What Lurks In The Shadows

The following is a direct response to the lady who owns and operates the business known as the Subtle Warrior. This response is made by her former instructor of eighteen years and the one who sanctioned her in the first place, unfortunately.
This individual has made this situation by her own course of action against me, my school and my teachers and has left me no choice but to post this response.

Before continuing to her web site I respectfully request that those interested in what she is offering first read this article:

The study and practice of the martial arts, especially any of the traditional or classical systems, is a path of discipline that is essential to each and every one of them.

The newer systems, those established without following the traditional course from which they supposedly derived, have attempted to present themselves to the public in a sense where one is lead to believe they can study and learn the martial arts without the core values that have been an integral part of them for centuries.
What this process does is greatly diminish the entire purpose of study and practice in the first place.
Many of these new systems also attempt to communicate that one can learn adequate and sufficient self-defense techniques and methods without learning the martial art itself. If this were the case, then what are these individuals, or so-called instructors, teaching?

If these individuals are former martial artists, with or without rank or qualification, how is it that they became such experts in such a short period of time to establish these types of new arts and who sanctioned them?
I would be asking why they walked away and turned their backs on those systems they studied in the first place?
There are numerous sanctioned and recognized martial arts associations and organizations throughout the world, several of which I and my school are members. Many of these have been in existance for several centuries. Why is it that these new systems are not recognized or sanctioned by any of these?
It is a well known fact that these new systems are formed by those who broke away from the traditional-classical systems in order to form their own organizations and ignore those who opened the door for them in the first place. Of these new organizations they recognize and sanction only themselves. There are no measures of control to prevent them from spending well placed dollars for promotion and advertising themselves to an unaware and uneducated public. Most of them appear to be a well designed marketing scheme that insures them profit while leaving the consumer with a false sense of security.
If these newly found organizations were so good and so popular then why haven't they been openly embraced by the entire martial arts communities around the world and announced on any of the major networks or presented in any world or national publications?

Obviously, to go this particular route they were not capable of staying the course when things got tough and in the martial arts, as one progresses up through the ranks, things do get tougher, especially if ones goal is to become an instructor.
If they have chosen to leave the system that has shown them the way to become that instructor then what kind of instructor will they be to their students if they have shown that they themselves could not stay the course?
Many of these types of individuals are not in the arts for the sake of the art and what it has given to them, in fact, they are only there for themselves; for their own egos as history has shown.
They will resolve to many methods to destroy their connections to their former schools and teachers for their own selfishness. This is an unfortunate mark on their character to which they will attempt to redirect onto others as being someone elses fault.
As the saying goes, "Never blame others for your own shortcomings".

Of these types of individuals what do they mean when they make comments like: "Not karate. Not martial arts. No belt ranks. No trophies. Just simple skills". (?) If all they have learned for eighteen years is the martial arts and have claimed to have been an instructor of the same thing then what else are they trying to teach?
I have looked at the photos on the Subtle Warriors web page and I couldn't help but notice the stances, the posture and the techniques. Looks like martial arts to me.

To quote her content (with editorial insert):
"Drawing on nineteen years of teaching experience in traditional martial arts and self defense, curriculum is based on the realization that there is a vital need for a simple, effective process for women to learn how to protect themselves with out the formalities and rituals traditional karate schools demand." [insert: If it were not for these formalities and so-called rituals that traditional systems demand then she would have not made it to where she is today. Why does she offer you something less? There are no short-cuts. If there were then I'm sure all of the founders and grandmasters, male and female alike, would have made sure they were a part of their systems centuries ago and up to this time. If she is so set against these things then why does she constantly refer to them and quote them on her web pages and undoubtably to you...if you be one of her subject?]
She also states: "Built on a strong foundation," - [insert: If it was built on a strong foundation then why change it?] She continues: "The system ceased to exist in 2000 - [insert: Hello! No it didn't. I am still alive and so is the system. Only the school has changed it's name and is now known as the Shin-ryu. Maybe what she meant to say is that she no longer teaches this system. That would have been more appropriate.]

