Great surprise for the New Year!

[MatsuShinshii]

I had an interesting phone call last Friday night from our board president. He informed me that I would be receiving a Nanadan grade certificate and Kyoshi teaching license in the mail and to be looking for them.

This immediately brought to question how, as I had not tested for this rank or license, and was going to argue the point but... He explained that he had finally gotten around to going through Shinshii's files in an attempt to clean and organize and found both of these back dated, signed and stamped by Shinshii from two and a half years ago. He went to the register and found that it had been filled out and stamped as well and the copy was filed.

[side Bar - a little back ground; our Shinshii retired two years back and turned over the association to myself and a few other senior instructors and created a board of instructors. Why he did not name a successor is for another post and is quite a long story. Anyway I ended up blowing out my knee a few months before I was scheduled to test. Shinshii wanted to just promote me based on the fact that I had turned down a previous invitation to test but I told him that I would wait until I healed and would test then. Obviously I never got the chance but it turns out it was going to be a forgone conclusion anyway.]

Knowing that I would possibly question this and not accept it he put it to a vote with the other board members and explained that the board voted unanimously to give me the post-dated promotion and license. I sit on the board but there need only be a 70% vote to pass anything.

He said that it made sense since it was already in the register and the copy had been filed, and finished by stating "it's already been done".

I got off the phone and realized that this would be the last grading and license that I would be issued from by my teacher. I decided to accept the grade and license (not like there was really a choice).

[side Bar - I did not figure on testing until the end of the year as I am still not 100% and thought I would need this time to get back to where I needed to be to test. I guess Shinshii got his way and had the last word in the end.]

I have never really put much weight in grades. I have never been one to race to the next grade or even test if I felt that I was not ready. In fact I have turned down multiple invitations to test because I did not feel ready.

Having said this I find myself both excited and a bit depressed at the same time. I am really excited to receive these as they are signed and stamped by my teacher but I also feel a sense of loss in realizing that these are the last grades/licenses I will ever receive from him. I count myself luck to have trained under him as long as I have and for that I am grateful.

I know that a tested grading is worth more than one given, but I have to say that this grading mean more to me than the rest because of the fact that it was/is the last time I will receive a grading from him. I can truly say I am honored by this.

It also means I have been a Nanadan for the last two and a half years.

[Wastelander]

Well, that is certainly an interesting turn of events! Honestly, though, I can't say I'm all that surprised that it turned out that way--many instructors have already decided that a person is going to be promoted before they ever test, so the fact that your instructor had already filed your promotion suggests that he already knew you would pass. High praise, in my opinion. Congratulations!

[The Pred]

Very cool !Congats

[DWx]

Congratulations MatsuShinshii

[bushido_man96]

That's a pretty cool thing! Congrats to you, and I'm sure its well-deserved!

[MatsuShinshii]

Well, that is certainly an interesting turn of events! Honestly, though, I can't say I'm all that surprised that it turned out that way--many instructors have already decided that a person is going to be promoted before they ever test, so the fact that your instructor had already filed your promotion suggests that he already knew you would pass. High praise, in my opinion. Congratulations!

I agree that you know in advance of promoting a student but this was not typical for Shinshii. I have been asked several times to test throughout the years for different grades/licenses and Shinshii always respected his students decision if they felt they were not ready and would not force the test nor automatically promote them. I have been a Rokudan for 10 years and have had my Renshi License for over 15 years. If he was going to force the issue he most likely would have a few years back. He never said anything when I told him that I wanted to wait until I was ready to test due to my knee. He never gave any indication that he had already promoted me. He is typically forth coming and very direct. He is definitely not good at keeping a secret, or I guess he was considering no one knew about this.

Crafty old guy.

After talking with our president he seemed to think that Shinshii knew he was retiring and decided to not wait as he would be retired before I was able to test and that he wanted this to come from him. If this was his mind set at the time he was right. I am only about 95% and have not quite regained all of the power or speed in that leg.

If he waited until I felt I was ready he would have been 3.5 yrs too late.

[sensei8]

That which our Sensei has already ordained, shouldn't be questioned, yet, it should be accepted wholeheartedly. After all, if that Sensei has proven themselves to you some time ago as someone with the highest integrity, then we should be respective of our Sensei's ability to bestow rank/title without questions.

However, it's the governing body that can sour the most of well intents of the Sensei, and they do it often, and without regards, as to the value of that Sensei. Especially if that Sensei is of the highest order within the upper hierarchy of that governing body.

The similarities that you and I share, are often times, eerily close, even though they're not exacting snapshots across the board. Rather, they share a much closer correlation than one could imagine, or dare. However, there we are, two-peas-in-a-pod with so much in common, yet, were not affiliated in any shape, way, and/or form, yet, the MA world just isn't that big after all.

While you weren't expecting this accolade whatsoever, your Nanadan is effective as well as recognized through the actions of your Shinshii, and these actions can't be severed by anyone within your governing body. All of the 'T's' have been crossed, and all of the 'I's' have been dotted properly, therefore, that which you wrap around your waist from this time forward, years belayed, is a legitimate and recognized Nanadan.

When my Dai-Soke passed away, that too meant that my Hachidan was the very last rank I ever earned from him, in both Shindokan Saitou-ryu Karate-do as well as in Shindokan Saitou-ryu Kobudo. Nonetheless, what was missing much more greatly was the void that was left in my heart, and that emptiness would never be filled again with his friendship, love, teachings, mentoring, and support.

Yes, I insisted on being tested for my Kudan at the constant whining of those then upper hierarchy of the SKKA, and to just shut them up for once and for all, and while I did pass my Kudan Testing Cycle, it wasn't even the same thing, as it might've been had I earned or bestowed upon me by my Dai-Soke. That is why, even if I'm Kudan according to paperwork and the like, I'll always, and only, consider myself only as a double Hachidan, and nothing more than that. My Hachidan's as well as my Hanshi were granted and bestowed by Dai-Soke, anything beyond that is nothing more than frosting on some fancy decorated stale cake!!

In that same feeling, I know what you're feeling when you speak about that that Nanadan is the last rank you'll ever earn from your Shinshii. Both of my Hachidan's are the last ranks I ever earned from my Da-Soke. Anything after that, pales in comparisons, with no equal, in our hearts!! While ranks/titles are insignificant when they're looked at with a humble heart, they were granted and bestowed upon us by our Sensei...your Shinshii...my Dai-Soke.

I say to you, Omedetou Gozaimasu...Congratulations!! Wear it proudly because HE...HIM ALONE...honored you, and to do anything less would dishonor HIM!!

I bow to you!!

[mazzybear]

Congratulations!!

Mo.

[Patrick]

Congrats MatsuShinshii!

[Bulltahr]

Congratulations MatsuShinshii .