Unity Koshukai i Karlstad

Uppdaterad 2015-07-01
Under Kristi himmelsfärdshelgen (15-17 maj) hölls det ett Unity Koshukai (som brukar översättas till ”study session”). Det officiella namnet för lägret var ”Shorinji Kempo Unity Study Session Sweden 2015  少林寺拳法UNITY講習会スウェーデン２０１５. Det första lägret av den här typen hölls i Bromma förra året och i år var det Karlstads tur att stå som värd. Vi hade cirka 65 deltagare från Finland, England, Ryssland, Tyskland, Frankrike, Italien och givetvis från Sverige. Instruktörerna, som utses av vårt huvudkontor i Japan, var Kaihoko-sensei och Fujii-sensei.

Instruktörer

Det blev tyvärr klart ganska sent med vilka instruktörer som kunde komma till årets upplaga, vilket väl gjorde att det kanske blev lite färre deltagare än om vi haft lite bättre framförhållning. Men det blev till slut två mycket kvalificerade instruktörer.

Kaihoko sensei

Kaihoko Masayuki sensei, Shorinji Kempo International Instructor (kokusai shidōin), 7:e dan seihanshi och Dōinchō för Yamagata Tendo dōin.

Fujii sensei

Fujii Shogo sensei, Shorinji Kempo International Instructor (kokusai shidōin), 7:e dan seihanshi och Betsuinchō för Tokyo Otsuka Dōin. Fujii-sensei har tidigare varit dōinchō för hombu dōin.

Träningen

Schemat var upplagd på liknande sätt alla dagarna, efter samu startade vi med chinkon gyō följt av uppvärmning och kihon. Sedan var det uppdelat i två grupper 1 kyū – 2 dan och 3 dan – 6 dan för teknikträning fördelat på gōhō och jūhō. DE båda instruktörerna växlade mellan de båda grupperna så alla fick chansen att ta del av bådas undervisning. Varje dag hölls det också hōwa (föreläsning) om Kongo Zens filosofi och sista dagen var det en teoretisk genomgång av regler för embu-tävling  samt hur man dömer embu.

Uppmärksamhet i media

Tack var Karlstad Shibus ordförande Christer Enfors fick vi väldigt bra uppmärksamhet i media. Det var några intervjuer live i Sveriges Radio P4, den största lokaltidningen NWT (Nya Wermlands-Tidningen) tog också en hel del bilder och intervjuade en del deltagare vilket resulterade i en stor del av förstasidan samt ett helt uppslag i lördagens tidning.

Även TV var på plats och SVT:s Värmlandsnytt gjorde ett inslag som senare visade på onsdagen, man skrev även ett kort reportage på SVT:s hemsida

En kommentar från Fujii-sensei efter lägret:

合掌
スウェーデン講習会でお世話になりましたアンデシュ会長をはじめ、支部長の先生方、拳士のみなさんに心より感謝申し上げます。
ありがとうございました。
熱心に修練される皆さんに触発されて私の生命力が賦活するとても楽しい講習会でした。

開祖　宗道臣先生は、ご著書で次のように述べられています。
「少林寺拳法が人間完成の行としての価値が絶大だのは、人と人とが拝み合い楽しみながら修行できる在り方と共に、終生をかけて修行してもつきることなく、極まることもない、広く深い道だからである。」
広く深いこの道をこれからも世界中の同志で共に求めてゆきましょう。
皆さんと本山でお会いできる日を楽しみにしております。

結手
藤井省吾

Gassho
I would like to express my wholehearted appreciation for your hospitality given to us by Anders sensei, Swedish Branch Masters, and all the Swedish Kenshi.
Thank you very much.
It was a great, enjoyable event, where the enthusiasm shown by all of the participants invigorated my life energy.

The Founder Doshin So wrote in one of his books:
”The reason why Shorinji Kempo has its tremendous value as ‘Gyo’ for developing people is that it is a way with which people can enjoy practicing respecting each other, and also that it is a wide and deep path that will never end and complete even you go through it all your life.”

On this wide and deep path, let’s keep walking together along with all the comrades around the world.
I look forward to seeing you again at Hombu.

Kesshu
Shogo Fujii

Kommentarer från deltagare

Alexander Sofronov, Baltika shibu, Ryssland
There were three days of excellent practice under the guidance of Kaihoko sensei and Fujii sensei. I’ve taken part several times in Swedish Shorinji Kempo gasshuku. Every time it gives positive emotions and feeling of atmosphere of real friendship and cooperation. This time I was the only Russian but I was not alone. Many thanks to Leif and the guys from Bromma branch for their help and funny time we spent. I like Sweden with its nature, beautiful cities but most of all friendly people. This event was a good and rare opportunity for me to train together with well qualified and strongly motivated kenshi from different countries. In fact there were represented Sweden, Japan, Finland, Germany, Italy, UK, France and Russia! It necessary to say that every Shorinji Kempo Unity Study Session is very useful and rich of the trainings and new knowledges. This time was not exception. These days of training filled me by new impressions and experience. The party is integral part of the Gasshuku is worth special remark. It was the comfortable way when we could discuss news in informal way drinking and enjoying meal. The only idea of next day training stopped that fun. I was a bit grievous of those three days passing very quickly and that I left old and new congenial friends with common aspirations. This trip once again confirmed that the personal relations based on Shorinji Kempo’s ideas have no obstacles in the form of borders, distances, personal preferences, cultural features and different languages. I’d like to thank Anders sensei for the invitation and perfect organization of the gasshuku. I am already waiting next time!

