“Ooh baby baby, it’s a wild world It’s hard to get by just upon a smile. You know I’ve seen a lot of what the world can do, and it’s breaking my heart in two because I never want to see you sad girl.” -Yusuf Islam/Cat Stevens, British singer-songwriter
Karens, if you don’t know, are generally middle-aged white women who use their privilege as a weapon to belittle others who they deem are not living up to their expectations. She’s often entitled, ignorant and racist. A 9-year-old black girl was reported to the police as a suspicious person putting her at risk as she worked to eradicate her town of invasive insects. A neighbor called the police on a mom for allowing her
under 12 aged child to walk to school alone. She’s now looking at jail time. These are often minor or even fictitious infringements on social conventions, but they can have serious and life changing impacts on the person who is being reported on. Well, I just had a mother tell me that I abuse children. I understand how a person unfamiliar with what we do may think that training a child in the martial arts is abuse. But, why don’t they ask questions and try to understand.
The highest purpose of our art is to develop character. And we use the platform of Shotokan Karate, an Art of Self Defense, to do it. I’m not sure what that mother was thinking. There is nothing sweet and cuddly about defending yourself when your life is in danger. Some kids are highly aggressive from birth, other kids are gentle and caring. The only way these aggressive kids are going to be able to function in a free society is if they learn self-control. Which can be done and is best done early. If you wait until the child is a pre-teen or older, you’re going to have a much harder time. Studies show that kids who don’t learn self-control, turn into adults with poor health, suffer from substance abuse, have financial troubles and who have a criminal record by the time they reach age 32. To avoid this future these kids, need a strong, competent, and compassionate teacher.
The student-teacher relationship with the wild child often begins with the child challenging the teacher to combat. You see this portrayed in movies all the time where the young warrior challenges the master to a duel. In these portrayals if the master deems the young challenger worthy, he will accept the challenge and proceed to defeat the challenger without seriously hurting them. When this happens, the student recognizes defeat and that they have something they can learn from the teacher. This process is very exciting for the wild child. We use foam noodles, leg sweeps, kicks, throws, take downs, holds, chokes, etc. to playfully overpower the child. If the child isn’t enjoying it, we don’t do it. The teacher has to win the child over with play. To the overprotective parent this can look and sound like abuse, but to the child, it is great fun. This is a scenario that has been played out in thousands of martial art settings over hundreds of years in cultures all around the world.
So, to the mother who thinks what we do is child abuse I would say study warriors. Study who they are and how they are trained. Study character development. Study personality traits. Then when you know more of what you’re talking about come back to us and we’ll see if we can help your child. And, just to avoid any further misunderstanding, we only do this with highly aggressive kids, not the sweet ones.
“Your life is going to be hard. It will be hard because you decided not to pay the price to become valuable and you’re left with limited options. Or it will be hard because you paid the price to become valuable. Paying the price is hard but then your options become unlimited.”
– Bill Crawford, U.S. Air Force Stealth Pilot, 2016 TEDx Talk
The young people here tonight are the future. We’re here for them. They have a long hard road in front of them and our job is to prepare them in the best way possible. They are on a Great Journey to become valuable. Through their hard work they are paying the price to become valuable.
At some point, your child will be deciding what direction they want their life to take. They might attend college, develop a technical skill, go directly into the workforce, become an entrepreneur, start their own business, or go on a great adventure. Whatever it might be, they will meet other people who will want to know who they are, what they are like, how they handle everyday things, how they handle themselves in a crisis, and more. These people, whether they be college admissions officers, employers, venture capitalists or whoever, will be taking on chance on them, and they want to choose wisely.
Seeing that your child has earned a black belt will show them that they have developed mastery of something that requires perseverance over a long period of time. That they have done this on their own. That their mom didn’t do it. That their dad didn’t do it. That they did it. These people will be even more impressed when they discover that your child has leadership skills and has mentored and helped others.
