Today's Schedule:

7:45-8:45am Iaido

9:00-10:00am Children's Class

10:15-11:15am Open Aikido

Hara - "Stomach, belly" as in our vital center. In Japanese, they also say, "hara-gei" or traditional arts which require the use of one's center such as Aikido, tea ceremony, Noh dance. . . . . .

What is unusual is that this character for "hara" is lying on its side. and not straight up as it should be. This means, "Hara tatezu" of "Stomach not standing up (lying on it side) which also means, "Don't lose your temper!" (Don't let your stomach stand up!)

Whenever we see this odd character of stomach lying on its side, we should think to ourselves, "don't lose your temper!" This is a good reminder for us all.

Have an excellent day everyone!

Tired of Sex?

Whenever you say "sex," you can immediately gain everone's attention and focus - I even use it here to catch you!  I did not say, "tired of sex," however, I said, "tires and sex."  Such an odd thing to say, but I am referring to a commercial I saw the other day of a beautiful, slinky couple, embracing each other closely and dancing in the rain, with their drenched clothes clinging to their bodies. . . . .  another even sexier couple appear also dancing in the rain in the most erotic way - what is this?  Oh - it is a commercial to sell auto tires! 

It doesn't say how good the tires are or why they are better than the other brands of tires or why you should even buy them. . .  somehow, you focus on the clinging clothes to almost naked bodies closely embracing each other in a unusually erotic dance in the rain - and this is an indication of the "virtue" and "quality" of the tires.  No wonder, we do not know how to focus our attention to what we are doing. . .  our world today is so filled with "mis-direction,"  the technique employed by magicians to divert your attention so he can ply his magic on you.

Of course, who wants to listen to boring facts and statistics about why your tires are better than the others,  It is better to imagine yourself as your buff, tight muscular body in drench clothes is dancing sexily with a beautiful woman in the rain - of course, i want to buy the tires!

Martial arts practice is totally the "opposite" of this, I am afraid to say, - sorry!  Our practice is about being in the here and now and in the moment.  It is about ourselves as we are right at this very moment. . . . our practice cannot exist in the fantasy dream world of tires and sex. . . .that's right, I did not say, "tired of sex."