Extracts from the 'Sensei (Teacher)' Article

"In Japan Sensei as a title is used with some regularity. School teachers are called Sensei by their students and by society in general given the fairly exalted status teaching has in Japan. Those outstanding in their professions or talent are often called Sensei. In Western dojo, unfortunately, titles and rank are afforded far more emphasis …"

"Fortune and fate have collided with his life, affording him both a measure of technical skill and a desire, or more commonly a willingness, to share his talents with others. So he becomes, to his own surprise in most cases, far enough along the Way to be able to retrace his steps in order to assist others …"

"The intimate imparting of skills and information has been deemed a superior was of learning in all traditional arts in Japan, primarily because more than a little of the art itself resides in the personality of the teacher …"

"The first budo Sensei undoubtedly earned their position because of the practical technical skills they possessed. They had survived the battlefield experience and had the ability to …"

"Traditional ryu would contain a small number of students worthy of the information and knowledge accumulated by the Sensei over many years. Therefore training is not a service, as viewed in the Western mindset …"

"When this occurs the student should and must apply the Japanese concept of Ryomi (self reflection) and ask themselves is it their own inadequacies/ego and negative mindset that will not allow them to understand what lessons are actually being …"

Extracts from the 'Deshi (Student)' Article

"The student is more than just a body in a classroom, more than simply a person in search of learning a skill or art. The deshi implies one is part of a family or at least …"

"Shoshin-sha is another word, ‘a person with a beginning mind’, that can be used to describe the new student. The wise student remains a shoshin-sha all through his training in martial arts, always with a mind that is ready to learn more and always ready to accept that he/she has not seen it all …"

"The two kanji for writing it mean, ‘person at the gate’. The image is evocative. The person standing at the entrance to the dojo for the first time is standing at a threshold. It will be entirely up to him/her in the long and short run, of far past the gate he goes …"

"If you proceed past the gate, you will find the path beyond in unexpectedly steep and narrow, at least in the beginning. This can be a daunting realisation …"

"Obviously, his/her glowing perceptions of an ancient time that for the most part did not exist in the reality of historical Japan, will be in glaring contrast to what actually goes on in the dojo. But if he/she doesn’t let go of his/her preconceptions, they can’t make it through …"

"Within the dojo in general, sempai are expected to bring along those under them. They may push and prod and challenge their kohai to succeed and improve …"