Mind without mind – Mushin Over the years of my training and the special code of karate class I attended last Friday, Sensei Oliver has shared the meaning and its relevance to developing as a student of I…

“Pain and pleasure like light and darkness, succeed each other.” – Lawrence Stone Sunday sparring and accepting the pain. It is what it is! As Ike-san, Dirk-san and myself took turns sparring, my final round for t…

“A true friend doesn’t have guts; they beat you up and later plead with you to beat them back.”― Michael Bassey Johnson Today I am going to write about friendship and camaraderie. I believe both of these are int…

War, conflict and the anxiety it causes. As I sit here and write this post, terrible things are happening in Ukraine as Russian forces continue to battle their way into taking control of this country and people who…

1000 mile journey..some on the slopes Some may wonder what alpine (downhill) skiing may have to do with my black belt training. I think there are many relatable aspects to the experience of skiing; the physical…