the situation through. It must, in fact, be a state of mind such that even an attack by an opponent of greater size, or the development of a challenging situation, does not cause the judoist to change his center of balanced defense against the challenge.
This serenity of mind is developed in proper judo practice, but the true reservoir of mental composure is built through Zen meditation. Zen is a relative form of yoga, without the difficult gymnastic feats. Through correct breathing and proper postural discipline, one creates a mental state of reserved energy. Throughout the meditation period, the Zen student concentrates on "nothingness" and accepts no opposing force of any kind. He seats himself in a kneeling-sitting position in a state of relaxation as nearly complete as possible. There seems, however, to be no serious reason for the Western judoist to adopt this practice, since the Zen effect is embodied in the exercises of judo itself: exercises that require the student to re-enact the Zen performance in its adaptation to practical techniques. During free exercise, which is similar to sparring in boxing, one learns to give way "softly" to the quick movements of an opponent. These exercises also serve to train the student in adaptation to continual change. They are called kata, and their purpose is to teach the principles of judo.
Self-defense in judo is only one basic aspect of this art. The nucleus must be mental control, in order that mastery of the self-defense techniques may be achieved. It is important for us to realize that even though Zen originated in a religious environment, it is a philosophy and can be applied to any of our personal beliefs.
The average person, even though he does not attain ultimate mastery of true judo, can find much enjoyment in practicing its basic phases, whether he practices them as physical or mental culture, as a sport, or as a means of training in self-defense through acquiring knowledge of how to strike an opponent's vital points. In any event, such judo practice will give him a healthier body and mind, a graceful control of body balance, and increased alertness. Judo can be practiced by both men and women, boys and girls. The guidance of an instructor is very important. The relative intensity of practice can be regulated to fit the individual's needs and tolerances. Judo is a natural art. It is neither mystical nor dangerous. On the contrary, it has great value for any person, no matter what his field of endeavor may be. Few art forms can give the individual what judo has to offer.
To further understand true judo, we must go back to the origin and the ancient practice of the art in its earliest form. Every country has given the world some form of combative art between individuals. In Japan these martial arts were the sole property of the samurai class during the feudal period. Jujitsu, fencing, archery, and combat with lances were the most prominent among these. But time brought about the adoption of more modern weapons, and the martial arts took a back seat while guns, cannons, and the like occupied the foreground. By the end of the Tokugawa period (1615-1867) the martial arts had become systematized and had produced many schools with many eminent masters who developed their own styles and techniques. It was Dr. Jigoro Kano who combined the principles of the martial arts with techniques that he himself had developed and with a mental science program, thereby producing a newer art form called judo.
It should be understood that the development of judo could not allow a separation between that art and the philosophy called Zen. Therefore, if the judoist desires to reach a high level of proficiency in his art, he must learn to put into operation the principle of mind over matter. This principle explains why a smaller man is able to handle a larger attacker with seemingly magical effect. Mastery of ju or "giving way" is not so simple as it sounds. It is the result of sincere effort. The device of giving way until the proper time involves the use of perfect balance, rhythm and harmony, and perception— the kinesthetic or "sixth-sense" feel—of the opponent's off-balance movements. It is this that enables the judoist to gain eventual victory. When his opponent attacks, he must harmonize his own movements with the opponent's brute force in order to gain victory. Thus his preliminary retreat is performed with the goal of ultimate victory in mind. The opponent can thus be led to any disadvantageous position at will and so brought to ultimate defeat.
An attitude of overconfidence or a burning desire to win in a judo competition only preoccupies the mind and interferes with the execution of body movements, and defeat is the usual result. Judo is not, literally speaking, a form of self-defense or attack. The application of judo principles depends upon the position and movements of the opponent, but the judoist must not place himself in a situation where an effort to defend himself against his opponent's suddenly changed position may leave him exposed to attack. Thus one can see that judo does not allow rigid, set movements. Realization of this principle trains the subconscious mind to react to everyday experiences in a flexible manner, and this ability has a very important value in human contacts.
We learn, for example, that fear in its negative form cannot be accepted. We develop natural mental composure, and this calmness can be the determining factor in a situation where our very existence is at stake. The samurai developed this state of fearlessness even to the point of not fearing death. They did not feel that life was not worth worrying about, but they knew that neither the slightest amount of preoccupation nor anything else that might cause even a small mistake could be tolerated in combat.
Soon after the end of the Tokugawa period, the Restoration period was in progress in Japan, and the old forms of hand-to-hand combat were replaced by weapons of steel. The masters of the jujitsu art were dismissed from service to their feudal lords, and many turned to public showmanship as a means of making a living. The natural result was a degradation of the art.
About this time, an eighteen-year-old student, soon to become famous among Japanese educators, began his practice of jujitsu under the instruction of Professor Hachinosuke Fukuda, the eminent master of the Tenjin Shinyo-ryu school. The student, who was to become the founder of judo, was Jigoro Kano. After the death of Professor Fukuda, Dr. Kano trained under the new master of that school, Professor Masatomo Iso. Death soon took Professor Iso, however, and Dr. Kano transferred to the Kito-ryu school to study under Professor Tsunetoshi Iikubo.
Dr. Kano began to study jujitsu because of his respect for the prowess of his masters, but he soon began to thirst for a mental knowledge that was lacking in their teachings. He began to look for the secrets behind the superior expert control that the professors had mastered. He theorized that there would be greater value in combining the various schools and their techniques into one standard system: one that could be adopted as a physical education program for schools and would at the same time embody mental culture as well as physical skill. In addition, jujitsu could be practiced as a competitive sport if the more dangerous techniques were omitted. This mastery of mental culture could thus produce a pattern of subconscious behavior that would be useful in achieving "mutual welfare and benefit." He wanted a system that would be rational and logical and would develop the potential of the student's real personality. The do of the word judo symbolizes this philosophy.
In 1882 Dr. Kano formed his system and called it "judo," the word which has now superseded the term "jujitsu." He founded the Kodokan in Tokyo, the institution that was to become the mecca of judo. The name Kodokan is made up of three words: ko, meaning "to preach," do, meaning "way," and kan, meaning "hall."
Dr. Kano explained the new art of judo by pointing out that "gentleness means giving way until the right moment arrives" ; that is, not to oppose the brute force of your opponent and thus to be defeated, but to utilize this force to your own advantage. Suppose that your opponent has a total force of ten units, while yours is equal to three. If he pushes toward you with a force of seven units and your force equals only three, it is futile for you to try to oppose his force, for it will overcome you. But if you give way and harmonize your force of three units with his attacking force of seven, you automatically acquire a force of ten units. Now you can defeat him because you can overcome his force of seven units with yours of ten. It can thus be appreciated that judo is a highly valuable science as well as an art. The following chapters will explain the principles of judo, and the knowledge obtained from them will be of great value to the student in mastering this art and science.
When you seek it, you cannot
