Our London gradings on 28th April 2012

We would like to thank all the students and parents who attendded the Karate gradings on Saturday 28th of April, for their support.
It was a long grading for some 10th Kyu students, as we had a lot of white belt students who had their first Karate grading, and they were not sure what to expect. We appreciate their patience and their parents, for being there and waiting until all of the students finished performing. We must say that everyone performed at their best, and that the quality of our students keeps growing and it seems to be a constant improvement on each and every one of our students. This makes us very proud.

Because of the lack of time on the day, we were unable to provide feedback. But both os us, Sensei Jonathan and myself, Sensei Patricia, took notes while our students where performing. We would like to give feedback to all of the students who took part on the gradings, so that they can lern what are their strongest points and weaker ones, to focus and improve the techniques for future gradings.

We acknowledged the best students in the gradings, with a Certificate for their performance with excellence. The students awarded were:

* Putu Khorisantono
* Maria K. Andaya
* Isaac Ibin-Ibrahim
* Nicole Reyes

Also, the following students were awarded with the "Top student of the Month" certificate, and we are also arranging trophies for them all:

* David Bogdan

* Putu Khorisantono

* Mohamed Popalzai

There were a few students who did their best at their gradings but who we felt did not quite reached the standards for the next Kyu. This should not be dissapointing for them, persevearance is what a Karateka should have the most :)
We are offering a grading re-take in 4 weeks time, for them to try again. This is an opportunity for them to understand the reasons why they did not pass, to focus on improving and learning with confidence.
We would like to assure our students that we are here for them, and that any questions that they may have, we are always ready to answer.
We are making sure that we can be contacted by numerous ways. We can be followed on Twitter, we have a page on Facebook, and you can call us on our mobiles or contact us by e-mail.

From Ju Dachi Martial Arts, we would like to congratulate all of our students for their gradings.


By Sensei Patricia Torralba.

Niju Kun: The Twenty Precepts in Shotokan Karate

"Karate ni sente nashi"
("There is no first attack in Karate") - Master Gichin Funakoshi

 

The founder of modern day Karate was born in 1868 and died in 1957 when the above quote became an epitaph on his gravestone. After learning martial arts and then creating his own, he was said to have practised Karate every day until he died.

New videos have been found of Master Funakoshi which show him performing the Tekki kata. It shows us that even when the original great Karate master was training, Shotokan stances were very low (designed that way for the strengthening of the leg muscles).

Sensei Funakoshi wrote the Niju Kun (Twenty Precepts) to help karate students transform their art into a way of life. Each line contains superficial meaning as well as deeper truth that could take a lifetime to fully understand. The original Japanese text is terse and meant to be thought provoking. Accordingly, English translations vary with individual interpretation. Below is a synthesis of a number of these interpretations.

For more information on Master Funakoshi, his life and how he introduced karate to the world read "Karate-Do - My Way Of Life" By Gichin Funakoshi, published by Kodansha International Ltd.

The Twenty Precepts of Gichin Funakoshi

1. Karate-do begins and ends with a bow (courtesy).

2. There is no first attack (move) in karate. (In karate the initiative does not exist).

3. Karate is a great assistance (an aid) to justice.

4. First you must know (control) yourself, then you can know (control) others.

5. Spirit is more important than technique.

6. Always be ready to release your mind.

7. Misfortunes arise out of negligence (laziness).

8. Do not think that karate training is only in the dojo.

9. It will take your entire life to learn karate.

10. Put your everyday living into karate (put karate into everything you do) and you will find "myo" (the subtle secrets, the ideal state of existence, exquisite beauty).

11. Karate is like hot water; if you do not heat it constantly, it will again become cool water.

12. Do not think about winning; think rather that you do not have to lose.

13. Move (change) according to (depending on) your opponent. (Victory depends on your ability to distinguish vulnerable points from invulnerable ones.)

14. The secret of combat resides in the art of directing it (clever fighting, trying every strategy).

15. Think of the hands and feet as swords.

16. When you leave home, think that you have numerous opponents waiting for you. (It is your behavior that invites trouble from them.)

17. Beginners must master basic stances; natural body positions are for the advanced.

18. Practicing karate correctly is one thing; engaging in a real fight is another.

19. Do not forget to correctly apply: light and heavy application of power, expansion and contraction of the body, and slowness and speed of techniques.

