Etiquette and Sincerity in the Dojo

I posted what turned out to be a popular blog post about budo titles last week. In the course of discussing it, someone asked about dojo etiquette, so that is this weeks blog post.

http://budobum.blogspot.com/2014/06/...y-in-budo.html

What sort of etiquette do you have in your dojo and how do you perform it? Is it done with sincerity and respect, or is it something you toss of to get out of the way so you can get to the good stuff?

Peter Boylan wrote: I posted what turned out to be a popular blog post about budo titles last week. In the course of discussing it, someone asked about dojo etiquette, so that is this weeks blog post. http://budobum.blogspot.com/2014/06/...y-in-budo.html What sort of etiquette do you have in your dojo and how do you perform it? Is it done with sincerity and respect, or is it something you toss of to get out of the way so you can get to the good stuff?

This is such a nice blog posting, thank you. It explains in a clear way the key points in upholding a sincere and honest practise through (reishiki, that´s what you call it ?) , but as you say often dismissed as empty form without purpose and meaning. In the Copenhagen Aiki Shuren Dojo we are practicing correct form from start to finish- well we try to do it the way our Sensei teaches us :-)
Best regards,
Lars

Thank you. I especially liked the last paragraph. We are sincere and attentive which creates it own etiquette that may not be traditional Japanese but I believe it is traditionally aikido.

IMHO, if its not sincere, its not really etiquette ...

Bowing is the first and last thing that comes readily to mind.

A point that you didn't mention, but that really crystallized the role of etiquette for me, is the connection between etiquette and awareness. Learning to notice the sometimes subtle details of dojo etiquette is good training in observation and awareness generally. And observing the extent to which another person follows those details (or doesn't) tells you a lot about them, some of which they might not have intended to reveal.

I've been told that one of the koryu arts has a kata, fairly early in the curriculum, based on assassinating a guest. Which, from the assassin's side, would necessarily involve projecting the utmost sincerity and respect while intending nothing of the sort. And from the victim's side would involve detecting the assassin's most subtle deviations from sincerity. Other arts may not bring it out into the open like that, but that's the kind of life or death awareness underlying etiquette in martial contexts. (Not just Edo period Japan, either. European court etiquette was much the same.)

Katherine

Paying attention to details of etiquette in Japan does take awareness, and your right, how people pay attention to their own etiquette will tell you a lot about them.

The assassination kata are from Araki Ryu. You can see them at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2_Z-whRDRk

Katherine Derbyshire wrote: I've been told that one of the koryu arts has a kata, fairly early in the curriculum, based on assassinating a guest. Which, from the assassin's side, would necessarily involve projecting the utmost sincerity and respect while intending nothing of the sort. And from the victim's side would involve detecting the assassin's most subtle deviations from sincerity. Katherine

I could see that in the seiza-seiza confrontational kata in our kata... where the two parties are kneeling seiza across from one another right at mai ai and one of them goes into an attack and the other, not caught unawares, defends. Very stylized, but a good lesson nonetheless, that the bad guy you let in should be watched closely.

In our dojo we maintain an etiquette that for lack of something more apt I'll call redneck good manners. Everyone says please and thank you, and makes sure that all on the mat are enjoying what they are doing (trending up) and not being overtly abused (unless they volunteered for that duty, I suppose) which could be bad (trending down). Lots of clear, obvious mutual respect demonstrated around the room in a comfortable, affable way. It does not suit everyone, which is why we offer the trial period to see if the way we do it is a good fit for the other people, and if not, they can go where they like with our blessing.