Dojo History
This Dojo, Palmetto Jujitsu Academy & Healing Arts. Center, Inc., was opened officially January 12, 1995. Since then it has been growing and evolving steadily
The school name, Palmetto Jujitsu Academy & Healing Arts Center, was chosen because it represents two important aspects of the martial arts.
In May of 1776 the British fleet sailed into Charleston Harbor, Charleston, South Carolina. The local militia hastily erected a log fort made from local palmetto trees. The British fleet bombarded the fort with all of their might and fire power to no avail. The logs of the fort walls held fast. As the cannon balls struck the fort, the wood yielded and adsorbed the shock. During the battle, the fort became low on cannon balls. The militia went outside of the fort and recovered the cannon balls that were stuck in the palmetto logs or laying on the ground after bouncing off the logs. Half of the naval force was sunk at this battle. Britian was no longer the most powerful navy on earth. This is also why it is on our state flag. These qualities of the palmetto tree reflect the highest aspirations of our dojo members, to be strong and forth right yet yielding and adsorbing. The second aspect of our school name is Healing Arts Center. In DanZan Ryu jujitsu, we have a tradition of helping others through Master Okazaki's Restorative Therapy techniques, which is our internal training. It is interesting to note that the only people to receive the upper lists were individuals who were selected to be taught seifukujujutsu (restoration Therapy). These ideas taken esoterically are qualities this dojo and it's name represent.
From a martial point of view, these concepts assures success self-defensively.
Based on these concepts, self-defense should be a simple matter. By directing ones awareness to the task at hand and eliminating scattered thoughts and noise such as fear, desire to win at all costs, prejudice, etc., you become free to make your choices. Time seems to slow down. Your choices will be based on your morals and ethics instead of whims and reactions that are not intelligent nor civilized. In this way, martial arts are a way to perfect your character. It is to these and similar ideals that Palmetto Jujitsu Academy & Healing Arts Center was opened.