This news letter was first published in the summer of 2000. The contents was written by the students and therefore, the views and opinions expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily those of the Kushido organization unless specifically stated.
| WINTER
1999
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TRADITION WHITE1 WHITE2 BUG D.I.Y? GREEN&BROWN1 GREEN&BROWN2 GASHUKU1 GASHUKU2 TEARS THOUGHTS VOICE BUDO BLACK DAY KOBUDO TRADITION IN THE MODERN MARTIAL ART Every art has within it a set of values reflecting the worldview of its practitioners. This is especially true within the martial arts. The pity is that now so few practitioners realise this, and what's practised no longer conveys the inner essence that was originally envisaged. To put it simply, what is it that distinguishes the practice of inner wholeness, the pursuit of integrity and humility that is Budo, from the fighting sports available in almost every community centre? For thousands of years, practitioners of the true martial arts have understood the purpose of their practice - that rare flowering of the individual that comes about years of training, dedication and teaching. This is an understanding that seems to have been lost by much of the martial arts would now, with the advent of brick-breaking and box-office hit martial arts movies. It's been largely since the second world war that this beautiful art form has been reduced to sport, and been publicised, in the worst cases, as little more than thuggery. Tradition, when found in Budo, is the mechanism that carries the collective experience and memory of the practitioners of old, the teachers who learned by success and failure on the battlefields, through personal achievement and loss, and by living their art from day to day over a lifetime. It's an expression , every day, of the lives of those that have gone before and invested themselves so fully in the furtherance of the practice. Men and women who fought in, and sometimes for for life. Maybe a better way to express "tradition" is as a sense if history, or as an acknowledgement of "what has gone before." The traditional practices we follow - kneeling, bowing, good etiquette, belts, even just tidy gi's - each in a small way acknowledges the efforts of teachers and students past. If too many of these are lost, what's left is meaningless. Nor should anything be done purely because "that's how it's always been done." Try and experience that sense of clarity that a well-run dojo has, of each person knowing what they're about, of being on time, concentrating on what you're doing. Keep the lines straight, think clearly and act decisively. Feel the collective energy of Kushidoka and Budoka everywhere as you train or teach. There are so few arenas in modern life where this is possible - keep dojo time sacred. That's how we convey our traditional ways, that's how we show regard for those "who went before." A dojo is regarded as a traditional place to train, and a fulltime dojo can convey the feeling, the smell, the light and sounds of a long tradition. Most martial art schools no longer have this luxury, and it's up to all of us to carry the feeling, that inner content within us when the training surroundings aren't conducive to it. In the end, that's what it's all about for many of us. Many people regard martial art as messy, aggressive fighting - when practised correctly, with tradition, it gains a dignity that silences the loudest critic. "the perfect swordsman avoids quarrelling of fighting. Fighting means killing... What is the use of becoming a fine swordsman if one loses one's human dignity? The best thing is to be a victor without fighting." SENSEI JOHN |
| WINTER
1999
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TRADITION WHITE1 WHITE2 BUG D.I.Y? GREEN&BROWN1 GREEN&BROWN2 GASHUKU1 GASHUKU2 TEARS THOUGHTS VOICE BUDO BLACK DAY KOBUDO WHITE BELT DAY PART 1 "Ichi, ni, san, shi, go, ruku, shichi, hach, ku, jyu"... the rhythm sets in, and as it does, so does a rainbow of feelings and thoughts including a little pain, a little complacency, and every now and again the feeling of progress, real progress. This is white belt day, and by definition one of the rarest opportunities to attain progress in a short space of time. I want to give you an idea of what this day means to myself as a white belt, as well as a reminder of what the day entailed to those of us who were there. The format of the day was well thought out. A schedule that progressed though basic kihon, kumite, kata, complete with an introduction to bunkai and some self defence to end with. the obvious and undeniable occurred, we all met new people, made new and stronger friends and had a good sweat. Compacting the lunch from two hours to one was an enormous success, with a majority of the contingent gathering for a mix of pack lunches and white belt war stories - a broad description I know, but most fitting. Throughout the day each exercise carried with it a different experience and meaning for everyone, and as I can't