Creativity

[Ekai]

Re: Creativity

Jodi,
Well said!

As I read this and your other posts/thoughts on the martial arts, I think your students are very fortunate to have you as a teacher.

Gassho,
Yugen

Thank you! I hope the students like me anyway. Teaching is so much fun and the kids are so cute!

Gassho,
Jodi

Re: Creativity

Jodi,
Well said!

As I read this and your other posts/thoughts on the martial arts, I think your students are very fortunate to have you as a teacher.

Gassho,
Yugen

[Ekai]

Re: Creativity

Yugen,

I hope I do find a good teacher. I have a particular feeling about a little Tai Kwon Do place nearby. I feel like avoiding the larger studios that teach mainly little kids and seem to be more like a daycare.

Gassho,

Amelia

Here are the essential qualities to look for in a martial arts instructor:

1. Knowledge: Knowledge in the area of instruction is a must. An instructor needs to be informative; however, the class is only as good as the instructor’s attitude on that given day.
2. Enthusiasm: Enthusiasm is a must. Enthusiasm is not taught, it’s caught. Good teachers are dynamic and show passion for their martial art, their school and teaching students.
3. Patience: Patience is an instructor’s best friend. It takes time and repetition for students to learn the techniques and it varies from student to student.
4. Love: Instructor must really care for their students.
5. Understanding: They should view things from the student’s viewpoint.
6. Compassion: Instructors help their students through frustrating moments.
7. Punctuality: Punctuality is a sign of dependability and is a required for all instructors.
8. Cleanliness: An instructor’s uniform should be clean and pressed. Personal grooming should never be neglected.

An instructor should always be an EXAMPLE of the benefits of martial arts training, not only in the school, but also in society.

I hope this helps.

Gassho,
Jodi

Re: Creativity

Amelia,
Follow your intuition.... if you have a good feeling about it check it out. Visit some classes. In some dojos senior students teach classes or assist the Sensei in class. The quality of their practice, and attitude, will be a reflection of their teacher, and the attitude she/he establishes in the school. Look for this - it will give you important clues as to the atmosphere of the school.

Good luck!

Gassho,
Yugen

[Amelia]

Re: Creativity

Yugen,

I hope I do find a good teacher. I have a particular feeling about a little Tai Kwon Do place nearby. I feel like avoiding the larger studios that teach mainly little kids and seem to be more like a daycare.

Gassho,

Amelia

Re: Creativity

Martial Arts are ultimately about energy, and how to manage it. Physical energy is a manifestation of emotional and spiritual energy. I am reminded of the teacher who was approached by a new student seeking to be taught in martial arts:

Student: I would like to learn self defense...
Teacher: Which self is it that you wish to defend?

My Sensei, a tough old Marine Gunny who kickboxed full contact/bare knuckle way before MMA became all the rage, taught us "if you want to learn self defense go buy a pistol."

Yamaoka Tesshu, the 19th Century sword master, was asked what school or ryu he belonged to - and he responded "I belong to the school of eyes horizontal and nose vertical" - reflecting his study of Dogen! My own martial arts practice these days is mostly spent on the cushion - and I do still periodically practice sword kata with a Bokken outside - the trees keep me company.

There is no question that martial arts practice (and other bodywork disciplines) lend all sort of physical, mental, and even spiritual benefits. There are many beneficial practices that allow us to enter the way of harmonization of body and mind - all of them worthy - aikido, judo, kyuki-do, karate, pilates, yoga, tai chi, too many to name.

Amelia, I hope you find a good teacher! Sometimes the quality of the teacher is more important than the discipline you select!

Gassho,
Yugen

[Emmet]

Re: Creativity

My inkin bell as it was:



My inkin bell with a turned white oak handle:



Aside from the aesthetics, the new handle tucks into my obi quite well.

[michaeljc]

Re: Creativity

I am a really really bad artist. Freestyle crafting, such as in sculpture, I am a little better with. I feel more comfortable fashioning words but – interestingly - I do not have the same urge to write since becoming more active in my sitting practice. Haiku have abandoned me of late.

However I do go passionately into mechanical design using CAD. Over the last months I have started to master 3D on a new program recently purchased whch has given me wings on which to fly. What sitting has done is to nullify the importance of deadlines – you know like the dude who burnt all his carved sutras to keep a stranger warm and then set about re-writing them.

Cheers

m

[RichardH]

Re: Creativity

A Harder challenge has been to bring that creative mindset to everything in life.

