And the more you do this, the more you actually enjoy being on Hive ππI once trained with a wonderful Karate Sensei who spoke to joy. Stan Schmidt was his name and he was the highest-graded Black Belt Westerner, outside of Japan, in the JKA style. He wrote a book called Spirit of the Empty Hand about his journey in the art of Karate. It is autobiographical, philosophical, a pilgrimage through life, and also details his travels and training in Okinawa. He signed his book for me on one occasion that we met (before I had read the book as it was newly purchased). He asked me at the time, why I did Karate, and I only had one true spontaneous answer. "Because I enjoy it!" I replied enthusiastically. He looked at me with the biggest smile and said that's wonderful and then inscribed the book "To Sam, May you pass on your joy to others". When I got to the last page of the book, I realised why he had been so happy with my answer. He ended the book with the words "at least I'm beginning to enjoy it all". Being authentic, following your passions, remaining true to yourself, will always bring you real joy.
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I remember Stan Schmidt. That is both an amazing testimony and a good lesson. For everyone.
The other thing: the more one does what one enjoys, the better one gets at it!!
Now you remind me of Gary Player ..." the more I practice, the luckier I get" :-) How did you come to know of Stan? He was head of JKA in South Africa, which is the style of karate that I practiced. I was fortunate to meet him a few times during my karate years in SA and had the privilege of training with him in Johannessburg one exceptionally cold winter at 4am in the morning when our dojo were on tour... brrrr ... but his classes and presence were worth getting up for!
Well, firstly, I am of an age...lol...and a girl I was at school with was a black belt Funokoshi, not JKA, at 17. In 1980. So... And In think he worked at/out at the same gym as Reg Park in 1986. I worked in that Simmonds St building in Joburg for a while in 1986. You asked...lol. Those winter mornings and the wind chill....ahem...
Ah cool ... Yeah, I don't recall exactly where it was but it was a massive dojo! very imposing when filled with Black Belts. It was probably around that time though...ππ Oh that chill was horrendous at 4am in nothing but a t-shirt and karate giπβοΈ