Tag: philosophy

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It’s Simple

Steve Rowe

It’s Simple Sometimes those ‘special’ sessions just seem happen spontaneously, more so with the senior classes.. Sweat was running down the walls, everyone moved as one and the communal spirit was that of determination. This felt like a club in the true sense of the word, our mentor was giving the call and we moved in harmony to it.  The senior class had all trained together for a minimum of 5 years and some as many as 30.  We knew each other better than our own families; we had struggled, sweat and bled together in the cause of self improvement … Continue reading It’s Simple

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Dealing With Clumsiness

Steve Rowe

Dealing With Clumsiness Billy was not the sort of guy you’d trust your pet butterfly with….. Clumsy was not the word, he fell over his own feet, a touch was always a hit and I’m sure he thought a kiss was a headbutt.  Nobody liked pairing up with him in class, it always meant hard work and unnecessary bruises. “Soften Billy” Sifu’s words were coaxing, “soften”…. “I’m sorry Sifu, I just can’t” wailed Billy – “I just ain’t built that way.” “You’re only clumsy because you think you are, use Saam Jin (Sanchin) to soften the core” said Sifu quietly. … Continue reading Dealing With Clumsiness

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Perspective In Tai Chi

Steve Rowe

Perspective In Tai Chi “With all this work we do to improve, do you think there’s a time that we’ll start getting worse? We welcomed the break in between Tai Chi classes, apart from the physical break, it gave us the chance to discuss anything from the latest kung fu movies to the deepest Buddhist philosophy with Sifu. Teresa had a stressful job in accounting, worked long hours and would come into class looking tired, sigh with effort at the beginning and end of the class but the years would slip away as she appeared get younger and always seemed … Continue reading Perspective In Tai Chi

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One Foot In Life And One In Death

Steve Rowe

One Foot In Life And One In Death The scent of spray starch is one of the more pleasant changing room smells as the senior karate grades get their ‘heavy’ karategi’s out of their bags.  Mixed with the scent of White Horse Liniment, Ralgex, Tiger Balm and smelly feet, it makes a heady cocktail warmed by the softer students using the warm air hand dryers to warm up their cold gi’sbefore putting them on…. Once the cold, heavy cotton karategi is on and tied, the changing room obi tying ceremony takes place, the belt is folded in half and the … Continue reading One Foot In Life And One In Death

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Working Together

Steve Rowe

Working Together It was a warm night… With three children’s and an adult beginner class previously, the air was quite humid.  Sensei had worked this class through a good ‘warm up’ and some highly corrected basics before it was time to work on kata… Sensei had divided the class up into small groups with a black belt in charge of each group as this class would be followed by the dan grade session, we had quite a few black belts in already – and the kyu grades could get almost private instruction from them, with Sensei moving between the groups. … Continue reading Working Together

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The Old Days

Steve Rowe

The Old Days They were a lively lot tonight, most of the students were in their teens and playing off each others energy, but as young energy has a wont to do, it faded all too quickly, leaving a large group of flushed, animated but physically tired teens. “Sit down”…  Sensei recognised this and realised that this was a perfect ‘window of opportunity’ to inject a little wisdom. “Any questions?” – a good coaches ploy to get the students to start the conversation… Sensei looked along the line of young, flushed and animated faces… The hands shot up… “Jamie?” “Sensei, … Continue reading The Old Days

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Translation Of Uke

Steve Rowe

  Translation Of Uke “You win battles by knowing the enemy’s timing, and using a timing which the enemy does not expect.” – Miyamoto Musashi Iaido is the ancient samurai art of self-defence where you draw the sword immediately against an enemy’s sudden attack to win at the moment the sword leaves the sheath.  I was taking my weekly private lesson with Sensei and working on application to the basic Seiti Kata…. “Uke Nagashi!” Sensei called the name of the third kata.  Wearing a hakama requires quite a bit of skill.  Hakama sabaki is hakama (the Japanese divided skirt trousers) … Continue reading Translation Of Uke

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Religion And Karate

Steve Rowe

Religion And Karate Jane was the life and soul of the Dojo, She had only trained for about a year but as an attractive, happy and friendly girl she had endeared herself to everyone very quickly and took part in and helped out in all the Dojo activities.  It was strange to see her preoccupied and a little troubled….. Normally she trained so enthusiastically and positively that she glowed while putting her heart and soul into everything she did – enchanting all around her and making it a pleasure to do any work with her.  Since her first days she … Continue reading Religion And Karate

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Martial Parenting

Steve Rowe

Martial Parenting The energy from the children’s class is powerful.  Twenty happy, flushed smiling faces, all wanting to talk at once and tell sensei what they’ve been up to since the last lesson creates a level of chaos that frightens lesser instructors and leaves them depleted after their struggle to contain and direct the chaos for 45 minutes. But sensei has a different method, it’s almost like he is one the kids, but maybe the leader of the gang, he immerses himself gleefully into the sea of energy, floating easily within, and almost imperceptibly guiding the flow….  Often it seems … Continue reading Martial Parenting

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Martial Chakras

Steve Rowe

Martial Chakras “Chakras?  What are they all about then?”  Ray was always the sceptic. John answered “the word ‘chakra’ means ‘spinning wheel’, and it refers to the spinning wheels of energy on the microcosmic orbit.” “Microcosmic orbit?” Ray jeered, is that out of Star Trek?  “Is it further than the Milky Way?” “As far as your understanding goes,” said John, “it might as well be…” “Fill me in dude, fill me in…” Ray wasn’t going to let go, “I need to know about ‘chakras’ and the ‘microcosmic orbit’..” Ray changed his finger ‘quote marks’ to the ‘live long and prosper’ … Continue reading Martial Chakras