Strong emotions and meditation

Allowing yourself space seems essential to me. Dissolving is always good, but relaxation is key.  If you are having difficulty in relaxing into the dissolving procceses, then I suggest focusing solely on what will bring about relaxation. Some thoughts:

 

* Your favorite non-addictive opportunities to induce relaxation

* Time in nature with good air quality...allowing your eye to rest on the panoramas of nature

* Massage...even self massage* Vitamin C / High antioxident diet

* Warm baths

* Extra sleep

 

The last three are recommendations from Water Method instructors at weekend workshops, when the body may be processing/releasing more 'gunk.'

 

Best to you in finding what works best for you.

I like the first response you got - lots of extra sleep, relaxation, sitting in nature.  I honestly don't know what will best help you, but here is what works for me:

- realizing that my former 70% might be my current 100% and taking things extra easy - my first impulse is to amp up and drive through, but experience has taught me that being gentle with myself reaps better rewards

- not adding more dissolving to my daily routine, as I would have an undercurrent that is trying to avoid experiencing pain and loss

- adding more simple breathing, or possibly a walking meditation, and when thoughts or emotions come up, turning my attention to experiencing them as thoroughly as possible, without asking them to move or change or hurry along, in particular noticing my body sensations with alertness to any old memories that come up (and then, if it seems right in that moment, intentionally releasing whatever came up)

- deliberately adding one easy task outside my usual routine which requires overt action on my part, every day, to keep myself open to the world (a walk around the block, a nice bath, an hour volunteering, a phone call)

I'm going through some full-on emotional upheaval at the moment, and I'm wondering how best to respond to this in terms of my meditation practice.

I've been doing inner dissolving for several years, and lately doing quite a lot of practice. I've also been through a very traumatic break up and am feeling generally very wobbly, with a sense of the ground having disappeared beneath my feet.

At the moment I have loads of time on my hands, since I'm a cover teacher, and the hols are long, and no knowing when the work will come in.

Does anyone have any advice on what to do in this situation? Would you recommend making use of the time to do loads of dissolving, or are there times when it's a good idea to back off, or maybe focus on less intense practices like breathing, or just sitting and letting stuff move through?

It seems a shame not to use the time I have to work on myself, but at the same time I want to avoid putting too much strain on my system by stirring up too much emotion at a time when I'm alread feeling overwhelmed.

Any thoughts/suggestions from experienced meditators gratefully appreciated.

weapons vs unarmed

Midweek session for Matt and I today. We have been focusing so hard on sambo for the last month that it was time to take a break and do some drilling and bouting with weapons for a change.

1. Dussack...we had two spirited bouts uising the PH leather dussacks. I can feel these bouts in my legs still.
2. Longsword...just went over some basic binds then worked on them in real time with resistance.
3. Shillelagh...two bouts with this overly fun weapon. We took up the mats so we made the rule that we were not to go to the ground. Still a constant struggle much less strategy and more gagression.
4. Sparth axe...we went outside and reintroduced ourselves to this most brutal of weapons. It is good to get swinging once again. Have some serious work with these planned in the coming weeks. Had two fun bouts with these monsters.
5. Mountain axe..two bout with plenty of smashed hands. These are really like the shillelaghs in the level of aggression that comes out.
6. E-tool...just one brutal round of shovel sparring. Brutal sums it up.
7. Navaja...two bouts using CS trainers. Been a while, great fun can't wait to do it again soon.

Overall fun session. Different energy, weapons vs unarmed, not less or more just a different feel. Will go back to the mixed workout next time around.

Our Sambo adventure

Before I get into the meat of the post I will give a quick rundown of our session last Wednesday...

Chris, Matt and I.

2 rounds shadow boxing

2 rounds 3 count cadence drill

2 rounds feed and follow footwork

1 round freestyle footwork

Once again we worked on mechanics for the straight rear...this time we added the Jab first and followed with a lead hook. Really keeping Dempsey's shoulder whirl on the mind and making sure our form was a perfect as we could. 

Next up Sambo...

Since we had the Sambo tournie coming up on Saturday we wanted to do a nice light sambo workout. 4 rounds offbalance grip work 2 rounds sport sambo

We then went over some of the basic throws we were looking to land.

Roll on Saturday...

Doors opened at 9:30 AM in Chillicothe OH about 4 hours SW of us. I gave Chris the wrong time and he missed riding with us...totally my screw up. Lots and lots of competitor in sparring and grappling so many that at 4 PM sambo was still a distant thought. Prior commitments made us have to leave at 4 so we missed sambo altogether but since they did not get started before 6 they ended up canceling the sambo competition. I felt less bad about messing up the time for Chris.

So we talked on the way home about how bummed we were that we did not get to compete. That was the only real con, on the pro side...we worked really hard for over a month on improving our sambo and it did indeed improve...so even though we did not get to compete, it was far

no formal tests Yoshinkan

I don't think I would want to do away with formal tests. It's a good way to form group cohesion, whether you're testing at the same time as your uke or whether you're helping out a junior or being helped by a senior. It also focuses the mind with a degree of intensity and urgency that regular training doesn't always do. Gives you a reason to celebrate when it's done, and gives an overall sense of rhythm to the dojo year.

Not sure if you are asking how you keep motivated or how you keep the club as a whole motivated.In either case this is a very common problem which to be honest there is no good solution.  It would be nice if formal tests where done with, and we awarded rank based on performance in class.  That way you don't have that rising then falling felling you get for working hard before a test. Awarding rank based on merit would be great but it would lead to its own headaches.I have a few of recommendation that might help though since no one else seems to be offering:

1. create a demo team and continue to practice hard

2. invite a senior instructor to your school and ask them to demo specific techniques and the continue to work on them after he or she leaves.

3. NEVER TAKE THE SUMMER OFF

Not that they had the best solution, but in Aikikai, it was mandatory for anyone wanting to test for Dan ranking to attend summer camp AND people testing had to have their "passports" checked that they attended x number of seminars prior to testing. X would vary depending on the rank for which you were testing. It was their way of (a) ensuring people attended seminars put on by senior instructors and (b) ensuring that they had a good turnout for summer camp. The dojo I attended also had attendance cards. So even if your techniques were spot on and even if you were technically a student for the prescribed number of months or years for a rank, you had to have attended a specific number of classes. Funny thing how attendance picked up when people who wanted to get promoted realized they were short on hours! And of course the hours requirements increased with rank.

Round 46 to Canadians?

Just wondering if any Canadian Kickers have received R46 yet or are you still waiting like me? :( The mail strike was over weeks ago & they said all backlog has been cleared. (I've gotten all my bills! lol). I'm in Toronto.

Did it last week with a SUPER instructor @ 24HourFitness, D'wana, & at camp & am dying to teach it!

I'll check today & call if it's still not here...just figured i'd ask around first...it takes a little longer to get here but this us NOT normal!

Side note: I can't frickin' WAIT for R47!!!! Sooo FUN!!!

I just got round 46 on Tuesday...it took a long time!