Zenko Int’l (All Tiger Groups) – Online News – October 2005



Dear Kyudo friends,
warm greetings to all,


We hope that you’re all doing fine while stepping into the wonderful and
colourful season of Autumn.

Here follows the News of our October issue. Enjoy.


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From Jaymati Levy   -   Shuko Kyudojo  (Amherst – Massachusetts – USA)
omtara@juno.com


In the Tricycle magazines, second issue, Winter 1991, I found a photo
and quote from Sensei!
That's when they had the section, " What does being a Buddhist mean to
you? "

I thought the kyudo community might like to hear what Sensei said!
(the photos of his is beautiful. he looks so youthful, and actually
quite gentle and pensive).

He replied to the question "What Does Being a Buddhist Mean to You?":

" Put others before the self.  If we go around saying, "I am top, I am
first, " this is fruitless, without benefit.  This is also the
foundation code of the warrior".


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From Eberhard Timischl   -   Koko Kyudojo  (Bern – Switzerland)
e.timischl@privatklinik-wyss.ch



From July 18th to 20th Koko Kyudojo Bern once again had the precious
opportunity to host Shibata Sensei XX. for an ITS. The number of
participants ranged up to 25 including some "youngsters" who had met
Sensei never before.
According to Sensei's instructions the program was opened and closed
with a reisha ceremony. Sensei pointed out to some of the older students
that they should train in this ceremonial form of Kyudo and urged them
to buy the necessary outfit (Kimono) too. Since we missed to ask Sensei
directly why reisha should become a more integral part of our practice
we are left with different suppositions about this question and
therefore we would be very much interested, if some of you readers could
give us some possible answers or hints related to this issue. Also we
would be grateful about sort of a reisha manual, which might exist.
Another renewal Sensei presented us with was the so-called three
slogans, which he recited at the beginning of the class and fearlessly
made us repeat in Japanese. He urged us to integrate these slogans in
our practice as well as in our daily life. Luckily Carolyn, whom we
experienced as extremely dedicated in her care for Sensei, provided a
translation of the slogans:

Rei gi o tadashiku subeshi

We will uphold good manners.

Shin gi o omunzubeshi

We will keep our hearts genuine and trustworthy.

Chusetsu o toutabubeshi.

We value loyalty as a noble quality.


Too, as in all programs Sensei would not become tired of pointing out
that he wants us to practice Kyudo as (one of the three forms of)
meditation but not to focus on target hitting (Sports Kyudo). Last but
not least he remarked that we should not be like three-day-monks but
practice Kyudo on a regular continous basis.
The program was enrichened by the presence of Haku-Zan (M.Wenninger's
new name after his ordainement as a Zen monk), who told us about the
recent program in KCL and what Sensei was empasizing there. So the
program was a great opportunity to work on our individual and collective
misconceptions and to allow ourselves to become confused and inspired at
the same time. Saturday evening we had quite an exclusive dinner with
Sensei in a restaurant, the other meals we too had together so that
there was enough time to have smaller or bigger talk and enjoy each
other.


Eberhard Timischl, Koko Kyudojo Bern
September 2005

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From Hans Brede   -   Kinko Kyudojo (San Francisco – USA)
hansbrede@titusint.com



I am a student of Lucy Halverson's at Kinko Kyudojo in San Francisco.
I participated in the recent program at Zen Mountain Monastery (you'll
see me behind Lucy during the Closing Demonstration and in some of the
teaching pictures where I had the honor of being Lucy's assistant).

It fell to me to collect and make available all the pictures taken
during the program.

We thought this might be of possible interest.
Here is the URL: http://hanare.org.

I take the liberty of including the cover letter I wrote for the e-mail
that will go to all participants this weekend.

Best Regards, Hans Brede.


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From David Wimberly   -   Kozan Kyudojo (Halifax – Nova Scotia – Canada)

davidwimberly@eastlink.ca



I am looking for low cost, used kyudo equipment to help my son practice.

My son and I attended two days of the Nova Scotia Kyudo Intensive
September 2-4, 2005 with Shibata Sensei and Sam West.

I need to get him a beginners Yumi and Ya for long and short shot.
Perhaps also a kake.

My 20 year old son, John, and I will look forward to hearing if there is
a used 13 to 14 kg Yumi available sized for John who is 5' 9 1/2"(1m77).


I am 5' 2 1/2" (1m59).  I'm glad to hear that a Yumi sized for him will
do well for me too (Nisun-nobi).
For Ya length, I measured his Yazuka (arm length) as 35 1/2" (90cm) from
fingertip to center of chest.  Three fingers width is 2 1/2" (6.5cm), so
he should need Ya at least 38" (97cm) long, I believe.

John needs a size 8 kake, although a large size 7 might do.

Thanks and with best wishes,

David Wimberly
15 Schooner Cove Road
Head of St. Margaret's Bay
NS  B3Z 2B3
(902) 826-7846
1-866-270-7534 toll free
davidwimberly@eastlink.ca


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Kyudo program to come :


Open program at Ryuko Kyudojo (Boulder – Colorado – USA)
October 28-30, 2005.

Contact:   Kate Clayton   (303) 440-0603   kate@kateclayton.com


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Coming in the November Issue :


2006 – Kyudo Exchange Program

Europe to North America and North America to Europe.
All details to come ...

Don’t miss Zenko International’s November Online News’ Issue.


___________



Please do not forget to let me know of the e-mail address of the new
Kyudo practitioners of your Dojo or Practice Group.

We’re looking forward to receiving news to be shared
in our next Online News’ Issue (to jean-pierre.poggi@sympatico.ca by
the 15th of the month).


All the best to all,

Jean-Pierre
On behalf of Zenko International (All Tiger Groups)


Council Members:


Baltin, Max - Oko Representative
baltin@nrw-go.de

Boorstein, James - Chairman
jboorstein@earthlink.net

Mains, Ellen
dranyen@yahoo.com

Poggi, Jean-Pierre – Communication facilitator
jean-pierre.poggi@sympatico.ca

Symanski, Don - Head Instructor
donsymanski@indra.com

Timischl, Eberhard – Oko Representative
e.timischl@privatklinik-wyss.ch

Wenninger, Michael - Financial Comptroller
mwenninger@earthlink.net