November 29th, 2006
I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving this year, its the time of year when we get together with loved ones and share the good fortune that has been bestowed upon us by a great benefactor.
As you are, or have become aware of, by now, I am only available W/ends but Im reliably informed that you are all getting along fine without me, and are even starting to have fun.
Several things of note, there is now a poetry category on our web site, so get writing/penning/scribing and submit your work.
There is also a category for comments and observations, this in fact is for your benefit, as it allows you to verbalize and in this case immortalize your thoughts and observations within and outside the dojo.
As we head into the final weeks of the old year and towards the new year, we are reminded of those less fortunate than ourselves, so remember that if its within you capabilities to help others, try to. Keep in mind the likes of toys for tots, coat drives and hot meals for those need them in the coming weeks and months ahead. And don’t forget our elderly in our own neighborhoods, check on them and see if they need assistance every now again.
You may ask what has our art to do with these activities, well its has everything to do with our art, when we take care of, provide for, and improve the lives of others we in turn help ourselves, our art represents the best of humanity.
Its taken several years and countless attempts to find a few good people with good hearts and great minds, with a will and a foresight to help improve the lives of those around us, we have been fortunate to have been associated with several great practitioners and even greater human beings, you all know who you are, they are the people that have assisted in our fundraising efforts over the years. Its become clear to me now, even though it may not have been at the time, that we should and must continue with our efforts, as it proves to each and every one of us that there is a benefit to helping others, when we help others, we help ourselves, we grow, we mature, we move forward hopefully towards a better happier future for everyone around us.
They say you can’t choose your family but you can choose your friends, well neither can you choose the people you love, so its might seem impractical to love everyone, so love those that you can to the best of your ability, and smile at those that don’t.
Regards M.
November 20th, 2006
Had the good fortune to see last Saturday’s two hour training session with Mark at Fight School. Had the misfortune of being sidelined, so I only got to watch while others got to DO. But here’s notes from what I saw:
One person stood before two partners; two partners kicked, and person practiced MOVING. That was the beginning.
Then two became three, then four, then surrounding person in middle. Kicks came one at a time. Person moved out of way. Person moved efficiently, learned hands best kept near body protecting person’s body and contours. Soon kicks became any incoming strike or punch or kick. Moving continued. Finally, person in middle experienced the feeling of ‘what if everyone attacked all at once.’
Then came a Kuki Shinden Ryu ‘flavor’ of ichimonji no kamae. Kamae needed to be effective FIRST TIME, right away, no delays or corrections. After ichimonji, hicho no kamae came next, taking a position of strong balance upon a single point at the very center of balance and gravity between the uke and torre.
Then came the ground. Uke or torre would technique, one or the other would go toward ground, and the one going to ground would take or bring the other with him, resulting in both partners going to the ground. An excellent point came: techniques were still happening from the ground. Gyakus were used. Uke’s spine could be kept off line. Balance could be taken or prevented from partner.
Watching this, about an hour into the session, there was the oddest idea/vision that this exact training could have been practiced in just the same way a couple of centuries ago by an army in Japan, in armor, on the battlefield preparing for the next fight. Armor or no, the movements, the ideas, the effectiveness were there, two days ago on a Saturday in Manhattan and how they probably looked long ago.
Thanks, Mark, great couple of hours. Good training, all who were there. Those who can, did.
November 19th, 2006
Dr. David Adamovich is also known as “The Great Throwdini.” He lives in Freeport, NY, and we’ll attempt to make a visit to one of his shows in the next year. You can see his throwing prowess here:
http://www.knifethrower.com/
November 15th, 2006
We have started our monthly seminar program, it’s open to all, and its primary objective to to allow a narrower focus on The Densho, including Sword and Hanbo work and their place within the various Kata. There will also be a greater emphasis on Ground work, as the months get colder and the evenings grow darker, there is a distinct possibility that within any given violent encounter that one or both involved could end up on the ground, whether due to poor footwork or some other reason, the result is still the same, gravity prevails, but the outcome may differ drasticaly based on ability or simple luck….. what happens next is yours to ponder, and that’s where we start.
November 9th, 2006
As we speak, we are in the process of reworking, redifining, our fundraising tactics and skills or lack thereof. Due to recent developments with the focus of our endevours, it’s become clear to us that our altruistic goals though well merited may or may not have been matched or equalled by all the parties involved, The Dojo, its supporters and friends from around the country raised money for a particular organisiation, and now it has since been brought to our attention that there may have been delays with the submission of the relevant tax documents for that organisation, this in no way casts any doubt on the merit or character of the organisation and its members, but it does preclude us from having any more involvement with fundraisers for them now or in the future. We are going ahead with our donation which will be donated directly to the New York Search and Rescue this allows all funds to go directly to those that need it most, while eliminating the middleman so to speak, and so we will have more details to follow. Go to newyorksearchandrescue.org for more info.
