Quote:
Francis Takahashi wrote:
All any dojo will ever require for its need for "spirituality" is to have Phi Truong as a valued member.
Spirituality is an intensely personal quality. It may be detected in a dojo or training venue, but not essential for its membership to fully enjoy training and its benefits.
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X2!
Spirituality is the not the exclusive domain of any religion or esoteric practice. That intense, personal experience in which there is an awe and appreciation for that moment can be expressed in any aspect of our lives. It can be experienced taking that first sip of a properly decanted, well-aged red wine (must wait until I leave my office and go home...... patience grasshopper). It can be experienced at that moment when the nage is off-balanced and you can easily crush that person and instead you choose to guide the person to the ground in a graceful manner. It can be experienced when you do a body parts check after your teacher has nuked you in a manner that has you smiling all the way to the ground. The more that I can stay in and appreciate the moment with the laughter that Phi refers to, to the awe and appreciation that I can experience, the better my day is. The more that I can have those experiences in my dojo, the richer an opportunity my dojo becomes for myself and my students.
Spirituality is never a requirement for a dojo, because spirituality is a distinctly human experience that exists in a moment in time. You do not need spirituality, but it certainly makes the journey that much more enjoyable.....
Marc Abrams