In seeing this, they will know that your child won’t take NO for an answer. That their attitude is that they will find a way or they will make a way. That if there’s one chance then there’s a chance. That when they lead, they will give credit to their team when things go right and they will take the blame when things go wrong. They will know that your child will learn from their mistakes, and behave in private the same way they behave in public. They will know that your child will keep high standards and stay confident and self-assured no matter how hard things get. They will know that your child understands that the worst thing they can do is try to be something for everyone. They will know that your child is not just interested in winning but more importantly that they are interested in giving people hope. And in the end, they know that your child will make them proud and be someone they can brag about.
Your child’s Great Journey to Black Belt is not going to be easy. They will be many times along the way when giving up seems to be the best option. Your child may want to give up and you don’t know what to say to them, so you let them. Or it might be that you want to give up and your child senses this, and knows that this is an opportunity to get out of doing the hard work of making themselves valuable and so they tell you they want to give up, and feeling relieved… you let them. We know how hard parenting is. Part of your own great journey to make yourself valuable, is to raise a child who will become valuable. This is a noble effort and, in time, your child will thank you for it. We’ve helped thousands of parents navigate this terrain. We can help you. Talk to us.
“Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and success of liberty.” – John F. Kennedy 35th President of the United States Parents, families, students and friends,
Our Spring 2023 Award Ceremony, held at the Finley Center on Saturday, May 6th was a rousing event. Our students put their heart and soul into their onstage performances and it showed. We are tremendously proud of all of them and feel honored to have them as students and to encourage them on their Great Journey to Black Belt and Beyond and in the process making themselves valuable. All in attendance left with sore hands and hoarse voices from clapping and cheering. The food was delicious and our Samurai Sword was put to good use cutting our congratulatory carrot cake. Our Fall 2023 Award Ceremony will be on Saturday, November 4th at the Finley Center. So, mark your calendars now because you won’t want to miss it.
Here’s what’s in it this month’s Shoka Magazine:
Shoka News (our newsletter)
Chief Instructor Award Ceremony Remarks
It’s a Wild World Thanks in Part to You, Karen!
Calgary Karate Summer Camp Poster, come join us!
Recommended Reading: Nothing Left but Dust, by Melissa Geissinger, Apollo’s mom and author
4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse Antidotes
A Handsome Fellow came knocking at our door! He wants to train with us. Do we let him in!
Responsibility: Leadership Trait, Definition, and Quotes
Father’s Day… providing the necessary male essence to their sons and being the main person, their daughters look up to.
Cognitive Behavior Therapy Self Defeating Rules 11 to 14 out of 14
Chris Gunn: Eulogy for a former student who had an Indomitable Spirit
We’ve been out in the community recently, making our presence known and attracting more good people such as yourselves. We will continue to do this throughout the summer and fall as long as the weather cooperates. We were at the Monster Truck Show, the Human Race and we’ll be at the Wednesday Night Market throughout the summer. We generally have a booth and spinning wheel and give away free lessons, t-shirts, uniforms, and karate and pizza parties. If you know of a big event with lots of people we’d love to be there if we can make it work.
Yours truly,
Marty Callahan, 8th Degree Black Belt, Chief Instructor, Founder, Author
“Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and success of liberty.” – John F. Kennedy 35th President of the United States
Parents, families, students and friends,
Our April 1, 2023 Santa Rosa Invitational Karate Tournament was a great event. The 32 students who chose to compete put their heart and soul into their performances and it showed. We are tremendously proud of all of them and feel honored to have them as students and to encourage them on their way to Black Belt. If you
missed it, we live streamed it and saved it on our YouTube Channel. Just search for Shotokan Karate Leadership School.
I’m in Japan as I finish this edition of Shoka Magazine. I’ll have a full report for our June edition. I have been sightseeing with my friends and new friends from New Zealand and Canada. The training starts on Friday, April 14. There’s also a new group joining us from France. Traveling to train with other students is a valuable experience. We highly recommend it for anyone 7 years old and up and green belt and above. If you’re below green belt and want to go we’ll discuss with your family whether it’s a good idea. Our next trip will be to Calgary Canada about June 30 to July 2. The actual dates have not been finalized. We’ll let you know once we know. I’m going to do my best to create a video journal of my Japan trip that you’ll be able to check out on our YouTube Channel if you’re interested.
