SAVE THE DATES – – FRIDAY, AUGUST 2ND AND SATURDAY, AUGUST 3RD, WHICH ARE THE DAYS FOR OUR FIRST OVERNINGT TRAINING SESSION AT OUR HOME.
This overnight camping and training experience is open to all students. Those students, under 10, are encouraged to bring an adult for the overnight portion of the event.
You will need:
A tent (if you wish) (OR make plans to share)
Sleeping bag or blanket
Sleeping clothes
Flashlight
Toothbrush, insect repellent, etc
Karate uniform
Gym bag to put items in when not being used
Old sneakers & socks – mandatory for the river
Extra socks – t-shirts – sneakers
Clothes to change into after the workouts
* * * LABEL ALL UNIFORMS & GYM BAGS * * *
Parents are welcome to come and watch any portion of the day. Lawn chairs are recommended for the family gathering at the end of the session. We will be setting up tents, etc at 7pm. Organized classes and experiences will be conducted both Friday and Saturday.
We will provide Friday snacks, Saturday breakfast, lunch, drinks, snacks and hot dogs and hamburgers, as well as turkey burgers for dinner. All cups, utensils, plates will be provided.
Saturday at 2:30 P.M. demonstration and promotion ceremonies (including black belt promotions, hopefully) will be followed by dinner. Please sign up with Kyoshi or Renshi Hughes to bring a cover dish for the dinner. Please put a nametag on dishes you want returned so we may get them back to you quickly . . . or take them before you leave.
* * * FURTHER INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION FORMS WILL PROVIDED SOON * * *
Ideas become Reality
Many great advances in history have started with ideas created within the imagination of individuals. Ideas that are powerful within the mind become so real that they are almost tangible. The person who is afraid of what monster may be in the closet or under the bed, especially when it’s dark, at times can not be convinced that there is nothing of which to be afraid. As has been said, ‘whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you are right.’ An idea is not tangible but the creation of the vision may become real. Ideas that are created within the mind may become a part of one’s consciousness. For some the imagination is strong enough that what is thought about can be seen mentally and may become real. Kata is a real fight against imaginary opponents. There are at least four opponents we encounter in our katas. If they are seen our training becomes more real than if we just go through the prescribed motions without seeing the opponents and the attacks. Isshin-ryu Karate started with the ‘vision’ though a dream by Tatuso Shimabuku prior to 1957. There is a bit of a mystery behind the story where one version finds him being challenged to a fight by a stranger while sleeping after a training session. Being a gentleman he declined and what happened next is a part of what created the patch we wear on our gis.
For a thought to become real we must BELIEVE what we imagine IS possible. Some people say that idea is “nothing” because it cannot be seen except with the inner eye. It cannot be held because it is not tangible in the early stages. It is possible to turn this “nothing” into reality, especially ideas and imaginations, into something through believing that it is now possible. The concepts of personal ideas becoming reality are found within the teachings in Rhonda Byrne’s Secret.
A result of one’s sincere belief is the creation of PASSION and INTENSITY toward the idea. This desire to create a real thing needs the inner fire to drive one forward beyond any negative thoughts from others. Too often in our society people try to stop the creation of new or different ideas. Being unique or different is not seen in today’s world as being a positive trait to be promoted. The thoughts expressed by Marianne Williamson from “A Return To Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles” is also found in the movie “Coach Carter”, showing it is proper to have the Passion and Intensity to want to succeed.
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. ”
Karate training instills the qualities of DISCIPLINE, PERSISTENCE AND FOCUS within each person who trains properly. Our art is an intrinsic endeavor, finding the highest rewards to be the mental and emotional growth within the individual. Being able to overcome self doubt about one’s ability to learn the moves of each kata is a struggle many students face. As discipline is developed, the student creates the abilities to form proper stances, utilize advanced angles that may be transferred into sparring techniques and find the mind is able to focus on individual concepts or tune out distractions that may be helpful in competition, school or work situations.
Lastly, for ideas to become reality there is need for ACTION AND MOMENTUM. If one only thinks about an idea and does nothing to work toward making it real, nothing will occur except frustration. Again, thinking about O’Sensei Tatsuo Shimabuku, the dream to create a form of karate that emphasized the best aspects of Goju-ryu (a strong rooted style) and Shorin-ryu (a quick flowing style) became in time what we study, Isshin-ryu (One Heart Way). The masters on Okinawa did not embrace Master Shimabuku’s desire to create another style. Many roadblocks were placed in his way, but with belief in his desires, dedication to karate and his new art, passion to see his dream realized and accepted, as well as the discipline, persistence and focus to rise above criticism, he began to teach Marines based on Okinawa. Many of these Marines returned to their homes and started to teach about this new style and the unknown elements found within karate.
Today we do not suffer the rejections faced by the forerunners of karate and Isshin-ryu. Many styles like Jui-jitsu, judo, MMA, Mixed Martial Arts and numerous self-created ‘karate’ styles are found in most places across the country and the world. Some have a foundation that may be traced back hundreds of years, while others are the dream of someone to create a way to promote one’s self to a high rank and maybe stand the test of time.
When I started to study the martial arts, the numbers of people in classes could be counted on one hand, but those individuals were dedicated and passionate about their art. In 1973 when I started to study Isshin-ryu, again, classes were small until the “Kung Fu” movie craze and then class sizes exploded. Today there are many high ranking black belts because of this popular program’s influence and their continued desire to advance within their chosen art. There are more than eight black belts who have been training consistently in our dojo for more than 25 years. What is your dream or vision for the future? Will you be the next wave to continue to promote good traditional, unchanged, Isshin-ryu? The instructors of the dojo are here to help lead and motivate.
