It's been about ten months now since I first started to study the martial art of iaido. I have certainly come a long way in that time, but what I really have managed to learn is that there is so much more to know — and that's why individuals devote a lifetime to studying even just one style of iaido. I myself study two styles and I'm happy to say that I have achieved the rank of ikkyu (pronounced EE-Q) in Muso Shinden. When I tested, it was a complete surprise. I nearly botched it as got increasingly nervous and stiffened up but, somehow I showed enough aptitude to pass (either that or my sensei felt sorry for me). Ikkyu is the first of six rankings before I reach the first black belt or "dan" level — I have a long way to go.