speak for others, I'll speak for myself and cover as best i can the common themes that I think myself and other took away. The kihon was full of lessons, new and old... the complacency that had crept in was uncovered by testing pull backs and placing pads in front of us all. Remarks that we've all heard before by sensei were repeated, and we all attempted to improve our technique once more. Just as you think on part is working, another part appears to be in immediate need of attention! And on the same theme, the introduction to Bunkai lead us all to understand that we really do hold all the knowledge already, but just needed to understand how to apply it in new circumstances The day gave a real opportunity to reflect as well as progress: last year I attended the White belt day, and I can clearly remember falling flat on my face trying a ma washi geri. Only with a direct comparison I find myself noticing the stark improvements in my technique. On reflection, and in conclusion to the day I'd like to remind all of us who were there of possibly the most common felling: that of complete incompetence at not being able to execute a perfect technique, followed sometimes by the immediate but opposite feelings of delight when out of nowhere you complete the same technique with near perfection, only to find that at the next attempt that perfection is totally illusive. It's seems that the progress we make is in finding why and where that perfection becomes illusive. The white belt day was a great experience, thank you to all sensei and sempai for a super sunday. PAUL ADAMS |
| WINTER
1999
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TRADITION WHITE1 WHITE2 BUG D.I.Y? GREEN&BROWN1 GREEN&BROWN2 GASHUKU1 GASHUKU2 TEARS THOUGHTS VOICE BUDO BLACK DAY KOBUDO WHITE BELT DAY PART 2 As white belt day approached we knew it was going to be a struggle. A 21st birthday party the night before and a free bar for the first hour and a half... with every trip to the bar Ian, Malcolm, and myself constantly reminded each other of what lay ahead tomorrow! Well tomorrow came and we did not have a chance to even think about having a headache. When the realisation set in and we saw it was sense Lindsay and sensei Rick taking us in the morning, we knew we were in for a tough warm up. It seemed strange to be outnumbered by our fellow white belt students from Windsor Dojo, but it was great to see a few familiar and new faces. In the afternoon we were joined by Sensei Michael and we were practising throws and landings, and if there is only one thing that stays with me form that day, then it has to be when Sensei Lindsay used me to demonstrate a throw. One moment I was standing facing hem, the next I felt like I had been thrown through ten layers of glass, I swear I had forgotten who I was for a few seconds! However, I survived we al survived and made it through what turned out to be a very tough but very enjoyable day. The sense of well-being after that night before. I think we were running on Adrenaline, or was it Sensei Lindsay's inspiration? RICKY MILLS
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| WINTER
1999
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TRADITION WHITE1 WHITE2 BUG D.I.Y? GREEN&BROWN1 GREEN&BROWN2 GASHUKU1 GASHUKU2 TEARS THOUGHTS VOICE BUDO BLACK DAY KOBUDO THE BUG IN A RUG There is an old Persian legend about a bug who lived in the most beautiful rug in the world. Every day, all the bug could see were his problems. He had to fight his way through the fibres finding scraps of food that people had dropped during the day. If only, for one minute, we cold lift the bug above the rug, he would see that he lived and would die in the most beautifully designed rug in the whole world. All his problems were actually a part of the pattern. We can call the two views "The bug's eye view" and the "The god's eye view" This story reminds me of many things. In kushido we can see we have many problems. "Move form the centre..." "Hips square..." "keep your foot flat..." are common in Kushido. Remember that this is "the bug's eye view". I think that many of us have a glimpse of "the god's eye view"... we only have to look at our teachers to get an idea of this! Keep this vision in Kushido and remember that your training is based on a system that will give you "the gods eye view" - even though this may take some time! This story, more importantly, reminds me of life (remember, your life is your dojo!) We are surrounded by many problems in life that often seem unsolvable! These problems are only a part of the pattern, and form a part of your learning (training). If for one minute we could be lifted above our problems and the world, we would see that we are living, and will die in the most beautiful "rug in the world". Maintain this attitude throughout your kushido training, and throughout your life training (is there a difference?) As soon as we realise that all the challenges, problems, and more importantly the celebrations are a part of the pattern, we will have "the gods eye view." DAVID WHITCHURCH-BENNET |
