Unarguably, one if the smartest men to have ever existed said the following quote: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” This man was none other than Albert Einstein.
I love this quote. I use it a lot while teaching students in different areas I am active in. I use it even more in personal self-reflection to keep myself reminded that my problems and mistakes will repeat, unless I actively choose to objectively handle them in a different way.
When we question how we handle something, we should always ask ourselves: “How is this working for me?” We often feel like we are not getting the results we desire, despite trying hard. Chances are high that we are deluding ourselves that it is the other person’s fault. Sometimes, it really is actually our fault. What a pleasant blow to the ego armor we wear proudly this is, like being struck by the morning star of an “aha!” moment.
As pattern-seeking mammals, we tend to repeat what is comfortable and easy. “Let the other guy do the work. I would rather watch my TV show in my locked house” is the mantra of the fearful. Laziness, excuses, blaming others etc. etc. are all ways of “being insane” as Einstein puts it.
Let us stop the insanity and make Einstein proud. Let us avoid the “Darwin Awards” that are plentifully stocked nowadays.
If we wake up and choose to smile, say kind things about others, dress for success, help other people succeed and strive to handle stress and issues with cool and objective reasoning, we will certainly become happier over time.
Or, we can get up and repeat failure by blaming the world for our circumstances. We can use anger, falsehood and intimidation to accomplish our short-term needs. We can always “check out” of life and hide and ignore those around us that we live and interact with. We can quit external activities that challenge our sedentary ways. We can distance ourselves from our spouses and children. We can repeat the same mistakes over and over and over again…and expect what??
You got it.
I choose to be happy, to be grateful, to love my job, to help others succeed, to try new things, to express myself through music and art, to communicate with excitement to my loved ones, and inspire everyone I meet to rise up into the joyous enthusiasm about how great this life is.
Let us sharply observe how our choices and interactions affect those around us today. Experiment and observe, just as Einstein did. Then, tomorrow, repeat.
Todd Norcross – January, 2012
Masaaki Hatsumi
The very name Koto Ryu, means “Knock Down Tiger School”. It is a powerful and major school in our Japanese Budo method. It is one of the nine traditions we practice. It dates back to about the “Tenmon” period of Japan’s mid 16th century.
Koto Ryu incorporates a type of dakentaijutsu, a subset of martial arts where striking techniques are a bit more prevalent.
Koppojutsu is the “bone method” of breaking and using skeletal structure to affect the opponent and set up throws etc. Using proper footwork and body alighnment, we use Koppojutsu to break the opponent’s balance to bring about a harder fall and cause the opponent to over-extend and lose control.
Lineage of Koto Ryu
1. Sakagami, Taro Kunishige -Tembun era (1532)
2. Sakagami, (Bando) Minamoto Masahide -Tembun era (1532)
3. Sogyokkan, Ritsushi -Tembun era (1532)
4. Toda, Sakyo Ishinsai -Tembun era (1532)
5. Momochi, Sandayu I -Tembun era (1532) (died 1581)
6. Momochi, Sandayu II -Tensho era (1573)
7. Momochi, Tanba Yasumitsu -Bunroku era (1595)
8. Momochi, Taro Saemon -Genna era (1615)
9. Toda, Seiryu Nobutsuna -Kwanyei era (1624)
10. Toda, Fudo Nobuchika -Manji era (1658)
11. Toda, Kangoro Nobuyasu -Tenna era (1681)
12. Toda, Eisaburo Nobumasa -Hoyei era (1704)
13. Toda, Shingoro Masayoshi -Shotoku era (1711)
14. Toda, Daigoro Masayoshi -Gembun era(1736)
15. Toda, Daisaburo Chikashige -Bunkwa era (1804)
16. Toda, Shinryuken Masamitsu (Kobe) 1824-1908
17. Takamatsu, Toshitsugu Uoh (Nara) Taisho (1909) 1887-1972
18. Hatsumi, Masaaki (Noda) Showa (1968) 1931-
Some common themes in the Koto Ryu:
Battlefield school for longer distance attacks
Shorter kata scenarios
Yoko Aruki (cross stepping), and Toki (stamping on toes).
