gives the example "jutsu is how to fight - michi / do is how to treat an opponent who lost; how to manage yourself when you lose"2. In understanding the latter, it is believed that we are researching how to use martial techniques in resolving inter and intra personal conflicts and in a relational manner, understanding the society, environment, political time that we find ourselves in.

With this in mind, through our martial training which tests our physical, psychological and spiritual self; we are aiming to deepen our understanding of ourselves and those around us by 'researching our own way using the tools, capabilities and abilities' available to us.

A further explanation by Minoru Inaba Sensei can be found here at the Shiseikan Budojo website.

References:

1. Inaba, Minoru (2006). Researching Japanese Budo - Developing the Fundamentals of Mind and Body, Meiji Jingu Budojo Shiseikan, Meiji Jingu

2. Inaba, Minoru (2021). Jutsu (術: Technique) and Michi (道 : Way) in Aikido - Interview with Meiji Jingu Shiseikan Kancho Mr Inaba Minoru, Meiji Jingu Budojo Shiseikan, Meiji Jingu

'Seishin Shuyo' - 精神 . 修養

Seishin / 精神 can be translates as "mind; soul; heart; spirit; intention".

Shuyo / 修養 can be translated as "cultivation; self-improvement; character-building".

However, these literal translations does not adequately cover the full meaning and with all things Japanese, we need to uncover the historical depths of these concepts.

Light, R. (1999) article exploring the concept and use of Seishin in Japanese University rugby training found that this is a unique Japanese ethnographic viewpoint to understanding 'human existence and meaning'. This can be akin to a form of 'spirituality' from the Japanese perspective in direct relation to bushido (an earlier form of budo).

Light, R. goes on to state that, based on the research of Rohlen (1986) and Rohlen and Le Tendre (1998) on this topic, spirit training is "underpinned by a belief that personal development, character building and moral education necessarily must entail individual suffering..."1 and because of the Japanese / Confusion concept of 'mind-body' unity; "...such suffering typically involves enduring physical hardship."1

Nishihira, T. (2021) explores the concept of Shuyo in his article by concluding that the core of Shuyo is based around "self-cultivation: cultivating the body, caring for the heart, and enhancing the self" with a personal practice that covers both 'moral and spiritual refinement'.

Thus, when 'Budo Seishin Shuyo' are used in the same breathe, we can say that by utilising 'strenuous physical training' we can aspire to or travel on a personal journey where martial practice of self-cultivation to shape our body-mind-heart/spirit.

References:

1. Light, Richard. (1999). Regimes of training, seishin and the construction of embodied masculinity in Japanese university rugby.

2. Nishihira, Tadashi. (2021). The Structure of “Shuyo” = Cultivation: The Understanding of a Unique Japanese Educational Tradition within Translation, Educational Studies in Japan: International Yearbook No. 15, March, 2021. pp. 109-124