This time has felt much longer than the calendar shows. My mind feels tired as it has been racing along with my body throughout this training/breaking. Having spoken with other Kenshusei graduates and instructors before coming here, I had been told that while working full-time in a non-budo/fitness oriented profession it would be impractical to be “physically ready” for the course to begin. Having survived the first week I agree with this sentiment. Now, surviving isn’t good enough and that’s not the mode in which I intend to operate in the coming months. While all pains injuries and physical challenges may or may not deserve comment, I respect these stimuli as the instructional facilitators of a powerful internal confrontation. My noisy mind is sounding alarms which call for hesitation and preservation of self, yet my spirited will demands that I continue no matter the cost. When stepping back and observing this struggle from a distance I know the spirit wins; and by the end of this year, it will succeed in quieting my mind over to another side.