| WINTER
1999
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TRADITION WHITE1 WHITE2 BUG D.I.Y? GREEN&BROWN1 GREEN&BROWN2 GASHUKU1 GASHUKU2 TEARS THOUGHTS VOICE BUDO BLACK DAY KOBUDO HOME MAINTENANCE AND D.I.Y ? As we are all aware, even the sturdiest buildings must be maintained and looked after on a regular and repetitious basis. The building process itself is massively important to the longevity of the finished article: the foundations must be expertly and carefully laid… once these are in place then other levels can be built upon, but never forgetting the foundations because as you build up to the higher levels, you (the builder) must be doubly sure that you have put in the necessary groundwork to underpin the heights you wish to achieve. If the foundations are insufficient then all else will fall away! (Parallels with Kushido training?)…Even before completions? You must be thinking of the ’M’ word: Maintenance! You must be continually be checking that the foundation is solid, the uprights are sturdy, and the lines and angles are true etc… Otherwise you have a very time consuming, expensive pile of nothing! So it is with your kushido training. ‘Maintenance’ is absolutely essential for continued and profound development in the martial arts: you must practice what you know regularly between classes. Preferably on a daily basis practice what you know, what you struggle with, what you like, and what you don’t like – remember that little and often is far more effective than waiting until the end of the on the and then banging away for 6 hours! (Although if you like, do this as well!) Often student say "but Sensei, I just don't have the time"...hmmm. How long does it take to check if your foot is focussed correctly when kicking... 3 seconds? ...how long to practice 10 of each technique that you know... a few minutes?... and apart from Suparimpei, none of the kata are much more than a minute long... not enough time to fit this kind of training into your day? ... How many minutes a day are just wasted? Please don't fall into the trap of thinking that to practice at home you must do a full one and a half hour sweat session every time; these are good but rather think about how to fit practice into your daily routine, also think about how you do other things: become more aware of how you are moving as you go about your business... are you moving cleanly and efficiently, from centre? Is your breathing deep and relaxed? Do you do things with fullness and commitment? Think about your kumite... how to improve your current ippon, and how to introduce variety into tour repertoire/ armoury. When just killing 5 minutes, or relaxing, visualise yourself doing the perfect kata (it's important that you visualise yourself doing something well!)...Imagine how you could use what you have learnt in the dojo against an unprovoked attack scenario. Train your imagination and your mind as well as your body! This is your maintenance. After just a short period of training like this you will find that your dojo time takes on new qualities and aspects... Your lessons should be exactly that: lessons ... not just a regurgitation of what you did last time! Come to your classes HUNGRY for more - Dojo time should be like a feeding frenzy! Even an hour and a half of kihon punching will teach you enormous amounts if you have put in the groundwork and adopt the correct attitude. Gichin Funakoshi said "Karate-Do is like heating water... the heat must be applied continually, otherwise it goes cold!" (paraphrased!) Be honest now, how many times have some of you come to the dojo stone cold?... it can be immensely frustrating as an instuctor to spend the whole class just 'warming' everybody up, when there's so much more to offer! Come to your classes 'hot and hungry'! For the more senior of us (black belts) then D.I.Y. is as important as maintenance, as self-training becomes more necessary and important: try to unlock the techniques for yourselves... unravel the kata... turn kata into kumite... look for connections and continuations .... try to develop your awareness and self-knowledge... and if your doing kobudo, then all this X5!! Look for the 'art' in you martial art. An American psychologist / martial artist (can't remember his name!) once said "A collection of techniques is no more an art, as a pile of bricks is a house..." Ask yourself honestly, are you merely collecting techniques, or looking for something deeper behind them? So please distinguish for yourselves between learning and practice. It is ALL training and ALL progress, but shouldn't you come to your dojo for learning, and not practice? SENSEI LINDSAY |
| WINTER
1999
