"We are a three year old training group in the Knoxville Community by the name of Musei Tora Bujinkan Shibu. We use the term shibu (study group) because in our style of training, a dojo can only be run by a 5th dan. This difference, opposed to the more common "dojo" term, has kept our numbers low and more
intimate, which has been a good thing because we are not a group about mass-producing blackbelts."
"Musei, 無声 is the Japanese reading for "silence" or "without sound". This is not meant to associate us with sneaky, stealthy techniques, but rather, to define us as speaking very little in pride or ego in order to keep a more genuine and steadfast focus on training. Tora, 虎 is the Japanese reading for "tiger". This is to link us with the symbolism of not power, but protection, unpredictability, and generosity. Bujinkan, 武神館 is finally translated as "divine warrior hall" or "warrior spirit hall"."
"After work and travel conflicts, local friends asked me to start a Knoxville training session as a remedy. After getting a supportive backing from shidoshi's Craig Carroll and Chris Bevins of the Morristown Bujinkan, I started the Musei Tora study group. I am NOT a teacher. I also don't feel that I am at the level I should be at with the rank I'm currently licensed and I'm trying very hard to properly earn it. This has put a lot of stress on me to learn things as accurately as I can so I don't set the people in my study group back like my original instructor did to me. We come together to train and we come together to grow."