WHAT IS YESHUA-DO?

by
Rev.Vitold A.Jordan, Th.M.
5 Dan Aikido & Iaido

Sensei Jordan – 1986

MOTTO OF YESHUA-DO

“In righteousness,

  Immovable as a Mountain.

In peace,

Quiet as a River.

In battle,

             Fierce as a Fire.

                         In spirit,

              Swift as a Wind.

                                       In pride,

                                       Empty as the Air.

                                                In love and wisdom,

                                     Christ-like”

  Kokyu-nage by Vitold – Baltic Sea, 1989

 “When we are foolish we want to conquer the world.
When we are wise we want to conquer ourselves”.

- ANONYMOUS

"To win 100 victories in 100 battles is not the highest skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the highest skill".

- SUN TSU, “The Art of War”

The way of the warrior has been misunderstood as means to kill and destroy others.
To smash, injure, or destroy is the worst sin a human being can commit.
The real way of the warrior is to prevent slaughter – it is the Art of Peace...
Fighting and war can destroy mankind utterly.
Those who seek competition and contention are making a grave mistake.
The Art of Peace is required, not the Art of War…
Transform martial techniques into vehicles of peace, purity, goodness, and beauty;
Release the power of love and forgiveness and reconcile the world”.

- MORIHEI UESHIBA

Things must have a beginning, so I will do, as all things do, with God.

I have been training for many years in the martial arts called Aikido and Aiki-jutsu, Iaido and Ken-jutsu, Jo-do and Karate. I studied also Hei-ho (Art of Strategy) and T’ai-Chi. Though I was a Sensei (Master of the Art) I didn’t achieved my spiritual goal. My time however has come and I met the Lord, then I was called by Grace to fast from Budo (Martial Way) in order to deepen my life in Christ, the Savior of my soul.

Since 1993 I have had many impressions, visions and dreams of Christian Martial Art, but I wasn’t sure how these prophetic visions will come to past. I left my home, family, friends, a very prosperous School of Aikido & Iaido, a high position and titles in the National Martial Arts organization, and finally my country to begin a spiritual journey of faith. I traveled for10 years, seeking and searching for wisdom and truth in many places, both in Europe and North America. I co-worked in many churches and was involved in Christian ministries. However, the answers came when I spent a period of time in solitude and quietness, and with the Franciscan and Cistercian monks in their monasteries in Arkansas, Iowa, and Minnesota. There I received godly counsel, inspiration, and spiritual power to work out my vision.

But, things are not always easy to come to past. During my quest for the true and Christian Martial Art I had to come through many difficulties, misunderstandings, and rejections. My early Christian journey demand to learn to discern between religious pressure of fundamentalism (to follow what the church or pastor deemed acceptable) and what really is reasonable and biblical. However, looking back, I can see that even hardships were meant for good, because in them I was forged like a sword. Both my will and motives were tested and purified in the fire of God’s Spirit. My personal journey brought to me the joy of self-realization and the meaning for this life in its fullness and beauty. The journey itself is fascinating and inspiring enough, breeding daily reflections, sparks of hope and deeper self-understanding in order to re-discover my task, a hidden potential, gifts and mission.

In the last 10 years I sought to unite my Christian faith with a combination of martial arts skills, prowess, and ideas; and create many new ones. As a result of my search and spirituality I was lad to the revelation that the heart of true warriorship is God’s care and love toward mankind and nature itself. Yes, it is the spirit of loving protection for all living beings. Thus, to me, the true Martial Art means more than just punching, kicking, and throwing the opponents. If we are true Christians, so, the Gospel must be seen and expressed in our entire attitude, just as talking, even walking and eating. The Christian Martial Art then is to accept all things in God by surrending to his will, and to keep the peace of the world by cultivating righteousness and harmony with all people and God’s creation in bonds of compassion and love.

Actually, a true struggle of man is not just a physical combat or competition, because today’s winner can be tomorrow’s looser. Rather, one’s internal confrontation is and must be with the ego, our old or carnal nature, and the dark forces (shadow warriors) that lead a person out of loving harmony with the Spirit of God, himself and others.

Finally in April, 2001, in Iowa,  holding in one hand the experience of the Way of the warrior and in the other the vision I have decided to name my unique Christian Martial Art – “YESHUA-DO”; which can be translated as: 

“Jesus’ Way”
then
“The Art of Peace”
or
“The Sacred Path of the Christian Warrior”

To name my Art – “Yeshua-Do” I have deliberately chosen the Holy Name of our LORD, which is the greatest Name given to all men by which we can be saved and united with God throughout eternity.

YESHUA – (JOSHUA, IESOUS or JESUS) – means “The Lord is Salvation” or “Yahweh Saves”. Signifies then; “Salvation”, “Victory”, “Healing” or “Deliverance” from distress, oppression, sin, curse, disease, guilt, shame, poverty, condemnation and punishment. The Holy Name also means – “Peace” given to true followers of Yeshua, Who is the Prince of Peace.