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TRADITION WHITE1 WHITE2 BUG D.I.Y? GREEN&BROWN1 GREEN&BROWN2 GASHUKU1 GASHUKU2 TEARS THOUGHTS VOICE BUDO BLACK DAY KOBUDO GREEN AND BROWN BELT DAY PART 1 Having never trained in the green and brown belt group I was not sure what to expect from the day. Although I could remember seeing the group finish training on many occasions covered in blood and sweat. The course started earlier than I would normally wake on a Sunday, so I was still half asleep during the warm-up. The other forth levels and I had never done saifa kate before. We looked at each other for a moment before attempting to follow along. We only had to do this a couple of time, which was good because I usually found my self facing the wrong directions or doing something completely different form ever one else. We were then split up into groups which gave us a chance to get to grips with with the sequence and enabled us to not feel too out of place when we rejoined the main class. By lunch we had done a little more kata and basics and started to do some sticky hand, at first I felt clumsy and uncoordinated. e worked with this for a bit which was good, but just as I was getting the hang of this more stuff was added. just as I was getting the hand of what we were doing it was time to go home. The day was very enjoyable and there was nothing too frightening as throughout the day we were introduced to new things slowly. JOHN HERASIMTCHUK |
| WINTER
1999
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TRADITION WHITE1 WHITE2 BUG D.I.Y? GREEN&BROWN1 GREEN&BROWN2 GASHUKU1 GASHUKU2 TEARS THOUGHTS VOICE BUDO BLACK DAY KOBUDO GREEN AND BROWN BELT DAY PART 2 As one of the first 3 lambs to arrive for the slaughter, it was a great surprise and relief to be let into the building by 8:45am! It was a positive start to a great day. As we all arrived, the black belts went into 'huddle' mode, and every now and then raised their heads to look around at the various cuts of lamb, which by now had started to mill around wishing thy had superhuman hearing, or even better, a crystal ball! But as the smiling crocodiles (cleverly disguised as Sensei) like to say, "trust me!" They proceeded to provide us with a great day of challenging training. We started with kata, and soon moved into the various groups accordingly. It's always nice to work with the various sensei as thy all spot different 'areas' in your kata. For some bizarre reason my attacker isn't my own height, but about 7 1/2 feet tall. Why? Who knows! It was a lovely long time spent training on kata and the whole class felt really positive and 'up' by the time it finished. The length of time spent on kata was definitely much appreciated by the students. We also did kumite, and being reminded on staying alert between techniques, and feeling the connection between you and your partner and keeping it there. We covered a variety of techniques and when asked to from a circle there were manic style grins from students who had an idea of what was coming! One person in the middle, grade depicting the technique. One Sensei walking around touching the back of a student who would then attack... then two sensei circling the circle, then three. Self-awareness, what a way to learn! It was amazing how the circle started to shrink due to the eagerness of student, for some reason, straining to get in with their attack! Sensei Pippa did well to trick us all into forming two straight lines in record time for more kumite! "Pick a partner and pair off".. that's great! It could be leading to many various aspects. On this occasion it was slapping! The hall was then full of the sound of people slapping their partners, and some of them showing their fangs. The afternoon was was brilliant gradual build up from slapping to randori - covering basics, stances, moving , blocking, kicking, punching, control, focus, and of course TIGHT FISTS!!! As the class moved through the afternoon we filled the whole hall (not always physically!) with a healthy buzz which go higher as we progressed. By the end it was electric. On looking around the room you could see that we all had a look of 'Oh Wow!' about us, which must have been very gratifying for the instructors to see. We covered as much as is possible in the time given and it has to be said that it was a brilliant days training. Thank you to the Sensei who provided us with a superb day. CAROLINE PITKIN |
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1999
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TRADITION WHITE1 WHITE2 BUG D.I.Y? GREEN&BROWN1 GREEN&BROWN2 GASHUKU1 GASHUKU2 TEARS THOUGHTS VOICE BUDO BLACK DAY KOBUDO GASHUKU 2000 PART 1 - A PERSONAL VIEW "The more you put in, the more you get out." This may be an old adage but it is very true where gashuku is concerned. Quite simply the harder you train and the more attentive you are towards your instructors, the more you will learn. One of gashuku's beauties is that you get to train under so many different instructors. This is great because exposure to different instructors shows us variations on a theme, and as in life we are moulded by our experiences, as kushidoka we are shaped by taking from all of our instructors. A bit here, a bit there, they have so much to give so we must use their knowledge to improve. Every kushidoka experiences different emotions towards gashuku after all we are all individuals with different lifestyles, aspirations, and personalities. Each gashuku I have trained on has had its own flavour and personality. Gashuku 2000 was no exception with its overwhelming personality of European unity. It may have been kushido UK's 10th anniversary, but it was also Europe's first gashuku since resigning from the Institute. With all gashuku, friendships are made and renewed, with 80 or so participants many more have been formed. It is always a pleasure to train with the Shihans Paul and Juanita, Sensei Hans and as always our very own Sensei John. The very welcome presence of Shihan Mai'Lin and Sensei Tim and their son Wyedun was an added bonus for us all. Roll on the next ten years. SENSEI DUNCAN |