20. Devise at all times. (Always think and devise ways to live the Precepts every day.)

Our Karate lessons. TRADITIONAL SHOTOKAN KARATE

We, at Ju Dachi Martial Arts aim to provide a knowledgeable training, teaching traditional Shotokan Karate at our lessons in Essex and London.

History of Karate and Shotokan style:

Most Western students of Asian martial arts, if they have done any research on the subject at all, will surely have come across references to Bodhidharma. He is known as "Daruma" in Japan and as often as not, this Indian Buddhist monk is cited as the prime source for all martial arts styles or at the vary least, for any style which traces its roots back to the fabled Shaolin Temple. However, the question of his contributions to the martial arts and to Zen Buddhism and even of his very existence has been a matter of controversy among historians and martial arts scholars for many years (Spiessbach,1992).

As legend has it, the evolution of karate began over a thousand years ago, possibly as early as the fifth century BC when Bodhidharma arrived in Shaolin-si (small forest temple), China from India and taught Zen Buddhism. He also introduced a systematized set of exercises designed to strengthen the mind and body, exercises which allegedly marked the beginning of the Shaolin style of temple boxing. Bodhidharma's teachings later became the basis for the majority of Chinese martial arts. In truth, the origins of karate appear to be somewhat obscure and little is known about the early development of karate until it appeared in Okinawa. Okinawa is a small island of the group that comprises modern day Japan. It is the main island in the chain of Ryuku Islands which spans from Japan to Taiwan. Surrounded by coral, Okinawa is approximately 10 km (6 mi) wide and only about 110 km (less than 70 mi) long. It is situated 740 km (400 nautical mi) east of mainland China, 550 km (300 nautical miles) south of mainland Japan and an equal distance north of Taiwan. Being at the crossroads of major trading routes, its significance as a "resting spot" was first discovered by the Japanese. It later developed as a trade centre for southeastern Asia, trading with Japan, China, Indo China, Thailand, Malaysia, Borneo and the Philippines. In its earliest stages, the martial art known as "karate" was an indigenous form of closed fist fighting which was developed in Okinawa and called Te, or 'hand'. Weapons bans, imposed on the Okinawans at various points in their history, encouraged the refinement of empty-hand techniques and, for this reason, was trained in secret until modern times. Further refinement came with the influence of other martial arts brought by nobles and trade merchants to the island.Te continued to develop over the years, primarily in three Okinawan cities: Shuri, Naha and Tomari. Each of these towns was a centre to a different sect of society: kings and nobles, merchants and business people, and farmers and fishermen, respectively. For this reason, different forms of self-defense developed within each city and subsequently became known as Shuri-te, Naha-te and Tomari-te. Collectively they were called Okinawa-Te or Tode, 'Chinese hand'. Gradually, karate was divided into two main groups: Shorin-ryu which developed around Shuri and Tomari and Shorei-ryu which came from the Naha area. "It is important to note, however, that the towns of Shuri, Tomari, Naha are only a few miles apart, and that the differences between their arts were essentially ones of emphasis, not of kind. Beneath these surface differences, both the methods and aims of all Okinawan karate are one in the same" (Howard, 1991). Gichin Funakoshi goes further to suggest that these two styles were developed based on different physical requirements Funakoshi, 1935). Shorin-ryu was quick and linear with natural breathing while Shorei-ryu emphasized steady, rooted movements with breathing in synchrony with each movement. Interestingly, this concept of two basic styles also exist in kung-fu with a similar division of characteristics (Wong, 1978).

The Chinese character used to write Tode could also be pronounced 'kara' thus the name Te was replaced with kara te - jutsu or 'Chinese hand art' by the Okinawan Masters. This was later changed to karate-do by Gichin Funakoshi who adopted an alternate meaning for the Chinese character for kara, 'empty'. From this point on the term karate came to mean 'empty hand'. The Do in karate-do means 'way' or 'path', and is indicative of the discipline and philosophy of karate with moral and spiritual connotations.

The concept of Do has been prevalent since at least the days of the Okinawan Scholar Teijunsoku born in 1663, as this passage from a poem he wrote suggests:

No matter how you may excel in the art of te,
And in your scholastic endevours,
Nothing is more important than your behavior
And your humanity as observed in daily life.

