Sensei Quotes

Just because he's good at something, doesn't necessarily mean he likes doing it.

->> Azuma-sensei, (Kimi to Boku, #1) ~ Hotta Kiichi

The Hitmen who came to assassinate him end up being polished for the better by their target ~ Yusei Matsui

Sensei says funerals are not really for the dead. They are for those left behind. "The dead are long gone by the time a funeral is held," he told us. "Who would wait when the doors of Heaven are open? Only the living would be foolish enough to still hang around on earth. ~ Sandy Fussell

My sensei was a British karate champion named Brian Fitkin. He was my mentor and because I had a hard relationship with my dad, he became a father figure to me. ~ Dolph Lundgren

We need to remember that the primary goal of Aikido is harmony and good relations between people. If we don't cultivate a harmonious heart along with technical skill, there will be a lack of integration in our practice, which will show up in behavior off the mat. ~ Linda Holiday

If you try to learn with your intellect, it is more difficult to absorb the teachings on a deep level. The mind looks at something and says, I don't want that; I want this instead. But as you simply continue to train, something changes. What changes is deeper than your intellectual knowledge, deeper than mind or heart. ~ Linda Holiday

Through my willingness to train every day and to dig deep in the after-class ukemi sessions, over time I earned the respect and friendship of my training partners, who were mostly Japanese men sincerely surprised to find themselves training with an American woman. ~ Linda Holiday

It's wrong to compare the times when I was with sensei and when I'm with you because I'm dealing with two completely different people, and it'd be weird if I had the same kind of feelings for both of you. ~ Mika Yamamori

He moved to the next tree. "Our past can only follow us if we allow it to, Hawk."
"It doesn't follow me, Sensei, it haunts me," I said. "It lies in wait for me in the dark."
"A warrior cannot be haunted."
"What makes you think I am one?"
"Because when I look at you, I see nothing but a warrior who insists on wrapping herself in an unnecessary cocoon. ~ K.A. Emmons

Better than money and fame, teaching martial arts to your children; giving them your time and confidence, is the best inheritance ~ Soke Behzad Ahmadi

Real Martial Arts is Mathematics, Physics, Poetry; Meditation in Action ~ Soke Behzad Ahmadi

You could've warned me." Jason's frown was likewise focused on the old man once again. "You both need to pay better attention," Sensei said. "I didn't think I needed to explain that glowing metal is hot. ~ Kyle Timmermeyer

Thank you sensei," I crossed my arms over my chest as she locked up the door.
Gram chuckled and said, "Oh Sophie, your sarcasm never ceases to amaze me. ~ Micalea Smeltzer

entire cottage industry centered just on Aritomo-sensei, ~ Tan Twan Eng

The ONLY thing you should be saying to be is that you recognize that you were born into a racist, white supremacist system that imbued you with racist ideals from birth. That you recognize your racism, privilege, and inherent bias and are actively working to unlearn it. If you are not saying that then you are not saying anything, and you don't have permission to speak to me. ~ Seren Sensei

The greatest warrior is not he who conquers his enemies, but he who conquers himself. ~ Sensei Darian Stokes

Sensei?" she asked. "Yes?" "Why are you always leaving about halfway through a workout to give Oberon a snack?" "What? Well, he's a good dog." "Granted, but he's a good dog all the time, and the only times you interrupt what you're doing to give him a snack are during workouts." "I reward him sometimes for using big words. And sometimes I reward him for shutting up." Now would be a good time to shut up. Deal. "So what did he say just now?" Granuaile asked. "I'm sorry, but that's classified information. ~ Kevin Hearne

O-Sensei was frequently head to say. 'Aiki is not a technique to fight with or defeat an enemy. It is the way to harmonize the world and make humanity one family. ~ Linda Holiday

Hatred could not be the basis of her resolution to fight. It provided no access to her own qi, her vital spirit. That was the deepest truth she knew about fighting. It's what she learned from her father and Sensei: fight from the peaceful place inside, from her father's place. ~ Jacques Antoine

Sensei, wherever I sit is the head of the table. ~ D.A. Bonds

I am a lonely man," he said again that evening. "And is it not possible that you are also a lonely person? But I am an older man, and I can live with my loneliness, quietly. You are young, and it must be difficult to accept your loneliness. You must sometimes want to fight it."
"But I am not at all lonely."
"Youth is the loneliest time of all. Otherwise, why should you come so often to my house?"
Sensei continued: "But surely, when you are with me, you cannot rid yourself of your loneliness. I have not it in me to help you forget it. You will have to look elsewhere for the consolation you seek. And soon, you will find that you no longer want to visit me."
As he said this, Sensei smiled sadly. ~ Natsume Sōseki

Don't get salty with me!"
"Yowch?!
"Whoops... Sorry, put a little too much strength into it there."
"...Ohhh..." Haruhiro came close to fainting in agony. Barbara-sensei had struck him in the crotch.

