Perhaps I should have made the title, ‘Return to the USQ Dojo’, as for the past seven months we have still had a dojo, just one without walls or ceiling.
So, we are now permitted indoor training again, and have just had our first week back. (Technically we had our first class back the week before, but since I was not there, it never happened).
I will admit it was good to have mats to use for an open hand class; to have the freedom to fully engage with the techniques and the energy of uke again.
The formal etiquette and control of the battojutsu class was, without doubt, enhanced by the indoor space.
That said, I have thoroughly enjoyed the outdoor training, the challenges of the uneven ground, imperfect lighting, the ducks, swans, bats and the ire of the curlew. We shall not be giving this up.
We have a nice balance of training environments now, each in harmony with the needs of the particular class.
A good basis from which to start rebuilding our numbers.
Kai Cho