We celebrate the end of the second-degree test with joy!
Double-doubles! Our new second-degree black belts are shining brightly – Mas Evan, Mas Cid, Mas Abby and Mas Spyke! The black belts were told that they actually passed their test on Friday night and were given the option whether or not to continue with “testing”. They chose to do the 48 hours, and were amazing!
Summer Day Camp with Gatong Rajong from Pendekkar Judy:
A big shout out to all our Summer Day Campers in the winter of 2011! (Brrrrr!) Despite the chilly temperatures, we had an inspiring camp filled with lots of hard work, learning and fun! Along with our usual morning workouts, we had workshops in drumming, staff/fan, creative writing and water balloon parries in the park. We also experienced the beginning and ending of a courageous brown sash test – congrats to Mases Emilia and Liam! We finished off the week in the spirit of gatong rajong; teammates helping each other to achieve new ranks. I’m so proud of the way students stepped up to support each other! Many new stripes were earned as well as a brand new white sash, congrats Mas Sarah! Many thanks to all of our incredible teachers – Teen Counselors Mases Lindsay, James, Spencer, Julia, Naomi, Bantoe Amber and Mases Abby, Evan, Cathie and as always, our Goeroe Louise.
Plan to Participate: the Solano Stroll is coming up September 11th. It will be an exciting day – we always put on a great demo. All ranks and ages are welcome. Mas Nick is coordinating and promises another great day of fun demonstrating our beautiful art.
Our Indonesian Sponsored Children: Since 2004, Studio Naga has been sending money through PlanUSA to three children in rural Java. Goeroe Louise visited these kids in 2006. Over the years we’ve received many letters from them, following their families and changes in their villages. Now, the last of the three has ‘graduated’ from the Plan program, meaning their economical outlook is better and they no longer need our aid. It’s an ending to our pen-pal relationship, but a good thing for these families! Thanks to everyone who has helped raise money over the years – we have sent literally thousands of dollars. Dini, Watino and Hari will always have a special place in our hearts!
New Postcards: We have printed up 2,000 new studio postcards and they are ready to go out into the world – can you help by canvassing neighborhoods? Or take them to your favorite cafes, schools, or other places? Please talk to Goeroe Louise about how to spread the word about Studio Naga. Our ten year anniversary in this space is coming up and we’d love to have more teammates to celebrate with!
And this from Mas Abby:
Lessons Revisited: Looking Back at Ten Years of Training
Ten years ago I attended my first class in Seattle, having no idea Poekoelan would become such a huge part of my life. I was skeptical of martial arts and wary of aspects I perceived to be different from my way of thinking; the hierarchy and the bowing to authority made my feminist self a bit nervous.
Yet, something kept me going week after week. I loved the physical rigor, the mechanics of the holds and the adrenaline-inducing kicking and punching. But I also loved the way my instructors and the other third phase students sincerely rooted for us beginners. I was taught by gold sashes and black belts and loved the way the community all sought the best in each student. There was never a feeling of competition on the training floor. Each student was truly seen for the individuals we were.
I continued to train, feeling stronger and more comfortable in my body. I walked taller, stood up straighter, and looked people directly in the eye. I could feel muscles where I hadn’t before. More importantly, I felt that strength in my life off the training floor, in my social life or facing my first middle school class of students.
I moved to Oakland and continued training at Studio Naga. At this point I was hooked. Nowhere else had I found a community quite like this one. I found a group of people committed to helping each other grow and change, even if that growth looked different from one person to the next. I also saw people willing to “show up,” to deal with their challenges with honesty and courage. This is especially true at our tests.
As I think back, I’m struck with the way each test has challenged me in exactly the way I needed it then. At gold sash, I was so tired and thirsty, I thought I might have to call off the test. There I stood off to the side, sweating with anxiety as I watched my teammates run their kumbongs, shocked that the test was not over, after THREE HOURS! I exhausted myself with anxiety – Was I good enough? What happens if I forget my forms? What if I hurt myself…or someone else? Despite these incessant questions, I survived having learned an incredible lesson…fear will exhaust you!
Now, ten years later, I just completed my 2nd degree test and I see that the lessons have not changed so much. I still struggle with anxiety and fears, but I have new tools to deal with them. With each test, I’ve learned more to release my fears and to stay present in each moment. There really is no magic to it and I certainly haven’t attained a pinnacle of enlightenment. But at this last test, I felt a new confidence and calm, one that comes from knowing that if I just continue training and “emptying my cup,” there is no saying how far I (and all of us) can go.
- Mas Abby Skrivan
