NATURE IS OUR COMPANION

NATURE IS OUR COMPANION

Many of us feel a sense of peace when we’re out in nature. We feel a sense of timelessness. We become aware of the reality and absolute operation on natural law. We become aware of our own almost insignificance in relation to it. We can’t change it; we can’t control it. But the thought is somehow reassuring. We feel content to be a part of something so remarkable and unarguably “there”
There is a sense of balance and harmony in nature. Seasons come and go with regularity. There are cycles of life, giving and receiving in a beautiful harmonious whole. Even catastrophic events, storms, earthquakes, floods, are part of a larger harmony, a natural cycle of growth and change. Nature is always becoming. The beauty of nature constantly unfolds in accordance with its laws, Nature teacher us about peace. It reminds us that there are laws and that they are in control. With that reminder is a sense of comfort that there is order in the universe. We might as well attempt to reorder the seasons or put an end to the effects of gravity as to change the consequences of violating natural law in the human dimension. We simply cannot be a law unto ourselves without consequences. Peace and quality of life come only as we discover and align with the fundamental laws of life.

Jim Kelly, Sensei

Jim Kelly, Sensei

"The dream begins, most of the time, with a teacher who believes in you, who tugs and pushes, and leads you onto the next plateau, sometimes poking you with a sharp stick called truth."

Jim Kelly, Sensei began his Karate training in November of 1972, under the late Sensei D. Jenkins. A very good friend of Sensei Kelly, Sensei Kowalski was training with Sensei Jenkins and he asked if he wanted to train also. He said yes and have not looked back since that day. So many life lessons that he learned back then are still with him today. Many times he still says things that were said to him in those early days of his training. Little did he know that over 30 years later he would still be doing karate and sharing what he had learned with his students. He enrolled in college in 1974, but in 1976 he had to stop his karate training as a result of my college demands. He stayed in touch with Sensei during those years and his love for karate never diminished during that time, In fact it grew stronger! While in college he became an accomplished fencer and he applied things he learned in karate training to his fencing. He also enrolled in the ROTC program. Upon the completion of his commitment to the army, in 1980, he began training again with Sensei Jenkins and continued training with him until his untimely death in 1984. He had the honor and privilege to be considered and tested for the rank of Shodan in December 1985. His only regret was that he didn't have Sensei Jenkins there to hand him the black-belt that day, but he knew he was looking down on him and telling him how much more work he had ahead of him. In 1986 he relocated to Cape Coral, Fla. where he continued to train and teach at Mr. Murphy's dojo. he always had a goal though to one day open his own dojo and that goal came true in November 1991 - actually on Sensei Jenkins birthday. Since then he has trained many students, many of whom have moved on in their lives, and others are still active in the Dojo. In 1995 he had the privilege to become a student of Hanshi N.Adler, founder of the Centurions. He currently hold the rank of Roku-dan 6th degree under Hanchi Adler. He also studied Iaido and Kendo under the late Kyoshi J. Bass. Throughout the years he has competed in many local and national tournaments and have placed numerous times. He stills enjoy teaching and sharing his karate with his students and watching them grow physically and mentally from their karate training. He is known as a tough teacher, but despite the exterior he has a definite softness and love for his karate and students."

Jim Hobson, Sensei

Jim Hobson, Sensei

Sen is a Japanese term that means before, or ahead. Sei means life, birth or living. Therefore, the sensei is a teacher. They are born before, therefore they are thought to have knowledge that inexperienced people do not. Therefore I broadly understand a sensei to be "one who has gone before".
In the karate environment, a sensei is seen to be a "teacher" or an "instructor", and therefore the term implies many year’s experience, and the achievement of high order of karate skills and knowledge. Further it implies the ability to teach others of a lower grade, and contribute to their development.
In the Dojo environment "sensei" also implies "leadership", and so the criteria for a karate sensei will be very similar to the criteria required for anybody in a leadership position. Throughout history there have been numerous attempts to clearly identify "what is leadership".

