Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween!

I pretty much always wear my Jedi uniform on Halloween.

This photo is at night in the Jedi Temple dojo.

I’ve never actually been there, of course,

but I have Photoshop and I’m not afraid to use it—as I sometimes say.

There’s a story behind this:

The night before a belt test in Aikido

I dreamed Obi-Wan was helping me train for my test.

It was late at night, just the two of us in the Jedi Temple dojo.

One of the techniques we spent time on

was a defense while seated on the floor.

We drilled it over and over again,

until I could literally do it in my sleep.

The next day, I was warming up for the test with a classmate.

I asked him to attack me while I was seated,

the exact same technique I was doing in my dream.

I effortlessly threw him so hard

that he couldn’t hold on to me—

which was great because the technique worked!

But his inability to keep a hold of me

meant I couldn’t do a cool flourish at the end.

I asked my Sensei for help.

He couldn’t hold on either!

He said,

“Your ki is too strong with this technique tonight,

no one can hold you.”

I laughed and looked up at the stars

and said,

“Thank you, Obi-Wan Kenobi,

you have taught me well.”

___

Wishing you a Happy Halloween!

And may all of your dreams come true.