The first public demonstration of karate in Japan was in 1917 by Gichin Funakoshi, at the Butoku-den in Kyoto (Hassell 1984). This, and subsequent demonstrations, greatly impressed many Japanese, including the Crown-Prince Hirohito, who was very enthusiastic about the Okinawan art. In 1922, Dr. Jano Kano, founder of the Japanese art of Judo, invited Funakoshi to demonstrate at the famous Kodokan Dojo and to remain in Japan to teach karate. This sponsorship was instrumental in establishing a base for karate in Japan. As an Okinawan "peasant art," karate would have been scorned by the Japanese without the backing of so formidable a martial arts master (Maliszewski, 1992).

Today there are four main styles of karate-do in Japan: Goju-ryu, Shito-ryu, Shotokan, and Wado-ryu.
Gichin Funakoshi was born around 1868 in Shuri, Okinawa. While in elementary school, he became friends with Anko Asato's son and eventually began to train under Asato in Okinawan karate. Later, Funakoshi would also train under Shorin-ryu master Anko Itosu. Interestingly, Funakoshi never actually named the fighting style that he refined from Itosu and Asato's teachings, just preferring to call it karate. But when he started a dojo in 1936, his pen name of shoto (meaning pine waves) was used along with the term kan (house) by his students to erect a sign above the entrance to the establishemnt that said Shotokan.

Shotokan was the name of the first official dojo built by Funakoshi, in 1939 at Mejiro, and destroyed in 1945 as a result of an allied bombing. Shoto (松濤, Shōtō), meaning "pine-waves" (the movement of pine needles when the wind blows through them), was Funakoshi's pen-name, which he used in his poetic and philosophical writings and messages to his students. The Japanese kan (館, kan) means "house" or "hall". In honor of their sensei, Funakoshi's students created a sign reading shōtō-kan, which they placed above the entrance of the hall where Funakoshi taught. Gichin Funakoshi never gave his style a name, just calling it karate.

The Legacy of Gichin Funakoshi and Yoshitaka Funakoshi: Beyond building the foundation of Shotokan, Gichin served as an ambassador of karate, eventually helping to popularize it through public demonstrations and by working to bring it to karate clubs and universities. However, his development of the philosophical points or foundations tied to the style called the Twenty Precepts of Karate or Niju kun is perhaps what he's best known for. Gishin's third son Yoshitaka later refined the art tremendously. By changing several aspects (such as lowering stances and adding more high kicks) Yoshitaka helped to separate Shotokan from the other Okinawan styles.

Goals of Shotokan:

In essence, many of the goals of Shotokan can be found in the Twenty Precepts of Karate. That said, one of these seems to say a lot: "Do not think of winning. Think, rather, of not losing." In fact, it's something that one could imagine another martial arts master, Helio Gracie, saying. In "Karate-do: My Way of Life", Gichin Funakoshi also noted that, "The ultimate aim of Karate lies not in victory or defeat, but in the perfection of the character of the participant."

In combat, Shotokan is a striking style that emphasizes stopping an opponent with powerful kicks and/or punches quickly and without injury.

Philosophy:
I believe that understanding and taking interest in the philosophy behind, it is extremely important for a serious Karateka.
Gichin Funakoshi laid out the Twenty Precepts of Karate, (or Niju kun) which form the foundations of the art, before some of his students established the JKA. Within these twenty principles, based heavily on Bushido and Zen, lies the philosophy of Shotokan. (For these reasons, I will be writing about it very soon, focusing on Zen)
The principles allude to notions of humility, respect, compassion, patience, and both an inward and outward calmness. It was Funakoshi's belief that through karate practice and observation of these 20 principles, the karateka would improve their person.
The Dojo kun lists five philosophical rules for training in the dojo; seek perfection of character, be faithful, endeavor to excel, respect others, refrain from violent behavior. The Dojo kun is usually posted on a wall in the dojo, and some shotokan clubs recite the Dojo kun at the beginning and/or end of each class to provide motivation and a context for further training.
Funakoshi also wrote: "The ultimate aim of Karate lies not in victory or defeat, but in the perfection of the character of the participant."
The Dojo kun" is written on our student´s licence/record book. It would be interesting to read it and memorise it, as well as thinking about the deep meaning of each word, and put it into practice. To achieve your goals as a Karateka as well as a person.


