Swallows and Kittens
Fridays are supposed to be my day off, but today has rapidly passed in a flow of emails and small "must-do" jobs. So, in an attempt to decompress, I have escaped to the park with a notebook.
This morning, my daughter did not want to go to school. She has been off this week with a virus, but was lively enough last night to warrant a return to school today.
That did not go down well!
After tears and tantrums, I escorted her to the school gates whilst being accused of being “so controlling” and “completely unfair.” My daughter is 10 and hormones are kicking in. My once-placid princess now has the capacity to be a grumpy toad.
This morning, I knew I needed to stand firm—she is low on energy, not unwell. That has passed! This morning, I needed to teach and encourage resilience. Hopefully, one day she will appreciate it.
This time last week, I was at Gatwick Airport waiting for my flight to Inverness. This is my fifth consecutive year of visiting to teach, and for the Friday class, Kevin Slaney Sensei had requested the kata Empi (Flight of the Swallow).
I have been meaning to capture my thoughts on the whole trip to Scotland, but with kids off school this week, I struggled to find the time. After the horrendous school run, the universe delivered a nudge to encourage me to share my thoughts.
As I sat down to reconcile some bookkeeping, one of our lively one-year-old cats jumped onto the table. She was soon followed by her farm-kitten sister, and I realised the object of their attention was a small starling or similar (I'm not great at spotting birds).
One of the cats must have caught it and brought it in for me as a present.
Fortunately, the bird had escaped and was now perched on top of one of our framed family photographs.
I quickly scooped up the cats, to their utter disgust, and locked them in the family room. I then appraised what to do. Initially, I opted for a makeshift net fashioned from a toy bag. But the bird darted around and evaded my grasp, leaving a few feathers behind and some witness marks on the ceiling!
I smiled as I failed to capture the tiny bird, remembering my descriptions of the kata Empi as a small bird performing acrobatics to avoid capture by its predator. My lesson on Empi was focused on seeking to understand Funakoshi Sensei's intention when renaming the kata.
We worked on application to enhance performance—each person encouraged to consider themselves overpowered by aggressive opponents and seeking to overcome the obstacles through acceptance and a shift in strategy. As Miyamoto Musashi famously wrote:
“If your opponent attacks like the mountains, you must respond as the waves.”
As always, the class was a spirited affair led by Phil Owen Sensei and Gordy Walker Sensei, while Dave ‘Cuthy’ Cuthbertson was on hand to best sell the effectiveness of my bunkai (especially the groin shots!).
At the end of the class, I was privileged to watch as Sensei Slaney and Phil's partner, Anne, presented Phil with some beautiful Japanese artwork to celebrate his recent 70th birthday. To be fair, I was tempted to request a birth certificate check, as Sensei Owen's incredible suntan and fluid movement in class suggest that he is actually much younger!
After the presentation, I was privileged to observe a kata demonstration by both Stewart Ross and Cuthy. Both have dedicated considerable time and effort to an in-depth appreciation of the kata Sochin.
Stewart is softly spoken and possesses an incredibly kind disposition. When he talks, it is somehow melodic. I suspect that, as it was with his elder brother, Stewart has music in his soul and bones. David is an energetic and open character—the perfect man to be front of house, welcoming people in and reassuring those who need a boost.
Both men performed the kata independently and then demonstrated the kata along with applications before fielding questions from the senior-grade observers. These gentlemen had been graded by Ronnie Ross Sensei prior to his sad passing last year. It was clear to me that they wished to honour him with their work and performances. Both became resolute and rooted in their attitudes.
Mission accomplished!
After teaching, Kevin and I detoured to the Fat Buddha Chinese to collect our dinner. This time, we didn't bump into Scotty and Ethan! Then we headed back to our riverside apartment to put the world to rights into the wee early hours.
Saturday morning arrived, and after a wonderful bohemian breakfast in town, Kevin and I headed to the Inverness Academy. First up, I taught the brown and black belts, inspired by our theme on Empi. We worked on gyaku-zuki (reverse punch), but in a context that some may not have experienced before. Again considering different opponents with varying mindsets and strategies, we worked on ways to dominate with the technique. We studied how to manage, manipulate, and control range and rhythm, working on scenario recognition to modify responses based on the opponent. Whilst the subject was gyaku-zuki, the underlying theme was adapt and overcome.
In the next class, I worked with the kyu grades with the help of Sensei Owen. We worked on attitude and spirit in basic kihon ippon kumite, using distance modification as a tool and appreciating the role and relevance of spirit when faced with conflict.
I was then honoured to take a seat at the grading table and observe the work of the 4th kyus and above. One of the joys of visiting for five years is that I have seen so many of the Highland students progress. I was thrilled to see Aiden’s confidence and karate mature and deliver on the day. I remember him as a small lad; now he towers over me and moves with incredible potential.
Next up was the Dan grading. Congratulations Andrew, Ethan, Mason, Jason, and Holly—you did your instructors and the association proud!
It was good to see Alex from Oban along with his son for the day, but I was sad to hear of Norbert's knee injury at the recent competition. Best wishes Norbert, I hope to see you back in the dojo in the not-too-distant future.
After a quick freshen-up, Kevin and I dropped into our favourite pizza restaurant for a light bite and some refreshment. Somehow, time melted away, and before we knew it, we had no time to head back and change—so instead, we went straight to The Raja to join a lively HKA table for a wonderful curry.
Once again, I had a wonderful time in the Highlands—thank you!
Ironically, I wouldn't have picked Empi to teach, as I am currently rehabbing a knee injury. But Kevin's choice of theme drove my thinking and encouraged me to innovate.
It also helped me rescue the small bird in my house! Faced with a tricky opponent, I simply changed tactics and strategy: I opened the patio doors and encouraged it to fly out of its own accord.
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