Jim Hobson, Sensei is truly a great leader and role model. He is a very likable, polite, gentleman and good family man.
Sensei Jim Hobson exemplifies everything one would desire in a role model for the young. He is a technician and teacher that has given of his time and experience to many students, all of whom have benefited from his knowledge and his patience. he oversees instruction and operations at Pembroke Pines, Florida Dojo. He is a direct student of Danny Reizner, Sensei

Eric Connolly, Sensei -Los Angeles, California

Eric Connolly, Sensei

Sensei Eric Connolly is a black belt under the instruction of Sensei Dan Reizner and is an honored affiliate of The Kokusai Koryu Gojukai Karatedo Association. He began his formal training in 1990 under Sensei Jorge Smith in Miramar, Florida. Shortly after beginning his training there, he was introduced to Sensei Reizner, and under the tutelage of both his Senseis, he started training vigorously in the pursuit of following his own dreams; to become a Sensei of his own dojo.
Sensei Connolly was an active competitor on many different tournament circuits such as: FAME, FBBA, FSKA, to name a few.
Sensei Connolly attained his rank of black belt in July of 1995 under the direction of Sensei Reizner. As a reward for his achievement he assumed teaching responsibilities of The Miramar-Civic Center Dojo the very dojo he began training in under Sensei Smith, and became a Sensei of his own dojo. He continued to play a strong role in assisting his Sensei at his other Dojos:
Miramar-Fairway Park Recreation CenterMiramar-Coceano Youth CenterPembroke Pines-Price Park Recreation Center
In 2003 Sensei Connolly moved away from his hometown Hollywood, Florida to Burbank, California where he actively practices and teaches Karate.

ORDER IS OUR ATTITUDE

ORDER IS OUR ATTITUDE

"To put the world right in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must first put the family in order; to put the family in order, we must first cultivate our personal life; we must first set our hearts right." -- Confucius

An attitude is made of our thoughts, feeling, and ultimately, our actions. It's made in that order too. Our thoughts create our feelings which direct our actions.Notice that thoughts come up first. It might appear strange, because it certainly appears like our feelings highjack our thoughts and impel us into actions, not the other way around. But you'll see, as we look at how your brain works, that your thoughts are the real fireball, the honcho, the launch tablet that sets everything else in movement. Each idea is powerful, for your good or your injury.Feelings can be overwhelming, seemingly uncontrollable, driving you toward inevitable actions. It's critical to learn how to command your feelings and actions before anything is put in movement. Either way, for good or for bad upshots, our thought process and feeling find how things work out in our lives. Our upshots are just that, the issues of what's going on inside us. Before you can really acquire going on the way of alteration, you've acquired to do an attitude bank check first. You can read until your eyeballs autumn out and your fingers acquire calloused from turning pages, but without the right attitude in spot, you're wasting your clip. With a poor attitude, there's no info on Earth that can assist you alteration your life. Take a look at your attitude about yourself, your life, and the people in your life, your finances, your wellness, and your spot in the existence. How does it look? There are great deals of things in life you really don't have much of a selection about, but your attitude is not one of them. Your attitude is completely up to you. We can state you right away that a positive, grateful attitude is the best way to move. Your attitude is a selection. Success is all about making great selections, and this is the first i you ask to undertake. It might take practice. It might take reminding yourself. It might even take a "fake it 'til you do it" stance, but you've acquired to do it.The process of human change begins within us. We all have tremendous potential. We all desire good results from our efforts, most of us are willing to work hard and to pay the price that success and happiness demand.Each of us has the ability to put our unique human potential into action and to acquire a desired result. But the one thing that determines the level of our potential that produces the intensity of our activity, and that predicts the quality of the result we receive is our attitude.Attitude determines how much of the future we are allowed to see. It decides the size of our dreams and influences our determination when we are faced with new challenges. No other person on earth has dominion over our attitude. People can affect our attitude by teaching us poor thinking habits or unintentionally misinforming us or providing us with negative sources of influence, but no one can control our attitude unless we voluntarily surrender that control.No one else "makes us angry." We make ourselves angry when we surrender control of our attitude. What someone else may have done is irrelevant. We choose, not they. They merely put our attitude to a test. If we select a volatile attitude by becoming hostile, angry, jealous or suspicious, then we have failed the test. If we condemn ourselves by believing that we are unworthy, then again, we have failed the test.If we care at all about ourselves, then we must accept full responsibility for our own feelings. We must learn to guard against those feelings that have the capacity to lead our attitude down the wrong path and to strengthen those feelings that can lead us confidently into a better future.If we want to receive the rewards the future holds in trust for us, then we must exercise the most important choice given to us as members of the human race by maintaining total dominion over our attitude. Our attitude is an asset, a treasure of great value, which must be protected accordingly. Beware of the vandals and thieves among us who would injure our positive attitude or seek to steal it away.Having the right attitude is one of the basics that success requires. The combination of a sound personal philosophy and a positive attitude about ourselves and the world around us gives us an inner strength and a firm resolve that influences all the other areas of our existence

