Thank you Stryke ... how synchronistic. I have written about this on another forum. They are alive and well somewhere; The smallest sprouts show there is really no death, And if ever there was it led forward life, and does not wait at the end to arrest it, And ceased the moment life appeared. All go...

Greetings, Max,

Sounds like a wonderful Holiday. I plan on dinner with friends, sitting in front of the fire, playing with my dog, and catching up on some reading. This year my son is home (he was in England for 6 months), so it will be a very joyous time indeed!

Blessings to you & yours,

The flower invites the butterfly with no-mind; The butterfly visits the flower with no-mind. The flower opens, the butterfly comes; The butterfly comes, the flower opens. I don't know others; Others don't know me. By not-knowing, we follow nature's course, ~~ Ryokan May you all have a Peaceful Holi...

Shinjo was recently intereviewed on FIT TV's Peak Performance series (I think it was a product of the Discovery Channel", and he talked about this very idea: "Our stance is like a dragon gripping a ball." Then, proceeded to demonstrate Konchin as an example. Quite impressive.

When the guy came back to training with us, he not only didn't lose anything, he was stronger. That always left an impact on me. How true, Kerry ... the mind is very strong. As the ancients teach, where the mind goes, ki flows. So, with strong focus, imagination & intent, one could utilize the ...

Hi Kerry ... nice to 'hear' you again and thanks for sharing your thought process. I'd like to offer this: The darkness (or sometimes referred to as the Shadow of Self) is where we stick our negativity/dark stuff we don't want to look at. When we shine light on it (look at what we hide - fears, ange...

Great Discussion Dana/Bill - I'm fascinated by your analyses ... it always amazes me that some people are able to articulate the moves/techniques so clearly in writing. For me I'm a 3-hit person... Read it, see it, do it ... before I understand it! Regarding Hsing ... Southern China in the 19th and ...

Oh, Al ... So sorry I never caught this thread. By the time you read this, I hope you are well on your way to recovery and feeling much better. Energy sent to you for your continued healing and well being...

Your friend,

One thing about training with a black top (which I really wish was standard).. IT DOESN'T SHOW THE SWEAT! Plus, if I come straight from work and forget to take my makeup off (a problem guys don't have) .... Question: How many GIs do you buy a year? It seems as though I go thru at least 2-3 gis a yea...

Losing of a pet is so very hard, they're all so very special. Animals are true receivers of energy. The times I'm sick or just 'down', my dog Zeus (Aussie/Border mix) will just come by & Curl up beside me and helps me feel better. In the Native world, it is taught that animals take on the energy...

I second that! The concentration and spirit were evident in the movements. As Dana said, the crouch definitely would contribute to conditioning/strength as well is indicative of the Tiger... strong muscles & sinews. You're lucky if you have the opportunity to learn/train under Sgt. Mstr. Franklin.

Almost forgot ... was our favorite Awamori Queen (Heather) able to find out the details of that mixture Sensei Tomoyose prepared for us? I could sure use some now. Give my best to Heather. I hope her bruises are finally better!

Dear Dana ... Thank you so much for your eloquent expressions of the memories of our trip. You are a most excellent observer & record keeper! Needless to say, I am still processing the memories, lessons and the experience. As Bill says, replaying in my mind -- "What does this mean to me ......

Martial Arts training knows no finitude. If you feel you have fulfilled the prupose of your discipline, you therein go against the pursuit of the Way. Devote your whole life to the cause of training. Die with a feeling of incompleteness. Then, you shall be highly valued by future generations as a m...

Hey Dana ... Great journal ... I doubt if any of us could improve on your notes! If I ever come out of this fog, I will try to compile the notes from my group's dojo visits. The MI group ended up not getting back until around 11 pm, due to an accident on I-94. The limo from O'Hare took forever routi...