Who is teaching who? Nathan Pflughoeft, MN; Bryan Crismas, KS; Joseph Otter, KS; and a Gameboy

Charles Habbib, NY, Nicholas Stoner, PA

Demura Shihan guides
Instructors around the world

A seed falls to the ground. As the tree begins to grow, it experiences many hardships. During the summer season the sun scorches the earth and brings drought. Yet, someone comes across the tree and provides for it, watering it daily. As fall approaches, rains wash away the soil from the tree's roots, and again the same person comes along to cover the tree's exposed roots with rich mulch. With this care, the tree grows up to become not only healthy, but strong enough to stand up to the elements on it's own. Because of this the tree prospers and is now able to produce saplings that will someday become trees themselves.

Another tree begins its life the same as the first - going through droughts in the summer and heavy rains in the fall. While this tree endures the same hardships as the previous tree, it has no one to cultivate and
protect it through these difficult times. This tree will eventually be overcome, weaken, and die.

The relationship between the tree and its care-taker is not unlike the relationship between the Karate-ka and

(Continued on page 17)