If anyone is interested in sharing a drink and some food please let me know. A number of people have shown interest in getting together for a Saturday evening Dojo Social after this weekends seminar.
If you plan on attending please leave a comment.
Thanks,
Bob
Boston Spring Gasshuku w/Messisco Sensei
Is anyone interested in attending/roadtripping to Boston? If so leave a comment and perhaps we can set something up.
Shobu of Boston - Spring Gasshuku with Dan Messisco I'm assuming Gleason Shihan will also be teaching.
Thanks,
Bob
Shobu of Boston - Spring Gasshuku with Dan Messisco I'm assuming Gleason Shihan will also be teaching.
Thanks,
Bob
Equanimity
Jay Rinsen Chikyo Weik gives a talk and leads discussion at the Toledo Zen Center on June 11, 2008.
"Develop meditation that is like the earth, for when you develop meditation that is like the earth, agreeable and disagreeable contexts will not invade your mind and remain. Just as people throw clean things and dirty things, excrement, urine, spittle, pus and blood on the earth, and the earth is not horrified, humiliated or disgusted because of that." --Buddha
Listen via iTunes Drinking Gourd Podcast, or HERE.
Test Prep Class Video
I thought it would be nice to post this for those who may not have seen it as yet. It explains the test prep class format we use for some of the training in the month prior to our Basics seminars. It is at the Basics seminars that kyu testing happens.
- Jay
"The Spiritual Journey"
A Drinking Gourd Podcast talk and discussion at the Toledo Zen Center with Jay Sensei on May 28, 2008.
"Long seeking it through others, I was far from reaching it.
Now I go by myself and I meet it everywhere.
I now am not it, and just now, it is nothing but myself.
Understanding this way, I can be as I am."
-Master Dong-Shan
Dojo Party!
We will hold a dojo open house pot luck new years (and my 40th birthday) party at our home January 18th from 3-9pm. All are welcome!
Basics Seminar January 31st
This month our attention turns to the kyu testing process. The Basics Seminar with Jay Sensei wil be held Saturday January 31st from 9-noon and 3-5pm.
The Shapes of Aikido
Happy New Year everyone! I hope that you had a glorious holiday and fellowship with family and friends. I had my first keiko with Sensei last night at the dojo and it was great to be on the mat with him and work off some of the holiday “cheer” that I tend to gain over the break. The shapes of Aikido refers to class last night. Sensei was talking about the shapes of receiving uke. Circle, triangle and square was an interesting way to examine our movements. My understanding (and trust me, my understanding is always open to discussion) the triangle represents moving off the line of attack. As uke moves to attack, nage will move off to the side and enter. If you look at the shape of a triangle it does just that with the point and the sides flare out to redirect the energy from uke.
The circle represent harmony. Harmony is certainly at the core of Aikido philosophy. This deals more with the blending of ukes attack. The use of wavelike movements allows us to blend with ukes energy. It is a continuation of the shape that the triangle created for us. Last but not least is the square. As a musician I see the square as a cadence point in a musical composition. We are not at the end of the piece of music but there is a resolution of some sort where the music relaxes. Sensei mentioned this to the class last night. When we get to the square stage in the technic it is important for us not to disengage completely. Continue one’s awareness, uke may have a friend who wants to get involved, uke may want to continue the composition, maintain my distance (mai) to uke to remain safe, and so on. Keep your awareness attached as things may not resolve the way that we expect. So the square is the pin or the throw, which hopefully leads to a peaceful resolution with our partner. Sensei had us to use a kokyu throw to examine these Aikido shapes. Definitely food for thought in our examination of Aikido.
It was great to see everyone last night. My phrase that I would like to share with everyone for the new year is “2009 is our time to SHINE”! Let us all work to make Shobu Aikido and ourselves the best we can be this year. I look forward to our journey together this year.
Peace,
The Maestro
The circle represent harmony. Harmony is certainly at the core of Aikido philosophy. This deals more with the blending of ukes attack. The use of wavelike movements allows us to blend with ukes energy. It is a continuation of the shape that the triangle created for us. Last but not least is the square. As a musician I see the square as a cadence point in a musical composition. We are not at the end of the piece of music but there is a resolution of some sort where the music relaxes. Sensei mentioned this to the class last night. When we get to the square stage in the technic it is important for us not to disengage completely. Continue one’s awareness, uke may have a friend who wants to get involved, uke may want to continue the composition, maintain my distance (mai) to uke to remain safe, and so on. Keep your awareness attached as things may not resolve the way that we expect. So the square is the pin or the throw, which hopefully leads to a peaceful resolution with our partner. Sensei had us to use a kokyu throw to examine these Aikido shapes. Definitely food for thought in our examination of Aikido.
It was great to see everyone last night. My phrase that I would like to share with everyone for the new year is “2009 is our time to SHINE”! Let us all work to make Shobu Aikido and ourselves the best we can be this year. I look forward to our journey together this year.
Peace,
The Maestro
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