| WINTER
1999
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TRADITION WHITE1 WHITE2 BUG D.I.Y? GREEN&BROWN1 GREEN&BROWN2 GASHUKU1 GASHUKU2 TEARS THOUGHTS VOICE BUDO BLACK DAY KOBUDO GASHUKU 2000 PART 2 It all seems like such a long time ago now, but I can still remember all the PAIN, SWEAT and TEARS! The week began at 4:00pm on the Sunday only arrive and find out that we (Delia, Caroline, Heather, Nick, David, and myself) didn't have a bed. However I did manage (thanks to J Dolbear) to acquire a mattress... by the second day, though, I would have slept anywhere. A welcome talk from Sensei John and Shihan Paul, followed by a trip to the pub to settle a few nerves ended the first evening off nicely. 6 o'clock the next morning arrived all too soon, as I was rudely awoken by Nick Payne's musical bum (we discovered he is actually very talented in that department!) The walk that morning was the first time I really appreciated just how beautiful was the place we were spending the rest of the week. The sun was shining and I felt good; both of these things were soon to change. After the walk we went straight into our first training session. Lots and lots or repetition, a quick reminder that I actually have muscles. Despite the aches and pains there was a really nice feeling in the dojo that morning. The first session over - an hour to eat breakfast. I would personally like to thank both sensei Rick and Pippa for the lack of goose poo on the menu - maybe it was just the lack of geese to provide the nutritious meal! This hour went so quickly and before I knew it we were back in the dojo in shiko-dachi - a short break then more training - lunch - work - training - talk - SLEEP. It was the same setup for the whole week but the content each day was very different. In true English style, Tuesday morning it started p*****g down with rain which then progressed to snow, and although it was wet and generally quite grey it didn't stop game play at all. One of the really harsh wake up lessons I remember, was turning only to see vast amounts of steam coming off Nick's head... It took all my strength not to lose it, only to see him then try to explain to a poor Swiss lady that she too had steam coming from her head, and make a very bad job of it...I lost it. By Wednesday we were all eating, sleeping, some of us even dreaming about kushido... Lying in bed around 2am, counting down the hours I had left when I hear Roger from next door, in a very deep sleep, shout: "kumi...Ichi, ni... Oh shut up!!" My thoughts exactly! Now a word of warning to anyone who didn't make it to this gashuku but plans to attend one in the future. Please get up for every walk, attend every training session, work hard in your groups, learn from our mistakes...Oh, and whatever you do, don't tell a certain hard-nut black belt to **** off. Believe me, it only leads to unbearable amounts of pain. In all seriousness though, that was for me and I'm sure for everyone else who made it, a fantastic week. I couldn't begin to tell you everything that went on that week, you have just got to experience one of your own. I learnt, and am still learning so much about kushido and myself from this event, although I have forgotten quite a lot as well. The important thing is I know it is now in there... somewhere. So to all the seniors and especially the black belts from Camberley/Windsor, thanks for making our gashuku an ABSOLUTE BEAUTY LAURA PAIN |
| WINTER
1999
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TRADITION WHITE1 WHITE2 BUG D.I.Y? GREEN&BROWN1 GREEN&BROWN2 GASHUKU1 GASHUKU2 TEARS THOUGHTS VOICE BUDO BLACK DAY KOBUDO TEARS AND TANTRUMS OF A GASHUKU VIRGIN In today's world of hard graft and stress, the time allocated to holiday is a precious thing and when I informed my friends that this year I was spending a week of it on a karate course they found it hard to believe. The fact it was called a gashuku caused varied comments and a lot of mirth amongst my cronies - the most used joke being a chorus of 'Bless you!' every time I said it - hilarious! Anyway as the week approached and the number of gashuku horror stories built up, I was beginning to doubt my own sanity at having put my name down and as I drove off on the Saturday morning my emotions were a mixture of