What's Wrong With Me?!

[sensei8]

I'm not trying to have a go at you mate but life has to move on when people die. So does life in the Martial Arts world.

So you refusing to grade because your dai-soke wasn't there to promote you, shows that your really refusing to move on and accept that he has moved on to the afterlife.

So they wanted to promote you to the rank of kudan and that you had deserved the rank of it and no longer the rank of hachidan.

Although i do have to agree with you that you don't have to wear the new belt awarded to you. You have a choice of which belt to wear - either your black belt that you have worn for years or the new one. So there is nothing wrong with you.

Sometimes there are by-laws in schools that say that you have to wear your new belt in all classes etc.

I often travel between Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney (I live in Australia), and my sensei up in Sydney is an 8th Dan so he is wearing the Red + white segmented belt. But often he will just wear his regular black belt in classes. Also my sensei up in Brisbane (who is also a good friend of mine) that is a 3rd Dan will often wear a blue or red belt (he is a competitor so he wears those two coloured belts for competitions) other than his black belt.

I did endure the Kudan testing cycle, and in that, I am Kudan...ON PAPER, but not in my heart, as of yet!! I will, one day, wear it more regularly, but until then, I ask for patience.

[sensei8]

After a very brief day of deliberations yesterday concerning my decision of not wearing my newly earned Kudan obi, an agreeable compromise was reached for all in attendance.

My points were as follows:

*Dai-Soke only wore his Kudan, then Judan, only during official occasions! Therefore, those identifier obi's were his "ceremonial obi's".

*Dai-Soke never wore those "ceremonial obi's" day in and day out...never!! Dai-Soke had 2-3 different Yudansha obi's that he normally wore at his discretion.

*Dai-Soke, when he was Kiacho, wore his Kudan obi, but only at prescribed times. Dai-Soke, when he became Dai-Soke, wore his Judan obi, but only at prescribed times. Both ranks, Kudan and Judan were awarded to Dai-Soke by Soke, in that, Soke left the wearing of obi's up to Dai-Soke only; Soke wasn't concerned with that.

*To appease all concerned, since they called for this hearing, I offer this possible solution. I will wear the obi that depicts of my Shogo titles of Hanshi; three gold bars on each end.

All in attendance agreed; Hanshi obi!!

Still, whichever Yudansha I want to wear should be my decision and my choice!! Why? They're [Yudansha's] mine and I earned them and I should be able to wear whichever one I want to whenever I want to.

While it's been suggested outside of the Shindokan circle that I need to let go of Dai-Soke's death, for numerous reasons. I will mourn him and honor him however I see appropriate, no matter how long I choose.

[CredoTe]

After a very brief day of deliberations yesterday concerning my decision of not wearing my newly earned Kudan obi, an agreeable compromise was reached for all in attendance.

My points were as follows:

*Dai-Soke only wore his Kudan, then Judan, only during official occasions! Therefore, those identifier obi's were his "ceremonial obi's".

*Dai-Soke never wore those "ceremonial obi's" day in and day out...never!! Dai-Soke had 2-3 different Yudansha obi's that he normally wore at his discretion.

*Dai-Soke, when he was Kiacho, wore his Kudan obi, but only at prescribed times. Dai-Soke, when he became Dai-Soke, wore his Judan obi, but only at prescribed times. Both ranks, Kudan and Judan were awarded to Dai-Soke by Soke, in that, Soke left the wearing of obi's up to Dai-Soke only; Soke wasn't concerned with that.

*To appease all concerned, since they called for this hearing, I offer this possible solution. I will wear the obi that depicts of my Shogo titles of Hanshi; three gold bars on each end.

All in attendance agreed; Hanshi obi!!

Still, whichever Yudansha I want to wear should be my decision and my choice!! Why? They're [Yudansha's] mine and I earned them and I should be able to wear whichever one I want to whenever I want to.

While it's been suggested outside of the Shindokan circle that I need to let go of Dai-Soke's death, for numerous reasons. I will mourn him and honor him however I see appropriate, no matter how long I choose.

Looks like everything was able to be worked out. Good to hear

[mal103]

Resolution - everyone happy!

Carry on training.

[sensei8]

Thanks!! Yes, everything worked out quite sooner than I had expected. Now, I'll wear whichever obi I choose, but, I'll more than likely wear the obi that depicts my Hanshi. That way, all concerned will quit throwing stones at me for whatever the reason(s) might or might not be. I earned my Hanshi on June/July of 1996, so I felt it appropriate for those concerned.

And yes...train on!!

[CredoTe]

Thanks!! Yes, everything worked out quite sooner than I had expected. Now, I'll wear whichever obi I choose, but, I'll more than likely wear the obi that depicts my Hanshi. That way, all concerned will quit throwing stones at me for whatever the reason(s) might or might not be. I earned my Hanshi on June/July of 1996, so I felt it appropriate for those concerned.

And yes...train on!!

Nice! BTW, do you still have the actual obi you earned in 1996? If so, and that's the one you still wear, I'd be surprised if it's any other color than a beautiful, well-worn gray...

[sensei8]

Thanks!! Yes, everything worked out quite sooner than I had expected. Now, I'll wear whichever obi I choose, but, I'll more than likely wear the obi that depicts my Hanshi. That way, all concerned will quit throwing stones at me for whatever the reason(s) might or might not be. I earned my Hanshi on June/July of 1996, so I felt it appropriate for those concerned.

And yes...train on!!

Nice! BTW, do you still have the actual obi you earned in 1996? If so, and that's the one you still wear, I'd be surprised if it's any other color than a beautiful, well-worn gray...

Yes. I still have my original Hanshi obi, and it's worn, but not that bad, not like the belt I regularly wear day in and day out.

[CredoTe]

Thanks!! Yes, everything worked out quite sooner than I had expected. Now, I'll wear whichever obi I choose, but, I'll more than likely wear the obi that depicts my Hanshi. That way, all concerned will quit throwing stones at me for whatever the reason(s) might or might not be. I earned my Hanshi on June/July of 1996, so I felt it appropriate for those concerned.

And yes...train on!!

Nice! BTW, do you still have the actual obi you earned in 1996? If so, and that's the one you still wear, I'd be surprised if it's any other color than a beautiful, well-worn gray...

Yes. I still have my original Hanshi obi, and it's worn, but not that bad, not like the belt I regularly wear day in and day out.

Awesome... Someday I'll have enough experience in my journey to have a gray-white black belt. Once I do get there, I'm still unsure whether I'll keep just a worn gray-white black belt, or if I will have another to use for more formal occasions. I have a few years to figure it out

[sensei8]

Thanks!! Yes, everything worked out quite sooner than I had expected. Now, I'll wear whichever obi I choose, but, I'll more than likely wear the obi that depicts my Hanshi. That way, all concerned will quit throwing stones at me for whatever the reason(s) might or might not be. I earned my Hanshi on June/July of 1996, so I felt it appropriate for those concerned.

And yes...train on!!

Nice! BTW, do you still have the actual obi you earned in 1996? If so, and that's the one you still wear, I'd be surprised if it's any other color than a beautiful, well-worn gray...

Yes. I still have my original Hanshi obi, and it's worn, but not that bad, not like the belt I regularly wear day in and day out.

Awesome... Someday I'll have enough experience in my journey to have a gray-white black belt. Once I do get there, I'm still unsure whether I'll keep just a worn gray-white black belt, or if I will have another to use for more formal occasions. I have a few years to figure it out

There's nothing to really figure out because whichever obi you decide to wear, it'll be yours alone to decide!!