Letter from Our Executive Director

12.01.2024 by Sensei Ryan Libel

Dear Thousand Waves Community,

The final few months of the year feel so busy – the holidays and annual planning always make me feel like there’s never enough time to get it all done. Slowing down enough to cut through the noise and focus on what’s important can feel like a never-ending slough. And navigating this year’s challenging election season was, for many of us, an additional psychic burden unto itself.  I’m grateful that our practice gives us tools to help us cope.

Recently at a Friday meditation class at Honbu in New York, Kaicho revisited a longstanding favorite lecture – still waters run deep. He urged us to cultivate a calm manner that is less reactive to the never-ending stimuli the world provides. We can have a much greater impact if we don’t waste energy with unnecessary bustle. Meditation is one tool that can help us calm the mind.

More broadly, still waters run deep typically refers to the idea that people who radiate a calm energy often have deeply passionate natures. The nature of our passions can be dramatically influenced by our habits. Karate training helps us remain connected to our minds and bodies quite concretely. The partnerships our practice provides help us see others more fully. Many of us feel that the practice greatly enhances our mental health outcomes.

We have so little control over some of the most impactful forces in our world – be they natural disasters, politics, war, our changing climate, or major health challenges. But taking the time to actively cultivate our own still waters can help us navigate even the most challenging of times.

As we turn the page on 2024, Thousand Waves mission to foster fitness, healing, empowerment, and peacemaking feels more relevant than ever. Thank you for being a part of our work.

Sincerely,

Sensei Ryan
Executive Director

12.1.2024 by Thousand Waves

Rebecca Bishop is a Brown Belt training member.

Briefly, how did you come to train at Thousand Waves?

Growing up I was the most unathletic child in the family, but martial arts appealed to me in ways team sports never did. For assorted reasons, however, my parents would not let me take classes. Fast forward twenty-five years, and my therapist is asking me if there was ever something I couldn’t do as a kid that I had the opportunity to do now. I chose martial arts. I knew of Thousand Waves as it was across the street from Theatre Wit where I’d sometimes be working on a show. I also knew Emily McConnell trained there and she always had good things to say about it. The rest is history.

Read the rest of Rebecca’s answers..

What is one thing you do well?

Organize things. I love getting into details and logistics of all sorts of things, from event planning, to research. I was a stage manager before the pandemic and that played right into my skill set.

Who from history do you admire, and why?

I’m gonna reveal myself as a unique sort of nerd and say Ulysses S. Grant. There is something very down to earth about him as a person when you read his history. He was not a wildly successful person outside of the Civil War battlefield. Even his presidency was mediocre at best. But he still approached life with confidence and willingly accepted help when faced with his (many) setbacks. I would like to have the grace to accept failure and still push through without compromising my sense of self worth.

Other than Chicago, where have you most enjoyed spending time?

In Iowa, right in the Mississippi river valley, visiting my brother and his family.

What quotation have you found inspiring or interesting?

“Because while you’re there, you can make a difference.” Captain James T. Kirk.

What foods do you like best?

I’m willing to try almost anything. I’ve been dabbling in my Bushia’s (Polish grandma’s) old recipes lately so pierogis are definitely up there. If I had to describe a perfect meal I’d say, a roast beef sandwich, with swiss cheese, lettuce, and horseradish, on crusty bread.

What is a book that has been significant to you?

I read a lot so this is a tough one. I am a huge fan of the works of Neil Gaiman. His grasp of fantasy and worldbuilding is awesome and you can’t help but be pulled into what he creates. I also read a lot of world folklore and mythology. The Odyssey is up there, as well as stories of the Baba Yaga.

What are your musical favorites?

I’m going to answer this question literally and share my favorite musicals. In no particular order: Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods, Sunday in the Park with George, Hamilton, Little Shop of Horrors, Fiddler on the Roof, Les Misérables, Die Fledermaus (this last one’s an operetta but whatever).

What is your most treasured possession?

My dog, Ian.

“Thousand Waves Member Spotlight: Ten Questions for…” is a regular feature of Kiai! We will hear from Megumi Nakama in the next issue.

A Surprise Visit from Karate

12.01.2024 by Senpai Leslie Buxbaum

This summer I embarked on the Ancascocha trek in the Andean mountains in Peru. Though only 4 days (with a final 5th day visiting Machu Picchu), it was intense! Miles of trekking with lots of ascents and descents. The highest point was 15,500 feet and we spent stretches of time above 14,000. (I should note this excursion came after a great visit with Senpai Ezra who spent the summer in Santiago, Chile interning at the Sustainable Minerals Institute Centre of Excellence.) After arriving home, I sent a note to Shuseki Shihan Nancy and Sei Shihan Sarah sharing some of the surprising ways karate was with me. With their encouragement, I’m sharing some thoughts here.

Read the rest of Senpai Leslie’s article.

First, I was thankful that this experience came on the heels of my spring black belt test, which motivated me to up my training hours and join a gym, which I hadn’t done since Covid. But more than the physical practice, was how front-of-mind meditation class was. This was my go-to through the long days: breathing, counting, softening focus, and letting defeating thoughts visit and move on.

Then there were the times when names of kata would float into my mind, and I’d understand them in new ways.

Taikyoku (taking the wide view) was the first to arrive. The terrain was rough enough that while moving there were no chances to look up. Our frequent pauses to catch our breath were importantly the times to see the vast and remote world that surrounded us.

Tsuki-no (fortune and luck) grounded me in gratitude. When a complaint crept in, I thought how lucky I was to get to do this -- health-wise, financially, having a passport, and all the resources that allowed me to be out in the world far from home.

Sai-ha (big wave) showed up in the rolling presence of mountains, and that when you think you’re getting to the top, nope. There’s more.

Gekisai-dai (breaking down the big fortress) made me aware of the wall of noise – all kinds of negative chatter – that would encroach, especially at the heights of fatigue.

And Sanchin (three point stance) offered welcomed stability on shaky legs at mountain edges.

During long descents on sliding rocks, I embraced the shifting ground as my sparring partner – playing, improvising, replacing rigidity with lightness on my feet.

And thanks to the mindfulness we cultivate at Thousand Waves, at the end of a long day, I thought about the ‘emergency’ horse who dutifully followed me. And I questioned what I was so fiercely holding onto that stopped me from riding the horse for a bit. I let go of my stubbornness, got on the horse and had the best surprise visit in my thoughts of Senpai Simone and all the hours I spent watching her ride. And … I got to peel my eyes from the uneven ground and look up. And it was and is staggeringly beautiful. Osu!

A Chicago lesbian couple explains why their 50-year-old relationship still works

12.01.2024 by Carrie Maxwell

One of our members, Diane Fields, was recently featured in an article in Windy City Times (“The Voice of Chicago's Gay, Lesbian, Bi, Trans and Queer Community Since 1985”). The author of the September 12, 2024 article, Carrie Maxwell, gave us permission to print the first two paragraphs in Kiai! and then add a link to their website to read the rest of the article. Enjoy this wonderful feature of one of our karateka!

Shortly after Katharine Eagon and Diane Fields met each other in 1974, while regularly playing volleyball and then softball, they fell in love. They played other sports over the years and that mutual interest, and other factors, helped cement their relationship.

Then, in the early 2000s, Fields decided that, since various countries were legalizing same-sex marriage, she and Eagon should consider getting married.

Read the rest of the article on the WCT website

Upcoming Events and Useful Links

09.10.2024 by Ryan Libel and Thousand Waves Council of Senior Leaders

Full list of 2024 TW Calendar of Events

Link to Council of Senior Leaders meeting notes