Sayings from Sensei
By Phil Scudieri
These are a few of many sayings that were pounded into my head for 20 years….to the better I might add.
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It is better to penetrate the heart of one art than to scratch the surface of many.
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Ego is the enemy…Kill it! Kill it!
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Everything no matter how insignificant is important.
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Rank is something to strive for, once obtained forgotten.
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Standing in front of a mirror while watching your self go through all your white belt techniques noting the condition of every muscle in your body one at a time, is a really fun way to spend an afternoon.
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Shouting “Onegaishimas” should give you a warm and fuzzy feeling.
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Come to realize you are closer to your dojo mates than your blood relatives.
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The purpose of a dojo is not to teach you new things, but to destroy you and than build something wonderful from the scraps.
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A senior budoka who thinks putting on a white belt, putting his forehead on the mat and saying “Os” is beneath his dignity is neither senior or a budoka.
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Tolerate no disrespect for your seniors. Neither require nor desire signs of respect for yourself.
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Fear, power, excitement, exhaustion. These are all the things you experience in a dojo, strive for joy.
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No matter how senior you may be, think of your self as nothing more than a student of an art. There is no end to learning.
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No pain, no gain, too much pain no gain.
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A proper dojo is not a place; it is a state of mind. The essence of it all is to acquire this state of mind and then contribute to it.
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A senior must never injure a junior; however scaring them is permissible and encouraged.
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Good enough is never good enough
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How good you are, compared to someone else is unimportant; the key point is how good you are when compared to how good you should be.
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In the beginning a person is doing a technique; in the middle: a technician; in the end, only technique.
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True budo is proper training, all else is silliness
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And my favorite: Suit up, line up, shut up!! (I can hear the groans now lol)
