This year’s Autumn Seminar started with beautiful autumnal weather and a full car park! So many students applied to grade that the event had to start earlier than usual, and the dojo audience was full.
A grading is an opportunity to demonstrate the results of someone’s commitment and hard work. Every single grading is different, but they all have something in common: there is nowhere to hide. The nerves and uncertainties show up, the sections that could do with a bit more attention are visible; but so too is the heart and determination of the student publicly doing their best. It is both a joy and a privilege to watch a grading. And these gradings went extremely well – no-one just muddled through.
On the Saturday afternoon, a Kyu grading was held – for some their first ever grading, so nerves were in full force. But again, lovely displays of what they had learned meant that all passed to their next stage of their learning.
And in between these two gradings: classes with Sensei Greenley, Sensei Margaret, and Sensei Woolfall. They identified weak spots in the gradings and gave us all the opportunity to study those exercises a bit more closely.
It was wonderful to see the mat full of a range of grades and ages. It is particularly good to be reminded that we have access to a fantastic permanent headquarters dojo, and even if the journey is long for some the experience is always rewarding.