It has been a while since I posted here. I have been busy with doing boat stuff. I tend to go back and forth with the blogs, sometimes the other suffers. This is from a couple of weeks ago, I had no time to post it.
The Traffic was brutal I guess many were leaving for the holiday weekend. I was having regrets about going to class that day. However I was committed I told Sensei I would be there to help also I had a small gift for him. So there I was , on the way direct from work after a 12 hour shift and traveling for the next 1.5 hours. Sometimes I wonder about my own sanity.
Once there I nade a quick stop at the Japanese market to pickup a bottle of shoshu. The bottle of the good stuff I brought back from Japan was getting low and I did not want to use the whole thing. Maybe saving some for the rare visitor or more likely for myself since I do not get visitors. Some special something,.. maybe my birthday.
That bit of shopping out of the way I went over to the dojo. I was surprised to see a part-time classmate who I tested with in Japan. She was rather low key in her greeting, like we just saw each other yesterday rather than April in Japan… oh well everyone has their style.
I went in and dressed. Class started and there were six people not counting me all I had seen before, nice they came still. Sensei talked only a little and split the class into two groups, I had one he the other. We worked on entering the dojo.
Steps, bow and timing, seemed like a small things to me even when I was learning however they had to go over it, again and again, and again. I guess after so many years of doing form, doing another was not a big deal to me, to them it was all new.
After a lot of tries they were looking better, but still had a ways to go. I notice in my Tai Chi Class also people have a problem getting in time with others, matching timing. Maybe being a musician and /or doing that type of thing for a long time I found it simple.
The next part of the class was working Taniuchi, this part even though I still have a long ways to go I found helping them did help me. I understand the placement and theory but I still need practice w/the execution.
From there it was helping people w/their Daisan and Hikiwaki, I showed the people I worked with how to expand and pull from a Tai Chi stand point. using a cross training reference, some seems to get it. I did not say anything about this is how Tai Chi works but my explanation on breath , expanding and contracting came from what I teach my Tai Chi Students… no duality
It is nice Sensei has a real dojo now and there are other students. I feel like part of a school. However it is really more about the group “Ki” than the place, but the place helps. I hope the students stay with it.
As for my own training I’m feeling review of these basics is good. Sisuk use to tell me often you can never overdue or outgrow your basics. So even though I’m not getting progressive training, practicing, and reviewing the basics helps. I tell my students Kung Fu is like a tree, the stronger the roots, the stronger the tree or better the fruit/flower.
I have decided to keep testing in Kyudo for a while/ I was of the mindset , why does it matter. I’m thinking now of going for Yondan, that I feel places one at a different range of training/learning. Like w/Tai Chi it takes 10 yrs to really understand the basics, then comes the serious training. I’m getting the same sense with Kyudo at least comparatively with the Yondan level. I recall a couple of remarks from a Godan about, I’ll say a change of respect, acceptance at Yondan level. Also I can wear my father-in-law’s Kimono for ceremonies 🙂
Zen's Sekai I - by Land... 
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