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OK, this one may
be more of a rant than a column, but what the heck. It's MY
column ...
Being the net-savvy,
way-connected guy I am, I periodically run searches on the web
for things related to my interests. As part of that digital
digging, I often will plug in 'Kokoro,' 'Dojo' or 'Butokukai'
(the former name we used for our club).
Recently, one such
search turned up two other martial arts organizations using
'kokoro' in their names. Interesting stuff! Oddly enough one
was a ninja school and the other was a school of aikijujutsu.
Now, understanding that 'kokoro' (which is read 'shin' in compounds)
is a pretty common term in Japanese, representing the amalgam
of heart and spirit, it's probably not unusual to find such
references from time to time.
What I found really
interesting about the aikijujtsu school was, firat, that they
used the name 'Kokoro Ryu,' and second, that they were an aikijujtusu
group. The website apparently belongs to a fairly new black
belt and offers very little info, so I dropped him a note to
see if we had any common ties.
He seems like a
nice enough fellow, but I'm still a little unclear on the derivation
of his style or its name. I've queried for further info, but
so far, I haven't heard anything. He did tell me that he'd copyrighted
and trademarked the name 'American Kokoro Ryu Aikijujitsu' ...
From the bit of
info I did get, I'm pretty sure that he's not related to us
in any way. For the record, here's the story of our Kokoro Ryu
(There's a bit of info under the 'History' section, too).
Back in the mid
70s, when I began training with Sensei (my uncle, Richard Gordon),
all I knew was that were were studying kempo and jujutsu. Occasionally,
he'd say, 'This is aikijujutsu' or 'this is aikido' but generally
made very little fuss over things like style, ryu, lineage or
history. He was more interested that we learn good technique,
understand the concepts and ideas and that we learn how to learn.
He was always pretty
independent, and around that time, he was slowly breaking ties
with any organizations he had belonged to. As far as he (or
we) cared, we were doing budo and that was all that mattered.
Sometime in the
early 80s, we had met and trained with a shihan from the organization
of another local dojo, Fumio Demura. Demura Sensei was head
of the Shito Ryu Itosu Kai and we had a good relationship with
the local Japan Karate Federation dojo in Joplin, Mo. The instructor
at the JKA dojo had invited us in for Demura's visit and training
time was split between our sensei and Demura.
After class was
done, a bunch of us were sitting around behind the dojo drinking
beer and chatting. During the conversation, Demura asked Richard
what style it was that he taught. Sensei shrugged and told him
that he just taught what he knew, no particular style.
Being solidly Japanese,
Demura wanted more classification. Sensei grinned, patted his
chest and said "I just teach what's in here."
Demura nodded solemnly
and said, "Ah. You teach Kokoro Ryu."
When we got the
joke (that is, when Demura explained that kokoro was heart),
we all got a good chuckle, but the name stuck. Over the years,
the 'ryu' formed around Sensei, sometimes much to his own chagrin.
He had little patience with organization and cared less for
any formalization of what he taught. Eventually, though, power
of time and habit won through and even he now refers to what
we do as 'Kokoro Ryu.'
Today, it's an
easy tag, a handle. While we're not a formal ryu in the sense
of Kashima Shin Ryu or Shinto Muso Ryu, we are, in fact, in
the business of transmission. The knowledge of the Kokoro Ryu
has flowed from Sensei to his students, and from us to a couple
of newer generations of students. In the oldest sense of what
a ryu is, this is the essence.
In point of fact,
however, I've found that as each of us seniors under Sensei
have branched off and flown from the nest, so to speak. That
we've experienced a fairly significant divergance from what
he taught. As much as I care for and respect my old dojo-mate
John Karriman, back in Missouri, what he and I are doing are
very different things. We don't really see eye to eye in terms
of what our individual budo have become, I think.
The folks in Kansas
and the other locations are still yet another step removed.
What I teach has largely become Chuck-ha Kokoro Ryu ...
my own distinct flavor of what Sensei gave me.
My jujutsu has
a more classical feel that John's. His budo is still definitely
Sensei's, but he's got his own interpretations, and -- like
me -- has brought other influences into his teaching as well.
Over the past 25 years or so, we've developed very individual,
personal versions of Sensei's teachings.
The handful other
dojo scattered across the midwest each has developed a distinct
feel, some aren't even actively pursuing our jujutsu at all,
but have focused on the kempo, one or two on the sportive aspects
of that art.
Sensei, true to
his independent spirit, looks at us all and blesses what we
do and has basically told us, 'go forth and prosper!' I guess
this is a micro-version of what has happened with so many of
the budo historically, but we've accelerated the process fairly
dramatically.
Today, as we stand
on the brink of the next century, I wonder where we'll be in
5 years or in 10. Realistically, I know that when Sensei passes
(none to soon, God willing), that probably each of us who studied
under him will revert from being deshi of a single master to
being individuals with some common background.
A close friend
told me a while back that I should be examining the idea of
'founding' my own system. I guess, in large, that's what I've
done: using tools Sensei gave me, I've built my own budo.
The question then,
is whether to transmit that construction to my students ...
Pondering the possibility
and responsibility, I think we'll all be best served if I continue
doing what Sensei did -- teaching from my heart, guiding yet
another generation into the flow of the Kokoro Ryu ...
Links from this
column:
- http://www.expage.com/page/kokoro
(American Kokoro Ryu Aiki-Jujitsu)
- http://www.eskimo.com/~agg/Warrior/
(Omega Jihi No Kokoro Ryu Institute)
Note:
@The Dojo does not endorse these sites or their content.
Neither The Dojo, formerly Butokukai (Indy), nor class leader
Chuck Gordon are affiliated with these organizations in any
way.
Jan. 2003 -- Update. Neither of the above links now work. Couldn't find them on google.com or ask.com, either. If anyone knows where these pages now are, I'll re-instate the links ... cg
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