Dear Student,

Let me say straight off that it has been a life’s work helping build the school that you are now studying in and I can tell you without hesitation that your instructor is genuinely and honestly trying to do a good job for you. They have each come the route you now travel. They studied and worked hard and have achieved much in their life and changed their lives for the better. This is not in doubt. They are teaching in order to help you feel what they have come to feel, driven by a desire to share with someone what good martial arts can do for you. Some are professional or have aspirations to become so and that should be whole heartedly approved of….. as I often quoted (readers digest I think!?) “if you can find a job you love you will never do another days work in your life!” and teaching is an honourable way to earn a living and should be applauded.

This is all genuine and all good.

So why am I writing this? Well simply to confirm that you have made a good decision to join your instructor but also to help you understand that on occasion he is pressured for your attendance at different functions or to get you take up different schemes. These are in addition to your regular weekly lesson arrangements with him. Please understand his position. He will be judged on the numbers that he sends to such events otherwise his loyalty and commitment to the school will be questioned and his life made uncomfortable, especially if he is a Cotsfield attendee.  I sincerely hope you continue to enjoy your training with your instructor but also advise you that if you ever start to feel pressured about attending events or become uneasy about other things then tell your instructor about your concerns. He should, along with great Martial Arts, be teaching you ways to develop the strength to make your own mind up about all things and to question and probe as you seek to do so. That's part of his job too!

Should you work hard enough to achieve the illustrious Black belt rank then congratulations are due, you have achieved something worthy and deserving of admiration and respect. A great many have trodden that path before you and they are good footsteps to walk in. 

Please understand that I do not seek nor will I accept a currently active BAMA student grade into the dojo of truth (unless perhaps in the most exceptional circumstances). I encourage you to study and practice hard under the guidance of your instructor, he/she is a good person trying to do a good job for genuine reasons and the standard Bushido karate/Aikido-te etc is good stuff. Be aware that certain aspects of how he directs your learning and progress are out of his control, dictated from above. Your instructor will teach you to be strong of body and alert of mind, so do not switch off when you enter the dojo!! Be fully aware at all times and make your own mind up about all things. Have the strength to hold your view whilst remaining open enough to listen to another and have the strength to change it too. Your instructors job is to pass you the keys for you to unlock your own understanding, not tell you what your understanding should be.

The relationship between Sensei and student is a unique one that can last for many years, can cross beyond the boundaries of friendship into something much more and so should not be easily relinquished, It is one of mutually earned, face to face trust, respect and loyalty. Reputation and history are not enough to earn such merits …. you should always judge a man by what you see …. and it should always be a thinking mans loyalty ….. never ever blind loyalty. This is true to such a degree that if, for whatever reason, your instructor decided to leave the BAMA but to continue teaching, then you should listen to his reasoning before making any decision about your future training. And don’t be afraid to follow him ….. or stay ….. but categorically you should make your own mind up and that means weighing up all the information !

Good Luck in your training

Yours in truth

Murray Bruton 

SEISHIN DOJO 誠 真 道 場

Can be read as “A place of "the way" that is loyal, constant and steadfast to the qualities of being free from deceit, untruthfulness and pretense, strongly principled, and with genuine feelings towards expressing the truth of thing’s as they actually exist in the world.”