Don’t forget to look at the details of our Saturday, May 6th Award Ceremony at the Finley Center Auditorium. It will include on stage performances from all of our students… including your son, daughter or grandchild, a potluck dinner, and… drumroll!!!… A Samurai Sword Cake Cutting! Great fun will be had for all.
Here’s what’s in it this month’s Shoka Magazine:
Shoka News (our newsletter)
May Award Ceremony Announcement
Results of the April 1st Santa Rosa Invitational Karate Tournament
Fistslinger
Who are you
4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse
Monster Truck Show
Cognitive Behavior Therapy Self Defeating Rules 6 to 10 out of 14
Robert Ellis argued that a small number of core beliefs underlie most unhelpful emotions and behaviors. Core beliefs are underlying rules or code which guides how we react to the events and circumstances in our lives. Over the thirty-five years Ellis worked on this cognitive level, Ellis identified a trend that all dysfunctional behavior and attitudes functioned out of one (or more) of these self-defeating rules. Here are the first 5 of his self-defeating rules compliments of Udemy. The remaining 14 rules will be found in future editions of Shoka Magazine
I NEED EVERYONE TO APPROVE OF ME
People pleasers are everywhere: you either know a few people pleasers or you are a people pleaser yourself. People pleasers say yes to everyone and everything, regardless as to whether or not they want to. They perpetually lie to fit into other people’s narratives and demands: they agree with opinions they don’t agree with, they complement people’s outfits which they don’t like, they’ll say things they believe other people want to hear, they’ll attend social events they didn’t want to go to and they’ll even date people they don’t even fancy for fear of ‘hurting their feelings’. Why do people compromise their own sincerity, integrity and authenticity to please other people? It’s usually because they believe their opinions, needs, thoughts and whole persona isn’t good enough. They usually came from backgrounds where parents, guardians or authority figures emotionally or physically abused them and rejected them, resulting in a desire in adulthood to seek any form of approval, regardless of its legitimacy.
I MUST AVOID BEING DISLIKED BY ANYONE
Similarly, to the first point, people who don’t like to be disliked by people are people pleasers. To avoid being disliked, they’ll maintain friendships with people they don’t personally like (or are afraid of being on the wrong side of) or be overly friendly with people who clearly dislike them, going out of their way to buy them nice things, compliment them and strike up a conversation with them. Again, this way of being is inauthentic and deceitful, but people don’t act this way out of bad intentions: they’re merely trying to disprove their deep-seated belief that they are an unkind, nasty, horrible, boring person who nobody likes and who doesn’t deserve friendship or love.
I MUST SUCCEED IN EVERYTHING I DO TO BE VALUABLE
Many people are addicted to success, usually because they have a deep-seated core belief that they are a failure. Their parents or teachers may have made them feel like nothing they ever did was good enough or that they were a mistake which ruined their lives, so they spend the rest of their adult lives trying to out-work this core belief that they’re a failure who will never amount to anything. As a result, they end up burned out, overworked and stressed. Rather than defining success as being true to one’s values, being authentic and living with integrity, they define success as money, career status, materialism and grades.
IT’S NOT OK TO MAKE MISTAKES. IF I DO, I’M A BAD PERSON
Progression in life relies heavily on our ability to learn lessons from the risks we take and the mistakes we make. Unfortunately, there are millions of people who will never step outside of their comfort zone and take risks because they believe that every mistake, they make defines who they are and their capabilities in life. They see mistakes, not as learning opportunities, but as markers of their own incapabilities and insufficiency.
OTHER PEOPLE SHOULD STRIVE TO ENSURE I AM ALWAYS HAPPY
Whilst it’s easy to look at this rule and believe it only applies to a small minority of people who act like Veruca Salt, this idea isn’t as clear cut as that. There’s no denying that there are people in this world who feel entitled to be taken care of and appeased by everyone from strangers to immediate friends and family, there are more people out there who carry this belief more subtly. Whenever someone doesn’t go out of their way to please us, like a waiter in a restaurant or a friend, we feel affronted and offended because we expected more from them. We complain when people said something which offended us and bottle hatred towards them because they should have been more considerate, subsequently allowing their inconsideration to negatively impact our day, week or even lifetime. We can easily fall into the trap of self-consumption and forget that our needs, values and life objectives are not any more significant than those around us, so we prioritize our feelings, needs and emotional satisfaction without considering the complexity of those of the people we interact with.
