Attending Training

The first and foremost beginning of the class is not when the class itself started. But it is actually starting when we starts to shift our mind to training, at any time. We might have training tomorrow, but when we think about whether or not to come for the training, it is already started actually. The decision making to attend our training is a very important measure whether our training will be fruitful or not. I have a regular job myself, and sometimes I feel very tired, or running on deadlines, or maybe just plain bad weather. Those reasons are usually becoming our consideration to actually go for the training or not and of course, subsequently, determines whether or not our training for the day is actually a failure or a success.

Maybe we have prepared for the training the day before, the next morning, we bring all the training bag and office apparels to our office. In the afternoon, suddenly the rain pours down heavily and make us thinking if the rain doesn’t stop, we will not go for the training. Eventually one hour before training starts, it still drizzles outside, we want to go to the training, but in the other hand, our comfortable bed feels like a better choice in this cold weather. Or maybe the rain has stopped, but our body feels tired after working for the whole day. These examples show that training doesn’t begin when we bow to the shomen, but it can even begin one day before, when we fold our gi and pack our obi inside our bag. Going for our training is always difficult for everyone, but we have to strive to attend the training. This is also karate training, a mental and spiritual one. I am really impressed with Goodin Sensei’s article about a woman that is recovering from cancer but already very eager to resume her training. Hopefully I can always remember the story whenever my mind roams away from my training. please read the article here.