What is Shuhari?
Shuhari (守破離) is a concept from Japanese martial arts encapsulating the journey towards mastery. It outlines the three stages of learning: Shu (守) emphasizes adhering to and preserving traditional wisdom; Ha (破) encourages deviation and innovation beyond traditions; and Ri (離) signifies transcending to a state where actions are fluid, intuitive, and unconstrained by formal structures.
While its origins are in aikido, the concept of shuhari has been popularized among agile software development circles by developers like Martin Fowler and Alistair Cockburn, and abstracted even more broadly to learning in general because it offers a framework for progressive learning and mastery.
Stages of Shuhari Explained:
Shu (守) "protect", "obey"-traditional wisdom: The beginning stage is focused solely on learning fundamentals through repetition. You repeat the basic forms until you form muscle memory. In the shu stage, you're not concerned with any underlying theory of the practice.
Ha (破) "detach", "digress"-breaking with tradition: Once you've mastered the basic forms and can begin to innovate. You might branch out and learn from other masters. Having an understanding of the underlying theory, you might incorporate methods and variations from outside sources into your own practice.
Ri (離) "leave", "separate"-transcendence: In the final stage of mastery, you can depart from forms altogether and proceed however your mind desires. Your learning no longer comes from other people, but your own practice. When you've reached the ri stage, you are, in essence, expanding the discipline.
Here's an example of Shuhari applied to a different creative practice:
A new violin student begins by learning a specific song, then scales and music theory, before moving on to compose their own work. Chefs and home cooks will practice a recipe until it's second nature, and then begin to improvise and iterate.
Applying Shuhari in your own practice:
This learning model can be applied across all sorts of disciplines and creative practices. Understanding where you land on the shuhari journey can make the process of learning both easier and less daunting.
Most disciplines can be learned this way. In many cases, what we view as genius or talent are simply the result of a shuhari approach, especially in creative practices. Allowing yourself patience and tailoring your learning to the right stage will ultimately make the road to mastery much more enjoyable.