Comprehensive school of pressure points (Kyusho)
Striking bones at 90 degree angles for maximum targeting and damage
Affecting the face of the opponent with blinding distractions (metsubushi-shako ken, etc.)
Always making the eyes appear blank, so that no telepathic movement can be detected by the opponent
A unique, defensive sword approach…giving the opponent the impression that you are an amateur with the sword.
Its “sister” school is the Gyokko Ryu “Jeweled Tiger” School. In my opinion, just mastering the techniques (waza) included in these two schools of Budo would provide all of the tactics and knowledge to deal with almost any attacker. These two lineages (ryu-ha) compliment each other well and round out the skill-sets necessary to survive.
Todd Ryotoshi Norcross – January 2012
You hold a special place in this world, simply because you are part of an unbroken evolutionary lineage that spans literally thousands of uninterrupted generations. However, because we live such egocentric lives, we tend to forget that if even a single one of our ancestors did not have offspring, we would not be reading this. This is a truly jaw-dropping fact! It is a fact that should always remain in the forefront of our minds. How fortunate we are to be able to have a few decades of life and consciousness.
I feel as if I have been given the torch of life from countless relatives who once lived before me. On this tree of life, I am merely a leaf at the turn of Fall. How dare I complain when I struggle occasionally. What struggles are these compared to my great grandfather’s?
I have it made.
The 21st century is by far the wealthiest, healthiest and most long-lived technological generation to have ever existed on Earth. Imagine yourself living your life just two or three hundred years ago, dying at age 25 because of bad teeth, or some unknown virus.
I am so fortunate to realize just how much opportunity I have been given by the linked lives of my ancestors. Today is a great day, simply because I am here to slowly observe and participate within it. I salute the unknown faces of those before me; those countless, yet connected faces. I say this in the grandest of humility and gratitude. “May my moral actions and upheld purpose make my forefathers proud.”
Todd Norcross – January 2012
How does one get better at self protection? In fact, how does one get good at anything? Here is the time tested formula:
Show up, try your best…repeat.
That’s it. You can’t get worse by training consistently. It isn’t possible. So, if you are a student – and may be having difficulties and stumbling blocks like the rest of us- simply follow the above formula. Making up wild excuses why you can’t come to train is a great way to fool yourself into thinking it is everybody else’s fault, instead of your own. Believe me, we will spend immense amounts of time concocting crazy delusions to justify our laziness. The great news is that this habit can be reversed with effort and consistency. Believing in yourself is a quality that is learned, not a birthright.
Some verbs:
Show-up to classes at least twice a week. Mix it up a bit and show-up to a class that you do not usually attend. If you are an advanced student, show-up to a beginners class once in a while to re-acquaint yourself with what is most important. How often do you attend the “Classical Budo” classes – which are the roots of the very trees we are trying to ascend? If you pay for the opportunity to train, why not capitalize on your investment and show-up more. Show-up to coach a kids class and experience the untold powers of paying it forward.
Winter is the perfect time to re-charge your batteries. The purpose of your life may manifest itself right in front of you. The door is open, but is your mind and heart also unsealed? Make a plan and stick to it. Create the time for yourself and you will reap the benefits and satisfaction of days well spent.
- Todd Ryotoshi Norcross – December, 2011
I embrace change by adjusting my attitude, not the external expectation. I realize that the world owes me nothing, it was here first. It was here billions of years before me and will be here billions of years – long after I am gone. The priciple of entropy is the natural order of things to decay and crumble over time. Abandon a house and watch how the paint peels over time. Weeds take over any untilled field in just a matter of weeks. Watch the leaves on any tree thrive only when conditions are right, and then dry, wither and die naturally when conditions must go back to zero.
Why do we fight this most natural of occurances? So much time we spend in our adulthood trying to make a name for ourselves. Our ego is the lead horse pulling the cart of ignorance. So much money and effort we spend trying to fight the aging process! Any dime a dozen sage knows this to be folly. No amount of wrinkle cream or weight lifting can stop entropy. Time wins every time. All of my teachers understood this principle of change. In the sunshine of acceptance, happiness and gratitude arise in a bright and disentangling garden of contentment.