For those who have never studied or practiced in the martial arts this particular subject may be something to which you would have never expected, yet, actual martial arts schools and the systems they teach are not what you may have anticipated from those things you've learned in the movies or television shows.

As for those of you who have studied and practiced the martial arts, no matter the style or system, it should be pointed out that there is a major difference between the traditional and classical styles and systems than those that are not. There are several factors that seperate these things.

In the traditional and classical systems there are many paths that must be followed, simultaneously, in order to benefit from what each art has to offer.
There is the path of discipline, one of focus, one of dedication, of loyalty, of respect, of self-sacrifice, of indurance and of honor. But these things cannot be learned if one is constantly arguing as to the whys these things must be. If any of these things are false...then they serve no one.

Qualified teachers know how to guide an individual along the proper paths of these things. At times they will put one student through a trial of events in an effort to show them what it is they need to learn - to do or not to do. Then again, there are times they will put a student through the same trials in an effort to teach another student by way of example. The course is not always direct and most definately - not easy.

There used to be an average of about one out of every thousand students who practiced the arts who would actually qualify for being a teacher. This is not the same as those who accomplish the reward of sanction or rank. There are many black-belts (in those arenas that reward such ranks) in the world, but, this does not automatically qualify them to be teachers. Here again is another difference between the traditional-classical systems and the newer ones. Today the average would be closer to one out of every ten-thousand.

It is ever more difficult to find good students and even harder still to find good teachers.

Many individuals will leave their respected schools and go off to study some course offering them certification in their organization that will enable them to teach the things learned in these courses back to their communities as a means of contributing something of value to its security. Like their award, certification, piece of paper and the use of their name is supposed to mean something? This is rediculous.
Are they saying, or trying to say, that these organizations have something of more value than the systems they walked away from; the systems that have been around and proven for centuries?
If they wish to offer their communities something of value it should be the very systems they studied in the first place. To do otherwise is an insult to those systems and an insult to their teachers and the teachers of the past...many of whom gave their lives to insure that these systems would last thoughout the many centuries to come by way of handing them down to qualified, respectful and honorable students whom they trusted.

Many Teachers of the Martial Arts are effected by students who rise up through the ranks and take a turn in the direction they were warned against, "Never go to war with one's master".

This is an ancient lesson that has been passed on and experienced into this century.
If there were no truth to it - then you would not be reading this.

Not unlike many Teachers before me I too have had my share of students who chose to travel a different path. Not that there is anything wrong with doing so if such a choice is for the advancement of the art and passing on the teachings of our predecessors. This is, of course, if their choice is to teach. This is probably the most difficult of disciplines to maintain...and agreed, not many are capable of doing this.

I found the following statement at the very bottom of the Subtle Warrior's web page. This statement was placed after several emails were sent to them in an effort to congratulate them on their accomplishments, as they posted them. None of the emails were ever answered. It matters not whether I agree with their chosen path - it is a matter of civility and professionalism. This individual was sanctioned by me and authorized to teach. They were the only female to have been taught the ways of the sword in my school and, to note, I did so with much protest from other students. I also enabled them to become a member of the Japanese Sword Society of the United States and as such the only school in the entire country that was not collectors of Japanese military artifacts but users of live blades. In other words, my school is the only one registered with members who actually are schooled in the use of the Japanese sword and it related arts. And no, I like many other teachers of the sword, do not award sanctions in this form of weaponry.

Their statement:
I no longer associate, affiliate, or support in any manner, the head-instructor of my former martial arts system. All ties are severed. Neither do I endorse or consent to any actions, statements, publications or images that may be distributed in any form that include any likeness or affiliation with me or Subtle Warrior.

(Subtle Warrior is the name of her newly founded system.)

