Scholarship Report

Réflexion sur la Réflexion sur la Réflexion sur la Réflexion sur la

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Alice FENEYROLS April – May 2012

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Sommaire

Thanks ................................................................................................................................................. 3

Introduction......................................................................................................................................... 4

Part 1 : presentation of knighthood / chivalry ................................................................................... 5

Part 2 : evolution of knighthood / chivalry and spirituality in France (historical review)................... 6

Part 3 : Observation and explanation of the maintain of spirituality / shinto and moral values /

bushido through the ages in Japan ..................................................................................................... 7

Conclusion : why spirituality and moral values are important. Use of Budo to reconnect with the

origins and to carry out misogi, perspicacity & to protect people................................................... 11

Appendix 1: virtues of chivalry .......................................................................................................... 14

Appendix 2: moral code of chivalry during the Crusades ................................................................. 15

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Thanks Thanks to Nakajima Guji san for the support the Meiji Jingu brings to the Shiseikan, for

organization and financing of the scholarship, and to Amitani Gonguji san which I was honored by the

attendance at the presentation of the May 10, 2012 at Syamusyo Koudo.

Araya Kancho for the excellent balance established between the discovery of various

aspects of traditional Japanese culture and the honor of having lived and attended

ceremonies in spiritual places, having had the privilege of being initiated to Shinto and to the

history of the Shrine and the Emperor Meiji, and to have been studying and practicing Budo.

Inaba Sensei for private class and access to instruction from the “living tradition” of

Kashima Shinryu.

Daimaru kacho, Ito kacho, Uchikoshi syunin Kenkyuin & Miyairi syunin Kenkyuin for

lectures received, their patience and motivation in the transmission of keys to open to

essential concepts of Shinto and Japanese culture.

Endo san for his advices, his kindness and support throughout this scholarship, both

within the Budo as everyday life.

Nami san, for welcoming me in her home, sharing with me the daily life of a woman

in the heart of the Japanese tradition, open to the world and having the taste difference.

Aoki sensei for letting me practice misogi in the natural setting of Mount Mitake,

exceptionnal place of Japanese spirituality; for practice after school and ability to share his

experience.

Kuroki san for his attention during this scholarship, Okuda san, his enthusiasm, his

efficiency and humor, Ashida san, for her willingness to give the best of herself, her support

for translations and daily kindness.

Fukutoku sensei for the intensity of her presence during the ascent of Mount Oyama,

natural expression of her martial qualities in everyday life.

Mrs. Endo for her hospitality, her warmth and love of sharing.

All practitioners of the Shiseikan for their quality of practice and enthusiasm.

Thank you to Jerzy Pomianowski, president of the ISBA.

Finally thank you to Pascal Durchon for the quality of his investment and teaching for

many years, his encouragements and support throughout this extraordinary experience.

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Introduction

In 2008 the 150th anniversary of Franco-Japanese relations was commemorated,

reflecting the strong links between the two countries for many years.

André Malraux, French politician and intellectual was, among others, Minister of

Culture, and had the privilege to visit Japan and to lay the foundation stone of the French-

Japanese house.

It was sort of the "knight" Charles de Gaulle. It is dedicated from the beginning to the

end: when Charles de Gaulle left office in 1969 Malraux monitoring and resigned from his

post as Minister of Culture.

The same age as Emperor Showa, he was received December 10, 1958 in Japan by

the-c, who asked the following question:

"Why Japan once you interested in it? ".

What André Malraux said :

"How can the people who invented the bushido does it mean anything to the people

who invented chivalry? ".

Chivalry and bushido come from feudal social structures such restrictive. These

constraints have been cemented by moral source of spirituality in our country. Japanese

Budo practice can revive, to walk today to the sources of the moral values that are at the

root of our societies.

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Part 1 : presentation of knighthood / chivalry

Chivalry is warriors, "knights" (appeared in France in the Middle Ages) dedicated to

the service of a king or a lord. To do this they had the right to bear arms, to fight in armor

and on horseback to defend their ideals, their Lord, following a code of conduct that was

specific to this class of warriors (see Appendix 1).