trepidation, trepidation, and blind panic. My first shock was finding we had to rise at 6:00am every morning, and as I read down the day's schedule I felt a sinking feeling - would I be able to keep up? Why hadn't I kept up my pre-gashuku training schedule? Why hadn't I gone skiing? As the week unfolded I found my reserves being tested again and again. Some sessions I found very hard and there were times when I wanted to give up, lie down, and never have to throw another punch as long as I lived, But the energy and commitment emanating all around kept me going (most of the time.) The many and varied sessions with a variety of black belts and a mixture of grades and nationalities was incredibly uplifting and an experience not to be missed. The high spots of the week were training with black belts from all over the world, watching them and having the benefit of so much experience and talent, and thinking 'maybe one day...' my first randori session and experiencing the energy generated by 80 people kiai-ing. As the days went by I personally found the pace gruelling and by Thursday night was at an all time low. I was found on my bed, tears seeping down my cheeks and when asked was wrong I could only mutter "I'm so tired..." But true to gashuku spirit the next day comes and you find the energy to get through the day. Finally, Saturday dawned and the last class was over and as I collected my certificate I was filled with a great sense of achievement and joy tinged with sadness that it was all over and we would all be going our separate ways. Driving home that day I reflected on the past week, which had been a blend of elation, frustration, and a feeling that I had joined the army as I dug trenches in the rain and the knowledge that you always have more to give than you thought. And as I realised that I didn't have to have porridge for breakfast tomorrow I was filled with contentment and an overwhelming desire to get back to the dojo and put all that I had learnt into practice. No longer a gashuku virgin, I can't wait for gashuku 2001. CAROLINE JENKINS |
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1999
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TRADITION WHITE1 WHITE2 BUG D.I.Y? GREEN&BROWN1 GREEN&BROWN2 GASHUKU1 GASHUKU2 TEARS THOUGHTS VOICE BUDO BLACK DAY KOBUDO THOUGHTS ON GASHUKU I packed for the 10th anniversary kushido UK gashuku with no idea what to expect. Having only 1 months' training behind me, I thought that maybe I was jumping in at the deep end, and I was concerned that the training would be too much for me. These thoughts remained throughout the journey to Pinewood School; I kept wondering if I had made the fight choice. However, once I had arrived and found a bed, I started to get used to the idea of 7 days intensive training. Being un-graded student I found the training hard and sometimes found it a real challenge just to keep up with the rest of the class, but I was determined to keep going and to get the most out of the week. I found there was a very supportive friendly atmosphere, which helped as the training became more intensive. When I look back on the gashuku, I believe it was a chance to experience what I can achieve when pushed past the limits of my normal everyday life, and I learned something about myself that I would not have had the chance to if I had not attended the gashuku. Finally I would like to thank everyone that supported me through the week, also a thank you to Sensei Lindsay who helped my through the hardest training session of the week. MARK FIELDING |
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1999
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TRADITION WHITE1 WHITE2 BUG D.I.Y? GREEN&BROWN1 GREEN&BROWN2 GASHUKU1 GASHUKU2 TEARS THOUGHTS VOICE BUDO BLACK DAY KOBUDO VOICE FROM THE KITCHEN First, a big thank you from Sensei Pippa and myself for all your help in the kichen during gashuku. Feeding 79 hungry martial artists was not an easy task and the fact we could rely on you made the whole process easier. If you got shouted at, don't take it too personally... it was probably just that we had been asked 10 times already where the bin was! Thank you again, and if any of you have any thoughts on how we can improve for future gashuku, then please let us know. Cheers. SENSEI RICK People travel to wonder at the height of the mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of rivers, at the vast compass of the oceans, at the circular motion of the stars... and they pass by themselves without even wondering. St. Augustin. |
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1999
