During a visit to the picturesque island of Miyajima, a Filipino martial artist spent an afternoon with a young guide named Ken. Their conversation began with shared interests in budō, judo, and aikido, exploring how martial traditions evolve across generations.
An Assumption Corrected with Grace
When the visitor mentioned the word "ken" in the context of martial arts, assuming it referred to the sword, Ken gently corrected him. Instead of pointing out the mistake directly, he traced a kanji character in the air, explaining that his name meant "humility." The correction lasted only a few seconds, but the lesson lingered.
Auspicious Omikuji Message
Later, Ken helped interpret an omikuji from the island's Shinto shrine, calling it very auspicious and encouraging the visitor to keep it. The message read: "Return to a good heart." Though simple, the visitor reflected that returning to a good heart is among the hardest tasks in life.
Parallels with Scouting Values
The visitor recalled his years as a Scout, remembering the Scout Law that begins with honor, trustworthiness, and loyalty. He noted that the rank he attained, Maginoo Scout, carries older meanings of honor, restraint, responsibility, and service before power.
Deeper Meaning of Budō
The experience resonated with the visitor's lifelong practice of aikido. He reflected on O-Sensei's teaching about making a thousand cuts with the sword each day, interpreting those cuts as directed toward pride, vanity, fear, and ego rather than an opponent. The purpose of the Way, he concluded, is to produce a better human being, not just a capable fighter.
What remains from that afternoon is not technical details but a small gesture: a young guide raising a finger and tracing a character into the air, teaching that the highest aspirations of budō were never really about the sword.
