The suitcase is unpacked and clothes are washed, the training weapons are cared for, the random collection of things I purchased now in a pile for placement for display. I got one good night of sleep on Friday (10-12 hours) before Saturday's nights game of "Wake Up, it is time to be training" at 0 Dark Thirty.
Like it or not, I am back and reality is ready to come crashing back in.
The most important question is "What is different from when you left?"
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It may seem a bit odd that this would one of the main thoughts coming out of such a trip. To me, it is not such a surprise: one of the expectations of my school is that after every training with our Grand Master, we are expected to write a paper on our experience and what we learned (yes, even in my late 50's, I still have homework and reports due). And being a blogger (as I am), I have become used to the idea over the years that part of my travels include preparing for how I am going document my experiences upon my return.
On the one hand, it is a great habit to have: one tends to think and document things as they come to mind or occur. On the other hand, it can become a bit of a challenge when all one ever does is collect experiences for the purposes of reflection and writing.
Both the paper and the blogging have exacerbated the already existing tendencies I had of being quiet and self reflective. It helps, too, that as an introvert, the idea of reflecting on things is seen as having merit.
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What I have at the moment are more a series of random items, observations and reflections as they presented themselves.
1) "Current Events" have limited appeal in the outer world: I was out of the news and social media loop (more or less) for almost two weeks. It was - frankly - refreshing. To be fair, I did not necessarily seek out news in Japan either. But I surely did not miss the sort of breathless events that seem to be happening on both sides on almost a minute by minute basis here. And other than a couple of comments, our training group was largely free of commentary as well (by a sort of unspoken agreement). I suspect it would sadden and shock many here that "current events" could equally be defined as "transitory news" that quickly loses steam outside of their relevant surroundings.
Frankly, I did not miss it one bit. And it was a good reminder that one really can lead a life largely divorced of the madness that seems to constitute much of modern life.
2) My 2026 Intentions are on target: As you might recall from my 2026 Intentions (not goals!), I had identified passing the N4 Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) and paring down my life as two intentions. Being in Japan convinced me that pursuing the JLPT is a right thing to do (after all, I intend to keep going as long as I am able and if so, why not be able to speak better?). And paring down my life - partially in this case by continuing to pursue Iaijutsu (and not just adding new things) - is a goal worth pursuing.
Time is limited. Make it count.
3) One really can change - One of the high points (and most surprising things to me) was from a fellow student who I only see during these seminars. He commented to me that my demeanor seemed changed from the last time that he had trained with me, which would have been in 2025. His comment was that I no longer seemed afraid or nervous when I was called forward to demonstrate a technique.
One does not get the feedback that one has changed for the better often, even less so when it is something that seems to have happened without conscious awareness.
4) I am on the right path: The past year between the 2025 and 2026 seminars has been rougher than I anticipated. I did not plan on an injury which has impacted my ability to do certain techniques. I did not know that I would decide to let The Ranch go - and by default, that the course of our lives may very well end here in New Home 2.0 (or elsewhere, who knows). I did not think that some of the choices I have made over the past year would have been made, or that things that had once valued no longer had the same value to me.
As it turns out, it has all turned out for the best. Which gives me comfort that while the path of my musha shugyo, or warrior's pilgrimage, is not what I had intended, it is the path I am intended for.
5) Focus on the things that matter: One of my favorite quotes from the Buddhist monk Takuan Soho runs "If you follow the present day world, you will turn your back on The Way. If you would not turn your back on The Way, do not follow the world."
There are a great many things that really do matter in life. Very few of them are actually what people think are important
It seems to me that you received a lot of affirmations this trip that you were on the right path. I imagine that is a nice and very peaceful feeling.
ReplyDeleteTakuan Soho was very wise. I think what happens, though, is that the world somehow pulls us along whether we want to go or not. Last week I had encounters with two different people who were incredulous that I don't have a cell phone. "How do you manage?" they both asked, to which I could only reply, "Very well." Of course, I've never used a cell phone, so I don't know what I'm "missing." Yet the pressure to need a cell phone gradually increases because the world perceives them as "normal."
ReplyDeleteTraining in and practicing ancient skills such as Iaijutsu or handweaving is somehow reality grounding, I think, (with or without cell phones, lol). I'm not sure how, but somehow, discipline within a traditional framework keeps us connected us to a different mindset, a different path than the world is racing down. Just a theory, of course.