Hi,
I have been training in martial arts since I was 13
years old and after 17 years I am happy to say that
till today I love to wear the white belt where ever I
go. The utlimate achievements in martial arts is not
about how many dan we have or how many techniques we
have learned over the years but how much we have
progressed as a human being. When I first started in
Karate, I was eager as a young person to earn my
black-belt so that I can show it to my friends. But
after all these years(which are nothing compared to
lifetime) I have noticed a gradual development in my
ablility not to fight. I have been doing aikido for
about nearly 5 years and still white-belt. Since main
goal of budo is to face yourself and let not your ego
overcome your ability.
Even I have seen many senior aikidoka as soon as they
look at a technique they think that they have done it
before and don't look at what the sensei is doing.
Most probably that is where I can understand that
Japanese way of teaching was in past different from
how we learn today. Shioda sensei said once that
O'Sensei never explained in 10 years what he was
doing. If you ask him he will show you the technique
again. So I guess my point of view is to have no ego
is the ultimate of Martial arts. Let it be any martial
art because in Essence all of them are same and one.
cheers

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