Jodo Gasshuku in La Réunion
from December 27th to 31th, 2005 with Sergio Dieci
It was a great pleasure for our group in La Réunon to welcome Sergio Dieci for its first great Jodo event. It was a very intensive gasshuku (7 hours every day from 27th to 30th, an additional outdoor training until night...; and an additional training for our group leader in the morning of 31st), all this was done in a very warm but assiduous atmosphere. This gasshuku took not only place in a very warm atmosphere, but - as here on the other side of the equator it is now austral summer - also in a large hall (fortunately...) where the temperature never fell below 30 °C.
The program was as follows:
- KIHON from KEN-JUTSU recently introduced during Jo training by Pascal Krieger (if I understood well); a HAPPO GIRI which kept us busy us for quite a while;
- a repetition of the 6 first kata from SHINTO MUSO RYU KEN JUTSU and the study of the last 6;
- an intensive training for most of the KIHON TANDOKU and SOTAI;
- a study of the first OMOTE kata (until MONOMI);
- TANJO JUTSU (the 2 KOTE UCHI, SUTEMI, KURI TSUKE, the 2 SUIGETSU).
On Saturday, Sergio and myself organized a training allowing the group leader to complete OMOTE (from KASA no SHITA to HOSO MICHI) and to repeat KEN JUTSU kata, so that this gasshuku is a sound basis for the coming months for François, Patrick, Laurent, Samuel, Bélinda, Edith and Didier (from right to left on the picture below) as well as for those who could not participate in this gasshuku (Martine, Daniel and Claire-Marie).
Many thanks to Sergio for his commitment and patience during this intensive and physically exhausting gasshuku - especially as he had to digest all the meals we tried to feed him up with o). See you soon again, Sergio!
Frédéric Payet, from La Réunion island
Instead of post scriptum
This gasshuku was a good opportunity for my family and myself to appreciate the landscape which impressed us by its beauty and luxuriance during this sunny season (and sometimes rain). The heat was also in the eruption of a volcano, but even more in the heart and the smile of the Creole people. Their hospitality as well as their assiduity during training was always embellished by their smile. I can only congratulate Frédéric for this result. As for the meals I was generously invited to taste they were patient enough to allow me to taste them at my pace.
I wish all the best to this group and their nice members and many thanks for their hospitality.
Sergio Dieci
Fédération Européenne de Jodo / European Jodo Federation