Lignano 2004

Lignano 2004, Kihon Sotaï
At 6 in the morning, Sôtai Kihon on the beach, is sure to remain in the trainees' memories for a long time.

From 1 August to 7 August, nearly 100 members of the European Jodo Federation gaethered in Lignano Sabbiadoro, near Venice, coming from 10 countries (Italy, Hungary, Czech Republic, Austria, the Netherlands, France, Germany, United Kingdom, Sweden and Switzerland).

The teaching staff, under the direction of Pascal Krieger, Menkyo Kaiden SMR, was composed of Michel Colliard, Michel Ducret, Alain Robert, Sergio Dieci and Fred Quant (who all received their Gomokuroku at this occasion), as well as Laurent Subilia (who had to leave early for professional reasons), Kess Bruggink and Vincent Zahnd (the latter received his Shomokuroku on August 6). Thanks a lot to all of them for helping out and making this Gasshuku another success.

But the success was due to the handsome guy below, and his wife Manuela, and, with them, to the whole Italian group who did a great job out of this Gasshuku. Lorenzo Trainelli did go out of his way to organize this camp, not an easy task on a site where some 2000 people were spending their vacation at the time.

Lignano 2004, Lorenzo Trainelli Lignano 2004, Shomen

Below is the Shomen of the Gasshuku. The theme was not a plain one: the ultimate goal of the Way is to be able to smile under any circumstances. The old picture of Shimizu Takaji Sensei, Pascal Krieger's Sensei and 25th Dai of Shintô Musô Ryû Jô, jealously kept by the FEJ Secretary Jean-Pierre Pahud, made the trip to Lignano to show us what kind of smile is meant. On the left is a calligraphy of Bishô (smile) offered to the organizer in chief, Lorenzo Trainelli, the one on the right is a calligraphy (know yourself first, then know the other) of a Socratic principle offered to Vincent Zahnd to tell him how pleased we are to see him among us again.



Lignano 2004, Fred Lignano 2004, Pascal
1- Bishô (smile) being practised by Fred, but at the wrong moment... He was given a Bokken stroke on his forehead just after that, just to teach him the right moment to smile..
2- Very seriously, Pascal is writing the Bi of Bishô on the sand at 06.00 in the morning.

Lignano 2004, Bishô Lignano 2004, Bishô
Before everybody tried it on his turn. Seems laborious, like farmers ploughing their land, and when I started to try to read on the sand, I couldn't help but smiling...




Lignano 2004, Groupe #1 Lignano 2004, Groupe #2
Participants at the Lignano Gasshuku

Left side above, and right side below. The gentleman at Pascal Krieger's right is Don Luigi, the Director of the place. He was offered the Shomen calligraphy and was very impressed by the attitude of the whole group. Lorenzo tried to foster a new fashion with his estival hakama. Happily, he was not followed.




During the Gasshuku, we were surrounded by many heavily mentally/physically handicaped persons accompanied by wonderful people who take great care of them from morning to night, speaking to them, playing music, kissing them. I personnally was fascinated by the world of these people. All their values and views of life were so different from ours. In fact, we could learn a lot from them. I was particularly impressed by the Muga-Mushin of the person below, if you remember him. (If you don't, Asta, Cindy's daughter, should)./p>

We gave a demonstration to all of them on wednesday night and we were all moved by their reaction. This was a peculiar moment. One of them asked me at what age I had started. When I told him 18 years old, he managed to say: "there is still hope, I'm 16 years old!" Isn't that a lesson?

Lignano 2004, dessin




Lignano 2004, Shiken #1 Lignano 2004, Shiken #2

Because of the heat, we decided to hold the exams at night. As usual, it was a little longer than expected... and the thirsty examiners staff wants to make sure everyone knows that this was water in the cups...




Lignano 2004, Repas

The now traditional day-off was a marvellous moment. The visit of three islands around the laguna of Venice was beautiful and the meal under the trees (below) was a moment to remember. Thank you, Manuela, Lorenzo and the Italian group for making it so wonderful.

The now traditional day-off was a marvellous moment. The visit of three islands around the laguna of Venice was beautiful and the meal under the trees (below) was a moment to remember. Thank you, Manuela, Lorenzo and the Italian group for making it so wonderful.

Pascal Krieger



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