Welcome to AikiWeb Aikido Information
AikiWeb: The Source for Aikido Information
AikiWeb's principal purpose is to serve the Internet community as a repository and dissemination point for aikido information.

Sections
home
aikido articles
columns

Discussions
forums
aikiblogs

Databases
dojo search
seminars
image gallery
supplies
links directory

Reviews
book reviews
video reviews
dvd reviews
equip. reviews

News
submit
archive

Miscellaneous
newsletter
rss feeds
polls
about

Follow us on



Home > AikiWeb Aikido Forums
Go Back   AikiWeb Aikido Forums > General

Hello and thank you for visiting AikiWeb, the world's most active online Aikido community! This site is home to over 22,000 aikido practitioners from around the world and covers a wide range of aikido topics including techniques, philosophy, history, humor, beginner issues, the marketplace, and more.

If you wish to join in the discussions or use the other advanced features available, you will need to register first. Registration is absolutely free and takes only a few minutes to complete so sign up today!

Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 02-25-2014, 08:08 AM   #1
Peter Boylan
Join Date: Aug 2001
Posts: 291
United_States
Offline
The Budo Teacher - Student Relationship

The relationship between budo teachers and students is an interesting one, In Japan the relationship is often very close, with significant responsibilities on both sides. I've noticed that outside Japan the relationship is often extremely weak, frequently little more than that of 2 people sharing a mild hobby. How do you see your relationship with your teacher? I wrote this blog post about the relationships I have with my teachers. Are yours anything like this?

http://budobum.blogspot.com/2014/02/...ationship.html

Peter Boylan
Mugendo Budogu LLC
Budo Books, Videos, Equipment from Japan
http://www.budogu.com
  Reply With Quote
Old 02-25-2014, 08:31 AM   #2
PeterR
 
PeterR's Avatar
Dojo: Shodokan Honbu (Osaka)
Location: Himeji, Japan
Join Date: Mar 2001
Posts: 3,319
Japan
Offline
Re: The Budo Teacher - Student Relationship

I will say Peter that the relationship and the closeness has varying degrees depending on what point your are in the journey. You allude to that in your blog I think. I have seen some Western student/teacher relationships (non-Budo) that are as nurturing, supportive and requiring mutual obligation as anything I have seen in Japanese Budo.

Peter Rehse Shodokan Aikido
  Reply With Quote
Old 02-25-2014, 03:43 PM   #3
Dalaran1991
Location: Paris
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 64
France
Offline
Re: The Budo Teacher - Student Relationship

I think this depends entirely on the teacher and the student in question. One of my Sensei dates his students. His current girlfriend who takes him as Sempai, is 23 years older than him and he has been a serial dater in my local Aikido scene. Later he moved to a new dojo and stopped teaching because it gives him a lot more freedom in his Aikido romances.

My current Sensei is a very nice 63 years old woman. She is endearing like your grandma, joking around with you all the time but also gives a lot of good advice aikido- and life-wise.

When I was in Richmond I used to go get drunk with my Sensei and call him names. But he is one of the people I respect and love the most.
  Reply With Quote
Old 03-14-2014, 10:08 PM   #4
RJB
Dojo: Martial Arts Training Service
Location: Chicago, IL
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 3
United_States
Offline
Re: The Budo Teacher - Student Relationship

It depends on the nature of the school, and possibly the age difference between the student and teacher. I think, once you've bowed in at the mat, the sensei is the sensei. Off the mat, you're both people.
  Reply With Quote
Old 03-17-2014, 12:57 AM   #5
ryback
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 243
Offline
Re: The Budo Teacher - Student Relationship