Thats the thing. If the Dharma was just about non-duality in art making (or Judo), it would be a cinch. But what about when that painting gets damaged at the gallery, or when the market tanks and it doesn't sell. What is practice then? ..... What about when the shit hits the fan, which it seems to do in a continuous stream? :lol:

[Omoi Otoshi]

Creativity

Hi Jodi!

Anyone can punch or kick and I agree it is more humbling to utterly fail a throw than to throw a really bad punch, but I'm not sure one is more difficult than the other to master. Learning to kick or punch really well, with perfect form, perfect distance, perfect timing and perfect force is hard...

I'm not a Judo black belt and I don't want to paint myself as a martial arts master... Only once or twice have I experienced a glimpse into being one with the throw and never in a competition or "competitive" full force randori situation. The old Samurai could probably keep their minds like water in the face of overwhelming odds, while I lose it as soon as my friend in the white pyyamas accidentally steps on my toe...

To get into the flowing, non-thinking, moving Zen-like randori, it helps if the partner is not afraid of getting thrown. Most times in Randori what you get is a battle of the egos, where both persons want to "win". Instead of stiff arming, fighting for grips, bending over and playing defensively, I like randori a lot more when the arms are relaxed, you stand up straight, dance around on light feet and don't mind falling when thrown well. In this kind of ego-less but intense randori, it is much easier to let the Judo do itself, without thinking. And this is why I suggest Aikido before Judo. Judo is often very competitive, while there should be no competitiveness in Aikido.

/Pontus

[andyZ]

Re: Creativity

Jodi,

I think this book will be interesting to you. John Daido Loori was a photographer himself and his approach to Zen training has art practice as an essential part of it.
http://www.amazon.com/Zen-Creativity-Cu ... 528&sr=8-1

[Ekai]

Re: Creativity

This is why I would like to find a skillful martial arts teacher sometime soon...

If I were looking for moving Zen in martial arts, I would try Aikido first. Many Judo and Karate teachers, especially in the west, view these arts as sports only, which is a pity. Not that you can't find Zen in doing martial arts as a sport, but I think the transition from Zazen to moving Zen would be more natural in Aikido.

I have been in martial arts for about 12 years. Kyuki-Do is the main focus of my martial arts training with the fortune of having great teachers. The teaching is an essential component to the student's development in martial arts. Martial arts is definitely more than a sport. Students realize their own potential, both physically, mentally and spiritually. Effective teachers help students learn discipline, self-control, patience, persistence and respect for themselves and others. Martial artists are expected to keep challenging themselves, both in the do jang, and in every other area of their life.

Kyuki-Do is a Korean martial art that primarily incorporates elements of Tae Kwon Do, Hapkido and Judo /Juijuistu, street fighting and weapons techniques. Since this art is comprised of other styles , my school offers Judo and Aikido classes. I agree that the blending martial arts styles are like moving Zen. However, Judo and Aikido is so humbling and more difficult than just punching or kicking like in Karate or Tae Kwon Do. Using good technique and going with the flow without thinking about it or muscling the technique takes practice.

The same thing with martial arts. In Judo for example, first comes intentionally throwing by breaking balance and applying full force, then you get more skillful, more focused, more prepared, Mind like Water. Throws come naturally flowing. Finally there are moments when you are being balance, being motion, being effortless throwing, everything throwing and being thrown, pure action without intent. Moving Zen.

I really like Judo and is so much fun but my Mind is not Like Water yet during Randori I am lucky to execute a good throw and usually get thrown A LOT by the higher ranks. But I know it will get better with practice and perseverance!

Thanks,
Jodi

[christopher:::]

Re: Creativity

I've never studied martial arts, but have long appreciated the sayings of Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido. I also found the book "Zen and the Art of Archery" to be helpful. Many people need to work with a teacher to "get" Zen as activity but in the end practice is most important, imo, and that is something we can do anytime, on our own. Learning to focus closely on what you're doing. After basic skills have been developed thoughts start to drop away naturally, i think, as all the senses are actively engaged with the art or activity - be it cooking, martial arts, drawing, playing piano, making love, etc...

[Omoi Otoshi]

Creativity

If I were looking for moving Zen in martial arts, I would try Aikido first. Many Judo and Karate teachers, especially in the west, view these arts as sports only, which is a pity. Not that you can't find Zen in doing martial arts as a sport, but I think the transition from Zazen to moving Zen would be more natural in Aikido.

[Amelia]

Re: Creativity

...In Judo for example, first comes intentionally throwing by breaking balance and applying full force, then you get more skillful, more focused, more prepared, Mind like Water...

This is why I would like to find a skillful martial arts teacher sometime soon...