So, to be succinct, while I am briefly above ground, I need to understand that nothing can be the same for long. Change is not only great, it is a wonderful reminder. This thought keeps me highly aware of good and bad times equally. My bad times will be over soon…time will ensure that. My good times are also temporary, so I learn to sit back and really live in and appreciate each and every moment. A warrior is not one who wages war, but is a person who understands he or she cannot always fight the world and expect to win. The true warrior rides the times, like a hawk on the breeze, effortless, sentient and free.
– Todd Ryotoshi Norcross – November 2011
I had a former student ask me when we were alone: “Mr. Norcross, how do I control the negative thoughts I have about one of my training partners. I spend most of my time putting up with his poor technique. I sometimes feel he is wasting my time.”
All I could say was “Well, be patient and be more tolerant; because he may be secretly thinking the exact same thing about you!” ; )
The student got my point.
We need to always remember that we are the only one in the room who cannot see our own ears.
Todd Ryotoshi Norcross-October 2011
New CD!!
Order “Taiken 3″
The 26th album by Todd Norcross today.
Go to the “shop” page.
“It really depends upon the person. This subject is way too individual to lightly throw down a blanket statement about it. Our school is more stringent on certain requirements than most others. If our mission and goal is to train powerful, intelligent and effective role-models in society, that will protect and serve the greater population, than our product is superb and above and beyond what you will see elsewhere.
So, is everybody’s standard to earn a black belt the same? No. It cannot be. If every person had exactly the same standards, hardly anybody would ever earn a black belt. Ask yourself this: Should the student with special needs be held back if she is individually improving and achieving skills to the best of her ability? Of course not. A good teacher knows each and every individuals needs. Over time, the teacher can see exactly who is improving and who needs more time. In an analogy, if we were all loaves of bread, our cooking time would vary depending on how our particular dough was mixed together. Everybody’s “cooking time” will vary, depending on personal circumstances, abilities, age, health, etc. etc. Again, it must be this way in order for everyone to have equal opportunity to succeed. I hope this answers some questions.”
- Todd Ryotoshi Norcross – September, 2011
Here at the school, we try hard to instill values and morals in all of our students. One of the values is understanding personal responsibility. Children often do not understand what this means. They also do not know that there are consequences (good or bad) to their choices that they make on a daily (or even hourly) basis. This is one of the many benefits of training in martial arts that students receive daily from the coaches and instructors.
As you are aware, we are not a sport, nor are we just another after-school activity. We teach self protection in every area of life. This includes how we act around others when no one is watching. We have devised a requirement sheet for all of our youth students. Please work with us to make sure that all of the children have equal opportunity to learn and grow while having fun reaping the rewards of good behavior. Below is a hand out that you can pick up at our school to keep on your refrigerator. Let us know if there are any other things you would like to see on the form.
The Nine Youth
Student Requirements
In order to move forward to your next martial arts protector belt rank, you are required to do the following:
- Know the student creed and mindful action codes up to your level by heart – and live by them.
- Be able to demonstrate the techniques required for your level correctly; this includes front, back and sideways rolls.
- Have consistent bent knees, hands up, back straight, and a powerful, loud voice.
- Be very respectful to teachers, coaches and other students in The Dojo.
- Be very respectful (yes sir, yes ma’am) to everybody you come in contact with.
- Achieve good grades in school (parent’s decision) and do your homework without excuses.
- Have a good, positive and agreeable attitude at home.
- Do your chores as required by your parents or guardians.
- Avoid violence at home and at school.
Let us work as a team to see that your child grows up with a solid understanding of how to be a great human being, serving others with humility and strength. Please contact us anytime to set up a parent/student/teacher meeting if you ever need one. We are always here for you!
Todd Ryotoshi Norcross – August/September 2011
The following quote on what success entails is for all of us who have had a new challenge recently or a “bad class” or quit training and are thinking about coming back. Of course, “thinking about” doing something and actually doing it are two completely different things.
“I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” -Michael Jordan
Unarguably, one if the smartest men to have ever existed said the following quote: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” This man was none other than Albert Einstein.
