This was a brain exercises that I committed to memory and has become a favourite amongst my students.
Beats and Budo
Several months ago, one of my fellow iaidoka (AKA, “The Tiny Samurai”) posed a question to Kim Taylor sensei of Sei Do Kai with regards to beats and budo. Taylor sensei shared some of his thoughts here, then made a reference to me (AKA, “The Tinier Samurai”) to try tackling the question.
When I first began my Iai journey in the mid 2000s, I recognized immediately the many shared themes between music and martial arts. Beats and budo, now this is something that I have been grappling with since Day One.
My Season of Firsts: The Grief Journey So Far
My KonMari Journey: Clothes and Books
My KonMari journey began last summer, after several friends urged me all spring to give it a try. I liked the idea of decluttering by category versus room as well as going from easy (clothes), gradually working our way up to hard (sentimental items).
Before jumping in though, I checked out some YouTube videos on the subject. I especially enjoyed watching Lavendaire's video on organizing her closet:
Lessons I Learned from My Dog
Today marks the seven-week anniversary of Maestro crossing Rainbow Bridge. As anyone who has grieved for a loved one knows, it's an emotional roller coaster, with grief hitting you in waves.
I've had some time to reflect upon what I have learned from my sidekick and furkid. If one could put Maestro's life philosophies into words, I'd say they are..