Chris Contreras, Sensei Denver, Coloroda

Chriss Contreras, Sensei

Chris Contreras, Sensei is an incredible multi-talented athlete. He is passionate about both sport and art. He received a degree in music from Florida International University, and is a graduate of the FIU Karate program and a direct student of Saavedra, Kaicho. He is the consummate student, always seeking to improve his skills and always analyzing and questioning everything. He brings a fresh and novel approach to understanding martial arts. If Nike used musical artists as endorsers, Chris Contreras would be an ideal choice; his music exhibits the intense focus, passion and skill that marks all great athletes. .

"The Way" Higher Levels of Training and Understanding

The 20th Century Human Being is one who finds comfort in living their life within the mainstream status quo of what would be considered normal. Their lives and thoughts will follow the path of a lower consciousness being.

The Spiritual Path - Everyone walks a path, whether consciously or not. If you are walking a Spiritual Path, it means that your intention is to experience your life from a fully conscious state of awareness. You are also aware of dimensions and realities beyond the physical and you consult with higher forms of wisdom and intelligence to provide guidance for the directions and choices you make on your life's path.

Higher level consciousness thoughts - As part of the evolutionary process, it is a natural occurrence to raise your lower consciousness thoughts towards a more expansive viewpoint. Rather than processing your thinking in a fear-based system, you begin with thoughts of Love. From this place as a starting point, you will ultimately be guided to seeing the reality around you in a more positive Light. You will begin to see yourself in others which creates a common bond for compassion and empathy to be expressed. This infectious state of being will permeate everything around you, so that the reality you experience contains the essence of joy, happiness and bliss -- no matter what circumstances are being played out in front of you.

The Higher level consciousness being is one who indulges in a life based on higher consciousness thoughts such as those based in the emotions of love and kindness in which you offer compassion and respect for those around you.

The Higher Self is a part of yourself that has always existed and has been with you guiding you on your evolutionary path. This is a fully conscious and aware part of your entire Self that can be accessed through your sincere intent. This part of your Self fully understands all there is to know about you and is the wisest part of your being. Your Higher Self is your connection to All That Is and it is Love in its purest form.

Ray Feliciano, Sensei Aguadilla, Puerto Rico

Ray Feliciano, Sensei

You can't be a leader if you care only for yourself. It just doesn't work. You can't fake caring for your people either. You also have to take the time to help the ones around you be more than they could be on their own. In fact I would argue that you aren't a real leader until you have helped some others be leaders. You might get people to follow you, but if you can't help others get to the next level and perhaps even beyond yourself, then you might be a great entrepreneur but a lousy leader. Ray Feliciano, Sensei is one of those leaders that understands that good leadership is about making leaders, and we are so fortunate to have him in the World Sansei Koryu Gojukai Karatedo. He leads by example he understands that in order to be a leader you have to connect with people on multiple levels but which all boil down to trust.

Ray Feliciano, Sensei has been a student of Karate since 1962 and to this day considers himself to be nothing more than a student. His study of the martial arts has taken him too many Dojos, throughout the United States as well as mainland Japan and Okinawa during the early 70s. Having been fortunate enough to have served his country honorably during Vietnam as a United States Marine he was given the opportunity to be stationed in the Far East, the then Mecca of Karate. Eager to follow in the footsteps of one of his most revered Sensei’s, at age 19, a Shodan in Goju ryu, he began this journey that almost a half century later continues without yet having reached his destination. In the late nineties he retired as the Director of a New York State Criminal Justice Agency. After relocating to Puerto Rico, he embarked on what is now my 2nd career with the United States Government - Department of Veteran Affairs.
Currently he is the senior instructor at the Yamabushi Dojo located in Puerto Rico under Hanshi Miguel Montalvo. His lifelong goal has been to learn, teach and pass on the traditions of Budo to whoever wants and/or yearns for “Satori”. He has had many Senseis’, some high profile and some not. They, however, have been equal in stature insofar as, their influence on him as a person and as a Karateka. He has attempted to emulate them and pay homage daily during Seiza, which is his way of honoring them and their memories. They continue to influence him and many others though some of them have passed on. He hopes that they approve of his work and find that I am worthy to continue their mission no matter how small my contributions may be.