Dear list,
I just want to emphasize a subject that we may take for granted often
in playing shakuhachi: the body in relation to your instrument. It's
such an obvious thing, but I think it's important to mention it every
now and then. Keep as healthy as possible because it's our body that
bridges us with shakuhachi. David Sawyer mentioned hand warm-up
exercises a while back. Many of the stretching exercises used in Aikido
and Tai Chi warm ups I find are excellent for shakuhachi practice.
Watazumi-do was very keen on combining vigorous exercise with his
hocchiku practice because they do compliment eachother.
Robert Chalk in Japan, who is studying with Sogawa Kinya in Japan now
sent me an email recently that may be useful for many:
"... My back is on the up now, much better in fact and the real problem
is body maintanence which is getting more important with age. So there
was this pain which turned into a voice saying "take care of me I'm not
so young any more!" I have to listen and respond now as I did with the
hand problem. Oh yes did I tell you that someone recomended glucosamine
supplement and since I've been on that the hand problems went away.
Another result of the ageing process as glucosamine asists the
rebuilding-strengtening of damaged tissues especially tendons. Amazing
results can be seen with this stuff so if any of your students have
trouble I'd recomend it."
There are so many things that can happen to the body. So keeping a
healthy body (but especially mind and spirit) is my prayer to everyone.
Alcvin Ramos
-- The Shakuhachi Society or British Columbia S9-C3 Madeira Park, B.C.,V0N 2H0 Canada tel: 604-883-2023 email: ramos@dccnet.com web: www.bamboo-in.com_____________________________________________
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