...even me. Yes, many probably do not know that over my lifetime I have taken about four years of martial arts training - back when I was ~28, again at 32. So, how did this all get started again? Well, I'm reading this book called
Anxious to Please: 7 Revolutionary Practices for the Chronically Nice. (This link goes to the book's authors' site.) I chose the book based on some recent self-reflection - not just for the obvious subject matter (chronic niceness!), but other things that the book lists in its table of contents. One of my favorite sections talks about writing down - even if it exists vaguely in your head - your personal ethic. I think the act of writing it down is what makes it different - seeing it all there in words. Might be an interesting blog challenge (can't think of that crazy word that sounds like neem, I think.) I enjoyed a milder version of an "ethic" here at
this cool blog called Dacia Ray, which I found while lolling about at
Craft Lolly, another fun blog. Anyway..........I find that when I don't consciously live my personal ethic, but rather ebb and flow based on other people's expectations and beliefs, that I feel like I'm bidding on bluegrass concert tickets and don't like bluegrass. Things get off kilter, disingenuous. While the problem isn't huge, I'm always looking to improve moi-self, so I'm taking steps.
So, karate, what about the karate? In the book, it mentions the benefits of martial arts for nice folks. Not just because it equips you with ninja fighting techniques (hee hee), but because it increases your confidence (to live your personal ethic) and comes with the byproducts of better balance, fitness (I can barely breathe today after last night's class, I'm so sore), and overall feeling of self-sufficiency. Last night was my first class and I'm signing up for 6 months. We'll see after that. They "issued" me my
white belt at the end of class, in front of everyone. Kinda funny because 12 years earlier I was issued one in that very
dojo, which the
sensei mentioned as he was tying it around my waist.
While I had high hopes of becoming warrior woman and renewing my martial arts skills, my last trip to the dojo proved to be a little disconcerting. For starters, the school has changed from what it was 12 years ago. There is much less emphasis on technique and form (which builds confidence in using those skills) and a TON of focus on sparring. I found myself too far outside my comfort zone with the grappling and sumo wrestling (like, wait, isn't this karate class?), and the final straw came when one of the students got his leg broken during some intense sparring (complete with screaming and being carried out to be taken to the hospital.) This, my friends, was the recipe to send this girl packing up her gee bound for the nearest yoga class. Ommmmmmmmmmmm.