Reflective Exercise:
Take 5-10 minutes to reflect on each of the irrational beliefs that Ellis highlighted. and identify any that may be particularly relevant to you. Consider the following questions in relation to each of these rules:
In what areas or situations do you recognize any of these rules in your life?
Can you identify how these rules may have developed? Did you choose them or have their underlying beliefs developed from the influence of your family/friends as you were growing up?
How have these rules prevented you or limited you in terms of achieving the things you really want in life?
What changes can you start making today to start building these new beliefs into your life?
“What to know when your child wants to be a Black Belt!”
“The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.” -Joseph Campbell
Joseph Campbell was an American mythologist, writer and lecturer. He wrote a wonderful book title ‘The Hero with a Thousand Faces’. This book describes 12 stages of the human experience that relate directly to the transformational process your child will go through in becoming a Black Belt. The process will transform them from an ordinary child into an extraordinary leader. We call this The Great Journey. Campbell describes it as ‘a process that challenges an ordinary person to become a hero by answering a call to adventure’. And, he defines a hero as someone who willingly gives their life to something bigger than themselves, someone who goes out and achieves great deeds on behalf of their group, tribe, or civilization. As a parent not understanding this process will result in your child losing out on an opportunity to become someone capable of achieving great deeds for their family, community and country. I’m sure you know adults who have not lived up to their potential. This is what’s at stake – your child’s future – and who they will become.
Stage 1 – The Ordinary World
In the Hero’s Journey we are introduced to the hero in a sympathetic way. This causes us to identify with them and the situation or dilemma they are in. The hero is uneasy because of something that is causing stress. When we first meet your child, it is against a background of their personal life. Something is pulling at them. This could be shyness, timidity, laziness, bad behavior, poor focus, poor grades, lack of self-control, inability to stand up for themselves, a bully who is terrorizing them, lack of exercise, or any of a number of things. As a result, they and you may be uneasy, uncomfortable or unaware.
Stage 2 – The Call to Adventure
The hero is presented with a problem, challenge, or adventure. It’s a time of change, turmoil, and uncertainty. You or your child want something more. You may recognize the cause of the unease and want to address it, or your child may have a special gift and you want to steer them towards a challenge that would stimulate them to grow. Or, there’s a shakeup in your situation caused by an external force or something rising up from deep within.
Stage 3 – Resisting the Call
It is said that the greatest of all fears is the fear of the unknown. Your child may feel this fear. They may like the idea of karate, but resist the structure or hard work it takes to learn. At an early point in the STAR WARS story Luke refuses the call to adventure from Obi Wan and then returns home to find that his aunt and uncle have been barbecued by the Emperor’s storm troopers. This atrocity motivates him to answer the call and he now eagerly accepts the adventure. Your child may need a unique motivation to move them to accept the call.
Stage 4 – Meeting the Teacher
Your child meets their teacher who tests them to determine their potential. The teacher will agree to take them on as a student only after they demonstrate the capacity and willingness to learn. Your child doesn’t need to have exceptional talent but they do need to be willing to listen, do what they’re asked to do, and work hard. Your child’s initial contact with their teacher is not enough for them to really know and appreciate what their teacher can do for them. This takes time and it is the formation of a sacred bond. If the time is given, your child will come to believe that anything is possible with the guidance of their teacher. In addition to meeting their teacher your child will meet senior members of the school who will mentor them and play an integral role in their development as an extraordinary human being. Our instructors and senior members are highly trained individuals who are passionate about guiding young people on their Great Journey. But the teachers and mentors can only go so far, eventually the hero, aka: your child, must face the unknown by them self.