Bushido is a code of honor, moral principles, followed by the samurai and by

extension, most Japanese Budo practitioners. Transmitted tacitly and implicitly for centuries,

it was not until 1900 that he was put in writing by Nitobe Inazo.

We see many similarities between the code of chivalry and bushido. Firstly it was

intended for armored warriors charge to serve and protect a lord and his people. These

codes are similar guideline virtues: Rectitude, Courage, Benevolence, Politeness, Honesty,

Honor, Loyalty. In addition, the process to become a Knight / Samurai was essentially the

same: the lord took in "training" a young man in his service, he had to learn and master

various arts before becoming a Knight / Samurai after an official ceremony.

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Part 2 : evolution of knighthood / chivalry and spirituality in France

(historical review)

The feudal system no longer exists in France for many years. At the time of the

Middle Ages, people were in three groups: the nobility, the Church and the Third Estate. The

nobility had to justify the divine ancestry of his power by irreproachable conduct. Values of

chivalry were then at their peak, it gradually distinguishing itself as a separate social group

with its own values and norms but also through a particular lifestyle. An ideology it claimed

and defended with the support of the Church and participated framed the development and

conduct of the knights on the spiritual aspect.

Knights gradually, first from the Third Estate to work anoblirent by warriors and

gained access to higher positions in the feudal system. However the arrival of Louis XIV to

power marked the end of "local armies," dedicated to a lord, to make way for absolutism

and the creation of a single army dedicated to King.

In 1789 the French Revolution ended dissolve chivalry with the end of the monarchy.

The state is separated from the Church in 1905, dividing the principles of the republic a daily

practice of moral origin.

Today the virtues of chivalry "modern" are mainly through the values of the Republic

around these key words: "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity." Shared values and from the elite

"Republican" and he'll have to share with the greater number, expression of democracy. The

French political system combines within one ministry, youth and sports. Sport appearing as

the integration vector republican values. Sports policies in France trying to reconcile the

principles and practice of these values, perpetuating the warrior tradition of our country

emptied of its spiritual dimension, to be replaced by the default concept of secularism

impartiality or neutrality of the state against all churches and religion.

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Part 3 : Observation and explanation of the maintain of spirituality / shinto and moral values / bushido through the ages in Japan

During my scholarship, I could see that, implicitly, the values of Bushido are still present in

the Shiseikan Budo practitioners. Samurai no longer exist but their code of honor is transmitted over

time, the question was how? The other aspect that is of great importance in the practice of Budo is

to Shiseikan Shinto. Indeed, the respect paid to the Kamis is always present in practice as in everyday

life.

The course of history and Shinto received during this scholarship allowed me to understand,

or at least to understand the concepts of "kegare" and purification ("misogi", "harai") that could

explain the transmission Bushido values through the years.

The concept of "kegare" is what we might call "impurities" that may arise as to the kami, in

numerous forms, concrete or abstract. To purify "kegare" he make a "misogi" (eg when one is dirty,

take a shower, when it was cluttered mind must do something to clear your head).

The origin of the concept of "kegare" is found in the Kojiki: among the many kami, those who

founded among other islands of Japan (Izanagi Izanami &) gave birth to many kami, among others

are: the kami trees, mountains, sea, Amaterasu (which gave birth to the imperial lineage of Japan)

and the kami of fire.

When she gave birth to the kami of fire, Izanami mouru by fire (the fire kami being composed

of fire). Izanagi is very sad, he wanted to get his wife and went to the other world (Yominokumi). The

vision he was there with his wife without skin (because having been burned by the flames) and

surrounded by monsters is what the Japanese call "kegare."

In the same way that anyone can become "unclean" (this is also inevitable, everyone ends up

becoming "impure") everyone has the opportunity to become "pure" infinitely, either on the number

of times or at the level of "impurity".

I use here the term "impure" and "purification" because they are the ones who are closest to

the notions of "kegare" and "misogi" without being perfectly accurate. At birth every human being

"pure" and inevitably acquires "impurities" in his life.

The overlapping concepts of "kegare" and "misogi" was explained to me, among other things

as follows:

Consider a tree at the edge of a road.

