Recently I got hold of a book about some guy’s random thoughts and views on all things karate and training related. The overview had me immediately sold and thought I could be close friends with this gentleman straight away! A stranger on the other side of the world, doing a different style, from a different generation, yet be on the same page as us when it comes to many thoughts and feelings.
The only thing disappointing about the read was I expected to be shocked and offended (as stated in his overview - “My book comes with a warning because at times I am brutally honest”.) But as I was reading thought by thought (or chapter by chapter) I was smirking and jumping up and down like Tom Cruise did on Oprah in agreement with a lot of the stuff written. This guy sounds just like me I was thinking to myself, my own karate life that someone else had written. (Might as well stick my own face on the cover and edit the book here and there 😊, though I’m sure my version would truly offend others and result in daily death threats)
Anyway, a karateka who I have never met, with very similar beliefs and experiences who I feel much more closer and connected to than the majority of karate people out there whom I actually know in real life. The power of raw honesty I guess can either really offend or connect people closer. And for those of you that want to know what book it is, simply say the magic words - " HAAAY GOOGLE". I'll let you go and find out what book it is yourself.....
On the subject of books, I am currently reading something titled “Breath”. Not really karate related (or is it?) but one line that stood out for me was a statement relating to how breathing can kill us or heal us depending on how we used it –research dating back to 400 BCE in documents from the Chinese Tao era. One student that has been with us for quite some time, left his previous club as a result of peeing blood from over-exerting himself during sanchin. His ex-instructor misinformed who didn’t know what he was doing passing on crap to his followers maybe?
Another random thought that popped up while reading this, was on an early trip to Okinawa one year and our first visit to Hichiya Dojo, we were greeted by an elderly man (Yes, Hichiya Sensei). A super strong person in his 80's and probably stronger than most half his age, really tested our sanchin limits - an experience we will never forget. Anyway, after training that day, he spoke to us about how a good daily dose of sanchin in the correct manner will enable a long healthy life. Not really seeing the connection at the time, but later on when delving deeper into the breathing side of things did I understand what he was trying to get at. Only into the first few chapters of the book, but so far so good.
