There are certain moments in life when you want to freeze the frame. At the moment, during the meeting, randomly. For various reasons. Either because that moment is so beautiful that you don’t want it to end, or because you want to understand, digest the lesson that the Universe generously offers you.
Many times during training I hear Sensei say «you will always find someone stronger than you«. He is trying to make us understand that physical strength should not be used, things are more subtle and the technique must be applied to unbalance the opponent. Which I fully agree with. Let’s be serious. As far as I am concerned, it is not difficult for someone to be stronger than me. But even if I understand what he says and see the logic in Sensei’s speech, it is very difficult for me to get out of my own way. Every exercise I do in the gym, I ask myself comes to mind: «well, and if he is stronger than me, what do I do??«. Somehow, even though I realized that it wasn’t my physical strength that would get me out of trouble, I feel like I’m not connected enough to my body to use it effectively. And then I’m stuck in my rather reduced physical strength… Oh yeah! And there’s more: I’m not sure I have mass, even though logic and the laws of physics say otherwise. I still can’t say I fully understand the mystery of.»set the tableFor me it’s a very vague concept. I still have the impression that if I don’t have enough physical strength I won’t be able to do anything.
Well, in one of the ninjutsu training sessions, when I was supposed to unbalance the opponent and apply a technique, I heard my colleague say (a little exasperated): «don’t force your arms, you have to do it with the hip, with the hip, with the hip, with the hip«…As I listened to him repeat over and over what I should be doing, I realized that at that moment I wasn’t even aware that I had a hip, much less that I should be working on it. Then I remembered his words Antoine de Saint-Exupéry: «The stone does not aspire to be anything other than stone. But by collaborating it easily joins other stones and becomes a temple«. I’m still waiting for the various parts of my body to decide to cooperate with each other and act as a unified whole. I still hope that sooner or later I will be able to find the solution to connect them. I have achieved something, but it is only partial… However, it is a step forward.
At the beginning of the text I talked about the need to stop Time and enjoy the moment… I felt this sensation recently, when I held it in the palm of my hand one of the most powerful creatures on Earth. It’s about a rhinoceros beetle (also known as «caraban», «nasicorn» or «bull of God»), which despite its size (between 2 and 4 centimeters) can rise up to 850 times its own weight. It’s amazing how such a small being has such great strength. You can’t help but respect something like that!
As I admired this wonder of Nature, Sensei’s words about physical strength came to mind. I realized how relative everything is! I could have crushed the strongest being on Earth between my fingers (From what I’ve read there is no other creature on earth that can lift up to 850 times its own weight). And so, the strongest being on Earth would be crushed by a creature incapable of opening the lid of the jar of honey (or pickles, or whatever). Which would have been sad for both the cockroach and me. The cockroach would still be the stronger creature, unless it was crushed by a fool (i.e. me). And my violent gesture would have only been a sign of weakness. Sensei is right when he says that it is much more important how you use the enormous power you have…
Looking at my little «friend», I realized that, in fact, we are a bunch of vulnerabilities, and no well-articulated biceps, long worked in the gym, will ever be able to get rid of this «burden». I realized something in that moment: even if I expose myself in some way by writing about myself in this space, things that not all people are willing to write publicly, the truth is that I cannot tolerate my vulnerabilities. I know them but I don’t accept them. Or I struggle to really accept them. Exposing some of my fears, insecurities, is just one step. Vulnerability also means accepting the human condition in all its forms. It means accepting the natural and the unnatural equally. Because… these two entities validate each other and… one without the other could not exist in us.
I felt like a child (I often do). A child carrying the weight of adult clothes. And I don’t think I’m the only person in this situation. Whether we realize it or not, I believe we are all children forced by the seasons and the years to become adults. I’m sure Sensei is right when he says that a little kindness to ourselves would do us good. At least from time to time.
I thanked my little friend for the lesson and for reminding me that the perspective from which one looks at the «problem» is fundamental. Now all I have to do is put it into practice in training… you know, find my board, connect with my body, understand what the hip is supposed to do… strengthen the joints a little bit, be able to get to the point where I can say I can stand on my own two feet… Things like that… 🙂
latest posts published
Learn self-defense and improve your health at Dojo Shimahara
Discover the benefits of martial arts for children
Budokan Florianópolis opens a new Shotokan karate class for children
JKA Santa Catarina promotes trials to form the Santa Catarina team towards
book your place at the Shimahara Dojo lessons
Welcome to the new Shimahara Dojo website
from the meaning of the tracks to the transformation
a journey of strength, technique and transformation
«Iran dominates the first day of Karate 2023-Serie A Konya»