Characteristics of Shotokan:

As was previously mentioned, Shotokan is a striking style of martial arts that teaches practitioners through a series of kihon (basics), kata (forms) and kumite (sparring) how to defend oneself. Shotokan is a hard martial arts style that emphasizes powerful strikes, long stances, and a lot of in and out techniques in sparring designed to avoid damage and end a fight quickly. Higher belts also learn some grappling and jiu-jitsu style techniques.

I hope that this brief introduction covers the main aspects of our Karate teaching and that it would be is helpful to all of our students and easy to understand.

By Sensei Patricia Torralba

Karate and its styles, by Patricia Torralba

What is Karate-Do?
Some people ask me what is Karate, and some people also ask what is the difference between Karate and the popular martial arts of Ju-Do or Taekwon-Do. Many people get confused, which is understandable if you are not familiar with the wonderful world of martial arts. We have to look at where the martial art originates from, the philosophy and history behind it and the stances or body movements on which each martial art focus more.

Karate means: "empty hand".
Do means "way", "path".
Karate-Do: "The path of the empty hand".

Karate may be defined as a weaponless means of self defence. It consists of dynamic offensive and defensive techniques using all parts of the body to their maximum advantage.

Karate practice is divided into:

Kihon (drilling of stances, blocks, punches, strikes and kicks)

Kata (pre-arranged forms simulating combat situations)

Kumite (sparring)

In each category, the beginner is given instruction at the most basic level until the techniques become spontaneous. As the student progresses technically, he or she progresses physically as well, and advanced practices demand greater stamina. At this stage, the student becomes involved with more intricate and difficult katas and more dynamic forms of kumite. As the student approaches black belt level, technique, stamina, speed, and coordination become natural as a result of strong practice. It is at this stage that the serious student discovers that his or her study of karate has only just begun. The object of true karate practice is the perfection of oneself through the perfection of the art.

Karate as self-defence
Karate is one of the most dynamic of all the martial arts. A trained karateka is able to coordinate mind and body perfectly, thereby allowing the unleashing of tremendous physical power at will. Therefore, it is not the possession of great physical strength that makes a strong karateka; rather it is the ability to coordinate mind and body. Upon developing this ability, even the smallest person finds that he or she has within himself or herself the power to deliver a devastating blow to any would-be attacker.

The benefits? I think they are very obvious... but here we go:
In our everyday lives we often forget the value of exercise to both our physical and mental health. The practice of karate tones the body, develops coordination, quickens reflexes, and builds stamina.
Also, the serious practice of karate develops composure, a clearer thought process, deeper insight into one's mental capabilities, and more self-confidence. In this, karate is not an end, but a means to an end. It is an activity in which advancing age is not a hindrance. Rather it encourages proficiency in the keen coordination of mind and body.

Karate styles:
There is not just one way or correct way of practicing Karate, as there are many diferent styles. Karate is not "unified" and that is one of the reasons why Karate is not at the Olympics. I think that it makes Karate even more interesting, though. And I look at it as a martial art so extensive and broad, that years of practice and studies are needed. Few diferences between styles, on techniques, stances, or Kata. There is no right or wrong style. At the end of the day every single style is still Karate. I studied and practiced Shito-Ryu for 7 years. It was a great experience and an honour to have learn with Sensei Luis alberto Garcia, in Madrid, Spain. Studying, practicing and teaching Shotokan now, has broaden my knowledge of techniques and Kata and I find it extremely interesting when comparing with each diferent style.

Witnessing the Karate course with Sensei Phil Snewin  from Kamishin Ryu recently (I wish I could have taken part, but had to sit down and just watch, due to my foot injury),  made me think even more about the importance of certain things that we tend to forget in our lessons:

• I think that it is very important to name all techniques in Japanese, and explain them in English.
• Karate, as a Japanese martial art, is very regimented, and ordered, and we should focus on keep practicing in that way. I believe that practicing Karate in the most traditional way possible is the beauty of Karate.
• Focus on the critical distance.
• Look before you act. When practicing techniques, bunkai and very important: in Kata!
• "Zanchin", as personal awareness, concentration, mental focus...

