Another great morning in the dojo. Thankfully the temperature was a little cooler today as we had Todd Sensei join us. Todd Sensei is super fast and….. if you blink you’ll miss him. When you have someone like Todd Sensei next to you, you know that you will be stretched and expanded out of your comfort zone if you choose to step up and embrace the challenge.
I have received so much in my time at the dojo in the past few days and I often find myself meditating on what is the best way to express my gratitude. The experience that I am receiving is ‘priceless’ yet my own personal values include both giving and receiving not just receiving. This is something I’ll continue to think about throughout my day and consider ways in which I can express gratitude throughout the remainder of my stay at the Sohonbu.
Today we have decided to visit the Kumamoto Castle. Below are some pictures and you can find more on my Facebook Page.
Back to training for the afternoon. Today we joined the kids class. Once again I really enjoyed watching Naoyuki Sensei teaching. Another positive of being a part of the kids class is having the opportunity to expand my Japanese vocab in the dojo. Naoyuki Sensei and his family have been a huge help and are very patient and understanding when I get it wrong.
In between the kids class and adult class I had the privilege of watching Tanaka Sensei train. I had to run out briefly after the kids class and fuel up again but I was back into the dojo asap to enjoy being around Tanaka Sensei. Inspirational!!! Unfortunately he wasn’t able to stay and train, however we will get to see Tanaka Sensei again on Monday.
To end another great day in Kumamoto we had the opportunity to train with Soke Sensei. Todd Sensei and Naoyuki Sensei also trained with us and another black belt student who has been an inspiration to me these last few years. I’ve seen him every time, he is always in early before class stretching and practicing. I really need to learn his name and get to know more about him.
Training was awesome. I was stretched and stretched and stretched but I loved every minute of it. I received some great feedback from Soke Sensei (little details that will make a big difference). It is now in my hands to do something with the information that Soke Sensei has shared.
I’ve been recording as much information as I can in my training journal with a view to review and develop within my own training and share with others. I’ll continue to sort through my notes and practice whilst I’m here so that I can seek further guidance before returning home.
At this stage of the trip I’m starting to feel quite overwhelmed with all of the things that I am learning. My head seems to be spinning in a way which I can only describe as pieces of a jigsaw puzzle floating around in my head. One by one I need to put the pieces together and work them into my foundations. This will take some time, I dare say years but as long as I keep moving forward I know that the pieces will fall into place at the right time for me.
And a Quote for Today: “Good things are coming down the road, Just don’t stop walking.” ~ Unknown
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