Junomichi as a punishment
I’m 27 years old now, and I discovered Junomichi 14 years ago thanks to what I used to call a punishment, but now call a stroke of luck.
It was May, and the school next to mine decided to organize an event called “10 Days Without Screens.” As the name suggests, the event involved doing without screens (televisions, computers, etc.) for a period of 10 days.
During that time, the school and local charities had scheduled evening sessions where students could participate. Activities included Aikido, music, and many others.
It was because of this initiative that my parents decided to give it a try.
And that’s when I decided to go check out Junomichi.
There, I met Yann, Patrick, Fred, and his whole family. Once the session was over, we took the time to chat with Yann and all the other practitioners.
Yann threw Patrick with a De Ashi Barai and then said he hadn’t used any force. In a world where we’re taught that the strongest always wins, how can one succeed without using force? In that demonstration, I saw something beautiful and inexplicable.
As I left the dojo, I told myself that I wanted to do that too, without really knowing why, though I wonder if it wasn’t so I could defend myself at school, which I didn’t end up doing.
Over time, I realised that there was something much deeper than what you could see from the outside. Something much more thoughtful and much more intelligent than in the sports I had done.
Yann, at that time, often used the phrase “moving backward while moving forward.” There were words and ideas I’d never encountered anywhere else, and even now, I’m still striving to understand them.
Will I ever understand? I don’t know. As I’ve often heard, it takes more than one lifetime to study our practice.
Today, I see the practice of Junomichi as a way to train my body, whether on the tatami or in everyday life, as well as a way to spend quality time with people I care about.
I’m currently in Quebec City, and practicing is very difficult because I lack both of those elements.
Junomichi has always guided me through life.
When I needed to move for my studies, I consulted the Junomichi map of schools to find places where I could continue my practice. That’s why I earned my bachelor’s degree in Angers and attended engineering school and pursued my Ph.D. in Lannion. Junomichi has taught me to ask questions about myself and others, even if it isn’t always easy. It has allowed me to nurture this curiosity and to always seek to understand. These are principles I try to uphold every day.
To those who read this testimonial, I can only hope that you’ll find just as much, or even more, joy in your practice. May you find the path to effectiveness.
