Maitta: I Surrender Part II

Friday Knight News

"Martial arts is like a mirror, in which you look at yourself before you wash your face in the morning. You see yourself, simply, the way that you are." Jiddu Krishnnamurti

Last week I was speaking about the different levels of learning to submit. Often in jujutsu and aikijujutsu we hear maitta (I submit), but frequently we also hear matte, often with a tap. While the first means I submit, the second term translates as wait or hold on, like we are reconsidering our position. Thinking along the lines of the saying, "chotto matte kudasai" (please wait a moment), is often needed in learning new methods. It is in essence a sign of submitting. As in when you decide to switch styles or are learning another system. For one reason or another, we are applying a temporary submission in our lives.

Even so, when starting over with people new to your art or working with beginners, it often requires that we instructors change. As teachers need to fit in to better guide new students past difficulties in learning new methods, so we can say chotto matte too. That is if we need to keep them coming long enough to learn more effective concepts. The same can be said about other arts too, as in learning how to flow like the river, as alluded to in last week's article. Of course, in aiki based arts we do this first by seeking to destabilize them by luring them off center where the lesson of a rolling rock in the river can be made apparent. The principles of blending in with the attack helps most people learn how to respond to conflict in a new way. It can take some time and giving in or submitting before someone truly learns how to use the principles of aiki (coordinate energy).



It can be hard to start over as a beginner if you are used to doing things only one way. At least until we have our own dojo to run then we can have it our way, or can we? Joining a dojo or a new dojo is just that in essence, learning to submit or at least saying wait a moment while I process this new information. When I moved to different schools, old ranks were often disregarded. I also found that there were several methods of ranking available, so now I use both dan and menkyo ranking with my certification. Diverse ryu use various license/s these are what our ryu uses. Okuiri: for acceptance into the ryu, this applies to students under shodan. The mokuroku certificate is for ranked students from shodan to sandan. This is followed by the menkyo certificate which is a license issued from yondan to shichidan. It is only issued to yudansha that have under gone apprenticeship training for teaching.

The menkyo kaiden is also a profession teaching license that is granted only after twenty-five to thirty years of experience to someone with a hachidan up. This is the license of total transmission and it is not determined by the years spent learning alone. It is awarded for being a master artist of the system and for personal insights and growth. The transition from to menkyo kaiden requires years of practice and generally the holder is about 50 years of age. A holder of menkyo kaiden is usually, but not always, the successor to the soke of the ryu. This license indicates that the person has learned everything and passed all aspects of their training within the ryu. In the menkyo system the menkyo kaiden is the highest level of license. Still remembering the need to say maitta (I surrender), is important at this level. It may be that it is even more important at this level. By maintaining a beginners mind we can ensure growth and ward off stagnation. All of this comes from learning to say either maitta (I surrender), or chotto matte, wait a moment.

"Hear and forget, see and remember, do and know." Samurai Maxim

My stories are about martial arts adventures that are intertwined with paranormal or supernatural events. The following links are to the Kindle version books from the "Dream Walker” series. Our adventurers find themselves on a quest where they are confronted with both conspiracy and mystery. Their challenge is to unite their mind and body skills together utilizing what they have learned in the martial arts with the transcendental power of dream mediation. They attempt to do this while they are trying to make a life for themselves and elude those that seek to use and control them.

Conversations with a Sage (Book 1 of the Dream-Walker)

Conversations with a Sage: This explores Xander Davidson's early encounters with the mysterious fog like Dream Walking martial art sages. He ponders if they are real or if they are only remnants of his dreams. He mainly keeps this secret world to himself as he tries to copes with abuse, growing up without support or guidance and the mystery of his family's past. 

Xander and the Assassins Gift (Book 2 of the Dream-Walker)

The Assassins Gift: Xander Davidson struggles with the conspiracy of his family and the group that is actively trying to manipulate him to join them or die. The young Dream Walkers learns an early lesson to be careful about whom they let into their circle.


Warriors of Perception (Book 3 of the Dream-Walker)

Warriors of Perception: Xander Davidson and his band of friends embark on a mission to free themselves from their oppressors. They bravely face the challenge all the while vying for the right moment to turn the tables.

Jace Lee The Shift (Book 4 of the Dream-Walker)

Jace Lee The Shift: We find a new apprentice, Adam, that is fighting for his life. He is struggling to understand the amazing skills of his mentor, Jace Lee; a younger man that has trained under Xander Davidson. All the while his mentor attempts to reconcile the fact that his skills do not match up with the other Dream Walkers.


Jace Lee No Agenda (Dream Walker Book 5)

Jace Lee No Agenda: Jace Lee attempts to find himself on a self-imposed vision quest of sorts. Instead he finds himself being stalked by the same group that had previously sought after his teacher, (Xander Davidson). Instead of mastering his odd Dream Walking skills he finds love and the potential loss of his powers.

Jace Lee and the Tutelage of Ming Wu: Dream Walker 6 

Jace Lee The Tutelage of Ming Wu: Jace Lee rejoins his teacher Xander Davidson as they cope with a possible combined threat (the mysterious), Ming Wu and the Council that has continuously monitored the Dream Walkers.