August 2002 Newsletter
CLEAR YOUR CALENDARS TO MEET AND TRAIN WITH MASTER WILLIAM H. DUESSEL,
9TH DEGREE BLACK BELT AND MY INSTRUCTOR. HE DOES NOT VISIT THIS AREA AS
MUCH AS HE DID A FEW YEARS AGO - FOR MANY REASONS . . . SO PLAN TO
ATTEND THE APPROPRIATE SEMINAR.
COST $20.00 PER SEMINAR
FRIDAY - AUGUST 9TH - 7 P. M. - BROWN AND BLACK BELTS
MT. ARLINGTON HEALTH CLUB
SATURDAY - AUGUST 10TH
SENSEI CARMONA'S DOJO IN LANDING
- 10 A. M. TO 11 A. M. JUNIOR STUDENTS
- NOON TO 2 P. M. - SENIOR STUDENTS
SUNDAY - AUGUST 11TH
HACKETTSTOWN DOJO
- 2 P. M. TO 3 P. M. - JUNIOR STUDENTS
- 4 P. M. - ADULT STUDENTS
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE KARATE-KA WHO EARNED PROMOTIONS AT THE
TRAINING SESSION HELD AT MY HOME JULY 6TH.
Nicholas Copen - Yellow Stripes
Kevin Fontana
Matt Fontana
Matt Lerman - Yellow Belts
Dan Skuropacki
Jason Reinbold - Orange Belts
Sean Gaertner
Cody Gelsinger
William Hunt - Green Belts 1
Michael Hunt
Anthony Hunt
Shaheeda Miles
Kyle Wheeler - Green Belt 2
Natalie Aleman - Brown Belts 3
Erik Aleman
Todd Copen - 1st Degree Black Belt
Jeff Matusewicz - 4th Degree Black Belt
Promotions are
awarded when the students learn, know and can demonstrate the needed
requirements. Knowing that
no two people of any rank are the same; the physical, mental and
emotional qualities needed to deserve a rank are in some cases
measurable. In some
cases subtle changes are noticed by the sensei, black belt instructors,
teachers, parents, or friends. Each
promotion is a privilege and a challenge.
Each promotion must be grown into and not taken for granted.
When accepting a rank, it is assumed by the sensei that each
student will continue to work toward improving the little things covered
in the July newsletter.
The only
responsibility that a person cannot evade in life is the one thought of
the least. This is one’s
personal influence. One’s conscious influence, when on dress parade,
when posing to impress others, is woefully small. But this unconscious
influence, the silent, subtle radiation of one’s personality, the
effect of our words and acts, the trifles never considered, is
tremendous. Every moment of life we are changing. Everyone is given a
marvelous power for good or for evil, the silent, unconscious, unseen
influence of life. This is simply the constant radiation that each of us
truly is, not what one pretends to be. Every man, by his mere living, is
radiating sympathy, or sorrow, or morbidness, or cynicism, or happiness,
or hope, or any of a hundred other qualities. Life is a state of
constant radiation and absorption; to exist is to radiate; to exist is
to be the recipient of radiations.
After years of
practice, physical skills merge with mental capabilities in the way the
Karate-ka relates to himself and others. Part of this understanding and
development comes about by the practice of certain unique physical
elements in Okinawan Karate. The first is chinkuchi.
Chinkuchi is a
basic learned physical element used in the focus of karate moves and
applied in kata, kumite, and generally applied in the execution of all
karate techniques. It is a
physical conditioning process and focus of mind and body, which employs
the entire body and balance to strengthen the striking velocity or
absorption of a karate blow. The physical act of employing chinkuchi in
karate moves are to help enable the practitioner to protect his joints
from hyper extension, and adds strength and speed to the technique.
Chinkuchi is applied to the entire body as with the practice of dynamic
tension kata such as Sanchin, or learned to be applied into individual
parts of the body. It is a mental and physical process which is learned
in stages and degrees and can be applied with weapons. The learning and application of chinkuchi in karate technique
are viewed to be a vital asset in the application of karate for self
defense.
It is just as
important to develop mental skills in karate as it is for physical
skills. Shingan is a developed state of mental as well as physical
skills. Kata after a time becomes an active and moving meditation.
Advanced Karate-ka can do kata without outside thought entering into the
practice of the exercise. This is amazing considering that outside
thought happens naturally in the mind about every eight seconds. This
skill is commonly referred to as centering and balance and relates to
the term kara in karate which means empty.
Mushin means
"no-mindedness" or "empty mind." Mushin as a
practice enables the body to react without the distraction of thinking
about the reaction. Mushin does not dull the mind from
'empty-headedness', it is more a conscious removal process for
distracting thought as a prelude to action.
Zazen is the
practice of meditation while mushin is more a practice of concentration.
Zazen is often practiced in karate before and after workout practices
and before or after specific karate acts such as doing kata.
The practice of
zazen helps develop other aspects of karate related to breathing, ki,
chinkuchi, and mushin. The practice of zazen as a synergy with other
aspects of karate enables practitioners to achieve many other skills
which can be learned in the practice of the art. Zazen also has levels
of achievement.
Zazen as meditation
is, the practice akin to self-hypnosis, or deep relaxation therapy. The
object in both levels of zazen practice is to focus the mind, and reach
a state of deep physical and mental relaxation.
The Karate-ka must
always focus on the aspect of hara or the inner self
in everyday life. This concept must be applied both in reason and
action, living the art. This is necessary because without this balance
we are not training for the proper purpose, TO PERFECT THE SELF AND THE
ART.
Many martial arts
schools teach punching and kicking but neglect the inner and deeper
meanings of kata, and do not stress the growth of the individual. As you train think about why you come to the dojo or why you
bring your child here. What
do you wish to gain or learn? We
all need instruction and direction.
Training in the dojo and not on one’s own does not help growth. Training alone also does not help to perfect the art because
interaction is needed to test the skills we are learning.
We need a way to challenge ourselves to extend our skills beyond
what is comfortable.
At times we resist
coming to the dojo because it is hot, or it is raining, or we are tired,
or we are not getting anything new each week, or YOU fill in the blank.
These are the times we need to train, to find the discipline in
the art and in the self - and the responsibility to radiate the unique
abilities that make us special and necessary to ourselves and to the
dojo.
The ember removed
from the burning fire quickly cool and dies.
Dare to be great.
Commit to yourself to better yourself each day.
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