There are four major styles of Karate today: Shotokan-ryu, Shito-ryu, Goju-ryu, and Wado-ryu. A brief description of Shotokan and Shito-ryu is provided below:

Shotokan-ryu, which was founded by Funakoshi, came from Shorin-ryu (from Shuri-te), and utilizes long linear stances and physical power. This style was one of the first styles to be introduced to Japan in the 1920's. Powerful kata such as Bassai (Shuri-te) are typical of this style.
Goju-ryu was founded by Miyagi. It came from Shorei-ryu (from Naha-te and Tomari-te), which utilize up and down stances and internal breathing power (known as "hard and soft" techniques). Kata such as Sanchin (Naha-te) and Rohai (Tomari-te) demonstrate these techniques well.

Shito-ryu was founded by Mabuni. It is a combination of Shorin-ryu and Shorei-ryu, which makes this style a lot like a combination of Goju-ryu and Shotokan-ryu. Shito-ryu is fast, but is still powerful and artistic. Its kata include the same kata as Shotokan-ryu and Goju-ryu, as well as some artistic Chinese white crane kata such as Nipaipo. Shito-ryu also practices with Kobudo (weapon arts) and sometimes Iaido (sword arts) as part of the style, which makes Shito-ryu fairly unique among the modern Karate styles.
Wado-ryu is a derivative of Shotokan-ryu. It was founded by Ohtsuka, a student of Funakoshi.

I, being a previous Karate Shito-Ryu and Kobudo student, I would like to explain a little about its origins so you can also be familiar with this marvellous Karate style:

As stated above, Shito-ryu is a combination of two old different styles of Karate: Shorin-ryu and Shorei-ryu. This combination makes Shito-ryu a blend of power and speed. Shito-ryu emphasizes very much on Kihon (basics) at the beginning, but for a senior student, quality and quantity run together. Shito-ryu contains all eighteen Shorin-ryu katas, all sixteen Shorei-ryu katas, the Chinese white crane katas, plus the katas devised by Mabuni himself from his broad knowledge and experience, for a total of over 60 katas (depending on the organization).
Moreover, Shito-ryu lives together with Kobudo (weapon arts) and Iaido (sword arts) as well. Kobudo katas and Iaido katas, along with Kihon, Kumite, all the other Karate katas, and the principles and messages behind them made the treasury of Shito-ryu so magnetic and demanding that it truly deserves a life-long dedication to practice and perfect.

By Sensei Patricia Torralba.

YOUR FEEDBACK

It is your chance to shape the future of our Association: We value your feedback and suggestions! Please write below what you think about our lessons and what we could do to improve. Your feedback will help us to make this a better club. Thank you.

Macrobiotics, the Japanese philosophy of living harmoniously with nature. Yin and Yang.

I have always been fascinated about the power of vegetables and the properties of fruits. It is amazing. What it is more amazing is that I have just discover the Macrobiotics Japanese philosophy, after reading some articles by Swati Chopra. I cannot believe that I never heard about Macrobiotics before... Where have I been???

Macrobiotics is a system of living, eating and healing that originated in 19th century Japan. This Japanese philosophy now enjoys a worldwide following attracted by its principles of harmonious living with nature through a balanced whole foods diet, an active lifestyle and respect for the environment

Have you ever heard of a diabetic tiger or an asthmatic cheetah in the wild? Or a rheumatic fish, for that matter? Makes you wonder why in the entire animal world it is the human beings who contract, suffer and die from such a wide variety of diseases. Maybe because we have moved away from the 'natural' world, towards habitats and lifestyles that continue to become increasingly complex, extracting from us their pound of flesh for 'luxuries' that we demand almost as our right for having moved up the evolutionary ladder?

The past few decades have seen a growing awareness globally of the detrimental effects of rapid industrialization on the environment, and of the hectic, tension-filled, unhealthy lives it spawns. An offshoot of this recognition was the 'natural food movement' in the 1970s in the West, wherein people began to consciously move away from chemically grown, artificially flavored and processed foods. Many systems of healthy eating, mostly exclusionist in nature, emerged, such as vegetarianism, veganism and fruitarianism. Part of this wave, and more holistic in its vision than others, was macrobiotics—a Japanese philosophy based on healthy eating that drew inspiration from Taoism, the diet of Zen Buddhist monks and the traditional Japanese way of life.

