What is Shu Ha Ri?
Shu Ha Ri is a phrase used in Japanese to describe the three stages of ones development. Shu (to protect or to obey), the first phase, describes the first steps; the acquisition of knowledge. Ha (to frustrate) describes the internalisation of that knowledge, making the leap from learning a system to using it in a natural way. Ri (Freedom), the last, describes mastery of the system, making it your own and going beyond the limits of the system by pushing the envelope. These stages are seen as the natural path of development and are an integral part of any learning process.
