Ten Chi Jin University

Last weekend I went to paris to train with Arnaud at his seminar called the Ten Chi Jin University, it is funny how I always have this feeling making the decision to go there difficult, I mean I always have something to finish or something to prepare for someone here at the science paradise, ..... doing a PhD is not always straight forward....., however at the end what matters is what makes you grow as human and makes you a better person, so I decided to leave everything behind for 5 days (even thought that sounds a lot of time and somebody may die of desperation) and I just took the train to paris to do what I should do, I actually think I didn't have any other option...

Any way once I was there I trained only for 4 days, one day less than expected, and that was due to the french strike on course during those days. Training is always good , at the beginning it was tough, when the body is not at that level of activity your brain starts to play tricks on you making you feel funny and more tired than what you really are, actually in my personal case I was having a headache that last for the first 3 days, but that's just a matter of kamae, just like life, If your kamae is good you can endure your own body complaining for 3 days, and actually once it stops complaining you feel much better, better than before.

We trained the Bujinkan's basics as Arnaud understands them, it is educative, constructive, and very helpful for your own path as a martial art student to see a lot of points of view of the same thing to start making the real picture, what is important is always invisible to the eyes as the little prince would say, and the only way to create a complete picture is to start training sincerely in the basics you should have.

I compare this feeling with the way your brain process what your eyes see. If you have one eye, you will be able to see only what's around you, but you will not have a perception of depth or a 3D view of the environment, however when you use both eyes, 3D is there!

It is the same when you have just technics unrelated within them, you think you know your environment but when somebody throws an apple up, you think it was coming directly to you and you find yourself lost in your comprehension (or not comprehension) of your own basics.

This stage gave me a more 3D view of myself as a Bujinkan practitioner, and almost needless to say it showed me how much work lies ahead for me to improve. Before getting there my understanding of Bujinkan was at the level in which you have seen several technics you have seen several interaction between them, but some times there are details that you don't remember or don't know at all , and those details make the difference, being able to do a nagare is one thing, being able to master yourself when doing it is a second level , and understanding how it applies just for you physically and in life is a complete different level.

I think that the best way to improve in every activity one perform is to sincerely observe yourself while doing it, it is not only a matter of doing several times a repetitive action until it becomes natural......, ok it is that as well, but it is also about observing you in every single detail to correct those that are wrong and learn from those that you don't have.

I need to say that training with Arnaud at this seminar was very good for me and for every one that may have feel the same, because he can point out with a single movement your mistakes, it is like a mirror for you, and if you are humble enough to learn from that, then you are actually improving.

Thanks Arnaud for giving us the opportunity to lear more of ourselves by having an awesome time!