It made me want to cry!

Thanks Dave for that wonderful video clip. It was so refreshing and humbling to be brought back to the basics of why we enjoy kendo and the fundamental challenges that it brings every time we get out there with a shinai. It also takes us out of our ego's for a minute to see beyond simply the desire to 'win' or 'save face'.

Please allow me to share a story, if I may... I remember a beautiful sunny spring day when I was riding on the bus and opposite me sat a young man with his mother. His disability was obvious to all but himself as he happily enjoyed the bus ride. When it was time to get off the bus he jumped to his feet, picked up his mother's shopping bags, ran out the back door and patiently waited for his mother to follow. He stood there with his eyes closed and his head tilted back to feel the full warmth of the sun on his face. He was completely in the joy of the moment, appreciating what the rest of us take for granted and reflecting the simplicity of what happiness really is. It brought tears to my eyes, and this story comes back to me on occasions such as watching the video clip Dave posted.

I don't want to make this entry about me, but simply wish to say that after having a long absence from playing kendo I was reminded last week about the simple joys, and challenges, of swinging that piece of bamboo, and am grateful to Dave for reinforcing this wonderful message in such a simple and effective way.

Onya mate.

Kendo is......

About showing up and having a go

Founders Cup Photos

I'm Back! (part 2) More like a fizz than a bang...

Ok, so I thought I was on my comeback trail about 6 months ago but it was a false alarm. Sure the pain in my buggered shoulder was starting to ease but I wasn't prepared for the subsequent tightening of my whole shoulder. I realized that this was the 'frozen' part of what they told me was a 'frozen shoulder'. As the pain subsided the joint simply got more and more constricted so that I could only raise my right arm to about a 45 degree angle, only reach the top of my butt with the assistance of my other arm and no sideways movement at all. It was a bit scary really.

I had to go to the US for 2 weeks in May/June and thankfully this coincided with my shoulder finally giving a hint that it might free itself up a bit. Luckily, as I had a lot of camera gear to lug around. Since my return home I've been stretching it and just doing some gentle suburi to a point where I decided I had enough movement to come back to training at last!

It was great to see everyone again and to be putting the keikogi on again. It was also wonderful to see and meet our visitors from Japan, and although I'm not quite ready to take on the hardcore jigeiko that I witnessed that night, simply swinging a shinai and taking the beginners through their paces was an absolute joy.

Try imagining taking a year out of your kendo life and you will only get a hint of what it is really like without having to wake up every night for 6 months in pain and then wondering if you will ever get full movement back in your arm. I'm not saying this to get sympathy - I'm happy to be back training and on the mend - I just want people who get an injury to do something about it immediately, learn from my experience and if it means taking a few weeks off then do it and give your body the chance to recover. That way it will simply be a bit of an annoying inconvenience, but isn't that better than losing a year of kendo?

I feel a bit like a broken record on this so I'll try to write about other things from now on!

Good luck to you all at the Founders Cup and I wish you every success in the gradings and comp. I'll be with you in spirit.

I'm in Japan for the next 2 weeks but will be back at the dojo on a regular basis when I return.

It's great to be back...

Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force Visit

We were very lucky to have the JMSDF visit both our Five Dock dojo and Willoughby dojo on Monday August 6th and Wednesday August 8th

On Monday (6-Aug), I was the first one in the dojo because I hold the key.
I setup the clock, mopped the floor twice to ensure it is as clean as possible.
Colin Minter arrived, followed by Payne Sensei, and then Dave and so on.
No one knew how many of JMSDF visitors would join us until they arrived.
Oh my .. there are 6, and then 12 and more, just filling the tiny community hall in a minute.
When everyone settled, there was 18 or more visitors from JMSDF.
The home team was fairly strong, Payne Sensei, Cross Sensei returned with his whole family, Fukuda Sensei from Japan, and of course Itakura Sensei plus many seniors from our club and other clubs.
All together, the head count from the photo was 37. I recall at one time, there were more than 13 pairs having jikeiko at the same time. It seemed everyone enjoyed this event.

After the training, photos were taken by Tomoki Mashiba, unfortunately my old laptop couldn't read the camera's SD-card. Mr Tomoki offered to bring me the USB key on Wednesday. Instead he burnt a business-card size CDR for me, thanks Mr Tomoki. He couldn't join us tonight so I'll send an email to thank him for his photos and prompt delivery.

"http://www.sydneykendoclub.org/Images/Marine08Aug07/MarineFD1.jpg"

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Wednesday (8-Aug), we had seven visitors from JMSDF.
Again we had a good time. Photos and presents were exchanged and then biru-keiko at the pub where everybody enjoyed themselves (and a few drinks).

"http://www.sydneykendoclub.org/Images/Marine08Aug07/Marine8.jpg"

Here are some more photos