DO (TAO) – means the Way of the Warrior, his/her devotion to disciplined life or martial training, which is expressed by abundance of life’s energy, courage, compassion, love, harmony, and peace. It is also the Path of the Universe, not just a set of ethics for the artist or spiritual person to live by. Therefore, this Path points not only to some martial strategy, philosophy or religious doctrines, but directly to divine footprints of God, Jesus Christ, Who is The Way (John 14.6), the only Divine Master and example to follow. The “Way” is also synonymous with the “Logos” (Eternal Word/Wisdom) and means to be one with God and embody His character and glory, thus perfection. The expression - Tao/Logos, which is found in the Christian Martial Art, means also – The Eternal Christ, the One who existed in eternity before everything was created, and the One who created all things.

Yeshua-Do, then, is a result of my discovery in the fields of both Martial Arts and Christianity. It is  sophisticated, holistic and uniquely non-competitive Christian Martial Art based on biblical values, chivalry, principles of compassion and non-violence.

Yeshua-Do concept of warriorship is definitely different than in some traditional Martial Arts.

First of all, offers a new way to the arts of warriorship by living naturally and unselfishly in our complicated world. Most Martial Arts are studied because of competitive orientation and need for practical self-defense, but do not penetrate deeply into the human soul and spirit. Herein lies the core of our hidden fears and worries, anger and aggression, revenge and unforgiveness, rejection and feelings of inferiority, pride and sin; so, very often, the life of the individual does not change.

In our world of machines and modern technology, of constant tensions, wars, and disintegrating values, the realization of humanity and Christ-like nature in us is the only way toward attainment of righteousness, harmony and world peace. We have to realize, that the greatest enemies we face daily are: fear, cowardice, unchastity, adultery, anger, pride, rudeness, aggressiveness, doubt, hesitation, passivity, vanity, idolatry, and etc. these enemies are the first we have to overcome by uprooting them from our hearts, then developing in us a great stability of the mind, then love, compassion, faith, nobility, and bravery. All the aspects of training in Yeshua-Do help us to be filled with the necessity of victory over ourselves and thankfulness to God. It is through the repetition of daily practice that we can overcome tiredness, weariness, disappointments and even sickness, and develop a good taste for effort, the importance of self-discipline and perseverance, in one world, the confidence and joy in overcoming difficulties.

In this regard, I should say, Yeshua-Do is the Way towards freedom, which leads through purification from ego where the root of our selfish, prideful, and cowardly mind lies. Actually, a Yeshua-warrior (that’s how I call the student of the Way) cannot rest in any sense of self-complacency at his achievements, until he will see the “old nature” of hiss cocoon annihilated. So, he presses on toward egolesness (Agape/Love) where he can find his “Original Face” or true image in God his Creator. And in fact, there lies the fullness of his true accomplishment in the true Art of warriorship.

In community, a Yeshua-warrior is a protector, who stands between, shields, defends, guards, and heals. He expresses a deep ecological, peaceful, harmonious attitude towards mankind and all creation. Therefore, we seek to defend ourselves or others without using force or resistance, and avoid serious injury to the attackers. Such a warrior must posses then, a high moral standards and virtues: wisdom, honor, courage, compassion, love, discipline, self-control and politeness, and holds these as high principles. He or she is willing to live by them, stand for them, and if necessary, die for them. Warriorship in this context is the tradition of everything what is truly human, godly and spiritual.

It must be stated that Yeshua-Do offers the new way into existing Martial Arts by following the concept towards transformation of the inner man, being unselfish and fearless by living Christ’s example in His Spirit. All the martial aspects of the Art and Christian mystical spirituality are meant to bring us into the image or fullness of Christ (ph.1.17; 4.13-15). Nothing today is more needed, not even worship in the church nor spiritual combat, neither devoted work of service is truly attainable, if we miss the singular object of our faith - love and Christ-like nature.

Also in fairness should be noted, Yeshua-Do is not another Christian denomination, a sect, or a cult. Rather it is an inter-denominational Christian Martial Art seeking to promote fellowship and friendship among brethren and all people through the training of Martial Arts.

Koshi-nage by Vitold – Baltic Sea, 1989

I credit God for giving me the vision and power to conceive Yeshua-Do, as I believe, something new in the field of Martial Arts. Even though, I do not presume that I am the only one to whom the LORD has spoken about these things, because we can find the echoes of spiritual warriorship and holy knighthood in the past. My heart wish is that all to whom the LORD has spoken about the Christian-warriorship would gather together in unity and manifest His eternal plan for spiritual-warriors of the last days in the power and wisdom of God’s Spirit.

I would like also to considerate people to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit. First of all, it is not for correcting others, it is for correcting ourselves. Understanding martial ways as the way of service, care and charity was and still must be the main priority of true warrior. It’s purpose to perform the work of God, the work which will be remembered through all generations.