When "No" Is a Good Word
Hi guys. Here was my take on last night's practice.
Over the last month I have been learning the Toyama Ryu Kata series. So far I have been taught the first three. I want to learn the rest of the series so bad, sometimes, I can taste it. And I want to learn them right now! So I practice what I remember whenever I have a spare moment. At the end of all of this practicing, my ego says "I'm ready". I'm ready for the next step, yonhon mae.
So, last night I asked Sensei, may I learn the next one. He said "sure... but show me the first three and then we'll go on from there". Well, he wasn't thrilled by my kata. I was rushing. I'm not reaching. I'm too small. The hands and feet are not moving together. The noto is way off. These are my list of standard corrections. But what made it all profound is how he said it to me. "As human beings it is our nature to rush, to run away from conflict. But we are working against those instincts. If we must stay, and not run, wouldn't it be better to neat and polished."
I didn't learn the fourth Toyama Ryu kata yesterday. He respectfully said "no". But I did learn something about myself. Its not how many times I practice that will help me improve. Its not when I say "I'm ready". It about structured and meaningful practice or practice that leads to perfection. In other words, perfect practice makes perfect. To become better one must hear the word "no" because this will help us inside and outside of the dojo.
So for tonight its back to batto and noto. Back to trying to execute a perfect batto followed by a perfect noto. Then everything else will fall into place whether I hear "yes" or "no".
Vincent
Over the last month I have been learning the Toyama Ryu Kata series. So far I have been taught the first three. I want to learn the rest of the series so bad, sometimes, I can taste it. And I want to learn them right now! So I practice what I remember whenever I have a spare moment. At the end of all of this practicing, my ego says "I'm ready". I'm ready for the next step, yonhon mae.
So, last night I asked Sensei, may I learn the next one. He said "sure... but show me the first three and then we'll go on from there". Well, he wasn't thrilled by my kata. I was rushing. I'm not reaching. I'm too small. The hands and feet are not moving together. The noto is way off. These are my list of standard corrections. But what made it all profound is how he said it to me. "As human beings it is our nature to rush, to run away from conflict. But we are working against those instincts. If we must stay, and not run, wouldn't it be better to neat and polished."
I didn't learn the fourth Toyama Ryu kata yesterday. He respectfully said "no". But I did learn something about myself. Its not how many times I practice that will help me improve. Its not when I say "I'm ready". It about structured and meaningful practice or practice that leads to perfection. In other words, perfect practice makes perfect. To become better one must hear the word "no" because this will help us inside and outside of the dojo.
So for tonight its back to batto and noto. Back to trying to execute a perfect batto followed by a perfect noto. Then everything else will fall into place whether I hear "yes" or "no".
Vincent
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