Japan 2018

Dear Friends:

As you are reading this I am an a plane going to Japan (well, really I am on a plane to get to a plane to go to Japan).  This is the culmination of 8.5 years of practicing Iai.  This will be a total of 9 days of intensive training with the head of our order.

I am both excited and terrified by this:  excited because I believe this to be the entry gate into the next level of my understanding and practice of martial arts.  Terrified, because I will be in the company of those that have practiced Iai far longer than I ever had.   It is a lot to live up to.

I have informed my work that I will practically incommunicado during this time and am doing everything in my power to remind them I will be out of reach and out of touch.  For 9 to 10 days I will be essentially unplugged from the world.   Most of the books I am taking on the plane deal with swordsmanship (the exception:  one Cistercian book).  I will eat, drink, and live iai.

As per usual vacation protocol, my posts will be random and follow up will be late.  I earnestly beg your forgiveness.

I have no idea what this will look like on the other side.  I have high hopes for what will be accomplished - not just in my technique (which I am sure will improve), but in myself.

Here is to dreams that can come true.