Thanks once again for attending last nights practice, in particular our visitors from near and far, your efforts were appreciated. It's been a good week for kendo in that we've had two days of Intensive Training with the British Squad and two weeks where new practice partners have stretched our abilities and challenged our skills.
Summer is a time where many dojo find numbers slowly drop off as there seem to be far more interesting things to do on a warm evening than stand in a hall and sweat yourself stupid for two hours. Thankfully, for the most part, we have had relatively good numbers attending which is rewarding for us as we are seeing people week in, week out, improving through our efforts. Presumably it's also rewarding for those who attend regularly as they will be experiencing that progression first hand and not feel intimidated by the challenges ahead.
It's understandable that every day life can impact on training which may prevent attendance, therefore can you please make every effort to let us know if you cannot come to practice. If we know individuals are not coming we can aim to start practice sooner rather than later. Aside from that, it's part of dojo etiquette and common courtesy to those who do attend that they will not be benefiting from your presence. More importantly, if you have been loaned club armour you have taken on the responsibility of turning up regularly. If you cannot make that commitment it is only fair that you return the bogu so that someone else who can be at practice every week can benefit and progress. For greater understanding of this please refer to my post on Giri 義理
So, if you can't make it to practice please let someone know through the forum, facebook or email [use the link at the bottom of http://www.liverpoolkendo.co.uk/]. There's plenty of options so there's really no excuse. Thank you for your understanding and as a reminder there is NO kata on Monday, it's a bank holiday so please DO NOT turn up, you'll be disappointed!
Showing posts with label giri. Show all posts
Showing posts with label giri. Show all posts
Thursday, 25 August 2011
Thursday, 25 November 2010
Giri 義理
According to wikipedia 'Giri 義理 is a Japanese value roughly corresponding to "duty", "obligation", or even "burden of obligation" in English. It is defined as "to serve one's superiors with a self-sacrificing devotion" by Namiko Abe.'
Joining a kendo club is very different to joining your local gym. We all come together to take part in an activity that is supposed to hone the mind, body and spirit, without this in mind we're just folks in a dance hall hitting each other with sticks. It's the duty of all to come with the intent to improve themselves, for those with experience to pass on that experience and help those newer to the art to advance. For those that are just beginning it's important to take on board the lessons and advice given and do your best to improve. It's often said that the most important people in a club are not necessarily the ones who are the best, it's the ones who come week in, week out regardless of their ability but in an effort to get better and support the club.
Another example of Giri 義理 exhibited by the club is how we 'subsidise' the members. Either through the additional 2 kata lessons a month, entrance fees for team competitions or more simply [but no less important] the use of club armour. We appreciate that kendo bogu is expensive and not everyone can invest in armour from day one, nor would we wish them to. Sometimes the getting into armour changes your view on kendo, some people enjoy it more, some people discover it is not what they thought it was after all. So having armour to loan to beginners is an important obligation that Liverpool Kendo Club is proud to perform.
We do not ask for payment or even a deposit, this again is our understanding that if we loan armour to you you will look after it and come to practice to make good use out of it, that is your obligation. If club armour is not being used but is in the possession of a member it stops another beginner, who is ready and willing to make the best use of it, from progressing. For all the beginners who have stuck it out since September we are extremely grateful for your continued efforts and hard work. We've seen considerable improvements and we hope you are feeling a sense of belonging within the club. For this reason we will be looking hard at who has club armour and how much commitment they have shown so we can ensure we have available kit for you once you are ready to take it up. In the mean time I suggest you speak to Sensei next week about whether he thinks you are ready to ask Santa to bring you hakama and keiko-gi.
Don't forget Joe is organising a Christmas meal at Etsu on Friday 10th December. I never usually go to these things but this year I'm making an exception so check out the details on the forum. Practice hard, play hard as they say.
Joining a kendo club is very different to joining your local gym. We all come together to take part in an activity that is supposed to hone the mind, body and spirit, without this in mind we're just folks in a dance hall hitting each other with sticks. It's the duty of all to come with the intent to improve themselves, for those with experience to pass on that experience and help those newer to the art to advance. For those that are just beginning it's important to take on board the lessons and advice given and do your best to improve. It's often said that the most important people in a club are not necessarily the ones who are the best, it's the ones who come week in, week out regardless of their ability but in an effort to get better and support the club.
Another example of Giri 義理 exhibited by the club is how we 'subsidise' the members. Either through the additional 2 kata lessons a month, entrance fees for team competitions or more simply [but no less important] the use of club armour. We appreciate that kendo bogu is expensive and not everyone can invest in armour from day one, nor would we wish them to. Sometimes the getting into armour changes your view on kendo, some people enjoy it more, some people discover it is not what they thought it was after all. So having armour to loan to beginners is an important obligation that Liverpool Kendo Club is proud to perform.
We do not ask for payment or even a deposit, this again is our understanding that if we loan armour to you you will look after it and come to practice to make good use out of it, that is your obligation. If club armour is not being used but is in the possession of a member it stops another beginner, who is ready and willing to make the best use of it, from progressing. For all the beginners who have stuck it out since September we are extremely grateful for your continued efforts and hard work. We've seen considerable improvements and we hope you are feeling a sense of belonging within the club. For this reason we will be looking hard at who has club armour and how much commitment they have shown so we can ensure we have available kit for you once you are ready to take it up. In the mean time I suggest you speak to Sensei next week about whether he thinks you are ready to ask Santa to bring you hakama and keiko-gi.
Don't forget Joe is organising a Christmas meal at Etsu on Friday 10th December. I never usually go to these things but this year I'm making an exception so check out the details on the forum. Practice hard, play hard as they say.
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