Stage 5 – Crossing the Threshold
For Campbell this is the stage where the Hero fully enters the story’s special world for the first time. This is the moment at which the story takes off and the adventure gets going. The balloon goes up, the romance begins, the plane or spaceship blasts off, the wagon train gets rolling, or Dorothy sets out on the Yellow Brick Road. The hero is now committed to his journey and there’s no turning back. For your child this is the start of their Black Belt training. They’ve made the commitment; they’re going all the way. This commitment is vitally important. Without it your child will not succeed. They will not be able to withstand the failures and disappointments that lie ahead. But they will only commit if they know that you will give them your entire support. Anything less and they may believe that you don’t think they’re capable. If they sense that you are wavering, or that you are waiting for them, then they will not commit and their progress will be halted. Project this into the future and you run the risk of them being unable to commit to anything significant in life. They must see that you are behind them 100%.
Stage 6 – Allies, Enemies and Tests
For Campbell at this stage the hero must make allies, pass tests and confront enemies. In STAR WARS, the cantina is the setting for the forging of an important alliance with Han Solo, and the start of an important enmity with Jabba The Hut. In many westerns it’s the saloon where these relationships are first seen. The test phase is represented in STAR WARS by the scene of Obi Wan teaching Luke about the Force, as Luke is made to learn by fighting blindfolded. The early laser battles with the Imperial Fighters are another test, which Luke passes successfully. Your child will meet their classmates and begin to form bonds with kindred spirits. These bonds are important because they will need their friends’ support during the difficult times that lay ahead. Also, it’s important to remember that not all kids like each other, so, during this stage they will come to recognize those individuals in the school that they will need to steer clear of. Sometimes parents in their zeal to protect their child make the mistake of intervening in this process. Don’t do that. Parental interference will ultimately lead to your child’s failure.
Stage 7 – Approach
At this point in the journey the hero comes at last to a dangerous place. In many myths the hero descends into a terrible place to save someone they love, fight a dragon or gain something of great value. In STAR WARS it’s when Luke and his companions were sucked into the Death Star where they had gone to rescue Princess Leia. With their newfound allies, your child prepares to take on challenges that put them in perceived danger. This perceived danger forces them to concentrate. Their instructors are watching carefully and will make sure they have the skills they need to succeed and that they are not in real danger.
Stage 8 – The Ordeal
For the hero this is the moment he hits bottom. He faces the possibility of death, brought to the brink in a fight with a mythical beast. It’s a critical moment in which the hero appears to die but somehow survives. In STAR WARS, it’s in the deepest regions of the Death Star, where Luke, Leia and company are trapped in the giant trash-masher. This is the magic of the hero myth. We identify with the hero and feel the near death experience with him. We are depressed by the apparent death and then exhilarated when the hero returns from death. Your child will never feel more alive than when they think they’re going to die.
Stage 9 – Reward
Surviving death, beating the dragon or slaying the enemy now puts the hero in a position to seize the prize he’s been after. Sometimes it’s a special weapon, or a token, or an elixir, or it’s knowledge and experience that leads to greater understanding. This is when they earn their Brown Belt. It’s a major accomplishment. They now possess knowledge and skills that are above the ordinary. They have earned a level of maturity that is above average for their age. Their peers now see them, as someone of substance who cannot be ignored and must be reckoned with. There may be celebration but there is also the danger of losing what they have earned. The real prize – Black Belt – has not yet been attained.
Stage 10 – The Road Back
For Campbell, the hero is still in danger. Vengeful forces are hot on his trail as he makes his way back to their ordinary world. They want the reward that they have taken from them. In STAR WARS this is the chase that ensues when Luke and his companions escape the Death Star and make plans to bring down Darth Vader. For your child, they must complete the adventure and bring their knowledge and skills back to their family, their school, and their ordinary world. However, there is urgency and danger in this mission. They could lose what they have gained. Vengeful forces may show themselves as a false belief that they have made it to the top, or doubts that they can really do it. If they’re allowed to quit, they will carry the mark of someone who gives up before reaching their goal. This may cause him to go down rabbit holes, quit jobs as soon as they get tough, give up easily on relationships that had great potential, never achieving much, and never feeling fulfilled. So, don’t let them talk you into believing that the training is boring, or too hard for them, or that they’re afraid. Quitting may appear to be the best way out but if you let them do this you will come to regret it. There are many parents who are disappointed in their child’s life; you don’t have to be one of them.
