…leave with memories not regrets…
I'm calling Sunday my first day in Okinawa, in truth a lot of us arrived on Saturday and despite getting to the dojo and training, the rest of the day was a blur. That welcome mix of not having slept for almost 2 days and the excitement of being back in my spiritual homeland. So … Continue reading Day 1-Gishiki 2019
Another trip to Okinawa begins. I'm gonna admit, this trip I've had a count down for about 5 months and it seemed for ages like as it was just not getting any closer. Then 1 week out and I get sick, not just your normal garden variety sick, no my entire immune system decided to … Continue reading …and we’re off
I don't know how many messages I've had in the last few weeks and months about this years Gishiki! I'm still getting used to calling it that and not Budosai by the way... I think it was in Denmark that people started saying "see you in Okinawa" and it all started to become real. So … Continue reading Going home… sort of
I am a daydreamer. Always have been, I can put earphones in, head for a run and I am gone....I don't even feel the miles tick by at times. Is it an escape mechanism? I don't really know, but I do recognise there are times when an active imagination can just confuse a situation or … Continue reading Not another meeting!
I was speaking to someone recently about "beginners mind" and was reminded how some of the things we take for granted in martial arts actually can mean a lot to those who are not practitioners. Furthermore, spending time with some of these concepts can bring a whole new level of... dare I say it...enlightenment. 🙂 … Continue reading Finding “Beginner’s mind”
I often hear people talk about sparring—Kumite- and often they identify a range of emotions… for some it's fun and challenging ( I like to think of it as a physical game of strategy ) but for others it a serious no-go. Some see Kumite as a necessary evil for gradings, but never even an … Continue reading Managing the emotions of Kumite
Possible <rant> I've had a lot of questions recently about starting a dojo. For me it is pretty straightforward... I have had a lifetime of positivity from training and this is my time to give something back. So I won't go over that ground again. However, I do have a habit of setting myself high … Continue reading Stubborn.
