December 2007 Newsletter

THE HEALTHIEST COMPARISON: YOU & ONLY YOU

Often we compare ourselves to others. You’re not being fair to yourself by making these comparisons. You as a person are special and unique, and comparing yourself with another is like comparing apples and oranges. In making comparisons, focus on yourself. As yourself, “Am I doing better today than last week, last year?” “Am I improving, learning, and growing?” “Which direction am I heading… being the best I can be…or in a negative direction?"

The plowed life - By A.W. Tozer, Paths to Power

There are two kinds of ground: fallow ground and ground that has been broken by the plow.

The fallow field is smug, contented, protected from the shock of the plow and the agitation of the harrow. Such a field, as it lies years after year, becomes a familiar landmark to the crow and the blue jay. Safe and undisturbed, it sprawls lazily in the sunshine, the picture of sleepy contentment. Fruit it can never know because it is afraid of the plow and the harrow.

In direct opposite to this, the cultivated field has yielded itself to the adventure of living. The protecting fence has been opened to admit the plow, and the plow comes as plows always come, practical, cruel, business-like, and in a hurry. Peace has been shattered by the shouting farmer and the rattle of machinery. The field has been upset, turned over, bruised and broken, but its rewards come hard upon its labors. The seed shoots up into daylight, its miracle of life, curious, exploring the new world above it. Nature’s wonders follow the plow.

There are two kinds of lives also: the follow and the plowed.

The man of fallow life is contented with himself and the fruit he once bore. He does not want to be disturbed. He smiles in silent superiority at revivals, fasting, self-searching, and all the travail of fruit bearing and the anguish of advance. The spirit of adventure is dead within him, he has fenced himself in, and by the same act, he has fenced out God and the miracle.

The plowed life is the life that has thrown down the protecting fences and sent the plow of confession into the soul. Such a life has put away defense and has forsaken the safety for the peril of life. Discontent, yearning, contrition, and courageousness: these have bruised and broken the soil until it is ready again for the seed, and as always fruit follows the plow.

DUE TO THE HOLIDAYS THERE WILL BE NO CLASSES: DECEMBER 23, 24, 26, 31 and JANUARY 1^ST.  Plan ahead and make up these classes this month or during January.

REMEMBER - - If the weather is questionable or downright nasty - - Listen to WRNJ Radio 1510 on you’re AM dial for cancellations.  Be safe – even if we have class and you are not comfortable driving in the conditions, call the dojo and you may make up the class.

 Think ahead toward the holidays.  Order a gi, sparring equipment, DVD of our World Championship Event or any of Hanshi Duessel’s books or DVD’s - - see Kyoshi

Congratulations to the people who earned promotions since our last newsletter.

•  Senior Brown Belt #2 – KRoger Polina

Who's Driving Your Bus? - - ©Phil Evans - People Stuff

If we think about our own lives as being a journey on a bus, surrounded by a great variety of people, all with particular positions on our bus that relate to where they fit into our lives. Some are right there next to us; some behind us; some in front of us... but all are important in playing some role in how we are "positioned" in their lives, and they in ours.

As I write this I am reminded of the movie "Speed" with Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves - where they were all on a bus being controlled by a maniac demanding a ransom. The truth is that all too often our lives can be like that; out of control, with someone else doing the driving. A fearful situation? Of course it is! The brutal truth is that so many people are living-out that nightmare bus-ride right now! Out of control - and don't know what they can do about it.

OK, now you've got the scene in your mind. In order to get some perspective on our own lives, we need to move to the back seat of the bus for a while, and become the observer of what is really going on. We need to observe who the most significant people are, and how they are positioned in our lives. Are they standing over us because they feel superior? Are they moving forward in their own lives and leaving us behind? Are they falling behind us because we've chosen to move forward?

So now we are faced with an important question, "Who's driving your bus"?

Is it someone from your past who has dominated you and what you do, even though they may not still be present in your life now? Are they taking you where you want to go? Do you feel like you would like to the bus to stop and let you off? Now here comes the challenge...

From this rear seat of observation, we need to start to move closer to the driver's seat. It doesn't matter how long this takes, and it doesn't matter how much the people who may be trying to block our progress forward challenge us. We have to do this for ourselves... starting right now!

Our goal is to be in the driver's seat of our own lives! It is inevitable that we are going to be challenged, and that's when we need courage! Yes - we will all take different lengths of time to move forward... that's when we need persistence, and patience with ourselves! Most certainly we will feel daunted at times by this process... that's when we need to have determination!

We are going to have to ask people to vacate their seats (which can possibly be their dominant positions in our lives) so that we can move forward towards that front seat we wish to occupy. We are going to have to sit in the middle of the bus at times while we learn to muster more courage and determination to move forward again. This is all part of the process, so stick with it because this is all for YOU!

During this process of moving forward we must remain conscious of where the bus is now, and think about where we really want to take it once we're up front, and in control.

One very important point! At no stage in this process do we tread on someone if they get in our way (as we move forward), simply step around him or her and move on.

OK - you've made it! You have asked the driver to step aside and let you have your turn, and now you're in the seat. It's all up to you now!

If you're not too sure of what to do and how to do it, just stop and park for a while. It doesn't matter what you do and how long it takes, because this is your game now - so play it your way! Get crystal clear on where you choose to take your bus now, and very clear on whom you wish to accompany you on this new journey. The rest is a process of trusting your own judgment and decisions.

Good luck... and always remember - "What other people do or say is their stuff; how we react is our stuff."
 

The dojo is a place of awakening, not a hall of competition. The dojo is to be used to cultivate abilities and to nurture them, as opposed to demanding progress in technique regardless of circumstance. The dojo is a place to share respect for others, regardless of technical skill...The relationship between student and teacher is complex, based deeply on trust, integrity, and honesty. A sensei’s responsibility is to see that the student grows in ability. A student’s responsibility is to give full attention to those who give of themselves to bring improvement and well being to the student’s development and advancement. Each rank has its special rewards and challenges. No rank is more or less important than others. The promotion to and within the Black Belt Ranks are special and not to be taken lightly. Sho Dan is the beginning of REAL learning, not the end of the path. The awarding of black belt tests the individual’s primary training and signifies that the student is ready to begin higher levels of understanding - - - some knowledge is taught, but much more is learned through disciplined practice on one’s own.

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