The next few days were a challenge at work since walking up and down stairs is not my freind. I had origionally intened to go back to the dojo for Wedsnesday night so I could maybe get my first weapons class. But as luck would have it Weds rolled around and I had to make a choice. I opted to stay home and let myself further recouperate a littel more.
On my days off I DID however try and get my 15 minutes of sitting in, with moderate success. I really think I should try and push myself in that direction as well as going to classes.
Because of working on Orothodox Jewish Girl School plays such the one about the Orphan with the red hair(thats RIGHT I refuse to name the show forever more), I found myself with another Friday NIght to myself. BRILLIANT!
I did some some quick laundry and found myself to the dojo. I arrived quite a bit early and tried stretched a bit in attempt to fend off the sore muscles. This time... I went through the majority of the warmups with no additional instruction... right up until the point where we started to roll. Sensei asked one of the other students to give me a quick tutorial on rolling. Surpisingly enough.. I actually knew how to roll rather effectively, on my right side. For some reason when I rolled on my left I had a small issue. When I say small issue I mean I somehow drove my shoulder straight into the mat... OWWWWW!!!! This was also the shoulder a couple of months ago decided to start to dislocate while working on a call at Steppenwolff... again... OWWW!!! The student, whose name I really cannto remember showed me where I went wrong, I didn't quite tuck enough... I will never do THAT again. All in all things went fairly well, I made it through the warmups... still widned, but a littel less winded than I was the last time... You know each time I get a littel further in a workout or class without hurting, breathing hard, or being exhausted, an Avett brothers song begins to play in my head, 'Maybe I don't have to be good, but I can try to be at least a little bit better than I've been so far...' One thing I am focusing on Matt's suggestion is slowing down my breathing and learning to conserve energy. I am used to doing everything with such force that I end up using most of my energy early in class... This has been mentioned to me more than once now... My how old haibts die hard.
Looking back I can barely remember the techniques we learned that night. Things in these classes move VERY quickly so I feel a littel bit at a loss. I know ulitamtely we will come back to things, but I also know now that things are no longer slowing down because of 'the new guy.' which brings me some solace. Class seemed like it ended VERY quickly. Now where I had beaten feet before second and third classes... tonight I was determined to stay a little bit longer. Now I will openly admit that my choice to stay was based at least in part that the classes were a littel less physical. The second class of the evening was simply known as Internal training. I wasn't fully sure what to exepct. What I did notice is that Sensei, Rich, and another student all changed gi tops.
The internal training class was actually quite a relief. Most fo what we covered were breathing techniqued, stances, more breathing, and soft movement, and breathing... I am not sure if we knew this before, but apparently breathing is IMPORTANT! One of the breathing techniques that stodd out to me was alternating nostrils when breathing. This technique is actualyl VERY simple and I would recommend it to anyone. Take a nice easy stance, a high horse stance is actually quite comfortable. Using the thumb of your left hand gently push closed your left nostril and inhale deeply (if you know how to belly breathe this is a GREAT time to do so.) on the exhale exhale through your nose but with your pinky plug the right side of your nose. I was fully expecting to have problems with this technique due to my allergies and general sinus congestion, but ultiamtely I cleared right up. Repeat this 10 time breathing in on the Right side of your nose and out on the left. Then reverse In 10 times on the left, Out 10 times on this right. Wow... what a feeling to NOT have my sinuses crammed full all the time. I wonder if this is going to help with my allergies down the road.
Next in internal training we did a meditation. This time however it was unlike the Zen meditations as this one was done in seiza (kneeling) as opposed to on your rear (not sure of the name just yet). We were asked to close our eyes and visualize a glowing egg of pure light and positive energy on top of our heads. This egg opens and releases a thick goo of warm and healing energy, like a salve upon your soul. Gently is begins to flow down over your body. The ooze works its way down your body taking all the discomfort, pain, ugliness, and to quote sensei the bad crap, and pushes it down though you... slowly...until all of this has been placed to the ground and you are left with light, energy, and well-being. Sensei suggested we do this daily before bed as it will boost our lengevity and well-being through lives... Oddly enough, I belive he might be right. It truly is amazing the power the mind has over the body, positive AND negative.