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This tree consists among others of a trunk, roots, branches and leaves. Time passes and

leaves die and loose branches: the leaves are "kegare." So the leaves fall to the ground and pile up on

the road.

To "purify" it is necessary to achieve a "misogi" that is sweeping the pile of leaves to put

them in the flowerbed at the foot of the tree, for example.

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And the leaves are reused as "energy" by the roots of the tree, "misogi" can therefore contribute to

the cycle of life because, like Shinto is part of life.

There is thus a form of perpetual renewal in Shinto which it is transmitted through the year

without disappearing. So through him the traditions, concepts such as the code of Bushido therefore

through the years.

The term "kegare" can be translated as "death energy" or "spirit of death" because "ke" from

"kegare" is written with the same kanji as "ki" and "station" meaning "die. "The energy, "ki", as

human beings, can die. Celebrate and remember ancestors and what they have done (as was the

case during my visit to the Empress Shoken who did much for the welfare of his people, see Appendix

3) also makes it possible to "charge "energy.

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If we reasoned in terms of polarities pointing something "kegare" with a polarity "-"

and, having received something misogi or filled with positive energy with a polarity "+" one

could say that the "misogi "serves to harmonize, regulate the polarity without the goal is

neutrality. This is not possible because the absolute neutrality mean an absence of life, or

"kegare" and "misogi" are just as Shinto, part of life.

Shinto follows a kind of self-regeneration process by continuing the "misogi"

("kegare" is inevitably impossible to avoid because it will happen) that, in addition to being

subject to any rules or dogma , no hierarchy, no doubt contributed to its transmission until

today and allowed the Japanese to preserve their spirituality through the ages.

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Conclusion : why spirituality and moral values are important. Use of Budo to

reconnect with the origins and to carry out misogi, perspicacity & to protect

people

According to the Kojiki, Shinto exists both in the smallest particle in the universe,

both now and since the beginning of time.

If we take a tree trunk therefore was cut we can see a whole series of concentric

circles, indicating the number of years more the tree is older, there will be circles.

It took millennia for the human being reaches its current form, it has gone through

many stages that were not necessarily related to achieving this outcome (plankton, animals,

etc..). The same way as the tree acquires additional layers above the previous over time,

man has kept him a small part of what the originally composed in molecules, atoms that are.

The problem now is that the accumulation of all these layers prevent human beings

to reconnect with its origins, many leaves have fallen, have accumulated on the road but

there was no "misogi" sufficiently effective to generate a "revitalization" as deep.

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One of the possible solutions to successfully reconnect with their origins and through

oneself is the practice of Budo. In fact, Mr. Ito kacho also mentioned that a sword is an

object loaded "+". If we consider that person 1 is loaded "+" is loaded outside "-" and the

layers prevent the realization of a "misogi" efficient enough to make this reconnection (the

polarity a person who is sometimes not enough to achieve "misogi").

Give a sword to that person, if it is used in a superficial way, the sword will not connect as

surface layers and can positively charge the heart of this person. However, if the person uses

the sword so sincere and honest, from the depths of his heart, then it will connect with it

and upload it in a positive way, may be enough to achieve "misogi" with its origins and the

world that surrounds us.

The prerequisites are that person have it in the eigenvalues in Bushido, the Chivalry

(honesty, loyalty, kindness, generosity, kindness, etc..). So the practice of Budo, the next

sport sportsmanship, it may be considered to make happen "misogi" to others but also to

herself. This is also the meaning of kata Tachi no Harai which means "purification by the

sword."

The more time passes, the more layers accumulate, however, regardless of the

amount or intensity of "kegare" accumulated it is never too late to "misogi" and become

"temporarily pure."

During my scholarship, I could see that the "evergreening" was present in all acts of

everyday life as in the practice of Budo. This is to cleanse the inside and to activate,

reactivate the energy within us and let us move into and through the outside world, and

make it blossom and bring out the best in ourselves.