If I keep training here, am I eventually going to end up impotent!? he wondered. ~ Ao Jyumonji

Friendships sail like any other ship... left unattended, it will drift away ~ Sensei Stokes

You, sir," I said, "have all the dignity of a badger with the clap. Shark shit has more fiber than you. I'm going to tie your nuts-first to a monkey's cage and make a mix tape of the resulting noise. Then I'm going to take a bag of marshmallows and a pair of granny panties and-" ...
... He didn't want to know what I was going to do with those granny panties. Surprisingly, Granuaile did. "Sensei, what were you going to do with those marshmallows and panties?" she whispered as we walked together. "I mean, I'm sure it had to be dire, but it just didn't sound as threatening as the potential havoc a monkey could wreak on his sack."
"There was more to that recipe," I admitted. "He cut me off before I could get to the Icy Hot and the gopher snake. ~ Kevin Hearne

Osaka: Ah got a question sensei...

Ms Yukari Tanizaki: Wh-what?

Osaka: It true they wear shoes in the house in America?

Tanikaze: That's what I hear.

Osaka: But then...

...wh-what if you stepped in dog poo outside... ... And you never noticed? And then... ~ Kiyohiko Azuma

The skinny Doya-sensei, in his cotton clothing, appeared on stage. He had braved the elements, walking as straight as a needle. Exposed to the dry wind, he looked like an old withered gourd. The sound of hands clapping filled the air. The clapping of hands is not necessarily the same as applause. Takayanagi alone sat silently and adjusted his collar.

"Man is a link between the past and the future."

Doya-sensei began abruptly. The audience was taken by surprise. No one started his lecture this way.

"Those who carry over the past into the future are called conservative; those who save the future from the past are called progressive."

The audience was more puzzled than before. Among the audience of three hundred were those who came to jeer Doya-sensei. Like sumo wrestlers in a ring, they watched for a chance to take advantage of their opponent. They were poised like a snake ready to strike. In Doya-sensei's vision there was nothing but the Way.

"If you say you have no past in yourself, you may as well say you have no parents. If you say you have no future in yourself, you may as well say you have no capacity to beget children. One's standpoint should be clear from this. Either to live for your parents, to live for your children, or to live for yourself: your mission in life can be only one of these three alternatives. ~ Natsume Sōseki

No one opens fire without my signal, or I'll tear off you arms and shove them up you asses," I said patronizingly, like a true sensei. ~ Ivan Lutz

Now is the most important time. The world today is chaotic-you know this. But the age of the heart will come. O-Sensei emphasized that we must return to the heart. Firmly grasp O-Sensei's philosophy–the heart of Aikido–and integrate it into your technique, into your own body. Train hard and well, until, like O-Sensei, light shines out from your heart. Then what comes out of you naturally will be Aikido. ~ Linda Holiday

Savitar, Savitar, Savitar. At least I won. Wasn't it you who had to cry to the counsel to come save your ass from an attack of a four-year-old? (Takeshi)
Four-year-old ... tarranine demon. Don't forget the most important part. Those bastards are hatched full grown and it wasn't just one. It was a swarm of them. (Savitar)
So you admit you had help? (Takeshi)
Oh, that's it, sensei. You're tasting sand. (Savitar) ~ Sherrilyn Kenyon

Never lay aside something for tomorrow that can be done today. ~ Sensei Wu

School and status have nothing to do with it.
Whether a fish lives in a clear stream or a water ditch, so long as it continues swimming forward, it will grow up beautifully. ~ Yusei Matsui

Sensei, why can't I go to school?" ...
"I am truly sorry, my son. I know this is hard but you have another purpose. A greater purpose. Something far more important than playground games and making friends. I wish it wasn't so, but it is. ~ Phillip W. Simpson

Bow to your sensei. Bow to your sensei! ~ Diedrich Bader

Nakamura Tempu Sensei viewed the mind as a segment of the body that could not be seen and the body as the element of the mind that was observable. He also likened the mind and body to a stream, with the mind as the source flowing down to the body. Whatever we drop in the stream will be carried down by the current. In like manner, our thoughts will influence the body and our well being. ~ H.E. Davey

Aikido is not ultimately Japanese: It is an art of universal truth and international significance. ~ Linda Holiday

Welcome to the Scion School.Now,where were you planning to take the Scions?'
The man's mouth clamped tight,though his eyes were wide.
'Don't answer her,'Sensei said.'I want an excuse to shoot you. ~ Eric Kent Edstrom

I am a lonely man,' Sensei said. 'And so I am glad that you come to see me. But I am also a melancholy man, and so I asked you why you should wish to visit me so often. ~ Natsume Sōseki

What do you think my brain is made for?
Is it just a container for the mind?
This great grey matter,
Sensei replied what is your woman,
Is she just a container for the child?
That soft pink matter ~ Frank Ocean

Ritsu: Please, Onii-san, please write with takoyaki power!
Mitsuru: Yes, sensei! With ikyayaki or takoyaki or whatever it takes! Write quickly, without hesitation! Ah ... Um ... W-what is takoyaki power?
Ritsu: Well, that is
! When Shigure-niisan eats takoyaki, he transforms into a great warrior ...
Shigure: No I don't. ~ Natsuki Takaya

