We did children classes in the morning and adults in the afternoon.
I thank the students for their study and am happy they applied my recommendation: ” Study for what you know and also for what you don’t know. “
We worked through Ikkyo having in mind, whatever our styles, to tend to a living technique. Special thanks to John Luijten’s students who invited me in their dojo and also to the visitors some originating from Tamura sensei’s style.
We did in the second part a first try at the 7 Ito seiho, the basics of Hyoho Niten Ichi Ryu. For the visitors, it was a first time experience.
Through our study, we tried to meet the spirit of our masters.
I had as much fun as the children did!
And I most appreciated the Dutch fries John made me experiment.
We call Christmas the celebration of the birth of Christ according to the calendar of the Catholic Church (and the churches which have sprung from this church). Oriental churches have different dates and historians discuss to know what dates (Spring?) Jesus of Nazareth was born.
For me, this is a time when I can celebrate one year gone by. Not the civil year which ends with the ending of December. No, some spiritual year. A time dedicated to deeds, thoughts and speeches turned toward the perfecting of man and of myself. In martial arts, we have to undergo a discipline that bends, builds and lights up our body and our spirit. While doing this, we have to keep in sight our original wish, and not spill our energy in more worldly ambitions such as social recognition, power over others or mere strength. I started martial arts because it was body intelligence light up by constant efforts, it was beauty opening its wings over each action, it was the weak grasping the might asleep in his clutch. It was simple and so ambitious: changing and starting to change within ourselves.
For that, I needed the help of teachers, dojo mates and my own steady efforts. Since childhood, it has been 40 years. And each end of year, I celebrate the year’s tide of sweat, hope and sharing. I believe this opportunity is shared by many, whatever their beliefs and discipline. What have we achieved this year and what do each of us set ahead along the winding road?
I wish that we share another year changing this world starting by ourselves and spreading the change to those who share. For those who wish, in the dojo!
Thank you for your support in 2011.
Thoughts for the New Year – Master Koretoshi Maruyama says: “Have TENDER HEART AND Smile”.
Best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a wonderful, healthy, happy, successful Aiki Year 2012,
