New Year message from DNBK

January 1, 2012

Dear DNBK Family of the World:

Happy New Year to you and the entire dojo family members as the New Year sunrise casts the brilliant hope for the bright future. Every New Year, we wish to pray for good health, safety, peace and harmony, prosperity and much love for all humanity.

On behalf of His Royal Highness, Sosai, Higashifushimi Jigo, who is now 102 years old, we wish to express our deep appreciation to all our loyal and dedicated members of DNBK for your wonderful work and tremendous positive accomplishments which inspired so many people beyond the borders of the physical world. We passionately rose together and helped the affected communities and children at the time of unthinkable natural disaster which struck Japan in March 11, 2011. We cannot thank everyone enough for their loving generosity and heart-warming assistance for this noble cause. Then, we continually encouraged each Shibu to conduct their Shibu Taikai for advancement of traditional Budo and DNBK. We wish to congratulate on the positive attainments of such Taikai in US, Canada, UK, Belgium, France, Australia and Germany and so on. Some of the activities were geared for outstanding humanistic cause such as cancer research fund, children’s hospital funds, community service agents and various educational scholarships. In July, Canada WYBS and CBS were conducted with enormous success and memorable accomplishments for both Canada Shibu and Honbu DNBK. It was an impressive effort on the part of Canada Shibu embracing the full opportunities given. While we were in the dojo or outside world, everyone put their great effort to be very proud of being a member of the DNBK. Thus, we wish to say, thank you very much to all of you.

Now in 2012, as we look ahead of the great future, we expect to witness the major historic event in Kyoto Butokuden, Fourth WBS and Fiftieth JBS commemorative event. This is to signify the historic milestone year of Japan Honbu Butoku Sai. Nearly 300 members will attend from 22 nations of DNBK ID. It will be a splendid opportunity for them to stand together as DNBK ID and share the true spirit of camaraderie and friendship.

Long-term vision of DNBK is to offer continually such precious chance to share the Budo training and achieve greater excellence with all our international members. We are planning to set a stage for UK Butoku Sai and WYBS in 2013 provided that all preparations go smoothly. We hope to encourage many Shibu Taikai in various regions under the sanctioned guideline of DNBK ID this year. This year we hope to announce the main scheduled events from 2012 to 2016 sponsored by DNBK ID and Honbu.

For our volition, main thing is not to idle without fail but to move forward with confidence and driving energy. Indeed, the world economy and political conditions suffered greatly in the last several years. However, such negative energy and vicious circle did not happen overnight. The undercurrent of cause and effect has been in the mismanaged economic-political system for a long time and recently haplessly terrible financial situations took major tolls on many nations across the globe. That shows how important it is to know what to be done today which will affect tomorrow. In Budo, this is Sen-no-Sen(initiative before initiative) strategy. We are in the world of intertwining interdependence in all aspects of the human and nature’s environment. No one lives alone, and we are all connected one way or another, small to a large degree. That makes us vulnerable but also stronger than ever in our consciousness. With bonding force and uniting spirit, humanity can do enormous thing beyond any expectation. As a Budo trainee, we have so much to offer to the community and the rest of the world. It is a matter of courageous proactive actions. Even in a smallest thing, if we all can try it with our big heart, it will eventually make a huge difference.

Regardless the age and time of history, we can learn from the great wisdom of the past legendary swordsmen about how to cope with the reality of changing world. Yagyu Munenori, Shinkage Ryu master of Kenjutsu in 16th century, created the philosophical essence of “Muto no Kurai”, (spirit of no sword), while Ittoh Ittosai, legendary master of Ittoh Ryu Kenjutsu in 16th century also propounded his philosophical essence of “Muso Ken”( sword of no mind). Such profound tenets were only possible through many deadly and serious battles they overcame. Two legendary great masters stated simply the truth of Budo by defining their ultimate simplicity and auto-suggested how to face the secular world in the same stratum. If and when one finds the mind of total fearlessness and sublime freedom and act accordingly, one finds nothing but his own truth of existence. Two ancient masters stressed the importance of human spirituality rather than the forms, shapes and matters.

Sosai Higashifushimi 102 gave us the official Calligraphy of 2012. It reads “Ryu Gin Hoh Bu”, which means “Great Dragon cheerfully singing whilst Great Bird dancing in the sky”. That signifies the poetic metaphor of hope and joy of humanity to looking forward for positive transformation in the New Year.

When we stand in front of the bright sunrise on any first day of the New Year, let us trust our pure spirituality shall connect all our members of the world.

The nature’s love is afforded to all mortals of this world that such blessing is encompassing interminably throughout this planet. While we stand on the horizon of the bright sunlight at the beginning advent of calendar year, Great Force beyond human intellect humbles us that we are merely given a temporary yet lifetime-chance to make a difference in this small world.

We hope and pray the Year 2012 will be filled with joy, happiness, fruitful productivity and continuing spiritual fulfillment for everyone.

Gassho,(Prayer for Peace and Harmony)

Tesshin Hamada
Chair, DNBK ID
Kyoto, Japan

«« Назад