Canadian Matsubayashi Ryu Karate Association

Preserving the Way
Exploring the history, philosophy, traditions, and people that continue to shape our karate.

What Takuan Still Has to Teach Us

Over the past several weeks, we've been exploring a few of the ideas found in the writings of Takuan Sōhō, particularly those collected in The Unfettered Mind. The more I read, the more I understand why his work has continued to interest martial artists for so many generations.

It's not because Takuan had some secret formula for becoming a better fighter. His writing wasn't really about that. Instead, he was exploring something much more universal: the ways in which our own minds can sometimes become the very thing that gets in our way.

We become attached to winning. We become afraid of making mistakes. We focus so intensely on one thing that we fail to notice something else. We spend our time thinking about something that happened a few minutes ago, or worrying about something that hasn't happened yet, while the moment we're actually living quietly passes by.

I think that's one of the reasons I enjoy studying martial arts history and philosophy. The techniques may change. The equipment changes. The way we train changes. But people don't seem to change quite as much as we sometimes imagine.
Takuan never practiced karate. He lived hundreds of years ago, in a very different Japan, and much of his writing was connected to Zen Buddhism and the traditions of the sword. Yet many of the ideas he explored still feel remarkably at home in the dojo.
Perhaps that's because the deeper lessons of martial arts have never really been limited to the techniques themselves.
We learn how to deal with difficulty, how to respond to mistakes, and how to keep learning. Those lessons remain relevant, no matter when or where we train.

If you've enjoyed this week's Preserving the Way, please consider sharing this post with someone who might enjoy exploring the ideas and people behind the martial arts.

Our thanks to Sensei Burley for generously offering his dojo for a fantastic gathering of CMKA senior members, who came together for an in-depth application training session with Sensei Aubrey Brawley. Sensei Brawley took the group through detailed defence applications in Fukyugata Ni, Rohai, and Kusanku, resulting in some very enlightening, very detailed and truly excellent partner drills.

The seminar celebrated our shared love of Matsubayashi-ryu. Afterward, Sensei Brawley was formally recognized by Sensei Tilley and the CMKA board of directors as 7th dan kyoshi for his depth of knowledge and decades of dedication to the art. Congratulations and well deserved for achieving such a milestone.

The day ended with Sensei Tilley and senior Sensei sharing many wonderful stories of karate adventures from the past. It was an all-round fantastic day!

Reflections from the Dojo

Train With Purpose

Have you ever finished a class and realized your mind was somewhere else for part of it?

It happens to all of us.

Work, family responsibilities, school, or simply the pace of everyday life can make it difficult to stay focused. Before we know it, we've gone through a drill almost on autopilot.
This week, try something different.

Before class begins, choose one thing you'd like to improve. It might be your posture, your breathing, your hip movement, or simply staying more relaxed during partner work.

Then carry that one thought with you throughout the class.

Having a clear purpose doesn't make training harder. It makes it more meaningful. Even if you only improve one small detail, you've taken another step forward.

One of the things karate teaches us is that progress is rarely about making big changes. More often, it comes from paying close attention to one small thing at a time.

The next time you bow onto the dojo floor, don't just train.
Train with purpose.

Reflection Question:�What is one thing you'll focus on in your next class?

Karate is not learned alone. Share this with others. Growth in understanding strengthens the entire dojo.

Preserving the Way
Exploring the history, philosophy, traditions, and people that continue to shape our karate.

Finding the Space Between
There's a concept in Japanese arts that I've always found interesting: Ma.

The word is often translated as "space" or "interval," although the meaning is a little more nuanced than a single English word can really capture. In martial arts, we often encounter it through ma-ai, the relationship between ourselves and our opponent—the distance, timing, and positioning that exist between two people.
That relationship is obviously important. If we're too far away, we can't reach our opponent. If we're too close, we may not have enough room to respond effectively. Learning to recognize and manage that changing relationship is an important part of martial arts training.

But I've also been thinking about ma in a slightly broader sense while reading Takuan's writing.

Sometimes what matters isn't only what we're doing, but the space around what we're doing.

