Dear ex Student,

Whenever I bump into ex BAMA students, I am always pleased to hear their comments, which most of the time, enthuse about their memories of training. They loved the intensity of the education in small groups or private lessons coupled with the combination of physical and mental development they experienced. Many have also quite openly said that after leaving they looked elsewhere to continue with good quality Martial Arts training yet never found a good alternative ……. but were also equally adamant that returning to the BAMA just wasn’t an option either. When I have questioned why returning wasn’t an option they have reported such matters as “alarm bells over history”, “pressures to spend ever more money” or “smoke and mirrors” and that even though they thoroughly enjoyed the good honest training/learning in their lessons with their personal instructor it wasn’t enough to overcome their other concerns.

When I meet students that I taught personally, it is usually with a warm smile and kind words between us. But it is also true to say that the higher up the organisation these students climbed, the greater their alarm over non-training issues appears to be. This seems especially true for many that graduated to Cotsfield.  With so many people contacting me since the news of my departure, it strikes a notable chord that most ex Cotsfield students have very  strong feelings about that specific period of their time with the BAMA. Of course I understand that everyone leaves for a reason! ……. that's not the point, but the significance of so many of them saying the same things is just too important to be ignored any longer.  All of them had aspired to get to Cotsfield and they enjoyed it there for a time, but then, as was described to me only a few days ago ;

“……….the continual future promises that just never happened, changed agreements, money obsessed “chats” and hero worship began to grate and in the end it was like I woke up…  and realized just exactly what was going on. Then, because I had the audacity to do as I had been taught, think for myself and ask questions I was accused of being negative and told it was my demons ….. but the worst was when I said I was leaving, I was shouted at and threatened that my “core” would turn against me and my life would be shit outside the school …… it was like a priest from the dark ages telling me I was headed for hell and damnation because I was renouncing his religion!”

Its an interesting point to note that in the 30 years I was with the BAMA, I saw lots of people leave. Whether they faded away or fell out of favour the SOP (standard operating procedure) was always the same, rumour that “their demons had got them”, refer to them as a “piece of s##t and roll out the stock line “but I’m the good guy in all this”. I know, because I knew the inner sanctum Cotsfield mantra off by heart …….“its very important that we come out of this the good guys”

I have listened to what ex students have had to say and I have taken these concerns to the very heart of the dojo of truth. A constitution has been written by the founder members (all are ex BAMA black belts with experience of the very things that you have experienced). I have done this in the spirit of openness and transparency in order to ensure that the dojo of truth never strays from its core principles of developing a life of positivity, peace and harmony forged around an unyielding core of ‘warrior bearing’ and exceptional martial arts ability.  (heard those words before ? that’s because I wrote them …… and I still believe in them ….. as I still do about what good Martial Arts training can do for someone.

My door is open to any ex BAMA student that seeks to recommence their MA training in an environment devoid of all of the other issues.

Please feel free to contact me if you would like further information or to discuss any residual concerns or questions you may have.

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.”

The dojo is open Mon-Thurs 7 – 11pm and full members can attend on any or all nights.