4) Then, you may think, "I cannot do it!" What you cannot do? You will find that you cannot do basics. Of course, you can't. However, based on your observation, you can think out how to reach to the ideal. Like "How to do the footwork?," or "Should I swing the shinai more?" Look, what's more important to solve the problems? Suburi is important. What's significant? Your voice is significant.
6) Appreciate for the friends who were your partners today and your parents who brought you up here. "Arigatou." If you can say the word "Arigatou," you can growth more, and your range of knowledge become much wider like, "Oh, I didn't know that there are so many more possibilities." That's all pure mind and appreciation. It sounds quite easy but is actually difficult to say. Say "Arigatou" first to your parents right after this workshop finish. Do you understand me? (Students): "Yes, sir!"
2) If you think "Oh, there is a person who can be a good example." Then, observe the person. That's called "Mitori-geiko," (one of keiko). Watch it with pure mind. There are weak people and strong people, such a many, but they all have good stuff that you don't have. How to find it? how to acquire it? Think out and see with your eyes. If you think, "It is right," or "It is wrong because the person is weaker than me," your improvement ends at this point.
3) "I want to be much stronger," or "I want to go more advanced level." Then, you would do your best by yourself and listen to your teacher. What others were there? You would ask to your friend and steal good points from people. Eiga-sensei showed the examples today, and I stole some from them too. You can do it more. With your fresh mind. Bring it back home and practice.
5) Then, when you are back home again, you may do suburi, speak aloud, and imitate good points of people. As this, you can find a great number of techniques and develop them. For developing to greater techniques, foundation is essential. Once you build the foundation, there will be various possibilities showing up. Where everything coming from is your mind. Pure mind and appreciation.
7) That is most important in kendo. To be Good at techniques or to become Stronger. That is not the purpose. To have pure mind and appreciation is important the most. That makes you most stronger in kendo. There is no doubt. If you are with base mind and think "that is the same thing in any ways," "It would be the same result even if I didn't work such hard," or "I have my own kendo, anyway," it ends your improvement at this point.
Teramoto-sensei said: 1) I was watching you, and the qualities of your voice at the beginning and the last became totally deferent. Also, I watched Eiga-sensei's advice. "Miyou-mimane" (Meaning: To watch the examples of other people and imitate them.) It is important to imitate. "I want to be like this!" I have kept doing kendo like this until now and am still doing it like this now.
