Here is a fun topic.
Does anyone have any little rituals they do? Something special you do before, during or after training and/or class? Maybe a spiritual/ religious thing?

Here is an example of what I mean:
I have recently built myself a belt rack (maybe a sign that I am in this for the long run). It currently has 16 spaces for belts, but I will probably have to build a new one depending on my sense moving me slowly threw the ranks or having me skip a stripe here or there. Everyday after training at home or class, I kneel in front of the belt rack and place my belt on a small shelf I built on top of it. The belt is wrapped in a pattern that causes a ying-yang shape in the middle.


I also wear my belt during home exercises and training out of respect for it.

Rituals...

I shower after I train. And I wash my uniform. Usually promptly, as both I and my clothing tend to smell something like bad cheese if I don't. Most certainly a ritual. I am honoring the gods of soap and water and calling down their blessing.

I talk to my teachers and ask them lots of quite probably annoying questions that they answer politely. I usually do this both before and after practice. I guess that's a ritual.

I wake up every morning, look in the mirror and say "Ugh...ever growing beer gut. Gotta train more." That's kind of like a ritual.

I'm suprised that after you've been out for a run you don't hang your shorts up and kneel in front of them to honor them.

They must be feeling left out!


I think you're going a bit OTT.

i think its everyone to their own really. i see what elm city slim does as a similar thing to the samurai honoring their katana and armour which i think there are a few Iaido practicioners on here who refuse to do tameshigiri to aviod dishonouring their weapons and the sword-smith.

yeah i definately bow to my toothbrush every morning before i use it...

the thing with iadoka/samurai bowing to their weapons is a little diff to bowing to something like a belt.

you bow to a belt because it might be important to you, it signifies a fair amount of effort, i don't do it, but hey, i can maybe see the motivation.

bowing to a sword on the other hand isn't because it's important to you personally but because it is an object that deserves respect in its own right and for a number of reasons; it's dangerous if you are careless with it, it is (for a samurai) your means of defending yourself and it has been crafted with a huge amount of care and hard work. (the list could go on)

a simple belt is none of these things which is why i don't afford it such respect.

oh and you buy a new belt for every stripe? hmm we just use electrical tape..

My ritual:

At the end of every lesson, our sensei calls "Rei" and we all bow.
Doing the bow, I quietly mumble to myself "Well at least I should be able to do a bow correctly without being told off" I am hopeless at MA and find myself corrected at almost everything I do I mumble this each and every time ...
Gary

elmcity,
That is a little weird to me. Bowing to your belt rack and all.No,that's alot weird. I don't bow to objects or idolize any belts,swords or anything inanimate,but to each his own.

I agree, I don't see a purpose in showing respect to something that you've either earned through your own hard work or doesn't work unless being used by yourself. A belt is earned, I don't see why you would idolize it, a sword is doesn't work unless the person uses it, again, why idolize it. It is useless on its own.

*feints*

Christie and I agree on something!