SHACK 81 ONLY

www.taringa.net

It was in a large well known Hall in London at the annual Judo championships in the days when there were no weight groups and before Olympian grappling called Judo, mind you I am behind the times they say, your old fashioned and perhaps their right.

Anyway I was a young lad, fit strong and keen.  There was a stage in the shape of a large square and raised so the spectators could see.

I sat behind five Japanese masters one of which was my Sensei. When I saw the man I was to contest I almost ran away.  He was 18 stone, red hair that hung down from his bald pate, his wrists were almost as thick as his massive forearms, and red hair matted his chest and large belly.  Fate had drawn me an awesome opponent.

The referee was a Japanese Sensei and a fourth Dan, and four judges sat one at each corner.

I said to Sensei ' how on Earth can I win this, he is not human'? Sensei said ' If you are afraid you have no energy' I interjected 'thats me' if you think hikiwake(a draw) it is a compromise, if you say ah well I will do my best it is half hearted, if you say I make a plan, it is in  the mind and remembering it you lose awareness' 'Oh so what can I do then' Sensei 'Cannot always, lose or draw or win, it is changeable so it is ONLY NECESSARY TO ENJOY'

This somehow helped me I somehow let go of a result, I went up when called and used a technique which is forbidden today---he came out pawing the tatami(mat) and raising arms high and coming towards me, me being lighter and faster I jumped at him and slid my hands both side of his neck (Judo jacket--Gi) and turned so that my back was on his belly and my hands were crossed and hung from him, choking him nay strangling him, immediately the Referee declared me the winner and untangled me from him when he fell to mat red faced and gasping for breath, this is indeed a death hold because you cannot release your own hands. 

Incidentally I won the contest in 18 seconds.  Maybe one should not be overconfident and underestimate one's challenge after all David beat Goliath.

This was when I was seventeen years of age just after that I had an accident on the soccer pitch and that put an end to my football career and started my electrician's apprenticeship leading to the early electronics of those days and University, forensics, research and degrees, workshops, healing psychotherapy, retirement and then freelance with large Institutions, Astronauts and bloging and Posts such as this------it is only necessary to enjoy----mostly letting go this happens.

SHACK