Dojo Ki

This year I wanted to share an experience that I had on the night of December 11, 2008.

There was a great deal of inclement weather that moved in that day, so I called Sensei to see if classes were being held at the dojo. He told me that classes were cancelled, but I was more than welcome to come by the school even if he was not there. I decided as I was only a few minutes away, I would go over and help with some of the extra cleaning that is not always possible during the week and practice a kata or two.
I opened the school and turned on all of the lights and began cleaning. The next three hours were spent cleaning parts of the main floor that were difficult to reach. As I went around watering the bonsai trees and cleaning all of the items on the dojo walls, I could sense this strange presence. Although there was absolutely no one else in the entire building, the dojo seemed alive with the energy and vigor of its students. I have never had such a strange feeling composed of both energy and harmony.
Every now and then, I found myself stopping and looking around and taking in the environment. I was encompassed in silence and could feel every aspect of my person. Being the only person in the entire building, this effect was amplified to the point it was almost deafening. Sensei arrived after a few hours and I told him about what I had experienced. The next day when I arrived at the dojo, I recognized that I made similar observations when the class took time to meditate.
Having had this experience I can truly vouch for the fact that a dojo is more than just a karate school, it is the embodiment of its teacher and its students. All of the knowledge and experience that has been shared in our dojo is not just displayed on the walls; it is embedded in the building and lives perpetually in the air. Our dojo is a physical manifestation of karate. It is a “place of the way” where karate is not only passed down from teacher to student; it is alive in both spiritual and physical forms.
When we make time to come to class or practice at the dojo we become closer to ourselves and gain a greater understanding of the world around us. It is important to stop, look and listen. Part of keeping the beginners mind is just to drop everything you are doing and immerse yourself in your training.

When you practice and when you meditate, be cognoscente of the air that you breathe into your lungs and feel the earth under your feet. Listen to the sounds of the world around you. Let go of any preconceived notions that you have or conclusions you have made. Be an empty cup ready to be filled with knowledge. This is where learning starts.

2008 has gone by and it has been a blur. I have met so many new people and have learned so much from many of my friends at FMK. I have only been able to make progress and be a better student by being surrounded by such a wonderful dojo and so many wonderful people.

I wanted to thank all of you for the knowledge that you have given me and I hope I have been an asset to this school. I hope the coming year will bring good fortune to everyone, and their lives will be filled with joy and happiness.
Above all I would like to thank Sensei for all of the amazing ways he has been a great teacher and friend only to me, but to all the students in our school. He does so much for us; make sure to give him some of your time to make our school a brighter better place. Any way you can support our dojo makes a difference, and every bit is appreciated.

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

Regards,
James William Richtsmeier