At a recent seminar I attended we all lined up according to rank and the Sensei of the Dojo, whom I have known for a very long time, gave me a compliment.
'David should be a much higher rank, but he is like Kris when it comes to testing.'
This was the greatest compliment I have received, coming from a place of respect and understanding, and it is absolutely true.
I spent twenty years as a Shodan before testing for my Nidan, one of the last Yudansha Promotions given by the late Shihan John Roseberry, my Teacher's Teacher and a direct Student of the late Seikichi Toguchi.
It has been a few years since THAT test as well. I am not big on testing, as one can notice by the above, I am bigger on studying, practicing, and learning from the art itself. It is not that Rank means nothing, nor is it even about the tremendous monetary cost of receiving a certificate of Rank.
I can, and have, taken a single Kata and studied JUST THAT Kata for years on end, then moved on to another only when it felt right to do so.
I am also not very big on Organizations, I dislike them in the extreme due to the emphasis on hierarchical structure, often cult-like deference that can lead to inflated egos, a sense that one knows more than they do, which, in turn, leads to some very dark places in extreme instances.
It has nothing to do with thinking I am better than anyone else or above anything, on the contrary, the more I learn, the more I know that I know nothing, and THAT feeds my curiosity and thirst for knowledge on a level that leads me to some interesting places and introduces me to some interesting, and extremely knowledgeable, people.
I do not seek to change anything, I simply seek to understand everything which, in turn, changes me to the core with each trip down the rabbit hole.
Organizations are a fine place to start, especially if you have a good Teacher, as I did, but Organizations serve to promote and protect the Organization itself and are not really open to anything different.
Rank might provide me with official recognition, but I really don't care much for striving to achieve a piece of paper that costs hundreds of dollars a pop, I seek only to learn, to understand, and to be able to pass on what I have learned and understood... Which is not much in the long run.
I have been training for over thirty years now in Karate, about twenty five years in Aikido, I have learned to use a Katana, I have learned to use Bo via Kobudo, I have learned a little bit of Escrima, I have learned a little bit of Boxing, a little bit of BJJ, a little bit of Muay Thai, and spent about two and a half or three years learning Genten No Ti.
All of this adds to my understanding, my core, which cannot really be defined by a System, Style, Organization, or even a specific Kata. The main goal is to get beyond all those trappings and truly discover myself through these things.
The study has led me to explore Soto Zen practices, to learn the Culture from which the primary Art I study comes, which, in turn, has led me to an exploration of my own Culture.
It gives me a deeper respect for people, a sincere sense of gratitude towards my Family, towards my Teachers, their backgrounds, and a will to be courteous, to show manners, to show respect, even when no respect is given in return.
Karate opens the door to friendship and a sense of family that extends deeper than blood at times with people whom I otherwise may not have had the pleasure of meeting.
Crossing hands goes beyond words, it goes beyond Organizational Boundaries, beyond Rank.
Even a White Belt can defeat a seasoned Black Belt if they dedicate themselves to deep study.
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