this week i got to wrestle again, for the first time in years. it felt amazing, like fulfilling a craving i had forgotten about.
for these moments i was absolutely in the present, in my body.
my mind was not wandering to faraway places, miles or years away. it did not intellectualize my perceptions, abstracting them into words or concepts. it was only there, existing, enjoying the space where the usual chasm (separating my body and mind) was not.
it was especially gratifying because here, in Japan, communication has often been frustrating, opaque. words hang in the air and dissolve with little effect. gestures help occasionally, but usually only entertain.
yet for several moments on the beach of Biwako, I achieved perfect communication with my Japanese friend -- profound communication that permeated the cores of who we are.
(special thanks to Catherine Meier for documenting our match, to Wada Kazashige at the Tobaya Inn, and to Yabu - the owner of Yabu's sports bar and 2-time Japan collegiate wrestling national champion)
1 comment:
These pictures are amazing. I love the one where your foot is spraying sand, like you are a bull.
I had a thought today, while bending wire for DP. Why don't you challenge everyone to a wrestling match? or maybe select people, politicians, radio personalities, your advisors. If people feel uncomfortable and don't think it would be a fair match, you could build devices, that would limit your own ablilties to make the match even. I don't know what these would be. I personally would feel uncomfortable wrestling you, but that would be the mental challenge, how do you build something that puts my own mind at ease about my own body and its lack of skills.
These devices could be poetic responses to the gap you don't feel when in the moment of wrestling. and also the gap that always seems to exist between two people. These could be beautiful even if people turn down your offer.
It sounds like you are having a great time. I look forward to hearing more about your trip.
Love,
Forest
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