We have been in home quarantine for the past week. During previous lockdowns, we have been able to send the kids out for a bike ride or a run to break up the monotony. This time, we were caught up in the close contact quarantine requirement and our family can’t leave our property.
It started with my youngest son going in the back yard with a 2 metre stick to swinging it around and hit the makiwara. And then oldest son went outside with a naginata to join him. And then I got caught up in the moment and grabbed my tanto to be part of the action.
Weapons practice is a joy. It can sometimes feel like intentional training dampens that. But, spontaneous and free acts of practice highlight that we do this because we want to.
It is its own reward.
O’Brien Sensei