The Way can not be learned through intellectual study. Reading books will only lead to an accumulation of knowledge about the Way. This knowledge will seriously impede the progress of your study.

True learning of the Way happens on a subconscious level through the whole body. If you can not find a teacher who can touch you on this subconscious level, all your efforts will be in vain. You will end up with a large knowledge of forms without any meaning. You will be not better than a trained monkey.

A student of the Way must possess the following three attitudes :

素直　(sunao) . There is no equivalent for this word in Western languages. Sunao implies an attitude of openness, a readiness to accept the teachings without questioning, without the need of translating the new into terms of the known. It presumes an honesty and humility on the part of the apprentice. (This attitude should not be confused with a slavish copying of the master without reflection.)

In Japan, there are many stories of apprentices who had to endure long terms of hardship at the hands of their masters without being taught any of the forms of the art they were hoping to learn. Although the apprentice might feel very frustrated, the master was waiting for the apprentice to synchronize his Ki (energy) with that of the master. Once this point reached it was easy for the master to teach the techniques of the art with little risk of being misinterpreted, and the apprentice could reach deep into the secrets of the art.

This is why studying with different masters at a time is frowned upon in Japan.

一生懸命　(Issho kenmei), with all one's might. It is the attitude of giving it everything you've got, every moment of your apprenticeship. Very easily people become economical with their efforts, evaluating every task and exercise on the energy required. Then they allocate their energy accordingly with less effort put into tasks that seem of less importance, and exercises that are considered to have been mastered. This learning through evaluation is not the Way.

The apprentice is not in a position to make these kind of evaluations. All he has to do is to put everything he's got into everything he does. "Learn and forget" is good advice. If, after a thousand repetitions, the apprentice puts the same kind of energy and focus into an exercise as he did the first time, he undoubtedly will make good progress. To maintain this attitude is harder than it seems, and it is important to keep monitoring one's efforts critically.

辛抱　(shimbo), patience, perseverance, endurance. Like all arts that work in depth, it is important to keep up a regular practice. Too easily we find excuses not to go to practice "just this once". It opens the door to the next excuse next week.

Progress in Budo is not linear. There are highs and lows. During periods of low energy or less enthusiasm, during times that we feel we are not making any progress, perseverance is needed. Often it is during these low periods that things are being learned on a subconscious level. How many have given up when they were confronted with their first "wall" , the first big obstacle that made them feel useless and totally incompetent. How many have thrown away the path to deeper insight for lack of perseverance!

The master is a teacher of frustration, for he helps the apprentice to look at himself. What can give more frustration than looking at your own weakness? This is when the apprentice's endurance is tested. He who keeps up the spirit of perseverance will be successful.