Last Updated on Saturday, 02 January 2010 21:52 Thursday, 02 December 2004 09:18

The Senjo ceremony is probably the newly initiated black belt student's first encounter with the Senjo Philosophy. Traditionally in Zen Do Kai the gradings for black belt ranks included the Senjo ceremony which in its 'living' form is a bowing ceremony conducted in the Senjo geometric patterns. Today, black belt gradings are still referred to as the 'Senjo' gradings, though less of the ceremonial aspects are performed (this is probably mainly due to the massive logistics involved in coordinating a full Senjo ceremony which involves the mustering of hundreds of black belt warriors nationally and internationally). Esoterically, the Senjo ceremony is a portrayal highlighting the growth and development of the individual over time, transcending physical, mental and spiritual levels. The ceremony itself is performed following the grading of Brown Belt students to Black Belt level (Shodan Ho).

The bowing ceremony consists of seven bowing phases. In the first of these bows the Kenjo and the Metsumiedans turn around 180 degrees in their 'seiza' (kneeling positions) and acknowledge the presence of all brown belt warriors who are in seiza at the 'bottom' of the Senjo. The brown belts are those who completed their Shodan-Ho (Black belt) grading before the formation of the Senjo ceremony. The brown belt warriors, whilst kneeling on their right knees, then remove their belts and respectfully (a process of folding the belt in half, holding it up high with one hand and running the fingers of the other hand slowly through the length of the belt before wrapping it slowly around the waist) tie their newly awarded Black Belts around their waists. At this point, the Shogun and all warriors, except those carrying Samurai swords (those on the square, the circle and the triangle), bow their heads to the floor to officially welcome the new warriors to Senjo. Upon returning to their upright positions, the Kenjo and Metsumiedans turn back to face the Shogun. The new black belts assume seiza position.

The second bow in the ceremony is completed by the Shogun. He first issues a command in Japanese which when translated states, "everyone take notice and learn from battlefield strategy." He then bows and this signifies the official opening of the Senjo. Whilst the Shogun bows, all warriors on the Kyunnin square half draw their swords whilst seated. The warriors on the eight points of the circle kneel and half draw. All are emphasising the protection of the Shogun whilst he is in bowed position. The third bow is an acknowledgement of the Shogun by the number one Daimyo (the Shogun's right hand man). The Shogun remains upright whilst all bow except the circle and the triangle points.

The fourth bow is to the number one Daimyo. Whilst he stays in a seated position, everyone else bows. The fifth bow is to the number two Daimyo and while he remains seated, everyone else bows. The sixth bow acknowledges all Senjo teachers. All 'Sensei's' (teachers), typically over a hundred warriors, remain upright whilst the rest of Senjo bows. The seventh and final bow, which involves all warriors, is the recognition of "Zennin Note Rei", which translates as 'each of us are students of one another and each of us is our own Shogun.'

"Unevolved people are eager to act out of strength, but a person of Tao values peace and quiet. He knows that everything being is born of the womb of Tao. This means that his enemies are his enemies second, his own brothers and sisters first. Thus he resorts to weapons only in the direst necessity, and then uses them with utmost restraint." Lao Tzu - The Tao Te Ching