This is a first draft...... Not the final version.
Many may believe the new millennium to be a time for new thinking , modernisation and even new arts. An new era where the traditional forms will seem outdated and unsuitable. There are also those, like myself, who believe that the traditional arts will have an important place in our future, and remain as relevant and effective as they are now and where in the past.
In an age where technology will increasingly take people away from the real world and their real human selves I believe there is a need for something which can take people back to their inner selves and help them to understand their true nature. For this the true traditional arts are highly suited, for these systems all have one thing in common, the development of the spirit.
The arts which have come from our warring past all learnt the same lesson, if the spirit is weak defeat is inevitable, precise effective technique is important, but is always secondary to the spirit. Another way to look at this is to consider a Katana (Japanese long sword) as our technique, both can be precise sharp accurate and perfectly formed, but put either of these into the hands of a weak spirit and they become flawed. This explains why Shimen Musashi was able to defeat samurai armed with katana using pieces of wood found on the floor or pulled from a tree.
I believe the method of training employed in the Traditional arts is as important as the techniques taught. The subjugation of the ego required during practice gives the student insight into their true character, they can put away the facard that tells the world not who they really are but who they want the world to think they are. The student learns to have a calm grounded mind, unruffled by what is happening around them, from training they will find that a jumpy floating mind inhibits insight into the true nature of things (such as an attack). Endless repartition of movements that may seem to have no meaning serve to build a spirit with determination and perseverance as well as too teach physical technique. Every time a student finds themselves thrown to the floor and they get up to be thrown again, when their bodies say stop but they carry on, all these build the spirit.
So it seems the Traditional arts place in our future can be justified on purely spiritual grounds, but will they be relevant to the actual lives we lead, will they be of any other benefit than a spiritual exercise?
Well, times, culture and society may change but if there is one lesson we can learn from history it's that there are people out there who will attempt to assault us, and we should be able to defend ourselves. But this still leaves the question will the traditional arts be suitable in times to come? I believe the answer to this question is undoubtedly yes!
All these arts were developed using movements of the human body to combat movements of the opponents body, it doesn't matter where you are or when you are, if your opponent has something pointy they'll probably try and stick it in you, if its heavy then they'll try and club you with it, unarmed and its going to be striking or grappling, and these are just what the traditional arts were developed to deal with. The weapons used in training may be out of date but that doesn't matter, the traditional arts teach you to deal with the attacker, and the way they are attacking, the weapon they are using is insignificant, maybe only causing a slight change in mai-ai or the application of the technique.
My own area of study is in the arts of the Kaze Arashi Ryu (a traditional samurai system, primarily consisting of empty hand, sword, and stick arts), here we avoid modernisation and try to preserve the ancient techniques as they have been handed down to us. Why don't we change and modernise? well, we believe that the arts and philosophy we practice were developed by professional warriors over many centuries, people who lived or died by the effectiveness of their art, who are we today to think we know better.
Sensei Villaire (Menkyo Kaiden K.A.R) once said to me "Never discard the old techniques, you never know when you will need them", this is a profound statement. The old techniques were forged in the heat of battle, they are the firm foundation from which we can adapt to new types of danger in the future. This philosophy is reflected in our training, we practice the old but we are expected to be able to apply our skills to the new (pistol threats for instance).
Jon Melvin. Oku-iri Kaze Arashi Ryu
All Text and Pictures © Kaze Arashi Ryu