WHAT IS MACROBIOTICS?
The word itself derives from the Latin macro, meaning 'large', and bios, meaning 'life' and was coined by Hippocrates, father of modern western medicine. Hence macrobiotics is 'a large view of life'—a lifestyle based on an all-encompassing understanding of it.

Modern macrobiotics has its roots in the shiku-yo (food cure) therapy developed in the late 19th century in Japan by a Western-trained army doctor, Sagen Ishizuka. Fed up with allopathic medicine's ineffectiveness in treating his own chronic illness, Ishizuka researched traditional Japanese medicine and lifestyle, including syozin ryori, the way of mindful cooking and eating in Zen monasteries, and came up with shiku-yo.

One of Ishizuka's foremost disciples was Yukikazu Sakurazawa (later known as George Ohsawa), who integrated shiku-yo theories with elements of eastern and western philosophy and called the resulting amalgam 'macrobiotics'. Ohsawa popularized macrobiotics throughout the world through his writings, lectures and his Ohsawa Foundation in California, USA and the Centre Ignoramus in Paris.

In his 1965 classic on holistic living, Zen Macrobiotics, (published by Ohsawa Foundation) which introduced his philosophy to the West, Ohsawa says: ''In keeping with the traditional Oriental belief that no theory without practical technique is useful and that no technique without an uncomplicated, clear theory is safe, my therapy is simple—natural food, no medicine, no surgery, no inactivity.'' Ohsawa's protégé, Michio Kushi, who founded the Kushi Institute in Massachusetts, USA and the One Peaceful World Society, simply calls it "a sensible way of living and eating".

Wonderfully simple and simply wonderful! Yet in actual practice, macrobiotics entails very careful and conscious eating that translates into a long list of dos and don'ts, mostly stemming from each food's 'yin' and 'yang' value.YIN AND YANG
Macrobiotic philosophy is based on the ancient Taoist belief that everything in creation is made up of two antagonistic but complementary forces—yin (passive, silent, cold and dark) and yang (active, hot and heavy). Consequently, all foodstuffs are categorized as 'yin' and 'yang'. An ideal diet is one that would balance the two forces in the body. ''Health is the natural result of maintaining a dynamic balance of yin and yang in our daily eating and way of life,'' says Michio Kushi. It must be noted that yin and yang in food is unrelated to actual nutrient content.

According to Ohsawa's yin and yang guidelines in Zen Macrobiotics:
• Cereals must always be every meal's basis. The most ideal is whole, brown rice, which is a perfect balance of yin and yang.
• Vegetables can supplement cereals, but in lesser quantities and less frequently. Eggplant and tomatoes must be avoided, as they are extremely yin.
• Fresh fish can be used occasionally. Animal and dairy products and fruits are to be used in minute amounts.
• All fluids should be taken as infrequently as possible, since they are very yin, especially tea, coffee, colas and sweetened juices. Tea made from fresh herbs, and spring water are thought to be the most balanced beverages.

Ohsawa warns, though, that these guidelines must not be followed rigidly and each individual must keep in mind his own environment and constitution. ''For instance,'' he says, ''those who live in a cold climate need foods that are slightly more yang than those who inhabit tropical areas, while the person who works in the fields can tolerate more yin food than the one who has a desk job. Everything is relative to and is determined by the individual." It reminds one of ayurveda's directive to adhere to one's desha (location), kala (time) and prakriti (individual constitution) in food, medicine and lifestyle.

CONTEMPORARY MACROBIOTICS
After Ohsawa's death in 1966, macrobiotics has found many champions around the world, including Michio and Aveline Kushi, Herman Aihira, Tomio Kikuchi and Shazuko Yamamoto. In recent years, to counter the allegation of it being a 'lopsided and brown rice-centric fad diet', people like Kushi have moved away from Ohsawa's brand of macrobiotics. Says Kushi: "His presentation was a bit too restricted. To adapt it into a wide universal way, we have to have much wider interpretations. So I had the so-called macrobiotic diet as the standard, plus environmental adaptations and individual changing and climate change. In that way, the macrobiotic movement began."

