by Jennifer Peringer

We just got back from a wonderful gasshuku in France taught by Shin Aoki, and organized by Christine Gov and Serge Magne. It took place outside the west coast beach town of Sables d’Olonne, from Feb 20 -22, and had 50 people in attendance, mainly from France but with some participants from as far afield as Germany, England, the Czech Republic, and Martha and myself from California. The event started with one keiko for advanced practitioners, then four keikos for all, the second of which was a boh class, taught by David Franklin and myself. The theme of the event, set by Shin, was ‘Giving and Receiving’, a theme rich with possible Shintaido interpretations.

Throughout the gasshuku Shin taught a variety of open hand and sword techniques, including wakame, renki kumite, tenchi kirikomi, kasumi, tsunami, sagari and ushiro receiving. These were all taught in the service of deeply exploring concepts related to the theme, such as:

• • • The need to start from a place of being centered, then find your partner’s center.
    • Different timings, and particularly ways in which the receiver can influence the timing of the attacker. Shin also used a radio wave analogy, inviting participants to tune into different channels of their partner’s energy.
    • Changing quickly from kaihotai (open hips, hands and expression) to yokitai (soft receptive body), and the importance of the leader embodying these concepts if they want to inspire them in the follower. As a life application, the idea is that you need to embody/exemplify the energy you would like to receive from others.
    • The idea of developing an image/vision/intention, then sharing it with your partner.

In the boh keiko, David took the beginners and taught a version of tenshingoso kumite with boh. Meanwhile, I took the advanced students and used yonhon kumibo with breath work and vocalization to explore the concepts of giving with precision and commitment, and receiving with open heart and without fear. Then all joined together for a glorious group eiko dai.

There was a fun party on Saturday night, where the Toulouse group presented a festive dance choreography mixing tenshingoso and salsa (!), David Franklin played some blues harmonica, I led a little singalong version of La Bamba, and Shin made everyone happy by teaching a groovy line dancing routine.

At the end of the gasshuku Shin’s closing remarks were particularly moving, saying he learned as much as he taught, and talking about how both giving and receiving can be hard, how you need to open your heart, and how we all have much to learn.

I’d like to finish this article with an online comment after the event by one of the French participants, Blandine Graveline:

Bonjour
Une semaine après je suis encore sous le charme du week end dernier. Un immense merci à toutes celles et ceux qui ont organisé, animé et guidé ce kangeiko. Ça a été pour moi un moment magnifique et surprenant. La beauté, la précision, l’intensité des gestes des instructeurs, la joie puissante des eikos collectifs, la bienveillance de chacun, la générosité et la simplicité des sensei invités – tout cela m’a profondément touchée.  
Le shintaido me surprend toujours plus. Cette pratique m’a appris et m’apprend encore à me tenir droite, à faire face, à me défendre ou à esquiver, à m’assouplir, à accueillir l’autre et surtout, comme le répète Eric Philippe, “mon” instructeur parisien qui n’a pas pu venir, à être digne. Quelle école ! Un apprentissage qui fortifie et aide à résister aux menaces du moment – un pas vers la liberté…
Ma profonde gratitude envers Shin Aoki et vous toutes et tous. 
Blandine 

Hello
One week later I still feel the charm of last week end. Huge thanks to those who organized, kept going and guided this kangeiko. It was a great and surprising moment for me. The beauty, the precision, the intensity of the instructors’ gesture, the powerful joy of the group’s eikos, the kindness of everyone, the generosity and simplicity of the invited sensei’s – everything touched me deeply. 
Shintaido surprises me still more. This practice teaches me to stand up straight, to cope, to defend myself or to evade, to become more flexible, to greet someone and specially – as Eric Philippe, my instructor from Paris who couldn’t join, would repeat, to be dignified. What a school !  A learning that gives strength and helps to resist to actual threats – a step towards liberty…. 
My deep gratefulness towards Shin Aoki and all of you
Blandine