Stage 11 – Resurrection
From his research Campbell discovered that the hero would invariably emerge from his ordeal transformed by the experience. Often there is another instance of the death-rebirth experience as the hero faces death and survives. With each experience they gain greater control of their powers. They are not the same person they were when they started, they are transformed into someone greater. Your child’s Black Belt test is the climax of their many years of training. They again are severely tested. The experience leaves them purified. It is another moment of death and rebirth, but on a higher and more complete level. With this supreme effort, the forces that caused conflict at the beginning are finally resolved.
Stage 12 – Return with the Treasure
After the resurrection the hero returns home with their treasure, which might be an object, a lesson, love, a good story, or the knowledge that the special world exists and can be survived. For us, it’s the Black Belt. This treasure has the power to transform the hero and his world and that the hero is in possession of the treasure. Your child has taken their Great Journey with us and now has as their own knowledge and skills that are a powerful treasure that they can use to make the world a better place. But what are they like? What type of person have they become? Who will they be? What can you expect of them?
First, they will be well rounded in their studies and personality. They can set goals, create plans and follow through and reach those goals. They will think on their feet better than their peers. This will give them an advantage in dealing with them. They will be quick to identify problems and holes in arguments. Their decision to seek excellence in all they do will propel them to success in all situations. The steady process of making life and death decisions will spur them to act with courage, courtesy, integrity, humility and self-control in all situations. They will have a strong sense of themselves and a high level of confidence in what they say and do. They got this way from repeatedly forming and articulating their own opinions. They stand tall and walk with a sense of purpose. When they introduce themselves to others, they look them in the eye, extend their hand and speak in a clear voice. They’re polite, confident and self-assured. They work well with others and they give them the sense that they are not someone to be trifled with. When others talk to them, they know that their complete attention is on them and that they understand what they have to say. When they say they’ll do something; they do it. It doesn’t matter how much harder it is than they initially thought; they said they’d do it; so, they do it. Whining and complaining are not options. They will quickly assess a situation and do what in their heart they know has to be done even if no one else is doing it. They know they’re only as good as their word, and they know that setting and keeping high standards for themselves is what’s going to make them sleep easy at night. They’re a good man or woman, and would make any parent proud to call their child.
References:
The Hero with a Thousand Faces, by Joseph Campbell
A Practical Guide to Joseph Campbell’s The Hero with a Thousand Faces, by Christopher Vogler
I kept seeing myself as an A student and I kept getting A’s.
Karate has had such a profound impact on my life. I can’t sum it up in one story, but I will try to convey the most significant change I feel I have made.
I am not known for being good at math. Algebra has always been a subject that I struggle with. So, I don’t need to say how nervous I was to at the beginning of the semester, having to take intermediate algebra at the JC.
But I applied certain concepts of karate to my behavior and attitude about myself as a math student. The first strategies I employed was “be faithful,” and “endeavor.”
I didn’t waste any time for setting up a study routine for myself and I never faltered from it.
All the hard work from that enabled me to change my attitude about my math abilities, because my understanding and confidence improved.
Another thought I carried with me throughout the semester was actions follow thoughts. I will get whatever grade I envision for myself. I kept seeing myself as an A student, and I kept getting A’s.
With all these improvements I have made on myself I discovered I like math, and without these changes, I would have never known.
“The basic difference between an ordinary man and a warrior is that a warrior takes everything as a challenge while an ordinary man takes everything as a blessing or a curse.” -Carlos Castaneda
It’s late January 2023 we just came back from training with Sensei Edmond Otis, and Sensei Kevin Warner and the wonderful people down in Riverside. The training was short, intense and eye opening. And on top of that we had a beautiful stay at the Mission Inn a national historical monument. If you haven’t been there, you’ve got to go, or at the very least visit their website.
Sensei Otis is the Chief Instructor of Shotokan International Alliance and is an unbelievably gifted instructor. His background as a psychologist gives him a unique perspective on the fine points of Shotokan Karate training and is a breath of fresh air to martial arts training.
In his classes Sensei Otis talked about the importance of attitude and how Shotokan Karate training was first and foremost about establishing the right attitude. Shotokan Karate practitioners are recognized around the world for having a very strong attitude towards life.
