January 2005 Newsletter

With the coming of the new year, we have the opportunity to renew ourselves and rededicate ourselves to our families, work or school and our training.

One of the strengths of a karate training session is that the process is mental as well as physical. As we work through the process, the whole person benefits from the time spent in the dojo as well as during the disciplined practice at home. We cannot attempt to stay at the same level that we are at today. We must try to improve our abilities at kata, kumite, and self development.

Another strength of traditional karate training is seen when the student can focus his or her energies on the inner qualities which set our training apart from other forms of exercise. Goal setting is not unique to karate training but is at times different because we cannot look at just the physical benefits of an exercise program. We must take into account that we want to improve ourselves physically, mentally and emotionally. Think about what you want to accomplish during this year and write it on a piece of paper - - - put it away in a safe place (with your monthly dojo newsletters and karate notebook) and look at it every so often to see if progress is being made toward accomplishing the desired goal.

Accept the challenge of setting realistic short and long term goals. Be prepared to work toward the goal and step by step improvements will be made.

THOUGHTS TO IMPROVE TRAINING:

• 1. 99.9% OF THE TIME --- FEET MOVE TO THE CORRECT STANCE BEFORE THE HANDS MOVE.

• 2. SEE THE ATTACK BEFORE DOING THE TECHNIQUE.

• 3. THE ELBOW IS BEHIND THE HAND IN PUNCHING TECHNIQUES AND IN LINE WITH IT WHILE BLOCKING.

• 4. THE KNEES ARE BENT AND OVER THE TOES.

Sowing And Reaping - - EMMET FOX

There is no such thing as luck. Nothing ever happens by chance. Everything, good or bad, that comes into your life is there as the result of unvarying, inescapable Law. And the only operator of that law is none other than yourself. No one else has ever done you any harm of any kind, or ever could do so, however much it may seem that he did. Consciously or unconsciously you have yourself at some time or other produced every condition, desirable or undesirable, that you find in either your bodily health or your circumstances today. You, and you alone, ordered those goods: and now they are being delivered. And as long as you go on thinking wrongly about yourself and about life, the same sort of difficulties will continue to harass you. For every seed must inevitably bring forth after its own kind, and thought is the seed of destiny.

Yet there is a simple way out of trouble. Learn how to think rightly instead of wrongly, and conditions at once begin to improve until, sooner or later, all ill-health, poverty, and in harmony must disappear. Such is the Law. Life need not be a battle; it can, and should be a glorious mystical adventure, but living is a science.

UPCOMING TOURNAMENTS

SATURDAY, JANUARY 29, 2005 - - WALKILL VALLEY H.S., HAMBURG, NJ - - Preregister by 1/15, or at the event - - Snow date Sunday, January 30, 2005

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2005 - - WASHINGTON, NJ - - Pre-Register by 2/10, or at the event - - Snow date - Sunday, February 27, 2005

There is a new athletic store in Hackettstown . . . JUST YOUR PACE . . . 199 Main Street. If you are looking for sneakers or other athletic wear and footwear, see Sensei for a signed card and you will receive a 10% discount.

Congratulations to:

• Fourth Degree Black Belt - Cassandra Brown, (consistent training since July 1994, Andrew Srsich, (consistent training since March of 1994)

Promotions are granted when the student demonstrates the proper techniques and a continued advancement of practice and training, inside and outside of the dojo

Gifts From the Heart

According to legend, a young man while roaming the desert came across a spring of delicious crystal-clear water. The water was so sweet he filled his leather canteen so he could bring some back to a tribal elder who had been his teacher. After a four-day journey he presented the water to the old man who took a deep drink, smiled warmly and thanked his student lavishly for the sweet water. The young man returned to his village with a happy heart.

Later, the teacher let another student taste the water. He spat it out, saying it was awful. It apparently had become stale because of the old leather container. The student challenged his teacher: "Master, the water was foul. Why did you pretend to like it?"

The teacher replied, "You only tasted the water. I tasted the gift. The water was simply the container for an act of loving-kindness and nothing could be sweeter. Heartfelt gifts deserve the return gift of gratitude."

I think we understand this lesson best when we receive innocent gifts of love from young children. Whether it's a ceramic tray or a macaroni bracelet, the natural and proper response is appreciation and expressed thankfulness because we love the idea within the gift.

Gratitude doesn't always come naturally. Unfortunately, most children and many adults value only the thing given rather than the feeling embodied in it. We should remind ourselves and teach our children about the beauty and purity of feelings and expressions of gratitude. After all, gifts from the heart are really gifts of the heart.

Michael Josephson www.charactercounts.org

"Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment." Benjamin Franklin

KATA THE HEART OF ANY MARTIAL ART IS UNDERSTOOD TO BE THE “FORM” OF THE STYLE. IT IS MORE PRECISELY A PREARRANGED SERIES OF MOVES DESIGNED TO SIMULATE FIGHTING SEVERAL OPPONENTS IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS. THE PURPOSE OF KATA IS A METHOD OF TRAINING THE STUDENT’S BODY, MIND, SPIRIT AND PHYSICAL CONDITIONING. THESE COMBINED ELEMENTS HELP THE STUDENT LEARN HOW TO DEVELOP THE PHYSICAL AMD MENTAL SKILLS NEEDED TO DEFEND HIMSELF OR HERSELF. EACH OPPONENT IS THE SAME SIZE AS THE STUDENT, SO AS THE STUDENT TRAINS HIS OR HER CONCENTRATION IS TOWARD THE APPROPRIATE TARGET AREAS AT HIS OR HER HEIGHT.

A SECOND NECESSARY ELEMENT OF TRAINING RELATES TO THE APPLICATION, ANALYSIS AND EXPLANATION OF EACH MOVE AND SERIES OF MOVES. THIS SEGMENT IS CALLED BUNKAI. THIS ELEMENT IS TAUGHT AT DIFFERENT CAPABILITY LEVELS, AS THE STUDENT GROWS INTO EACH DEVELOPMENTAL LEVEL OF AGE AND ABILITY. KATA MUST BE VIEWED AND PRACTICED AS MORE THAN A FIGHT WITH A STARTING POINT AND ENDING POINT. THE STUDENT MUST STRIVE TO MAKE EACH MOVE AND SERIES OF MOVES BECOME ALIVE. EACH ELEMENT MUST BE PRACTICED AS THOUGH IT IS THE FIRST TIME IT HAS BEEN DONE - - WATCHING AND WAITING FOR THE ATTACK BEFORE THE APPROPRIATE MOVE OR MOVES ARE EXECUTED. IF EXECUTED PROPERLY, THE STUDENT IS BEGINNING TO PERFORM THE KATA AS A FRESH, LIVING AND TRULY EXCITING ADVENTURE - - DEVELOPING THE BEGINNER’S MIND. PRACTICING IN THIS MANNER THE GROWTH OF THE INDIVIDUAL BECOMES CHALLENGING AND FULFILLING, WHERE GROWTH IS NEVER ENDING.

AS EACH INDIVIDUAL ACCEPTS THE CHALLENGE, OUR TRAINING WILL NEVER AGAIN BE SHALLOW AND UNREWARDING. WE MUST BALANCE THE BEAUTY OF EACH CORRECT TECHNIQUE WITH THE PRACTICAL AND EFFECTIVENESS OF EACH MOVE. EACH OF MUST STRIVE TO CONSTANTLY IMPROVE EACH KATA.