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Immediately after the seminar, the members of Bujinkan Macedonia shared their impressions on our internal Forum.

Sanja Simonova – „Haragei for the second time. And every next seminar I would apply again. Sensei ‘opened’ the seminar introducing us with the meaning of haragei and gave us a detailed explanation how to harmonize our body’s energy through our breathing. If we take into consideration the fact that we couldn’t go on for a long time without breathing, the air would be our primary ‘food’. On the seminar we studied exactly that – how to use all of the available capacity. ‘Breathing with the stomach’ is a really powerful technique that calms the body and powers down the mind. In the exercises for increasing the reaction speed, we can feel how through the correct breathing the body relaxes and the reaction is faster and more precise. I really liked those meditative and visualization exercises. Especially the eight-sided. I believe that by practicing this we move our limits, our mental frames that we exist in every day, and that is really important for us – to keep raising our standards toward a continuous improvement. The day was good, we had a beautiful sunset, a great company, and we had circled another very special seminar where we learned new and repeated some techniques that are important for our future development. Mastering the knowledge that Sensei transmitted us on Haragei would be helpful to tackle the remaining knowledge that we are going to acquire in Taiyou e no Michi.“

Taki Gakovski – „I would like to say that the uke’s intention is really important. And I finally understood that intuition you suppose to feel when a sword is going straight for your head is still a science fiction to me. It is too far from the place I’m currently at. But that doesn’t disappoint me, on the contrary, it motivates me to overcome all the obstacles. We need to learn and get better all the time. The seminars could only be experienced, because many moments and events are hard to be described. Sensei, I thank you for everything“.

Marko Opachikj – „On the first seminar we were just getting acquainted with the exercises that were being taught. We got something, the rest wasn’t clear and we were left wondering until the next event. The second seminar we already had a feeling of connection with the techniques, like we were getting deeper, but there was still a barrier that kept us from executing them fully. Already on the third, we started to feel like we were becoming a part of them. Sensei as always treated us with some new exercises, that I honestly really liked and they opened a whole set of new questions for the next event. On the beginning he followed with a great kuden for Haragei, and afterwards he explained in details the way to breathe correctly that we all should be implementing, especially if we were practicing koryu. Of course, a great thanks to Sensei who honored us with new skills and unforgettable moments from the world of the classical Japanese martial arts“.

In 2015 the members of Bujinkan Macedonia passed through many adventures that made the year unforgettable. The amazing journey continues in 2016, and the first destination is Mlaka. This forest on the bank of the river Kriva Reka will again be the place where our warriors will learn and better the techniques of winter survival. The snow that has piled up these recent days, along with the low temperatures, is a great challenge for an event like this.

As you already know, the warriors of Bujinkan Macedonia always considered that training solely in dojo,where a safe and friendly atmosphere surrounds us, can make anybody a good „sportsperson“, and a great „lounge ninja“. However, what makes us different from the rest, is the knowledge and the confidence that we feel when we are confronted with the toughest dares while we are far away from the cities that we live in. Actually, we experience the cruel nature as a natural habitat where we feel as a „fish in water“, and we find ourselves in our natural surroundings.

This seminar is a scenario-based where we are snowbound or lost far away from our home, somewhere on a mountains or in the woods, and we need to take precautions to be able to go through the night and increase our chances of survival. On this event, shidoshi Igor Dovezenski is going to teach these exact techniques that represent the required arsenal for a more serious approach in the art known as ninjutsu. 

Required equipment: those we attended already know, those who hadn’t are going to find out directly for the next year.

Warning: the temperatures will most likely be below zero. The terrain is open and windy. The presence of wild animals is normal this period in the year. You will be exposed to extremely cold weather constantly for about seven hours. Everyone comes at their own responsibility.

Bring warm clothing with you.

Date: 10.01.2016 (Sunday)

Location: Mlaka

Program:

08.00 o’clock – departure from Skopje

09.00 o’clock – arrival

09.30 – 16.30 o’clock – theory and practice

17.30 o’clock – return

This year besides the members of Bujinkan Macedonia/Taiyou e no Michi, the seminar is open for all interested. Questions and applying by e-mail, phone, in the dojo, or on the Forum.

Regarding the seminars that instructor Dovezenski had taught, the list goes like this: six held outdoor seminars (in nature), eight in the Hombu Dojo under Lipac, same in the dojo in Skopje, as well as two in Romania in the dojo „Shingan“ in the city Iasi. Additionally, in 2015 Dovezenski took part in several international seminars under the leadership of well-known teachers for classical Japanese martial arts. We would mention them chronologically: in February in Athens (Greece) on a seminar for Katori Shinto ryu with Erik Louw; in June in Gradara (Italy) on a seminar for Ono ha Itto ryu Kenjutsu with Sasamori Takemi Soke; in September in Carigrad/Istanbul on a seminar with the shihan for Katori Shinto ryu – Nobutoshi Otake. On the last event Marko Opachikj and Darko Bozhinovski (who gave a blood oat (keppan)) accompanied Dovezenski. 

Another successfull seminar from the winter events series in Bujinkan Macedonia. This time too, the number of participants didn’t go under ten, which means that the members of the Organization „Taiyou e no Michi“ still highly nurture the martial spirit.

During this seminar, the students of the dojo practiced the basic throws that are used in the classical Japanese martial arts, but of course, instructor Igor Dovezenski taught several new techniques that were well received by the participants. Especially effective was the performance of the throw Harai Goshi, that the students accepted easily and in short time learned to implement it.

Further we have yet to improve the Nage Waza techniques, that were always known for their efficiency and practical use in combat with an aggressive opponent that means us harm or physical injury.

For the next week we have scheduled a seminar for combat on the ground (Ne Waza).

During the seminar, shidoshi Igor Dovezenski taught exercises that are used to maintain balance of the body through stretching or strengthening several muscle groups. Beside that, we practiced special techniques that increase the mobility of the joints, and as expected, we couldn’t avoid the meditation techniques.

During the whole event, intrusctor Dovezenski pointed out the importance of Junan Taiso in the development of every kobudoka (a person that practices classical Japanese martial arts), with special attention to the need of flexibility for those who practice the ninjutsu arts.