When we watch an experienced martial artist, it's easy to focus on the techniques. We notice the punch, the kick, or the movement of the body. But there is often something else happening that is harder to see: an understanding of when to move, when to wait, and when not to do anything at all.
That can be surprisingly difficult.

Most of us are naturally inclined to fill empty space. If something isn't happening, we feel as though we should make something happen. But sometimes waiting gives us the opportunity to see something we might otherwise miss.

Perhaps that's another lesson the martial arts can teach us, not just how to move, but how to recognize when movement is actually necessary.

If you've enjoyed this week's Preserving the Way, please consider sharing this post with someone who might enjoy exploring the ideas and people behind the martial arts.

Reflections from the Dojo

The Basics Never Stop Teaching

When we first begin karate, it's easy to think of the basics as something we need to get through before moving on to more advanced techniques.

Over time, we discover that's not how karate works.
The longer you train, the more you realize that the basics are where the real learning happens. A front stance can always become a little more stable. A punch can become a little cleaner. A block can become more relaxed and more efficient.

I still find myself learning something new from techniques I've practiced for decades. Sometimes it's a small adjustment in posture. Sometimes it's a better understanding of timing or balance. Those discoveries remind me that there is always another layer to uncover.
This week, spend a little extra time with the fundamentals. Don't rush through them because you've done them before. Approach them with fresh eyes and an open mind.
The Okinawan masters never outgrew the basics. They kept returning to them because they understood that simple movements contain a lifetime of learning.

The basics don't become less important as we advance.
They become more meaningful.

Please consider sharing this with classmates or students. When we learn and reflect together, we all improve.

Preserving the Way
Exploring the history, philosophy, traditions, and people that continue to shape our karate.

The Problem With Trying to Be Perfect
One of the things I appreciate about studying older martial arts writings is that they often make me think about things I thought I already understood. Take perfection, for example. Most of us have heard that chasing perfection isn't particularly helpful, but knowing that intellectually and actually experiencing it in our own training can be two very different things.

In karate, it's easy to become caught up in the details. Is my stance correct? Was that punch fast enough? Did I make a mistake in my kata? Those questions are part of training, and paying attention to those details is how we improve.

But there comes a point where focusing too much on our mistakes can become another form of distraction.
I've certainly experienced this in my own training. I'll make a mistake and immediately start thinking about it. Why did I do that? What should I have done instead? How do I make sure it doesn't happen again? Meanwhile, I'm already moving on to the next technique, but part of my attention is still stuck on what happened a few moments ago.

That's one of the things I kept thinking about while reading Takuan's ideas about the unfettered mind.
The goal isn't to become someone who never makes mistakes. It's learning how to recognize a mistake without allowing it to take over our attention.

In the dojo, we get another opportunity almost immediately. The next repetition gives us another chance to adjust, learn, and try again.

There's a difference between learning from the past and being stuck in it.

If you've enjoyed this week's Preserving the Way, please consider sharing this post with someone who might enjoy exploring the ideas and people behind the martial arts.

Preserving the Way
Exploring the history, philosophy, traditions, and people that continue to shape our karate.

Takuan Sōhō: The Mind That Doesn't Stay in One Place

One of the ideas that comes up again and again in Takuan Sōhō's writing is the importance of keeping the mind moving.
That might sound a little strange at first.

We usually think of concentration as the ability to focus on one thing and ignore everything else. And certainly, there's value in that. When we're practicing a kata, learning a new technique, or working with a partner, we need to be able to pay attention.
But Takuan was interested in what happens when concentration becomes fixation.
There's a difference between paying attention to something and becoming completely absorbed by it.
In The Unfettered Mind, Takuan describes a mind that moves freely. It doesn't settle permanently on the opponent's sword, or on a particular technique, or even on the thought of winning. It remains available to whatever happens next.

I think there's an interesting parallel in karate.
When we first learn a kata, we're often thinking about everything. Where are my feet? What comes next? Is my stance right? Did I turn far enough? Am I breathing?
Eventually, with enough practice, some of those things become automatic. We're no longer consciously thinking about every individual movement.
And that's when something interesting starts to happen.
We can begin to see the kata as a whole.