The interanl Traning class actually seemed to fly by... then... it was tiem for Zen meditation again. I asked if I could help setup and i was quickly instrusted the proper way to place the cushions. The opening of any overs was to go away from the front of the dojo. I am sure this must have something to do with Feng Shui in some way shape or form, but boy I wold be lying if I said I understand all the implications. Now when moving into the space for meditation, I noticed, this time Matt was not at the head of the class but Rich was and Sensei actually mediatated with us. I know there is a name for this position, but I have not yet any idea what it is. The last time if we remember the mediation was broken into three sections. I have to wonder now if that was for my benefit. Tonight however, there was only two, and they seemed interminanbly long.
The first session I was actually pretty well prepared for. I made it the entire time without breaking until I realized my right foot was COMPLETELY numb. Not like pins and needles or just a littel numb.. NOPE. I am talking I could not move my toes, foot, or leg of my own volition. Like it felt like I had a giant rubber leg or that my bones had been removed by a misaimed spell from the Harry Potter books. I will admit, I wans't quite mentally prepared for this... I panicked slightly. As quietly as I could I tried to move to a postion I get a bit of feeling back... Gods I hate fidgeting during meditation.
Interestingly enough, I DID find a couple insights while meditating this time around. I sort of found myself getting lost in thoughts about spirituality and wondering if the devotion to this Zen ideal was going to change my perceptions about religion and spirituality. Well, in some small way it did. I found myself reaffirmed in my beleif that no one religion has all the answers nor probably will. God is found in all of us, IS all of us, but also beyond all of us. The only differences between religions is ultiamtely how we define God or Deity in general. When you get down to it though all religions connect at thier top point. Pagans, Ancient Greeks, Hindus, Romans, Celts, etc belive in multiple Gods or multiple faces of god (depends on definition of course) but in each of thier creation stories relate back to one large entity, Chaos, Kronos (time), The Universe, etc... Is THIS idea God? Chrsitians, Jews, and Muslims, have that larger top force too... God. Where the definition changes is as we move down the ranks. The Hindus have deified actual people they belive are a manifestation of God(at least that is my understanding of it), didn't the Christians do the same thing? Muslims? Bhuddists? ... Only defference is the details of the story and the definition of what God or A God is... this is something for me to ponder more later.
Almost as quickly as it had started meditation was over and it was time to go ask Roshi a question. I asked about the numbness and Sensei smiled...' 25 years I have been doing this and my legs STILL go numb, I am not sur eif you noticed but I limped off the mat. My legs were completely numb and asleep. Its is normal...' WOAH!!! Really??? so I have decided in future meditation I should take the numbness as a blessing instead there could be a lot of pain. We wrapped up the Zen class, cleaned up, and readied to depart. Sensei congratulated me on my first triple class. That always feels nice when someone takes notice... anyhow we conversed a bit. He asked if I had any exciting new projects coming. I made mention of the Red-Haird Orphan and we all had a good chuckle. I also made mention of my new gig for the fall with Bill Blagg the magician. He laughed and said... Wow you're like the Wizards apprectice or something...
I really do like it here. While there is a definite respect of Sensei as teacher, it becomes very apparent, he IS human. I will be intrigued to see how things devlop.
Quick Reflections:
I need to use less energy or use my energy more efficiently.
I need to NOT panic when my foot falls asleep with meditation... its normal.
Religion and Spirtuality are still a VERY cetner focus in my being. I think I need to explore the conenction of the relgigions a littel more in depth. it seems to me I am on to something.
Next time: 'D' picks up a sword and drinks a beer... YUP in the dojo.
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