Author: Rob

I arrived at the dojo fairly early tonight and found the room locked and dark (we rent space in an athletic center). No worries, I thought, someone will come by to open it. After a while, a couple of my black belts (in their late teens) came and they waited patiently with me. Then one of my young white belt students and his mom came. The mom also stood patiently but the 6 year old white belt walked the 25 feet down the hall and tried the other door. Yup, it was unlocked the whole time. So there’s your lesson: think like a child and like a white belt – you’ll find doors open for you. Literally. #karate #martialarts #whitebelt #wisdom #dojo #funny #lotd #humility #embarrassing

Rob

I arrived at the dojo fairly early tonight and found the room locked and dark (we rent space in an athletic center). No worries, I thought, someone will come by to open it. After a while, a couple of my black belts (in their late teens) came and they waited patiently with me. Then one of my young white belt students and his mom came. The mom also stood patiently but the 6 year old white belt walked the 25 feet down the hall and tried the other door. Yup, it was unlocked the whole time. So there’s your lesson: think like a child and like a white belt – you’ll find doors open for you. Literally. #karate #martialarts #whitebelt #wisdom #dojo #funny #lotd #humility #embarrassing

Instagram filter used: Normal

Photo taken at: Vaughan Athletic Center

View in Instagram ⇒

“I mean, they say you die twice. One time when you stop breathing and a second time, a bit later on, when somebody says your name for the last time” – I came across this quote earlier today and it struck me as being relevant to another discussion I was having about #legacy and what it means to live on, if only by name, in the lineage charts of our #students who come after us. I read once that most of us are remembered for only three generations. But, by adding our names to the lineage of our students, we become as much a part of history of #karate as #Itosu, #Funakoshi, #Motobu and, perhaps, avoid the second death. #martialarts #meditation #history #budo #bushido #warrior #strength #mindfulness #innerstrength #innerpeace #mokuso

Rob

“I mean, they say you die twice. One time when you stop breathing and a second time, a bit later on, when somebody says your name for the last time” – I came across this quote earlier today and it struck me as being relevant to another discussion I was having about #legacy and what it means to live on, if only by name, in the lineage charts of our #students who come after us. I read once that most of us are remembered for only three generations. But, by adding our names to the lineage of our students, we become as much a part of history of #karate as #Itosu, #Funakoshi, #Motobu and, perhaps, avoid the second death. #martialarts #meditation #history #budo #bushido #warrior #strength #mindfulness #innerstrength #innerpeace #mokuso

Instagram filter used: Normal

Photo taken at: Naperville, Illinois

View in Instagram ⇒

Back to back nights in the #dojo signals the end of the flu at our house. FINALLY! Now I get to close out the day with some #meditation before #bedtime – practicing some #mokuso or “still thoughts”. The inscription on my bench is #isshan #dotei (one in #mind and #body) – meditation is an essential part of my #karate practice. #martialarts #bushido #budo #mindfulness #innerstrength #innerpeace #focus #visualization

Rob

Back to back nights in the #dojo signals the end of the flu at our house. FINALLY! Now I get to close out the day with some #meditation before #bedtime – practicing some #mokuso or “still thoughts”. The inscription on my bench is #isshan #dotei (one in #mind and #body) – meditation is an essential part of my #karate practice. #martialarts #bushido #budo #mindfulness #innerstrength #innerpeace #focus #visualization

Instagram filter used: Normal

Photo taken at: Naperville, Illinois

View in Instagram ⇒