One sunny June afternoon, our family went to a trial Danzan Ryu Jujitsu class. At that time, we didn’t really know what we were getting ourselves into. That day, our daughter jumped, fell, ran, and did moves we had never seen before. After the session, she said she wanted to return and do it all over again.
We were looking for some after-school activities, as our daughter was starting kindergarten and we wanted her to be in some sort of sport in addition to her piano lessons. She came back for her second class and agreed to stay there for the entire year.
Our family has a rule of “sticking to what you’ve started,” so she had to “stick to it” for the entire school year. That rule applies to children and adults! We—the parents—had to remind ourselves about this rule quite a few times.
Initially, our daughter stayed on the mat for five minutes out of a 60-minute class and spent the remainder of the time crying while being hugged by one of us. It took her some time to get used to being on the mat for 60 minutes, and her Sensei never forced her to do anything. It would have been so much easier if he had said: “You need to be on the mat! Let’s go!” She would have listened to him because she is a rule follower, but it would have had no meaning to her. If he had told her she had to do it, the sessions would have become chores with no true value.
Gradually, she stayed on the mat for more than five minutes, and we would help her learn the moves she practiced during the sessions. Fast forward to November of that year. One gloomy November afternoon, our family celebrated her yellow belt! A couple of sessions later, we were celebrating her birthday and her bronze medal at a tournament.
I wish I could write now, “and the rest is history.” But I can’t. What I can write is, our daughter now holds a purple belt and is one of the bravest and most hard-working children we’ve ever met! And this is what jujitsu helps you achieve! It helps you face your fears and teaches you discipline. If you are looking for a life-transforming experience, look no further! However, just like with our daughter, your Sensei will not force you to do anything to make it easier for you; he or she will be there when you are doing all the hard work.
Walking the Walk
How do we know jujitsu improves your life so much? Because one beautiful day, we promised our daughter we would also sign up for it. As you know by now, we “stick to it.”
So… on another sunny July afternoon, we went to our first class. Our goal was to get and stay fit. That’s it! We knew we were too old to get a new belt, so we stayed and were content with the physical realm of jujitsu.
Not for long.
With time, we started getting more and more drawn to the mental side of it. Our Sensei shared stories which were (and are!) literally life-changing. That’s when we knew! My husband was ready for another belt and I wanted to achieve the spiritual level. My tipping point was experiencing a yellow belt exam for one of our group members. That’s when I understood: we were not too old for anything. My husband had realized it long before me.
Our new journey began. We are proud to announce that we recently (very recently) became a family of two yellow belts and one purple belt. We’re a small Ohana within our DZR Chicago Ohana. And we’re not the only small Ohana in our group.
Let’s get back to our proudly worn yellow belts… the first stop in our journey. Even though we both arrived at the same stop, our routes were not the same.
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My husband’s journey was shorter and smoother because he is a natural. He sees a new technique and he does it; he knows the physics behind every move and can replicate them with minimal adjustments needed from higher belts. He just does it.
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My journey was not as short and smooth as his. I also am a natural. I naturally analyze, re-analyze, re-reanalyze, and break down to the atomic level every single physical movement I see. Unlike my husband, I do not understand the physics behind every move immediately, and I need a lot of support from other Ohana members to achieve a level that’s satisfying for me.
Naturally, it takes time. It may take less time for you because you’re a natural like my husband, or more time because you’re a natural like me. No matter where you stand and how long it may take to get to that first stop, look no further and start the journey on this beautiful day, which is today!
— Agata Guzek, Marcin Guzek, Zofia Guzek, Jola Matyjasik, Danzan Ryu Chicago