Tag: philosophy

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Powerful Grading Speech

Steve Rowe

I looked down the line of students ahead of me waiting to go out and perform their grading, theirkarategi trousers were quivering as a result of shaky legs… Out on the floor I could hear the call of the Sensei, “ich, ni, san, shi, go, rokku, shichi, hatch, kyu, ju!” “EEEEYYYYAAAH!” the responding kiai came from the students already out there strutting their stuff under the watchful eye of Sensei and other club instructors officiating.  I could just glimpse Sensei’s impassive face occasionally between some of the students nervously awaiting their turn to grade. Why do we put ourselves under … Continue reading Powerful Grading Speech

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Defence Against The Self

Steve Rowe

We had a ‘free’ training night in the sense that sensei let everyone work on whatever they wanted to and he came around helping people individually.  It was an excellent way of learning as it enabled us to practice and get help with what we thought we needed to work on. Bernie was not a young man, he was what sensei would call an ‘earth’ person, obsessed with the practicality of everything and unable to see the health, skill and art aspects to what we did – and it showed on his face as he watched the younger Aaron working … Continue reading Defence Against The Self

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Seeing With Clarity

Steve Rowe

Seeing With Clarity That precious moment when you ‘wake up’ from meditation, When all behind the mask is revealed, When you see things with total clarity, And the circus that’s always been there. Can you imagine if we invented roads now? Tarmac strips between pedestrians without barriers, Jagged pieces of metal travelling at 70 mph, With people dodging between. Women with painted faces, Teetering along on pointy shoe stilts, Making themselves look like circus clowns, Matching the image of the ringmasters media. Men wearing a gaily coloured hangman’s noose around their neck, With a ‘manscaped’ face, and their wife’s tight … Continue reading Seeing With Clarity

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What Happened?

Steve Rowe

What Happened? When I was a child and teenager in the 50’s and 60’s, The public owned it’s own services, Trains, buses, electric, gas, water and mail, And the profit helped pay for community services. Prescriptions and university education were free, Legal and union representation gave job security, Council housing and rent control meant everyone was housed, Equality was becoming a reality. With free education, social mobility truly happened, We had 2 Prime ministers from grammar school education, Anyone from anywhere could become anything, At last society was moving forwards and there was hope. Computers and machinery were designed to … Continue reading What Happened?

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The Learning Process

Steve Rowe

The Learning Process The learning process of the mind, Is a specific process, It is important to understand, To be able to learn effectively. Shi Kon use a mnemonic acronym, As this is the best way to remember, If you refine this process, All learning will be easier. The acronym we use is ATARC, This is a specific order, One cannot be done effectively, Without the preparation of the other. A is for attitude, This is the most important, Unless this is in the correct state, Everything else will be wrong. Attitude is emotional intelligence, Putting nothing in the way … Continue reading The Learning Process

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Tai Chi Makes You Beautiful

Steve Rowe

“Okay…..   Let’s warm down with a bit of tai chi….. the Yang 108 form first section….”  This was quite usual in our class, it helped us to work on the internal aspects of our training plus the posture breathing and relaxation required to source our power properly. “Mol gik….” Everyone stood correcting their posture, making their breathing deeper, softening and stretching to make the ‘greater heavenly cycle’ of chi function more efficiently.  This was an excellent form of standing meditation, often called ‘wu chi’, an experience of ‘everything and nothing’ at the same time. “Tai gik.”  Everyone prepared for movement … Continue reading Tai Chi Makes You Beautiful

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The Happy Button…

Steve Rowe

The Happy Button… Happiness is a choice, So is misery, Happiness is a habit, So is misery. Which do you choose? Which is your habit? If you’ve slid into misery, How do you change it? Every day you should take the time, To wake up and practice neigong (inner work), Check out your condition, Both mental and physical. I have a ‘happy button’, It’s right there in the middle of my chest, Not where you dirty buggars were thinking! And I press it first thing in the morning, however I feel. When I press it I smile, And remember to … Continue reading The Happy Button…

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Are You A Fattist?

Steve Rowe

Are You A Fattist?  Telling a person they’re fat, And should get their lard arse of the couch, And come down to your club or gym, Makes you the fattist. Every advert is about being skinny, Every pop up on the screen, It’s a ‘miracle’ pill or method, Preying on the weak. People are overweight for many reasons, Some have a thyroid dysfunction, For some it’s caused by medication, And some can’t move because of disability. For some food is an addiction, And some are emotionally disturbed, What makes it worse for all of them, Is that it’s there for … Continue reading Are You A Fattist?

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Dojo Visitor

Steve Rowe

There are times when you’re talking to someone and you suddenly realise that they aren’t listening to a word you’re saying.  They are only waiting for an opportunity to speak. The guy had come in for a free ‘guest’ training session and actually worked quite hard.  The only problem was that he hadn’t heard a word of the instruction given to him.   The words ‘using a sledgehammer to crush a grape’ sprang to mind – everything he did was simply full of effort with surprisingly poor results He had cruised over to sensei after the session and started to discuss … Continue reading Dojo Visitor