The Jiu in Jiu Jitsu

The Gentle Way of Eternal Connection

In Jiu Jitsu, Jiu represents more than just "gentleness" or "softness"; it is the essence of being in tune with the subtle, the unseen, and the eternal flow of energy within and around us. Jiu is the “in-between space,” where effortlessness resides, a state of being that allows us to move through life with minimal exertion, yet maximal impact. It is the dwelling place of flow, balance, and deep connection, and the key to achieving a deeper understanding of the art.

The In-Between Space

Jiu is the awareness of the space between extremes—between movement and stillness, strength and weakness, action and reaction. When we train in Jiu Jitsu, we're not just learning to deal with an opponent or overcome our adversities but to also sense the space in which we can move with ease, applying the least amount of force to achieve the greatest result. This "in-between" is everywhere: in conversations, in conflict, and in every moment of life. It's the center from which all things arise and where harmony can always be found. It’s where we can find resolution.

"You have to go into the center, into the multidimensional space of God." - Sensei Scott Walter, Great River Jiu Jitsu

The center exists in everything—in each encounter, in every movement, in the relationships we cultivate and even in the one’s we don’t. It exists in adversity and in moments of ease. Jiu is not limited to the physical act of grappling but extends into everyday life interactions and challenges. The space between you and your opponent, or between you and a challenge in life, is where Jiu resides. It is the spot where you find balance and can learn to move effortlessly, without resistance.

Effortlessness and Eternal Awareness

When you’re truly in Jiu, the thing you are engaged in exposes the way of effortlessness. It’s not about striving or forcing outcomes but about being present and letting the natural flow of the moment guide your actions. Sensei speaks of "delivering your reason for living," which implies that when you are in Jiu, that your actions are aligning with a deeper purpose.

The center—Jiu—is the place where your true intent and your eternal self can manifest effortlessly.

This state of being is non-dualistic. What does that mean? It’s not about winning or losing, nor about domination or submission, but about harmony and balance. Jiu is efficient; it allows you to achieve the most with the least. In Jiu we are able to act from a place of centeredness, tapping into the "spot between heaven and earth"—a point that is connected to eternal awareness. It’s the space of calm amidst the chaos, where we can learn to sense the eternal currents guiding every movement, every interaction.

I used to do white water canoeing. My best learning experiences took place on a 102-mile expedition through the Allagash Wilderness Waterway in Maine. The Allagash river weaves its way through a series of lakes, changing in elevation, exposing paddlers to large lakes, calm waters, winds, rapids and waterfalls. In the distance stands Mount Katahdin (Great Mountain), the initial peak in the contiguous United States to receive the very first glimpse of eastern sun at sunrise each day.

I was in a party of eight people spread over four canoes. Our journey began at Chamberlain Lake and continued 90 miles to Allagash Village, and then on to the town of St. Francis on the St. John River, 12 miles downriver from the intersection of these two great rivers. On one side of the St. John was Maine and on the other side was Canada.

Our canoes were traditionally built Old Towne canvas canoes. The forest green crafts were broad and stable and highly suitable for packing in a lot of gear. Of course, we were concerned because we had to be careful to not rip gashes in the canvas. I found myself in a crash course, needing to quickly learn to read the rapids to avoid overturning and losing all our gear. But I also had to make sure we didn’t bash up our canoe on hidden rocks and submerged obstacles. I rapidly (pun intended) became highly motivated to learn how to read currents and to understand how to allow the river to take us through its safest passages. It’s the same way with Jiu.

The Path of Least Resistance

In the practice of Jiu Jitsu, as in life, we discover that resistance drains energy and often creates more problems than what we started with. Resistance can add to the conflict by escalating and it can prolong the conflict by ignoring more balanced resolutions. Life teaches us that if we meet force with force, things tend to get worse. If someone is arguing or disagreeing with me and I argue back, it tends to amp up the temperature or at least add to frustration levels. To be clear, however, Jiu is not about capitulating. It’s about finding a spot that resides between arguing and fighting on the one hand, and sulking away in timid defeat on the other hand.

The Basic Concept of Jiu Jitsu: No Challenge, No Resistance, No Injury.

Jiu teaches us to flow with the forces around us, rather than against them. Sensei describes this as finding "the harmonic pathway", a way of aligning ourselves with the natural order of things, and with the divine. Whether we are defending against an attack or navigating a difficult conversation, Jiu nudges us to stay centered, to listen, and to move in a way that aligns with the deeper rhythms of life.

