Are you having fun yet?

I'm back. Book is into the publisher and I can once again blog without feeling guilty.

During this time of writing I kept asking myself, "Am I having fun yet?" and I have to admit, 'Yes, I am.' Even though writing can be extremely detailed and putzy...just like learning a new kata...it also is a wonderful journey.

At the Broken Bokken Dojo I encourage all of us to have a playful attitude. Research has shown we learn best and retain information better when we are having fun...and a tad bit irreverant. I tend to encourage mischieviousness. I believe it heightens our senses, keeps us more alert, plus it is just plain fun.

Now, this doesn't mean we just run around willy-nilly with no discipline. All the fun comes through sharing a common form of pain that comes to us as martial artists. Practicing Budo should be very physically rigorous and demand from us our total attention, focus and spirit. All of this is important, and can mixed in with a well-timed fart (if their is such a thing) to break up the seriousness of the action.

My Sensei also encouraged us to have a fun attitude. I believe this is one of the reasons I have stayed in the martial arts. The humor that is present and shared by many martial artists from many styles is contagious and at times only shared within the ranks of Budo. Someone from the outside might never get the joke.

So, are you having fun yet? If not, examine your motives in the arts. Be like a child once again. Be playfull. Smile. I have been at a conference this week and had the opportunity to partake in training for Spring Forest Qigong. Like all Qigong forms, one of the first things we were reminded to do while standing was....smile!

Have some fun.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen