I'm starting my morning by thinking about cool things that are happening today, and one of them is the black belt class I get to teach and train in. I am so happy that our dojo is at the stage where we have black belt students. I love teaching all students, but there is a special place in my heart for the secrets I can share with black belts, and of course, they make great uke for my own training.

They say black belt is the beginning, but the beginning of what? Obviously, it really is not the beginning of what most would call martial arts training. My teacher Stephen K. Hayes talks about black belt as the beginning of personalized training.

To me that means that where I teach my colored belt students moves, I teach my black belts ideals. Although there is certainly character development and personal growth on the way to black belt, training after that becomes intensely personal. The way forward becomes increasingly related to that person's body, personality, and desires in life. The path is how to become a heroic person, an even better version of oneself.

Isn't that cool, that our lineage delivers us to heroic accomplishment and character? And yet demands that we stay true to our deepest self? That deepest hero is revealed through advanced To-Shin training. I'm amazed, privileged, and thrilled to participate in and lead training at this level. Looking forward to 5:15 pm today!