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Emperor Meiji is one of the best known figures (if not the most famous) of Japan, I

had the opportunity to learn a little what a great character was also his wife, the Empress

Shoken . Devoted to the welfare of his people, and human beings in general, in terms of

care, culture and education. It is in my opinion an example of what we can accomplish when

we let the energy circulate and renew itself in order to achieve self-realization. From my

experience, in the light of the study during the scholarship, the practice of Japanese Budo in

the Shiseikan for me, French, combines and reconciles the principles and practice of

traditional moral values, putting into perspective the newspaper and its origin restaurant, to

my mind, a spiritual dimension lost.

During the days at Meiji Jingu, I pulled the Omikuji following:

Shigeritaru ubara karatachi haraitemo

Fumubeki michi wa yukubekari

Cut, if need be, through thick briars,

Knots of brambles, tangled thorns,

For the path that’s yours to follow

Must be trodden to the end.

Empress Shoken

Never turn aside from the road that your convictions tell you to follow, whatever

obstacles you must surmount on the way.

But true to yourself.

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Appendix 1: virtues of chivalry

Loyalty

The knight loyalty should always be loyal to his comrades. Whether for

hunting or stalking an enemy, the knight must be present at the battle until

the end with his companions, ready to help at any time with valor.

Prowess

The knight feat must be brave and have great muscular strength. The strength

of the soul was also very important to fight formidable opponents he met

during his quest. He had to fight for the service of justice and not revenge.

Wisdom &

Moderation

The knight was able to be wise and sensible to prevent chivalry switched into

savagery and disorder. The knight must have control over his anger, his

hatred. He was to remain master of himself at all times. Failures were a must

for the knight to exercise intellectual agility and quiet reflection.

Generosity

& Courtesy

A noble knight was courteous share much wealth he had with friends and

peasants under his wing. When he went to court, he would be courteous. He

tried to make himself loved by his lady stretching before her all his prowess. It

should also serve him faithfully. Nobility somehow cleansed the soul of the

knight who had during his slaying quests.

Justice

The knight must always choose the right path unencumbered by personal

interests. Justice by the sword can be so horrible humility and mercy must

temper justice of the knight.

Defense A knight defense must defend his lord and those who depend on him. It must

always defend his nation, his family and those he believes and fairly.

Courage

A knight must choose the hardest path and not the path guided by personal

interests. Must be willing to make sacrifices. It must be in search of the

ultimate truth and justice tempered by mercy.

Faith A noble knight must have faith in his beliefs and backgrounds to keep hope

alive.

Humility

The knight humility should not boast of his exploits, but rather let others do it

for him. He must tell the exploits of others before his own to give them the

reputation he deserves.

Frankness The knight should speak most sincerely as possible.

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Appendix 2: moral code of chivalry during the Crusades

During the time of the Crusades the code of the knighthood is summarized in ten commands

(just like Decalog of the Church), and was surely the brake with the people who, without this code,

would have been wild and undisciplined.

I

You will believe in all the Church’s teachings and will follow all her commandments.

This first rule of the knighthood is most important of all. If one were not Christian, one could

not become knight. The knight was to believe in a God and to trust him full.

II

You will protect the Church.

This rule is the cry of weapons of the knight. The knight was to serve and defend the Church

III

You will respect all the weaks and will be their defender.

The knight was to defend all the weak as well priests as the women and the children.

IV

You will love the land where you were born.

The knight had liked and protected his fatherland.

V

You will not move back in front of the ennemy.

The knight was to be a honest person. Better was worth dead being than to be called cowardly

VI

You will battle against pagans without intermission and merciful.

This rule invited the knights to fight and hate the pagan ones.

VII

You will discharge your feudal duties exactly, if they are not in opposition with God’s law.

The lord were to protect his vassal which exchanges some to him, were faithful to his lord. The

knight was to help his lord when it needed assistance.

VIII

You will not lie and be loyal to the plighted word.

The knight was not to in no case to lie and the respect of the word given also went with the

frankness.

IX

You will be tolerant and generous with everbody

The knight was to be courteous and wise for all. He was to be also generous.

X

You will be, everywhere and always, the champion of the Right and the Good against the

injustice and Evil

The knight was to be made the defender of the Good and the combatant of the Evil. Satan is

the enemy of the knight.