Roppo Doji: The Stories

Roppo, are all the stories on your blog true?

Did they really happen like that?

Yes.

Everything I write is from the reflection of truth, and attempt to capture the essence of a moment that happened, will never happen again, but could happen again.

Reflections on moments through my life.

The events, alignment, geography, chronology, and people are all correct and true.

The only thing I have changed are the names of people where needed.

Is everything always as crazy in the stories?

Day-to-day no.

My life, probably like your life is long stretches of routine and predictability, given rise to moments in time like I have shared when one often least expects it.

Many of my stories focus on budo- martial arts as that has been the driving force of my life, the lens and construct from which I navigate. If I shared the rather mundane budo stories it would get boring very quickly, but those boring stories are the foundation to what allows the opportunities of all the other stories to rise.

So, what it a normal day in the life of Roppo Doji with regard to budo and the dojo?

Class is still three times a week and I still have obligations to the dojo, although not as intense as I am no longer an uchi deshi.

I arrive to the dojo a little early to help set up and make sure everything is a go for when the teacher arrives. I step out on the floor early so I can stretch out, breathe, and clear my mind for class.

When class lines up to begin I’m now towards the front of the line, not the number one spot, but the one behind it, and from there class begins.

I do my best to copy my teacher and perform the movements he shows.

I work with different students through the evening, some have been friends of mine for a lifetime, others relatively new.

When class ends maybe I have some questions regarding mistakes I made, mistakes that need clarification, but I always keep it to one question to be mindful of the time so others also have time to ask any questions.

Back on the line to bow out, I then help clean up and put things away for the night.

Outside in-front of the dojo is a nice garden with a pair of guardian lions and an old oak tree. Often a group of us will hand out here for a little time to talk about training or whatever is going on in the moment.

On Saturday nights we still go to the tea house, the pizza shop or the Japanese restaurant.

This is the routine.

The kihon.