Then we started again with another fantastic OBC season. OBC 5 was No. 1 in the series of this special Shindenkan elite training in Yakami Shinsei-ryu and it was clear that all the participants were excited about what layer was now added on top of last year's learning. OBC 5 is Ken 3, Iai-jutsu and Jo-jutsu. Jo-jutsu is the core course and the course that brings all the others together, which became much more clear during this OBC 5 which really set the stage for and showed the way forward towards real Yakami Taijutsu. As always, Kimu Sensei had laid out a program and it was now up to the participants to get as much out of this program as possible - but as Kimu Sensei said at the beginning, we should probably expect to get tired in the head because there would really be something to work with – and he was absolutely right about that 🙂
Everything was turned around so it all began in reverse order with the health-creating exercises from Jo-jutsu – ahh think everyone now we have to relax. No, it wasn't supposed to be like that, because it just showed that the contents of the bottle were being refilled now. This means that insight and understanding of the health-creating exercises were reviewed so that all participants now knew what they were really about and how and why they worked. To that extent, it also started the Ki flow in everyone, which was completely conscious and proof that the techniques were performed correctly.
Ki is internal energy and without it we would die - that's a fact. If you can get ki to flow correctly, it is health-promoting as it circulates throughout the body and as it cleanses the organs of waste substances. This may well create a bit of dizziness which some of the participants could feel - but it was a good sign as it showed that they performed the techniques correctly 🙂
OBC is a development spiral that rises with each season. The climb and speed is up to the participants which is very natural and completely in the spirit of Shindenkan. And as always, it creates very clear insight into how everything is connected in Shindenkan and Yakami Shinsei-ryu. It cannot be repeated enough, but the fact is that the contestants at OBC will develop and they will be really good and they will really Shindenkan. It gives peace of mind and it gives a desire to learn and an absolutely fantastic atmosphere and energy.
OBC is elite training and elite training is not just the execution of techniques – it is insight into the techniques and insight into one's own soul. Who am I and why do I act the way I do? Questions that are extremely crucial for learning at this OBC elite level. Because when you are curious about yourself, you will also be curious about what content should be on the bottle, as it is generally about being curious about life - it is all connected by a common thread.
Curiosity is about seeing what opportunities there are for development and improvement. Can you do something else to achieve the result you want or do you have to hold on and hope that the result will come at some point - in battle it's about seeing opportunities, because if you hold on to something that doesn't work, you can lose life - the same thing happens if you, as a human, do the same thing over and over again - you exist without living.
Curiosity is also about asking questions – not to get solutions, but to gain insight, understanding and clarification. A good question is always "why". Why do I do what I do and why doesn't it work? This was also a theme at OBC 5. Why not be good to yourself when there is new learning - use it instead of holding on to the old. Learn from the old grandmasters whose knowledge comes through the new grandmasters such as Kimu Sensei. It is truly unique that we at Shindenkan have the opportunity to have everything served on a golden platter without having to spend an extreme amount of time training something that may never show the way to the essence.
OBC 5 is also training of Ken 3 and Iai-jutsu. How to draw the sword without giving the opponent space and maintaining the center. Not only the outer center but also the inner center. That was exactly what OBC 5 was all about, namely to maintain the center at all times, both externally and internally.
Many people want to play through life and would rather not see reality as it is. You can also do that to a certain point, but then everything will explode. Reality is reality whether you like it or not. So you can adapt to reality by being good to yourself and learning from those who have walked the path before or you can stick to your own and believe that reality will change and adapt to the world you live in.
History simply shows that if you don't take responsibility for yourself by being open to other people's experiences and insights, you lose center and you end up losing yourself. OBC is about developing Shindenkan members with ever-increasing skills in an upward spiral that only goes towards the genuine and unique martial arts and martial arts with over 1000 years of history behind them - and that is exactly the center through the essence that we hold fast to.
