June 2007 Newsletter

This is going to be a hectic month - - school will be ending for many students, at least for the summer and we are hosting the World Karate Championships June 28 - 30. Because of the championships there will be no class Wednesday, June 27th to Monday, July 2nd and also no class on Wednesday, July 4th. Plan to make up these classes either before the tournament or after it. Also we will be having a gathering to meet and talk with Master Shimabuku while he is at our home. You are invited - - - stay tuned for the date and time.

The Team T-shirt - to be worn while at the event and not competing (3 button style with a collar) - - $6.50 - - Color Yellow / Gold with Black Logo

The Team Sweat pant - to be worn with the Team T-shirt - - Black Fleece with Yellow / Gold Logo on the right thigh - - $14.50

Orders must be made and paid for by May 30th to make sure they arrive before the tournament.

These costs will be adjusted with regard to the fund raising each member did - - car wash, Mama’s Certificates and First Aid Kits.

The tournament T-shirts are in and hanging in the dojo. I must say they look good. Purchase yours now and save $ $ $ by getting before the event.

Long sleeve style - - Black or Red - - at the dojo $13.00 - - $18.00 at the event

Short sleeve style - - Slate Blue, Navy Blue & Chartreuse - - at the dojo $10.00 - - $15.00 at the event

We will be asking for help to prepare the preregistration packets for the World Event. These fun filled gatherings will be held on a Friday or Saturday. There may even be pizza and drinks to help keep stuffing levels up.

If you or your child has not registered - - do so the sooner the better.

Your Destiny Switch

"Knowledge alone is not enough. Only with understanding can real application begin. And that will help bring you to the place you want to be." This was a true "Aha!" moment. I realized that hearing the insights of all the self-help experts I could find wasn't getting me to wrest control of my life and shape my destiny, because I hadn't internalized their wisdom. I'd written it on sticky notes and in journals, but I wasn't connecting to what they were telling me, so I couldn't truly understand it or apply it to my life. I was too busy congratulating myself for being a seeker of truth to slow down and process what I was taking in. Even the idea that I was in charge of my destiny really hadn't sunk in. Unknowingly, I'd been expecting motivational speakers to do it for me.

As a result of this epiphany, I developed a passion for deeper understanding. I realized that I needed to apply what I'd learned and actually experience the truths that these teachers were imparting to me. I began to think about what they'd taught me about emotions and to look more closely at how I was experiencing my feelings. Why was it so hard for me to stay positive when I knew how important it was to do so? Why did I descend into a pit of anger or self-loathing with such ease? So many things could push my buttons and make me feel negative. Rather than letting my emotions continue to rule my life and imprison me, I decided that it was time for me to search further to figure out why I was at their mercy and what do about it.

Peggy McColl

Practice

Each person is studying Isshin-ryu Karate for his or her own reasons, or because a parent or friend has said, “it will be good for you.” With this in mind, each person should wish to: gain more self defense capability, learn higher levels of kata (forms) kumite (sparring) and kobudo (weapons), improve or develop self-discipline, and to improve physical conditioning. The best way to improve is during consistent, conscientious, daily practice, not solely while one is in the dojo. Practice is a constant and never-ending process, which creates a positive psychological change. It encourages self-knowledge, self-improvement, and self-control. It also teaches many levels of self-defense, including philosophical and ethical teachings to be applied to life. Practice emphasizes the integration of mind and body, and develops a meditative component. The meditative element of practice provides the path to follow establishing a balanced person whose spirit transcends the dojo, because the individual is still a karateka inside and outside the dojo. SO, what we practice, learn and develop inside the dojo goes with us into our outside world. The higher goal is to develop the consistent step-by-step process to toward self -perfection. This journey toward understanding oneself is a never-ending responsibility because the world around us is constantly changing, as we try to overcome those external problems we encounter in day-to-day activities. Karate and its practice often give us the focus to deal with these problems and also a way to release the stresses of daily life.

The karate practitioner who dedicates himself or herself to steady and constant practice shows an increase in self-control, self-confidence, self-reliance, self-esteem, lower feelings of vulnerability, and large decreases in hostility or hostile reactions. Practice decreased levels of stress after a bothersome experience and leads to increases in general mental health. The only path a practitioner can take to master the art of karate is to PRACTICE until the skills become second nature and then continue to practice or the skills learned will soon be forgotten

To practice is also to learn the technique of staying in the moment. This is the true moment one wishes to attain especially in times of crises. It is in those times when in the moment it is not possible think of the past or future. The only thought is of the technique that is being practiced; the combination of the movements, the muscle and breathe control and so on. If focus on the moment is lost and the mind drifts into some other issue, the practice falters and fails. The only way to improve one’s practice is to train the mind to return to the session and bring the mind back into the moment and only the moment, concentrating on only the karate skill is being practiced. This higher level of concentration will help the student at school of work when effort is needed to complete an assignment or job related task.

As is understandable - practice in Isshin-ryu karate carries over into daily live activities. As development is made in karate, life advances as well. Striving for personal perfection is an attainable goal as one works to develop the skills necessary to succeed inside and outside the dojo.

Congratulations

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

• Junior Yellow Belt - Nicholas Ficarra, Chris Hernandez
• Senior Yellow Belt - Stephen McFarlane

The next junior purple belt / brown belt, world team and Adult Brown and Black belt class us June 15th. Junior practice is from 6:00 P.M. to 7:15 P.M. The adult session is from 7:00 P.M. to 8:30 P.M. Please let Kyoshi know by the 12th if you will be attending. It is the last session prior to the tournament and the last session until September. Plan to be there. Let Kyoshi know prior to June 13th if you will be attending. The cost is just $5.00.

Classes continue throughout the summer months. If you are going on vacation, let us know and you may make those classes up. We will also be having our traditional summer sessions at our house. We will get dates after the World Tournament.