Chicago Budôkai

The Budô Dôjô

forge for body and spirit

The elegant and deadly Japanese sword is born in the fire of the sword smith's forge. A shapeless lump of iron is heated, pounded, shaped, and tempered, until it becomes a thing of awesome beauty. The traditional dôjô is much like a forge; a spiritual forge. The deshi, or disciple, provides the raw materials (his body and his spirit), and the dôjô pounds, shapes, and tempers them until he becomes a hard, well polished, and razor sharp warrior.

A dôjô should not be confused with a modern martial art school or studio. Though both places may practice similar techniques, there is a profound difference in both the approach and goal of a dôjô. A school's primary objective is to impart physical skills to the student. The typical customer of such a place is usually interested in improving his physical condition and learning how to defend himself. Others may enjoy the challenge of modern competitive "martial sports." Though the student may well learn the technical aspects of the martial art taught there, there is little or no attempt to change the person himself. Where the school's purpose ends, the dôjô's begins.

The literal translation of the word dôjô is way-place . It is borrowed from the name given to the meditation halls of zen monasteries in Japan: a place where individuals seek to uncover the true essence of life through the practice of intense meditation. The budô dôjô shares this ultimate goal, but pursues it by more dynamic means. In a dôjô, it is the spirit and personality of the student that is of primary concern. The goal of the dôjô is to transform an individual into something entirely new. Unconditional acceptance of this fact is the point where a student becomes a deshi , one who has made a spiritual commitment, and the dôjô's work truly begins. The dôjô will change you. It will change your goals, your values, and your attitude toward every aspect of your life.

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