The Silk Thread of Gorindo - Ottawa - Canada
Issue VIII
- Martial Arts: Choosing the Right Way
- The Simple Act of Breathing (Part 4)
Photo cover Roxanne Standefer sensei at the Gorindo Dojo, Ottawa, May 2011, by Claudio Iedwab
Martial Arts: Choosing the Right Way
People begin studying martial arts for many reasons. Young children often join an after-school class alongside other activities like soccer, basketball or piano lessons. There have been waves of participation that have followed popular crazes like the Ninja Turtles and Karate Kid. In most cases parents have hoped that the activity would bring a little discipline to their child’s lives and that while burning off some energy, they might learn a little self-defense.
The Simple Act of Breathing (Part 4)
Prana is the Sanskrit word for the energy given off by the movement and flow of things in our universe, and is often associated with water and earth that is vibrant and alive. Breathing in the spray of waves crashing, waterfalls flowing, and the scent of verdant forests, fields, or jungles, has always brought joy and health to the human spirit. Whether viewed as the complex interactions of molecules of oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, and carbon-based life forms, or metaphysically as a divine union with ki (life force), this effect of Nature is basically what defines our lives as humans. The simple basis of the natural systems that allow us to exist should humble and amaze us, and the delicacy of the balance required for our survival deserves our respect.
The Learning Kiai (Part 4)
Learning for the Right Reasons
There are many stories associated with the history and traditions of the martial arts. Some have become legends, and are strongly influenced by the philosophy of Zen, which utilizes fables and questioning koan (Zen riddles designed to bring a student past intellectualization to intuition) to illustrate, educate and sometimes frustrate those who wish to follow its teachings...
Gorindo Videos
Gorindo Kata Kiito Sandan (front & back) for 7th Kyu Green Belt, by Claudio Iedwab
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