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TRADITION WHITE1 WHITE2 BUG D.I.Y? GREEN&BROWN1 GREEN&BROWN2 GASHUKU1 GASHUKU2 TEARS THOUGHTS VOICE BUDO BLACK DAY KOBUDO BUDO'S HOLY GRAIL The search for the Holy Grail by the knights of the round table is a quest with which most of us raised in a western culture are no doubt familiar. Medieval legend held that the grail was the actual chalice used by Christ at the last supper and it behove the chivalrous knights to attempt to recover it. It was further understood that only the most virtuous and pure of heart would have any hope of success. This quest for the grail has come to signify many lofty and elusive aims, of which, the attainment of wisdom, enlightenment and the meaning of life are perennial pursuits. I think it would be safe to say that most of us today do not really believe that an object actually exists, but rather would regard the grail merely as a metaphor for such pursuits. In Japan however, I have seen an actual "Holy Grail"! This Japanese grail is in fact a tea bowl. You may be forgiven for expecting me to tell you that this bowl is no ordinary bowl but intriguingly it is a very ordinary thing. Or so it might at first appear. The "Kizaemon" tea bowl has been considered by generations of Japanese tea-masters to be the finest in the world. It was made by an unknown Korean potter sometime in the 15th - 16th century. It measures 15.5cm across and stands just 9.1cm high and if you saw it at a car boot sale you'd expect to pay no more than 50 pence for it! Despite its rough and simple appearance this small bowl is held to embody the essence of "the way of tea". It was made from unrefined clay, glazed with ash and is merely a piece of domestic peasant crockery. Therein lies its teaching. Utterly without pretension, it is unadorned, robust and healthy with no trace of refinement but eminently suited to its purpose. Its maker, no doubt an uneducated and poor man (these articles were made by the lowliest of craftsmen), simply and without affectation made a bowl. So how is it that this simple little bowl is supposedly so special? Well, it would appear to have been born rather than been made; its beauty is that is that of nature and its sense of "rightness" in the world is undeniable. The qualities it possesses are precisely those that the dedicated Budoka strives to realise. If you contemplate this over time and with an open heart you may just hear what the bowl whispers to you. Postscript: I've not provided an illustration of the bowl but would urge you to search for a picture of it yourself. Further, I have refrained from overstating the value of this tea bow, touchstone if you like, as I believe that each of us has to arrive at our own understanding and appreciation in such matters. It is only through our won personal experience that we can know the veracity of anything. FORD HALLAM It is not outer awareness, It is not inner awareness, Nor is it suspension of awareness. It is not knowing, It is not unknowing, Nor is it knowingness itself. It can neither be seen nor understood, It cannot be given boundaries. It is ineffable and beyond thought. It is indefinable. It is known only through becoming it. MUNDAKA UPANISHAD |
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1999
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TRADITION WHITE1 WHITE2 BUG D.I.Y? GREEN&BROWN1 GREEN&BROWN2 GASHUKU1 GASHUKU2 TEARS THOUGHTS VOICE BUDO BLACK DAY KOBUDO BLACK BELT DAYS June 2000 - There's occasionally a saying down these parts: It's grim up North..." This I think would not be the case however for Sensei John since he and Leila moved up to Bradford. Maybe it was just the vibrational effects of Sensei's new colours, but perhaps also the change of lifestyle has seemingly benefited the whole of the senior group as we all enjoyed another excellent days training. Renewed vigour, higher energy, increased enthusiasm and excitement (not that any of these were missing before!) seems to be the continuing theme through Sensei's black belt days. The day started with the now customary ineptitude from the Tomlinscote staff to actually be able to open the premises at the agreed time... still the positive moods prevailed as we got off to a 10:00am start (1 hour late). And then straight into it... as always the basics are checked, rechecked, & reinforced first, and then onto a lot of precision techniques. Fast, light, powerful, releasing strikes... pads and mats out for protection as we then spent nearly an hour pounding each other in the chest and stomach. Fun enough!... but then the pads were dispensed with and the same strikes to the same targets, but as an exercise in precision and control. Full power, full speed strikes to touch contact, but (most of the time) with a degree of precision that no injuries occur (well maybe just a few bruises & aching shoulders!) This sort of training is essential as a black belt in kushido, & perhaps one of the things that differentiates us from some other systems... rather that 'pulling your punches', put them exactly where you want, at whatever speed you choose; what may then change in the real thing is only your mental focus or intent behind the technique. Learning to trust yourself and your colleagues is critical to the success and safety of this type of training, and when things are working well, it is joyful. More curious is when a senior unleashes a full on technique that just touches the skin, leaves a slight