Well my relationship with my teacher looks very much like that of Kwai Chang Caine with master Po, or even more, like the one of Daniel-san with Mr. Miyagi. It's not the typical relationship that I usually see where you go to your lesson, teacher corrects you and that's it. We do dojo projects together and also go out for a coffee, watch Formula 1 races and help each other any way we can in all aspects of life.
But here I have to make something clear. My sensei is my sensei whether we are on the mat or off the mat, you cannot have a purely friendly relationship as it would be between two other people, and I respect him as such, we are not equal. Still, he is one of my closest people and we consider each other family.
As for the OP blog text, I liked it very much, thanks for sharing. I don't think that we should always prove anything we say on aikiweb, I consider everything I read as sincere experiences or opinions of each poster, because any otherwise behaviour would be childish and stupid, so I don't consider anyone a liar. I enjoy reading your texts whether I agree or disagree with each one of their context.
  Reply With Quote
Old 03-21-2014, 09:07 AM   #6
BJohnston
Location: OK
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 44
United_States
Offline
Re: The Budo Teacher - Student Relationship

I thought this was a nicely written piece Peter!
  Reply With Quote
Old 03-22-2014, 05:56 PM   #7
JP3
 
JP3's Avatar
Dojo: Wasabi Dojo
Location: Houston, TX
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 290
United_States
Offline
Re: The Budo Teacher - Student Relationship

I have a large amount of respect for the people I train with, both my senirors and the beginners and everyone in between.

But, I'm a gregarious, openly comical guy, who would much rather run class with people lauging and commenting merrily, with occasional sparks of intensely serious talk and demonstration, than the opposite. So, I'm intentionally on the less formal methods.

That means that our relationships aren't as formally-bound as the traditional perhaps, but then again, I don't think any of my students wants to assassinate me to gain advantage for himself/herself either. Our society isn't set up that way.

I find it interesting that the kanji character for kuzushi illustrates a mountain falling on a house.
  Reply With Quote
Old 03-31-2014, 06:14 AM   #8
Mark Uttech
Dojo: Yoshin-ji Aikido of Marshall
Location: Wisconsin
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,224
Offline
Re: The Budo Teacher - Student Relationship

I never stop trying to understand my teachers.

- Right combination works wonders -
  Reply With Quote
Old 03-31-2014, 07:17 AM   #9
sakumeikan
Dojo: Sakumeikan N.E. Aikkai .Newcastle upon Tyne.
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,266
United Kingdom
Offline
Re: The Budo Teacher - Student Relationship

Quote:
John Powell wrote: View Post
I have a large amount of respect for the people I train with, both my senirors and the beginners and everyone in between.

But, I'm a gregarious, openly comical guy, who would much rather run class with people lauging and commenting merrily, with occasional sparks of intensely serious talk and demonstration, than the opposite. So, I'm intentionally on the less formal methods.

That means that our relationships aren't as formally-bound as the traditional perhaps, but then again, I don't think any of my students wants to assassinate me to gain advantage for himself/herself either. Our society isn't set up that way.
Dear John,
You never can tell.Maybe there is a conspiracy to send you to Nirvana!! Why not hire a food taster as a precautionary measure??Beware the Ides of March[finishes today].Cheers, Joe.
  Reply With Quote

Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Websites / Facebook Pages / Pinterst - All of the Above George S. Ledyard External Aikido Blog Posts 4 05-01-2012 04:46 PM
What would you do? (Older male teacher with young female student) angry_father Anonymous 46 05-01-2012 01:26 PM
The Limiting Factor in a Student's Training George S. Ledyard External Aikido Blog Posts 13 03-09-2012 09:15 PM
Transmission, Inheritance, Emulation 18 Peter Goldsbury Columns 187 09-08-2011 02:41 PM
Master/slave relationship and Instructor with ego sad_robert Anonymous 45 05-31-2009 02:17 PM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:38 AM.



vBulletin Copyright © 2000-2024 Jelsoft Enterprises Limited
----------
Copyright 1997-2024 AikiWeb and its Authors, All Rights Reserved.
----------
For questions and comments about this website:
Send E-mail
plainlaid-picaresque outchasing-protistan explicantia-altarage seaford-stellionate