Sensei Otis explained that standing in natural stance is an important means of developing the right attitude. If your weight is back on your heels then when you are confronted with a dangerous situation you will be taken by surprise, your response will be, ‘Oh, no!’ and your reaction will be late. This attitude also makes “non-dangerous” things feel dangerous because we feel more hesitant. And it applies to opportunities. If we live back on our heels then when an opportunity is presented to us we can’t respond to it quickly enough to take advantage of it.
Whereas if your weight is forward on the balls of your feet you are ready for danger, you want it because danger is exciting, and your attitude is that if it’s going to happen then let it happen now, or ‘Come on!’ This is a strong attitude and will allow you to respond quickly and effectively to dangerous and non-dangerous situations. Sensei Otis explained that weight back and weight forward also effects how we perceive ourselves and is in effect a walking bio-feedback loop.
This attitude is echoed in the quote from Carlos Castaneda about the difference between a warrior and an ordinary man. The warrior will see everything as a challenge, whereas the ordinary man sees things as either a blessing or a curse. This is the attitude of ‘Come On’ being ready for whatever might appear.
I read all of Castaneda’s books back in the 70s and was fascinated by how his training in shamanism was similar to the training I was getting in Shotokan Karate. If you’d like more information on him, Google will tell you just about all you might like to know.
NOTE: All Shotokan Karate Leadership School® students are expected to attend. Attendance at this event will help your child achieve their goals and demonstrate the support they have for their dojo-mates and the school.
Your child will perform on stage. Please arrive by 5:30 pm to allow them time to prepare. This will be a great opportunity for your child to show you what they have learned and for you to let them know how proud you are of them. They will remember this event for many years to come.
Potluck: Please bring a dish of your choosing to share.
❖ Logan Purtill, Jovanni Garcia, Alejandro Rojas, Jacob Fertino, Riley Stanbro, Elliot Zapadinsky, Juliann Finn, Avery Finn, Liam Finn, Patrick Finn, Ed Estrada
Upcoming Events and Activities
Saturday, April 1st next Santa Rosa Invitational Karate Tournament: 10:30a-12:30p
April 10-17th Sensei Callahan’s Japan Trip
Friday and Saturday, April 28-29 Sensei Kevin Warner back to teach classes
Saturday, May 6th – Spring 2023 Award Ceremony and Potluck Dinner
Santa Rosa Invitational Karate Tournament – Saturday, April 1, 2023
You are probably receiving the Shoka Magazine and Shoka News after this tournament. The results will be available in the dojo. Not everyone will want to compete but those who do generally progress faster through the ranks. We’re hoping to hold the next tournament in October.
Japan Trip – April 10 to 17, 2023
I will be travelling to Japan and joining our friends from Shotokan International Alliance to do some sightseeing and karate training. I will have a full report when I get back. You’ll hear all about it in the May issue of Shoka Magazine.
April 28-29 – The Return of Sensei Kevin Warner, 7th Degree Black Belt from Riverside
Sensei Kevin Warner, Instructor Extraordinaire will be here to teach classes and give a Black Belt Exam on Friday evening, April 28. Then on Saturday, April 29, he’ll teach a few more classes. Space is limited so be sure to sign up in advance. Sign-up sheets will be on the front counter.
Spring 2023 Award Ceremony and Potluck Dinner, Saturday, May 6th from 5:30p to 8p.
Our semi-annual Award Ceremony, Potluck Dinner and Samurai Sword Cake Cutting will be held at the Finley Center on Saturday May 6th.
Shoka Magazine:
We’re mailing it to your house. We hope you’re getting it. If not let us know. It’s also coming by email in an electronic format that we recently discovered called Issuu. Check it out and let us know what you think… good or bad. And don’t worry, you won’t offend us. We’re probably more critical of our selves than you might be of us. We accepted a long time ago that we’re not perfect and that the way to get better is to recognize this and fix whatever we can when we can. We’ll teach your kids to do the same. This will serve them well the rest of their lives.
Our Covid Policy
Wear a mask if you are unvaccinated. Decide for yourself if you are vaccinated. We will never ask you to do anything that will put you or your family at risk. You always have the opportunity to opt-out of any activity or event that you deem is unsafe.