Juha Utriainen, Säynätsalo shibu, Finland
All Finnish participants travelled to Karlstad with great expectations, and we really got more than any of us could hope. Extremely skilful and fascinating teaching from both Sensei, friendly atmosphere and well organized event, thanks to Anders Pettersson Sensei. Shorinji Kempo always gives new aspects to our training, and that always amazes me. I like to thank both Kaiohoko-sensei and Fujii-sensei that they shared their knowledge to us.

Bodhi F. De Raffaele, Roma Eur shibu, Italy
Incredible experience, thanks to all the instructors, organizers, all the kenshi and obviously to Petterson Sensei who made this possible. As I said to some of you we felt exactly like in a family meeting, with friends we met before and even with those we met for the first time. that feeling is priceless and we brought it home with us. that’s what Shorinji Kempo is about! Hope to meet you all really soon. Greetings from Roma Eur Branch.

Paul Browne, Harrow shibu, United Kingdom
The kōshūkai in Karlstad was one of the most enjoyable I have attended. The whole seminar was conducted in a spirit of friendship, from the most senior sensei to the most junior kenshi and I left having renewed contact with old friends and made many new ones. Fujii sensei and Kaihoko sensei taught in an inspirational way that made familiar techniques seem fresh and made you look at them in a different way, thinking of new ways to improve. The hōwa helped reinforce that Shorinji Kempo is so much more than just a martial art.

One aspect of the training on the course was the emphasis on improving one specific part of a technique, in gōhō it was the umpohō and taisabaki particularly in being fast but controlled when stepping and the rotation of the hips and shoulders in blocking and striking. In jūhō it was kakete, the action of the gripping hand in making a technique successful. The best part of this training was that whilst it was challenging it was also achievable and you could feel technique improving while you practised. Another really enjoyable part of the training was having the chance to practice techniques from outside of the normal hōkei. Kenshi often don’t realise how wide the techniques of Shorinji Kempo are so the chance to practice idori waza, ground techniques and varieties of hiji ate helped to expand the knowledge of students and encourage them to look more deeply into the possibilities in training. The lesson on the construction and judging of embu gave an insight both into how to use it for both deeper training and competition. Separate from the physical training was the social ’training’ much of it accompanied by excellent food and responsible drinking Smiley smile, where Kenshi from all over Europe (and Japan) used their common interest in Shorinji Kempo to build friendships that withstand the distance between their homes and infrequent meetings. I left the kōshūkai with a ’souvenir’ in the shape of a knee injury that is still troubling me, but even so I wouldn’t have wanted to have missed it, it was that good.

Laurent Espeso, Vaurigard shibu, France
I really had a great time during the last Karlstad Unity Koshukai and i was able to meet some new friends and of course the old ones from Sweden, Finland, England and Russia. It is always funny to meet kenshi I know for more than 20 years during seminars travelling in many different countries.
Since It was my first trip to Sweden and i was travelling alone from France I was a bit worried about the language matter arriving in Stockholm but I could quickly realize that all the Swedish and Finnish kenshi are fluent in English.
We had the chance to have some great and rare teachings from Fujii sensei and Kaihoko sensei and thanks to Kenneth for the translating work we were all able to understand all the difficult and interesting lectures.
I was very impressed by the Swedish people and would like to come back to visit the country with my wife very soon. Sometimes i had the sensation that i was travelling inside Japan because everybody was taking care of me. That’s not a common feeling when travelling abroad nowadays.
At last, I would like to thanks Anders Pettersson sensei for inviting me to join the Kōshūkai and for helping me with all the organizational details and make my trip smoother and all the Kenshi from Karlstad Branch for the great work and their behaviour regarding the foreigners who join the Seminar.

Sven Hebbe & Daniela Kozian, Humboldt University Berlin, Germany
We had the chance to experience three days full of great practice, best food and good organization as well as nice and funny conversations and happy time together with new and old friends – this koshukai was worth any effort to go there
It’s always good to see how people around the world can have such a good time in a respectful atmosphere.

Graham Cooper, Harrow shibu, United Kingdom
From the start the event was well planned and the organization was timed with precision. The instruction plan format followed in a seamless relaxed manner. Instruction from the two sensei was unique. Energized and inspirational. Showing that Shorinji Kempo is an art of many fascinating angles of approach.
I am still inspired 2 months later from the teaching styles. Each of us has different ways to get techniques to work. The approach shown was fun and educational.

Leif Kekonius, Bromma shibu
Ett givande läger med pedagogiska instruktörer som bjöd på sig själva.Det är inspirerande att se tekniker utföras med precision och enkelhet. Vi fick med oss en hel del detaljer att öva på och en hel del övningar för att förbättra våra tekniker.

Christer Enfors, Karlstad shibu
Vi är mycket lyckligt lottade som fick chansen att träna med så kvalificerade, trevliga och entusiastiska som sensei som Kaihoko-sensei och Fujii-sensei, och på hemmaplan dessutom!

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