Everything we do, is done to everything. ~ Geoffrey Shugen Arnold Sensei

But when I sat listening with the other Aikido students and teachers on the mat at the Kumano Juku Dojo, all of us dripping with sweat and focused intently on the practice of Aikido in the here and now, the Floating Bridge of Heaven did not feel like an abstract reference to a story of the past. It was a vivid invitation to venture into the world of the spirit, and to integrate that sacred spirit of creativity into all of our actions. It was a compelling reminder that to O-Sensei, and by extension to all sincere students of his art, Aikido was far more than physical technique. ~ Linda Holiday

Above all, what I learned from my Sensei was how to wait. I believe I learned the meaning of waiting on one foot. If I understand anything in this life, it is how to wait. It is not an answer. But for me it is everything. ~ Sadaharu Oh

Since the early 1920s a unique spiritual path has existed in Japan. This distinctly Japanese version of yoga is called Shin-shin-toitsu-do, and it combines seated meditation, moving meditation, breathing exercises, and other disciplines to help practitioners realize unification of mind and body. Besides yoga, it is a synthesis of methods, influenced by Japanese meditation, healing arts, and martial arts; along with Western psychology, medicine, and science. Shin-shin-toitsu-do is widely practiced throughout Japan, although it is almost unknown in other countries. Through its principles of mind and body coordination people have an opportunity to realize their full potential in everyday life.A remarkable man created this path, and he led an equally remarkable life. He was known in Japan as Nakamura Tempu Sensei, and this is his story. ~ H.E. Davey

If you keep on like this, your heart will become like stone. Your mind will become sickly. Your soul will become dark. Your body will suffer from your spirit's descent!"
- Kindness Councilor Hayate ~ Casey Thomas Lehman

To reach an understanding of Aikido as love, you have to be shinken [completely focused; as if wielding a real sword]. You need to commit yourself, body and soul. Without a wholehearted focus, you won;t be able to effectively love yourself or someone else. You can't half-heartedly achieve a true love. It has to be shinken. It must be real. ~ Linda Holiday

Karate is not about techniques and their execution, but about boldness, integrity and fight for justice and common good ~ Soke Behzad Ahmadi

Indian forms of yoga have spread throughout the world due to their objectives of promoting health and harmony. Japan is but one of many countries that have received these age-old teachings. While Indian yogic disciplines (Hatha yoga in particular) have become well known, not everyone realizes that certain distinctive Japanese versions of Indian spiritual paths have evolved. Perhaps the first of these unique methodologies is the art of Shin-shin-toitsu-do, which was developed by Nakamura Tempu Sensei (1876–1968). In fact, Nakamura Sensei is often considered to be the father of yoga in Japan. ~ H.E. Davey

Fear of death translates into a fear of living. ~ Jules Shuzen Harris Sensei

Someone with inborn talent isn't happy. It's those who have worked hard for someone precious to them and who can be hot-blooded that are happy.
-Gai Sensei: Naruto Episode 196 ~ Masashi Kishimoto

Don't make the mistake of depending on the presence of certain people for your training,' he advised me. 'Teachers come and go. My own teacher, O-Sensei, died not long ago. I could have given up when O-Sensei passed away. Instead, I've continued my practice, even though I've found it difficult at times. Don't rely on other people. Do your best Aikido practice wherever you are. ~ Linda Holiday

A threat should never be spoken, your enemy should not be told of your intentions. Either take decisive action or refrain from it, but never threaten ~ Soke Behzad Ahmadi

First thing Monday morning, Ruby came in. She seemed upset. "Zach, I've had a vision," she said immediately.
"Was it a dream," Angelo began suddenly, with a wicked grin on his face, "where you see yourself standing in sort of sun-god robes on a pyramid with a thousand naked women screaming and throwing little pickles at you?"
Ruby and I both gaped at him. "Of course not," Ruby said with disgust, "Why would you even ask something like that?"
"Just wonderin'." He was facing her, But he held up a DVD case, facing me. 'Real Genius'. I had no idea what that was supposed to mean.
Ruby shook her head at him and then turned back to me. "There was a bird. It tried to land in your hands, but a giant horse scared it away."
As usual when Ruby announced her visions, I had no idea how to respond. I just smiled. "That's fascinating."
She nodded sagely. "I hope you're nat planning any horse riding this weekend."
Before I could answer, Nero Sensei burst through the doo, breathless. "Do any of you own the blue convertible parked at Jeremy's?"
Which meant another kid had pucked off the balcony.
"Hope the top wasn't down," Angelo said lightly.
Sensei shook his head as he headed back out the door. "No, but it's a soft top, and Tim had cranberry juice before class. It's gonna stain."
Ruby followed Nero out the door. Angelo turned to me. His eyes were sparkling and he was grinning from ear to ear. "Best job I ever had," he said. and I had to s ~ Marie Sexton