Meditation

The Sunday before a black belt test at our dojang we are all invited to hike up Chapel Ledges, meditate on the rocks, and then do our forms in the woods. We do all of out Palgue forms together and then kneel down while those who are testing do their black belt form.

This upcoming Friday evening 2 very tall men will test. One is 18 or so and the other 35 or so. The test is more a ceremony than anything else. The students work hard but there is no question of "passing" or "failing". All of the masters and black belts will make 3 sides of a rectangle with Miles and Chris at the 4th side. We will read their essays, express our observations about their training and entry to black belt.

Four years into it, myself, I still often wonder what it means. The last 18 months of my training brought me through breast cancer treatment and its aftermath. I think it remains being the path of putting one foot in front of the other with a certain amount of grace and confidence.

This photograph is of the younger man sitting in meditation behind his teacher.