3/8/08
Random thoughts
As I was preparing for the next Shiai, I was reflecting on ‘how did we get here”? The school has 10 Brown Belts! Eight students on the advance Bo-Sai Kumite! All of this is a result of years of hard work and effort from the karate students of Kingwood Karate School. Remember we are all karate students from White Belt to Black Belt. Learning karate never ends nor has it any age limit. That is why it is a lifetime pursuit. As we approach another Shiai we are all on a different phase of our karate journey. The way I see it is we never really climb the mountain as the experience of the karate journey never ends. I hope you share this challenge with me as you journey through the rest of your life. Of course nothing comes easy and especially in karate many times it seems painful and very difficult. I once read that the joy is in the struggle, in the process. Be assured that this will prepare you for life’s journey. Practice hard for this coming Shiai and above all have fun in this experience.
Sensei
3/13/07
Reflections on my students
Sensei is sitting on a train heading for Washington DC for a government meeting. As the towns and countryside passed by I was reflecting on this past year of karate and what has transpired on my journey this past year. I have to admit that there have been some disappointments but as I see the effort of the Brown Belt candidates and everyone else up for possible promotions at the upcoming March 2007 Shiai, I sense a spirit in my students karate that really makes me proud as your Sensei. As I have said to you many times, karate is a gift that I am passing on to you with the expectation that you will pass it on someday to your students. That is why everyone is welcome in the dojo as a student since I want everyone to experience this wonderful gift to the best of their abilities. I am pleased to say that I see this philosophy reflected in my students more each day. So continue to work hard and be at you best for the upcoming Shiai and you will be very proud of yourself by the end of the day on March 17.
In the past month I have been sharing some of my favorite sayings with the Brown Belt candidates that I have found in literature. These are copied below so the rest of my students can reflect on these ancient sayings in preparation for the Shiai or any other endeavor in your life. If you are not sure of the meaning we can discuss them at any time. For right now “Enjoy!”
Not twice this day
Inch time foot gem.
This day will not come again,
Each minute is worth a priceless gem.
Zen Flesh, Zen Bones
The centipede was happy, quite,
Until a toad in fun
Said, “Pray, which leg goes after which?”
This worked his mind to such a pitch,
He lay distracted in a ditch,
Considering how to run.
The Way of Zen
You may train for a long, long time but if
you merely move your hands and feet and
jump up and down like a puppet, learning
karate is not different from learning to
dance. You will never have reached the heart
of the matter; you will have failed to grasp the
quintessence of karate-do.
- Gichin Funakoshi
Zen in the Martial Arts
Karate is not something that one does,
It is something that one becomes. And
though the external mask of training
might be readily seen in the lighted
arena, the essence of Karate-do is ever
the veiled presence of being.
The Golden Pearls on a String
When walking just walk,
When sitting just sit,
Above all, don’t wobble!
- Yun-Men
The World of Zen
12/20/2006
Where did this year go? Here we are again at this wonderful season of Christmas and of course by tradition many people take time to reflect on the past year of 2006 and then look forward to the new year of 2007. Did you take time to enjoy your many accomplishments in karate this past year? Here I am speaking not only to my junior students but also to the teenage students and adult students. We all at any age need to take time to give ourselves credit for our endeavors, not as a prize but as a passage in our life's journey. This is what your martial arts training is teaching you. Remember that the “ultimate aim of karate lies not in victory or defeat but in the perfection of one's character”. So as Christmas season flies by take a moment and reflect on what karate has done for you this past year. There were many accomplishments at all rank levels and of course your efforts will continue to reward you in many ways in your future karate training. What do you want to get out of karate in 2007? Only you possess that answer! So when you make your New Year resolutions aim for achieving the mountain top but don't forget to enjoy the journey that goes with the climb up the mountain! Your karate discipline will help you focus on the path to move towards your goals. Whether it is achieving an orange belt or the challenging brown belt or just enjoying your weekly class to the best of your ability, it is your journey. You have to take that first step and plan for your karate goals for 2007.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,
Sensei
9/18/2006
Now that the summer is over and vacation is a memory, my students have settled back into school, or their jobs (whether at home or away from home). This is a time of transition where we sometimes feel stress because of the anxiety caused by today's pressures to succeed in any endeavor we are trying. I would like to suggest that karate is the perfect tonic for today's world. Once a week my students can walk into the dojo and leave the world behind. I give you permission to do that every time you bow into the dojo and begin your workout. The dojo should be your safe haven where you recharge yourself and prepare yourself for the outside world. I'm not just talking about self defense here (although this is surely an important element) but your self concept and confidence in any situation.
