Roll of a sensei and is there a time when you don't need one

[wouldbemaster]

Interested in peoples thoughts on the rolke of a sensei and if there is a time when you no longer need one.

Cheers.

[The BB of C]

Role of the teacher is obviously to be a good teacher (and all that implies). I'm not sure that there are many people who have ever gotten to the point where they don't need a teacher of their own. But those who have at least need someone of their level as a training partner so that they can still learn from each other.

Basically, there is never a time when it's safe to stop learning or "go without a sensei."

[Wa-No-Michi]

Interested in peoples thoughts on the rolke of a sensei and if there is a time when you no longer need one.

Cheers.

At the Joden level of "Shu-ha-ri" is the traditional Japanese notion as to when a Sensei has taught the student all he can.

Effectively student becomes master when the art is ingrained into their being as an instinctive part of what they do. White turns to black and then eventually back to white again.

I don't think you can put a time span on this process - especially in this day and age when ultimately, most of us are "hobbyists" when it comes to our ma compared to the training regime that was undertaken in many Koryu dojo.

Also people are different, learn at different paces and have varying physical capabilities.

In the modern idiom I think that most of us need at least an overseeing eye to keep us on the straight and narrow.

In my group for example I would say that when someone gets to 3rd dan they probably have enough skills to keep them going for a fair while, with say a monthly trip to their sensei - to make sure things weren't going too far astray.

WNM

PS not ignoring your PM wouldbemaster- I am doing some enquiries for you.

[tallgeese]

If you want to keep learning new things, you'll need a teacher of some sort. It need not be formal, but it easily could be.

To refine one your own, you'll at least need good training partners to experiment with.

[bushido_man96]

I agree with all of the replies here so far. There tends to come a time when the teacher can't teach as much as he used to, because the skill of the students it beginning to catch up with what he knows. Different perspectives can also lead to new learning, so going to a different teacher of the same style may lead one down a different path, as well.

I think that there may come a time when instead of being teacher/student, they become peers, and can then rely on each other for learning and teaching.

[mudansha]

I think the best senseis never reach a point where they no longer need instruction. As soon as one believes he has reached the end of his journey he becomes stagnant.

The perfect example is Kanazawa sensei. The founder of SKIF. As a Shotokan practitioner I am familiar with his teachings and I have watched several of his DVD's. At the end of some of the more recent DVD's he encourages shotokan practitioners to study some of the other traditional arts like goju-ryu and even suggests tae chi. Just because one is a master in one particular art does not mean he cannot augment his knowledge with other disciplins. At 10th dan, Kanazawa sensei has long since been considered a master and even he is studying new material.

Have we forgotten the teachings of Funakoshi and every other Master? The first thing they teach you is there is no beginning or end to karate. Karate is a life-long journey. If you have reached "the end" of your teachings and no longer "need" a teacher, then you never studied karate-do.

[Chuck]

I think the best senseis never reach a point where they no longer need instruction. As soon as one believes he has reached the end of his journey he becomes stagnant.

The perfect example is Kanazawa sensei. The founder of SKIF. As a Shotokan practitioner I am familiar with his teachings and I have watched several of his DVD's. At the end of some of the more recent DVD's he encourages shotokan practitioners to study some of the other traditional arts like goju-ryu and even suggests tae chi. Just because one is a master in one particular art does not mean he cannot augment his knowledge with other disciplins. At 10th dan, Kanazawa sensei has long since been considered a master and even he is studying new material.

Have we forgotten the teachings of Funakoshi and every other Master? The first thing they teach you is there is no beginning or end to karate. Karate is a life-long journey. If you have reached "the end" of your teachings and no longer "need" a teacher, then you never studied karate-do.

Kanazawa Sensei is just brillant. I've gone to two of his seminar up here in Sunnyvale, Ca; just recently was one on June 28, 2009.

At his age he still amazing; also his son a great karateka at 6th Dan.

The Satsuma Dojo usually host his seminars everyother year

http://www.satsumadojo.com/blog_files/f9bac28b36f73ff1427c3a7df180d2ff-34.php

If you ever have time to go to one of these seminars, it is well worth it.

[warhorse]

I wish I could come to California more often...Tak Kubota doesn't do Europe very often

[bushido_man96]

Interested in peoples thoughts on the rolke of a sensei and if there is a time when you no longer need one.

Cheers.

Now that I have thought about this, I wouldn't presume that there is a time that one wouldn't need a sensei, but there will come a time when one won't have one available to him.

[sensei8]

Interested in peoples thoughts on the rolke of a sensei and if there is a time when you no longer need one.

Cheers.

Now that I have thought about this, I wouldn't presume that there is a time that one wouldn't need a sensei, but there will come a time when one won't have one available to him.

Very true. In my style, Shindokan, my Dai-Soke/Sensei had only one Sensei, Soke Fuyuhiko Saitou Sensei, then Saitou Sensei passed away in 2008, therefore, my Sensei is now without a sensei; I see his pain everyday because my Dai-Soke misses his friend/Sensei dearly! He's not really been the same since! I too, one day will know what that pain and emptyness feels like when my Dai-Soke/Sensei passes away! Plus, I'll be without a Sensei, in its literal meaning as well at that time!