The Journey

This is the idea behind our colored belts:

The Journey

In the beginning each student receives a white belt, the beginning of a journey, a journey for knowledge, strength and wisdom. A journey that will span many years and be filled many battles hard work, blood, sweat and tears.

It begins with a step on to a long hard bumpy road, filled with many ups and downs. It curves off into the distance seemingly without end.

Around a curve in the distance a forest can be seen deep and dark, hesitation, uncertainties’ and fear becomes an obstacle.

A green stripe is added to the belt to signify reaching a forest on this journey. The forest is filled with unknowns, and with each step something new is learned.

As the student journeys deeper into the forest and becomes comfortable with what they have learned, fear of the unknown begins subsides and a second green stripe is added.

The student now stands deep in the middle of the forest, all fear is gone and the student is now comfortable with their surroundings and at the rate at which they learn, a third green stripe is added.

It has been more than a year since the beginning and only a third of the journey is behind them. What seems to be forever lies ahead, and doubts will begin to crowd the student’s thoughts. Doubts of what has been learned, doubts of their abilities, and doubts of being able to complete the journey.

As the student contemplates these thoughts the journey continues, time passes and doubts subside. They find that a green belt is awarded with one white stripe, green being deep into the forest and the white an indication of the light at the end of the forest.

With the end of the forest in sight the pace quickens and the student now learns at an accelerated rate the light becomes brighter and a hint of what lies ahead can be seen through the trees a second white stripe is added

Now the students is very near the end of the forest much has been learned many battles have been fought all wounds have healed a third white stripe is added.

The student now stands at the base of a mountain a mountain so large the top cannot be seen.

A brown belt is awarded with one white stripe, brown where trees no longer grow the white now the snow line above. Without fear, hesitation or contemplation of what lays ahead the student begins the climb.

More than two years has now passed and what seemed like yesterday was the beginning of the journey. The journey has now become a climb up the mountain of knowledge and wisdom, a climb that will take skill, strength and stamina. A climb that will take more than a year to complete.

As the student climbs they begin to understand how they belong, their new skills become honed to a fine edge. Their strength and stamina are without question, a second white stripe is added.

Battles are only battles, obstacles no matter how large become opportunities to learn and improve. The student thoughts are as pure as the snow they now climb through, a third white stripe is added.

 Emerging through the snow without feeling pain, hunger or fatigue the student stands at the top of the mountain. More than four years have passed,  they look up only to see black as the belt they have been awarded.

 As the student reflects on the journey they begin to see with their heart and mind a golden light begins to shine from above. This golden light symbolizes  knowledge, strength and wisdom a golden stripe is added to their belt.

As the student looks from the mountain and sees many more mountains realizes that this was only the beginning of many more journeys. They now know they must continue and share what they have learned. In time they will cross paths of those who have journeyed before them and those who have journeyed after them. They will share their wisdom, their strength and their knowledge. They will grow, the light will grow, and more golden stripes will be added to the belt…………………………… and so the journey continues.