When Sensei says, "You need to learn to be stable in a disturbed balanced state," he points out that most of life is, in fact, out of balance. Our goal isn’t to control every situation but to remain centered within ourselves despite the chaos. In Jiu Jitsu, this means finding the Jiu point in the midst of an opponent’s energy—redirecting it rather than confronting it. In life, it means staying calm and aware when things around us are turbulent. Jiu is about finding that Jiu spot of neutrality, the stillness in the center of the hurricane, the sweet spot of flow within the turmoil of the churning river. And then learning how to better and better navigate from there.

Connection to the Eternal and to Others

One of the most profound aspects of Jiu is the connection it can foster—not just with ourselves but with others. Sensei reminds us that every interaction with other people reveals "a person’s relationship to God."  When we engage with someone, be it an opponent or a colleague, we may not realize that we are also engaging with their deeper self, their eternal self. They may not realize it either. Jiu teaches us to see beyond surface-level interactions and recognize the eternal connections that underlie everything.

Sensei also speaks of "crossing the yin/yang, reversing the flow," in the sense that there is a gravitational tendency to either fight force with force or to retreat from the adversity-the fight or flight syndrome. His point, however, is that in order to truly connect with others or with our problems, in a way that can lead us to a better conclusion, we must first learn to go deeper within ourselves. One way this begins is by realizing that there are gravitational forces at play in our lives that encourage divisiveness or encourage distractions. Reversing the flow includes a determination to overcome these prevalent behaviors.

It is not enough to intellectualize this; we must practice it. When we practice, with perseverance, we can eventually sense this eternal connection. Consequently, our actions and behaviors begin to shift. We are no longer reacting from a place of ego or self-preservation, but rather from a space of harmony and understanding. Jiu is the bridge between us and the deeper reality that other people and situations are presenting to us. Jiu is the unseen force that connects us all.

Living Jiu Beyond the Mat

The practice of Jiu is not confined to the dojo. Sensei teaches that we must take this awareness, this connection to the eternal, into the "dojo of life." Life is constantly shooting arrows at us, testing our ability to remain in Jiu. Whether it’s dealing with stress at work, or managing relationships, or facing personal challenges, Jiu reminds us to find the center within ourselves. It is within that center that we can act with better clarity, balance, and harmony. 

While on the one hand we are training to "find Jiu in all things," training actually begins with finding it within ourselves. Over time, our training in the dojo exposes us to increasingly difficult challenges, which can be representative of the challenges we run up against in our everyday lives. Dojo training focuses and encourages us to find jiu in these situations… the idea being to practice maintaining our more eternal nature, regardless of the situation we are finding ourselves experiencing. This is the key—that no matter what life throws at us, there is always a way to find the Jiu point.

Great River Jiu Jitsu training is designed to teaches us how to flow better in a variety of situations because it is through training that we can learn how to stay calm in the face of adversity. We utilize Jiu Jitsu Principles to maintain our equilibrium, learning how not to be swept up by our emotions, or self-doubt, or external pressures. As our practice repetitions stack up, our awareness grows, and we begin to increasingly experience realizations of our internal connection to the eternal.

The Art of Being

Ultimately, Jiu is about being what you eternally are. It is a continuous practice of staying aligned with your true self, with the energy of the universe, and with the divine. 

Sensei teaches that "Within the space of a sentence, even within the syllables of a word, lies the path of Jiu." This means that every moment, every interaction, carries the potential for anyone to connect to something deeper, to move into a place of improved awareness and effortlessness.

Jiu Jitsu, then, becomes the outward practice of this internal state. It is the art of navigating the complexities of life, of finding the path of least resistance, and of aligning ourself with the eternal flow of energy that exists within all things. As our practices lead us into greater understandings and realizations, we can learn to live in a way that not only brings balance and harmony to our own life but to the lives of those around us as well.

Jiu is everywhere. It is in you, in me, in the space between us, and it is in the world we navigate each day. It is between us and our problems, between us and the many difficulties that confront us. In this sense, the practice of Jiu is simply the method by which we learn to recognize and flow with this deeper truth.

Our training and practices are designed to bring us closer to the essence of who we are and our place in the universe.