I thought this week I’d quickly share with you a little tradition which I uphold in my own personal training at my dojo.
On the shomen wall of my dojo hangs a portrait of Higaonna Kanryo Sensei on the left of the kamiza, and a portrait of Miyagi Chojun Sensei to the right of the kamiza.
At the end of every training session I undertake at my dojo I will always finish by performing one final Sanchin whilst stood directly in front of the portrait of Higaonna Sensei, and following this I will perform one Tensho in front of the portrait of Miyagi Sensei.
This has nothing to do with superstition, or a mild case of obsessive compulsive disorder; it is purely my own little way of thanking those teachers for their great contributions to the art of gojuryu.
I perform the kata of those masters directly under their gaze which always encourages me to do my best; in the back of my mind wondering whether in some small way my own personal practise thousands of miles away from their native Okinawa might make them a little proud of their efforts in preserving and promoting the practice of the Okinawan martial traditions.
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