Learning a martial art is like getting married.

This analogy might seem strange at first, but in the world of martial arts that I have long studied, loyalty and dedication to a single school are paramount.

My master was a very gentle person, and I only saw him get angry a few time. That incident is still deeply etched in my memory. It happened when we were discussing the schedule for the next training session. One of the disciples said, "I can't come next week because I have karate practice." My master didn't say anything at the time, but later he completely cut off communication with that disciple.

When I asked why, my master said, "Learning martial arts is like being married." In other words, if you choose one style, you must be prepared to dedicate your life to it. While it might be permissible to learn from other dojo, this should be done carefully so as not to affect your main style.

My master also emphasized that if you want to learn a new style, you should first properly leave your current dojo and then fully commit to the new one. And when joining a new dojo, it's important to clearly explain to the new master what you've learned in the past and not use it at all in the new dojo.

In modern martial arts, learning a variety of techniques is encouraged, but in traditional martial arts, not only techniques but also the underlying philosophies and thoughts are valued. Therefore, learning multiple styles simultaneously is not recommended. This offers an important lesson in modern society as well. While multitasking might seem efficient, there is value in concentrating on one thing to truly master it.

The path of Kobudo is not just about learning techniques; it is also about refining oneself spiritually through loyalty and dedication to one path.