At the beginning you have a white belt. It symbolizes the beginner's mind, pure and unfettered. There are no questions about right and wrong and no hesitation because the beginner hasn't enough skill to intentionally do anything wrong. He is all innocence with intentions as clean and white as the belt around his waist.

Gradually, as the student trains, the belt becomes stained. Finally, after years of staining, the belt begins to take on the black hue we now associate with mastery. But this is only the middle of a true martial artists journey. At this point he is in the darkest and most dangerous place in his journey toward mastery. It is when he has more skill than wisom. His intentions tainted by the ability to hurt people.

In the third and final stage, the belt agesalong with its wearer. It becomes frayed and eventually is a tattered white belt as its wearer learns difficult lessons about being deduced by anger and hate. It becomes white again as the martial artist's intentions become pure again. Experience deepens his insight, and he not knows when it is right to fight and when it is not. His journey comes full circle in mastery. He has the skill of a great fighter, a clear and unfettered mind to guide his use of it, and a white belt around his waist to symbolize it.

Black Belts as of 2011

Promoted by Donna Mathews, Hanshi. (Kudan)