Kushi has even incorporated many spiritual exercises into macrobiotics. He has enlarged its focus from a dietary system to one that is concerned with the environment, and world peace, even social action and says, 'Peace does not begin with any political party, religious movement or social platform. It begins in kitchens and pantries, gardens and backyards, where the physical source of our daily life-food, the staff of life, our daily bread—is grown and prepared.

"Brown rice, miso soup, whole grain bread, fresh vegetables—these and other whole, unprocessed foods are our 'weapons' to turn around the entire world. The energies of nature and the infinite universe are absorbed through the foods we eat and are transmuted into thoughts and the actions that spring from them. By becoming one with our larger environment and observing the universal laws of change and harmony, we are capable of restoring balance to our planet."

HOW TO GO MACROBIOTIC?
By following a few simple steps you can welcome macrobiotics into your life.

• Know that macrobiotics is based on living in harmony with nature through a balanced whole foods diet, an active lifestyle, and respect for the environment.

• Eat only when hungry.

• Chew well (around 50 times per mouthful) as it is important for good digestion.

• Eat in a relaxed manner. Sit with a good posture and take a moment to express gratitude for the food.

• You may eat two or three times a day, as much as you want, provided the portion is balanced. It is best to leave the table satisfied but not full.

• Drink moderate volume of fluids, only when thirsty.

• For the deepest and most restful sleep, retire before midnight and avoid eating late.

• Wash as needed, but avoid long hot baths or showers that deplete the body of minerals.

• Use cosmetics and cleaning products that are made from natural, non-toxic ingredients. Avoid those perfumed with chemicals.

• Prefer cotton clothing, especially for undergarments. Avoid wearing synthetic or woolen clothing directly on the skin. Avoid excessive metallic accessories on fingers, wrists, or neck.

• Spend time outdoors if strength permits. Walk on grass, the beach or on soil for up to half-hour every day. Spend some time in direct sunlight.

• Exercise regularly, as your condition permits, including walking, working in the garden, yoga, martial arts, and dance.

• Include some large green plants in the home to enrich the air's oxygen content. Open windows daily to permit fresh air to circulate, even in cold weather.

• Keep your home in good order, especially where food is prepared and served.

• To increase circulation, scrub the entire body with a hot, damp towel every morning.

• Avoid electric cooking devices or microwave ovens. The use of a gas or wood stove is preferred.

• Use earthenware, cast iron, or stainless steel cookware rather than aluminum or teflon-coated pots.

• Minimize use of television and computers. When using a computer, protect yourself from potentially harmful electromagnetic fields with a protective shield over the screen and other safety devices.

• Sing a song!

COOK A MACROBIOTIC MEAL
Most practitioners innovate in the kitchen, using basic macrobiotics ingredients like brown rice, tofu (soy cheese), soy sauce, seaweed and seasonal vegetables in prescribed proportions to cook up creative meals.

Give it a go and try it! You are more than  welcome to post and share your recipie ideas here. Thanks!

Sensei Patricia Torralba

Finding the right club

It is important that you find the right class for you. you will be spending a great deal of your spare time practising with other people so it is important that you are happy with your teacher and co-students. Most importantly it is vital that you find a bona fide club, which should be recognised by one of the large national organisations like TKGB (Traditional Karate of Great Britain). The reason for this is that all students should have some form  of insurance protection against third party claims.
By the same token, the instructor should be insured against claims for professional negligence.

Clubs should operate a licencing system, which is recognised and supported by the national body for exactly these reasons. If the club you are interested in does not provide these things, then you have to seriously questions their motives.

At present, the Ju Dachi Martial Arts Association operates a coaching qualification scheme in order to insure a high standard of instruction and safe teaching. Just because somebody claims to be a black belt does not mean that they are genuine or indeed particularly knowledgeable. There are a lot of charlatans purporting to teach martial arts these days, so it is important for your own safety to check the background of a club by contacting the parent association, if necessary. You should always make sure that the club is run in a safe and professional manner and has the backup of one of the nationally recognised organisations such us the TKGB and Ju Dachi Martial Arts Association to support it and that the teacher qualifications are recognised.