electric tingle, and is gone as quickly and invisibly as it arrived; it leaves you with a strange feeling of excitement and enjoyment, knowing full well that that could have been the one! The day moved on through combinations, kumite, and then kata with the same emphasis on precision, awareness, fullness, and commitment in everything. I have read that the Japanese have a saying that 'pain is the ultimate instructor...' I'm not sure that I would always agree with this rather S&M kind of theory, but I have to admit that sometimes... The twinging in the shoulders, the pain in the soles of the feet, the burning in the thighs all do their respective bit to remind the body and the ego there is an easier, more efficient and effective way. Slowly but surely veils are pulled back so that by the time, albeit all too brief, we are doing Sesan kata small pennies are starting to drop. My thanks go to Sensei John for continually clearing the fog from my head, and once again moving the goalposts! I have always enjoyed my training, and as progress is made it becomes increasingly more challenging. As a white belt I once envied the black belts, thinking that by that time training must be easy... Oh how wrong could I be!!! But, it may be worth pointing out, especially to anyone who is struggling with their training at the moment, that as the training becomes more challenging, then do does it also become potentially more rewarding. SENSEI LINDSAY |
| WINTER
1999
*NOT FINNISHED |
TRADITION WHITE1 WHITE2 BUG D.I.Y? GREEN&BROWN1 GREEN&BROWN2 GASHUKU1 GASHUKU2 TEARS THOUGHTS VOICE BUDO BLACK DAY KOBUDO BLACK BELT DAY - JUNE 2000 It was an eye opener! This was my first black belt day but I felt a little more pressure this time. Most of all it highlighted things within my training, especially as I'm venturing into the last stages before shodan. It wasn't as physically tiring as you might expect but definitely mentally and emotionally challenging . However, all the black belts made every effort to help lift us and I'm sure that just being there did so. At the end of the day I felt tired and my karate felt pants (which is quite normal!), but as I went away I turned that feeling into a positive boost to fix things. Well, black belt training is going to be lots of hard work but from what I saw on that Sunday... damn good fun!!! LAURA PAIN * Sincerity! Cultivate this virtue and realize the profound truth that the hidden and the manifest are one. * "Eii!". Cut down the enemy lurking within oneself and guide all things with shouts of "Yaa!" and "Iei!" * From ancient times deep learning and Budo have been the two wheels of the Path; through the virtue of practice enlighten both body and soul. * At the instant a warrior faces an enemy all things serve to make the teachings more focussed. MORIHEI UESHIBA
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| WINTER
1999
*NOT FINNISHED |
TRADITION WHITE1 WHITE2 BUG D.I.Y? GREEN&BROWN1 GREEN&BROWN2 GASHUKU1 GASHUKU2 TEARS THOUGHTS VOICE BUDO BLACK DAY KOBUDO KOBUDO DAY The Thursday before the kobudo day I was
training for the first time at the new venue for Windsor's Thursday night class,
and to top off an excellent class sensei invited me to train on the kobudo day,
just 3 days away - June 25th. I leapt at this rare opportunity. For
those of you who didn't, here's what slipped by: We started with familiarisation techniques (with the bo), changing, blocking and striking. Then came combination, and with it the realisation that the movements were similar to karate. Throughout the morning we progressed from static towards more randori like movements (or at least some people did :) After lunch we completed the Bo lessons with kata. It was here where the learning curve really kicked in. I can only imagine that with one class a month getting to grips with the kata would be difficult, the intense focus and repetition game me (an introduction to the sequence) and others a greater sense of comfort with the kata, allowing the class to focus more on the detail within the moments. The afternoon also encompassed a chance for green and white belts to work on self defence / knife attacks, and brown belts to work with nunchaku. For me this was a good reminder of the importance of the basics in a critical situation. It also allowed some of us to be thrown about to a considerable extent! The speed of the day was truly amazing, we passed through a massive amount of variety in what seemed like no time at all. I had been told on my previous (first and only) kobudo lesson that the challenge is to make the bo part of you, rather than being separate. Well I didn't accomplish that, but I did walk away from an excellent day with more knowledge on what I do have to work on. To all of you who were there, thank you for bringing me this far. To those of you who weren't there, see you next time. PAUL ADAMS TRADITION WHITE1 WHITE2 BUG D.I.Y? GREEN&BROWN1 GREEN&BROWN2 GASHUKU1 GASHUKU2 TEARS THOUGHTS VOICE BUDO BLACK DAY KOBUDO |
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