I have seen many traits in my students during the past month that have made me very proud to be your Sensei. The commitment to your workouts and class during the hot days in August! The skills you displayed in the demonstrations at the 4H Fair and Kingwood Community Day! Many people commented to your Sensei about the skill level displayed by my students at the recent demonstrations. All of this is like “money in the bank” to help you in your daily endeavors at school or at work. And each Thursday night you can make the choice to recharge yourself for the next week's effort. Of course this effort will increase your karate skills even more and you will be proud of your performance at the upcoming November Shiai.
So no fancy sayings this time but the reality of karate and how it can change your life if you are a willing participant!
Sensei Heck
March 5, 2006
The March 2006 Shiai flyer contains a very interesting quote from an ancient text that applies to our daily martial arts practice.
The quote says:
For the uncontrolled there is no
wisdom, nor for the uncontrolled
is there the power of concentration;
and for him without concentration
there is no peace. And for the
unpeaceful, how can there be happiness??
This quote is from the Bhagavad-Gita written around the 4th century BC and reflects on our life today. For the karate-ka, this saying has many meanings both in the dojo and outside the dojo. For the student in the dojo, the meaning begins when you bow in. Remember that karate is not about kicking and punching but the perfection of one's character. This is what is meant by control and the wisdom that comes with it. While learning kata and self defense, the student is working on concentration. And of course while in the dojo there is no outside pressures from the world and there can be much peace. So that is why we should be very happy as we practice our karate in the dojo. So what happens when we leave the dojo and go back into the outside world? We are still the same person and can take the experience of the dojo into the rest of our day, the March Shiai, our school, our work and all the experiences we have in this world.
Sensei Heck
12/19/2005
As we go through this wonderful season of Christmas, many people take time to reflect on the past year of 2005 and then look forward to the new year of 2006. Too many forget to take time and stop and enjoy the moment! This is what your martial arts training is teaching you. Remember that the “ultimate aim of karate lies not in victory or defeat but in the perfection of one's character”. So as Christmas season flies by take a moment and reflect on what karate has done for you this past year. Then from that basis you can think forward to 2006 and make your new years resolution as to what you want to get out of karate in 2006. As they say the way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time! So when you make your resolutions aim for the whole elephant but proceed in a logical path. Despite all the wonderful New Year resolutions people make they accomplish very few because they lack focus and a path to move towards their goal. A wise person once said that “the journey of a life time starts with the first step”. So take that first step and plan for your karate goals for 2006.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,
Sensei
10/20/2005
“If you don't climb the mountain
you will never see the view.”
You may have noted this saying at the bottom of the November 19, 2005 shiai flyer. Have you thought about what it means as you prepare for the shiai? Let me give you thoughts on its meaning. When sensei was young it was always important to achieve a goal. Not that it isn't important to have goals in your life, but the drive to the goal (or goal post) sometimes overshadows the experience.
So does climb the mountain mean that you are trying to get to the view? Certainly when sensei was younger, this was the meaning! As time went by in my life, I realized that in many of my achievements I missed the experience! So today I climb the mountain to experience the journey and the view will eventually come. I try more to stay in the moment and observe what is happening. Enjoy God's gift of this experience.
So as you prepare for the shiai, I know you are nervous and maybe even afraid of getting up and doing your kata in front of friends, relatives and parents. That is okay, but please also enjoy the experience and your journey because you won't pass through this way again! Practice hard for the shiai and take time out to enjoy the “climb”. Good luck!
Sensei Heck