by H. F. Ito
Previously I sent a post about “Good is bad, bad is good.” This is my most recent follow-up (February 2022).
Unfortunately, the legal non-profit entity based in France known as International Shintaido Project was dissolved in June 2021. (Thank you Jean-Louis de Gandt, for your hard work to both help write bylaws and then guide the process of dissolution.)
However, I am very happy about several things that happened recently within the international Shintaido movement:
- The International Technical and Examination Committee (ITEC) offered SanDan/Senior Instructor and above exams via Zoom in the summer of 2021. *
- A Zoom lecture of Shintaido history, given by Peter Furtado at the UK Kan-Geiko at the beginning of 2021, was beautifully recorded and saved for future viewers **
- Pierre Quettier’s book of Rakutenkai interviews was successfully published at the end of 2021 ***
- The SoA Podcast started this winter, with David Franklin giving readings from the book Shintaido – the body is a message of the universe. ****
- British Shintaido broadcasted another fascinating Zoom event on February 20th. SOA instructor Margaret Guay spoke about “The body is a Message of the Universe” looking at it from her Body & Mind Centering practice point of view.
• 天の時
Ten no Toki (the unpredictable timing of heaven)
Because of the new Coronavirus, we were confronted with many regulations that slowed us down and prevented us from practicing any group movement in person. This slow-down felt to me like a message from Nature!
• 地の利
Chi no Ri (the strategic benefit of position)
When we were confronted by the problem of the Coronavirus, new communication strategies like Zoom emerged almost simultaneously, and those strategies opened new opportunities for human relationships and communication, not only to maintain our previous connections but also to grow and foster them in ways that were previously unimaginable.
• 人の和
Hito no Wa (the transcendent harmony of human communication)
Shintaido is blessed with a networked circle of well-trained Shintaido instructors who now can teach not only in local groups, but also anywhere in the world with no travel requirements and no scheduling restrictions. So, the body wisdom of Shintaido is now available in places where – and to people for whom – it used to be out of reach.
The many difficulties and opportunities that face Shintaido today remind me of a Bible verse that I memorized as a very young man, when I was involved heart and soul in the Rakutenkai community:
“…No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. “(from 1 Cor 10:13, NIV)
So, let’s keep going!
H.F. Ito (thanks to Lee Seaman and Tomi Nagai-Rothe for their help with editing)
Links
* https://sites.google.com/view/is-high-level-exams-2021/main
** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lILawAVhKAM
*** https://sites.google.com/view/shakunetsu/
**** http://www.shintaido.org/podcast/podcast-series-one/