The same thing can happen in kumite. If we're completely locked onto one particular attack, we may not notice the opening that appears somewhere else. If we're too concerned about what our partner is supposed to do, we may miss what they're actually doing.
The challenge isn't to stop concentrating.
It's to learn how to concentrate without becoming trapped by whatever we're concentrating on.
I think that's one of the reasons I enjoy coming back to these old writings. The language and the examples may come from a completely different time, but the experience they're describing still feels surprisingly familiar.
We're still learning how to pay attention.
And we're still learning how to respond to what's actually in front of us.

If you've enjoyed this week's Preserving the Way, please consider sharing it with someone who might enjoy exploring the ideas and people behind the martial arts.

Reflections from the Dojo – Begin Again

With September comes a return to familiar routines. School is back, schedules start filling up again, and many of us find ourselves settling back into a regular training routine.

After a busy summer, it's not unusual to feel a little rusty. Maybe your timing is off, your flexibility isn't quite where it was, or you're simply trying to get back into the rhythm of classes.
That's okay.

One of the things I love about karate is that every class gives us a chance to begin again. It doesn't matter if you've trained for six months or thirty years. We all line up together, bow in, and start with the basics.

There is something refreshing about that.
Instead of worrying about where you think you should be, focus on where you are today. Bring your attention to each technique, listen carefully, and enjoy being back on the dojo floor.
Karate has never been about being perfect. It's about showing up with a willingness to learn.

So as we begin another season of training, give yourself permission to start fresh. Let each class be an opportunity to improve just a little, and trust that those small improvements will continue to add up over time.

Welcome back. Let's enjoy the journey together.

Reflection Question:�What are you looking forward to improving this fall?

If you found this helpful, please share it with a fellow student or training partner. Learning together helps all of us grow in karate dō.

Preserving the Way
Exploring the history, philosophy, traditions, and people that continue to shape our karate.

The Problem With Trying to Be Perfect

One of the things I appreciate about studying older martial arts writings is that they often make me think about things I thought I already understood. Take perfection, for example. Most of us have heard that chasing perfection isn't particularly helpful, but knowing that intellectually and actually experiencing it in our own training can be two very different things.

In karate, it's easy to become caught up in the details. Is my stance correct? Was that punch fast enough? Did I make a mistake in my kata? Those questions are part of training, and paying attention to those details is how we improve.

But there comes a point where focusing too much on our mistakes can become another form of distraction.

I've certainly experienced this in my own training. I'll make a mistake and immediately start thinking about it. Why did I do that? What should I have done instead? How do I make sure it doesn't happen again? Meanwhile, I'm already moving on to the next technique, but part of my attention is still stuck on what happened a few moments ago.
That's one of the things I kept thinking about while reading Takuan's ideas about the unfettered mind.
The goal isn't to become someone who never makes mistakes. It's learning how to recognize a mistake without allowing it to take over our attention.

In the dojo, we get another opportunity almost immediately. The next repetition gives us another chance to adjust, learn, and try again.
There's a difference between learning from the past and being stuck in it.

If you've enjoyed this week's Preserving the Way, please consider sharing this post with someone who might enjoy exploring the ideas and people behind the martial arts.

Reflections from the Dojo – Leave a Little Better Than You Arrived

As August comes to a close, take a moment to look back on your training over the past few months.

Maybe your techniques have improved. Maybe your balance feels stronger. Maybe you've become more comfortable working with different partners.

Those are all things worth celebrating.

But there is another way to measure progress.

Are you a little more patient than you were at the beginning of the summer? A little calmer under pressure? A little more aware of yourself and the people around you?

Those changes are just as important as any new technique.
Every class gives us an opportunity to leave a little better than we arrived. Not perfect. Just a little better.

That is how karate works. Small improvements, practiced consistently, become meaningful changes over time.

As we head into September, bring that mindset with you. Keep learning. Keep refining. Keep enjoying the journey.

One class at a time.

If you found this helpful, please share it with a fellow student or training partner. Learning together helps all of us grow in karate dō.