I found this rather amuzing and disturbing at the same time in the sense that she endorses my dojo (to her own benefit), mentioned the styles to which she studied within her pages (also to her own benefit). She also went so far as to publish a few pictures of herself wearing the uniform of my dojo, smiling and holding a trophy she had won as a brown-belt in competition and posing with weaponry.
I believe that if her words were true then she should not even mention my dojo and especially not show any pictures of herself wearing my school uniform. She too should not mention the styles she studied while my student as though giving the impression that she studied those styles without my assistance in view of the fact that she openly mentions all of this without my name, and yet, to put salt in the wound, mentions all the others. If I were a potential student of hers I would be asking where and from whom she learned these things and if she would be so candid to mention why she does not mention the name of her teacher.
She has mispelled a few of these styles and has also stated that she studied a particular style from me that I do not know - as she spelled it: Muy Tai Boxing (it is Muay Thai) - what I had learned, and passed only part of it on to some students, was not this form...in fact, there is no name for it, but, it was a form I had learned from the Thai Buddhist Monks and referred to in a manner that lay-martial artists would be able to comprehend. On that note I guess I can't really blame her for thinking she learned something she didn't, but, if she truly paid attention in class and read her notes she should have known the difference.
Then there is another mispelling, and very critical in Chinese Martial Arts circles as to its particular identity, that of the Sil Lum Jing Mo Kung Fu. It should have been Gung-fu. The difference is that of Northern and Southern styles and their histories. There is no Sil Lum Jing Mo Kung Fu. The Sil Lum and the Kung Fu should be an alarm to those who are schooled in these matters as the two used together are a contradiction. What this now tells me is that she wasn't paying attention in many years of classes, perhaps, maybe she just forgot...she did take a written test...again, she should have studied her old notes before writing these things this way. She also mentions a style that was by her and every other students word who learned it never to mentioned it in public. She violated her word. What would you think I should do when ones word is broken and honor is tossed aside in this manner?
Of what she did study and learn...she did not learn these things by herself. How she went astray and for whatever reasons are not matters of my concern unless they continue to interfere with the course of the martial arts I am sworn to protect, serve and pass on.
Being that she is so openly ungrateful of the eighteen (18) years of instruction she received from me and other instructors of my dojo, she has left me no choice, since she has taken it upon herself to post flyers around our town and to publish questionable internal matters to the public by way of the internet, but to clarify these issues and to announce to her, through this medium, that she lives with a false sense of security within her current position.
Unfortunately for her, she took a shadowed path, one running parallel to the primary one...or was it the primary one? Fatal-attractions can be very difficult to handle and in atmospheres such as martial arts schools even more so especially when such situations happen within the upper-ranks.
Some of the old ways have been abandoned in some circles, e.g., what has been done would have been resolved by the loss of ones head. In this day and age there is little that teachers like myself can do to rectify these types of improprieties. Fortunately, there are always the teachings of the masters and within those life lessons they have handed down, as though they knew what the future would bring, are the answers to the questions yet to be asked and solutions to the difficulties yet to be suffered.
To individuals with ulterior motives it matters not how far a Teacher will go to help their students, how much good they do for them or even if they are responsible for saving their lives...if that student, or students, decide to go against their Teacher - that Teacher must be above reproach and that their reputation is solid and unquestionable.
Another old lesson, "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer".
I was informed by other students that there was something else going on with this individual that I was not seeing...and they pointed out the matter to me.
(Once again, another lesson..."It is not given to any one person to know absolutely everything about everything".)
Until then I had no reason to look into those areas. I will not go into any details of these matters here or anywhere else, at the least, let's suffice to say that enough about those things has already been said.

Herein lay the reasons why Teachers never teach everything they know...nor should they. This is an area that fails most students comprehension. They waste their time trying to analyse their teachers instead of themselves. The functions and rewards of meditation.

