All Journal Entries (393)

Hello, everyone! This year, Zen Martial Arts and our dojo family are adopting a family through St. John’s Program for Real Change. 

The family we are sponsoring is a family of three — the mom, Crystal, and two boys named Joey and Maiden. They are 6 and 5, respectively. 

Joey wears a size 6/7. His favorite color is blue, he…

Week 51 - That's 51! And Decades of Training to Go

The Numbers (as of 11/22):…

Most of us want to live a meaningful and purposeful life; Master Gichin Funakoshi certainly achieved this.  During my reading and reflection of the passages and experiences he shared in his book, Karate-Do; My Way of Life, I was truly mesmerized by Master Funakoshi’s parables based on his life experience and living in “the Way of Karate.”  He epitomizes all that is good; humility, discipline, integrity, sacrifice, dedication, love of country and positive…

Week 50 - It's All Feeling Very Test Like Right Now

The Numbers:…

Week 49 - 52 Days to Go. Yes, I'm Counting

Week 48 - Hello November

Sorry, I haven’t got around to writing in a long time hopefully I didn’t lose any followers. To give you a recap I’ve finished more than half of my test and I’m at exactly four months in. I started middle school so it’s like having two jobs at once working the same hours and no holidays. It feels like everything I’ve done has been halfhearted and I’ve lost my motivation. I went searching for it; I even put up ads for lost ‘effort’. Ok, I didn’t lose it too much - maybe just a bit. But I will…

Week 47 - FORTY-SEVEN!!!!

Week 46 - Too Soon to Ask if We're There Yet?

Week 45 - Yes, I've Started Counting the Days

Week 44 (+ a day) - Triathlon = DONE!

                Yeah! It’s been three months and that means I’m half way. My last month didn’t go so well, I got sick at the beginning of school like half my classmates. I love middle school - all the hundreds people - it just doubles the friends. I go to California Middle School in Land Park right behind McClatchy High School.  Of course I have still kept my friends from LDV, but I have met people from all around Sacramento. However, it has been hard keeping up with my black belt…

Week 43 - All Nerves

Week 42 - Oh Here's a DOOZIE!

I was recently asked by a student to expound upon the name and meaning of our system of karate, Isshinryu. These thoughts reflect my own understanding of Isshinryu at this point in my short 15 years of training. They are in no way meant to be a universal definition of what Isshinryu means.

The name of our system is Isshinryu Karate-Do. (一心流), which means “One-Heart…

Week 41 - 90% Mental and the Other Half Physical

Reading the Book of Five Rings helped me change my perspective on the martial arts. The book was written in five scrolls, hence the name Book of Five Rings. Each scroll is named after one of the four main elements: Earth, Water, Fire and Wind. These are followed with the final scroll, The Scroll of Emptiness. Each scroll focuses on different aspects of the martial arts.

The book had many great lessons. One of my favorites was about the true science of martial arts. It means practicing…

Week 40 - Almost to the 80% Mark!

Video 5 - A Swim Morning