A Series of Personal Shared

Teachings By

Garry O'Connor Hanshi

TO DISCOVER MEANINGFUL PURPOSE

Here I wish to share with you my humble reflection as a youthful  denshi - student who had just taken his first steps across the threshold of the traditional dojo, “indeed a true place of enlightenment.”

When I first entered our traditional dojo, I felt that I had entered a different world which was being suspended in time, the atmosphere was powerful yet calming, as I experienced the wisdom that flowed from my traditional Sensei.

At first, I did not envisage what would be ahead of me, I tried to comprehend what was expected of me as a traditional student, here I would imagine many thoughts of reason. It was during one of our intense three-hour training sessions that I discovered just how fortunate I was, to have been accepted as a student of my Sensei. It was at this moment  the thought of “training with meaningful purpose” had entered my mind for the very first time, directly before me was a true traditional Sensei  sharing his skill and culture with me, I would go on to appreciate my years with him as “timeless moments.” Throughout these powerful training sessions my Sensei would reveal to me the traditional etiquettes that he himself studied from his teachers. This would be the beginning of my martial arts journey in the traditional ways of Budo.

It was during another of our powerful training session's that I felt  I could offer no more of myself, it was at this moment of weakness I heard these words of encouragement from my Sensei;

"The strongest of all Katana were forged in the hottest of all fires."

After hearing these spirited words from my Sensei, I realised there was more to give of myself, I pressed my weakened body onward, seeking strength from the budo spirit.

Discovering “meaningful purpose” has given me an understanding which has been instrumental to established within me the traditional principles of budo, I would therefore discover years latter the changes that had profoundly taken place within me would indeed be life altering, these changes have shaped my inner being as an individual, and has given me true etiquette in my life's journey.

While I will forever remain a humble student of my traditional Sensei's, humbly I have discovered a "Sensei," within.

“Indeed life is like a wheel,” where the centre hub of the wheel is the knowledge base and foundation, while each spoke of the wheel reaches out to those that seek out the true knowledge, as the wheel turns we experience continuous improvement in what we learn.

May your Traditional Martial Art’s Journey of discovery, be as heart-warming and humbling as my own journey?

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