It is also obvious that there is something going on within her that she has not come to terms with...to this day. I do not know what it is, but, I cannot say that I do not care.
My dojo is my home that I have opened the doors and invited people into. First they are strangers, then they are students, soon they become friends and after awhile they are my family. I hold them all dear to my heart no matter where our journey takes us. We go this way together and sometimes you find yourself on the path...alone. You continue just the same but never forgetting those you met along the way. I have had several students throughout the years who have died for various reasons, two were upper ranks and only two were martial arts related. Their parents took them out of classes because they believed it wasn't doing them any good. They were murdered a few years later. I can't say that the martial arts would have made any difference in their survival but it would have at least given them a fighting chance. They did not have that option.
Recently I have lost two more students - a brother and sister. I taught their parents and one of their uncles. I watched them come into this world and grow up and I watched them leave. They were killed in a tragic auto accident. One, who was a father had his 14 month old daughter with him at the time. All three were killed instantly and they suffered not. I attended one of the largest funerals I have seen in many years and I usually do not attend these things. These were my family - not by blood but by the fortunes of life's journey. As you can see, all of my students are special to me and their families as well. What many students fail to realize on becoming a teacher is that you become a part of each of your students lives - whether you want to or not. This is just the way it is.
On the other hand, there is one female student who came to me when she was only eight years old. She was quiet and fragile. Her parents wanted her to learn how to protect herself. Eleven years later she had a one month refresher course which was held twice a week. Twenty years later, after she had grown and had two girls of her own, she was attacked. Without thinking she defended herself and really hurt her male assailant. She was afraid that she would probably go to jail. Her daughters were not with her at the time. She went home where she knew it was safe and cried. Then she did something I would have never expected. I hadn't heard anything from her during these years, nor did I expect to, just the same, she wrote me a letter and thanked me for what she had learned because it saved her life.
The moral of this story is that she studied a traditional-classical system that used a method of instruction that has been proven for centuries. This method and these classes stayed with her throughout the years because that is what they are supposed to do...you can learn at eight and still do it at eighty-eight.
For those of you who choose to involve yourselves with these other ways - good luck because that's exactly what it's going to take.
None of you owe me anything, most of you do not know me and most likely never will...I am going to extend myself and ask of you a favor. Whatever it is that is uncomfortable for this lady that she has not come to terms with - help her. If you can, good. If you do, you owe me nothing...neither does she.


Accountability: (This is not a request)
1.  The Subtle Warrior should live up to their entire word and remove anything and all content, including pictures, pertaining to my school and her involvement with it.
2.  She should not permit herself the fortune or the liberty to mention that she has studied any of the styles or forms of martial arts that she wasted her time learning for eighteen years with this school or its instructors.
3.  In this way she will then be able to remove the comments she has made at the bottom of her web pages pertaining to such and free herself of this family and the burden of what appears to have been such a painful and unrewarding experience.

This has not been an easy thing for me to do.

A small quote from the founder of modern Karate:
Gichin Funakoshi -
"If one merely moves their arms and legs up and down like a puppet they will miss the quintessence of karate-do".

Excerpt from the 'Rules, Regulations and Requirements' of the Twin Jade Cat Martial Arts - #40:
Some lessons are harder to learn than others.
Why should a teacher waste dedicated training on someone who will reward them by leaving?
If your teacher keeps you waiting and tries to discourage you or from showing you new things they may be testing your sincerity.
If you find that you are not suffering, not being kept constantly on your toes and not given sharp lessons in awareness then I would begin to wonder about your choice of teachers.
Understanding technique is only part of the picture; it is the path you take to achieve your goal that is the core of your very study.
Expect no favors or compliments and remember your only objective is to continue and endure.
A martial arts student is an apprentice to a master-artist, or craftsman. They are teaching you their trade. Someday, you may stand where they are at now. It is the duty and responsibility of the student to pay attention. And learn.

A students debt to their teacher is paid when they have surpassed their teacher.

From the Tao: "Flowery words are not truthful and truthful words are not flowery."

Here is the link to the Subtle Warrior:
http://www.subtle-warrior.com/index.html

Click HERE to visit the Shin-ryu.