I could use your help
Published: Fri, 05/16/14
which I will be teaching at the Stav Centre over the next few
months. Three people successfully completed the last one so it
works as a training scheme, the issue is how to promote it. Below
is text for updated web pages, leaflet and poster. It will have to
be edited appropriately in each case but I would like to know if
the basic text makes sense to you and might make you want to try
the classes. So, thank you in advance for your feedback.
Do you realise how lucky you are to live within reach of Crewkerne?
Why? Well, apart from Crewkerne being a nice place, it means you
can train in Stav at the Somerset Stav Centre, 3 to 5 South Street.
Stav is a highly sophisticated Martial Arts system which combines
traditional European body, mind and spirit training from Norway
with Japanese Bugei practice. Ivar Hafskjold, our chief instructor
learned Stav as a young man growing up in Norway and then spent 14
years in Japan achieving 4th Dan in Ken and Jo Jutsu and 2nd Dan in
Aiki Jutsu. Graham Butcher, your local instructor, has been a
personal student of Ivar Hafskjold since 1992 and has been teaching
Stav for 20 years.
Stav is about developing awareness.
Awareness of self, your body, your thinking processes, your
unconscious habits and responses and your energy and what it
attracts and repels.
Awareness of the world around you and how you interact with your
world and the people who you come into contact with.
In order to develop this awareness the training in Stav has three
main aspects:
The Sixteen Stances for developing correct posture, cultivating
deep and natural breathing, promoting a relaxed and focused mind
and cleansing and regulating your megin (energy).
Weapon training, beginning with the staff in order to develop
coordination, balance, flexibility and awareness of the body
within the web of time and space.
Two person drills using the staff. Training with other weapons and
unarmed techniques is introduced when the student is ready. These
drills teach us awareness of other people and how to train safely
and cooperatively with them. We call these drills the five
principles training and through learning to understand the five
principles we can manage our relationships with other people more
harmoniously. We do this by recognising our role in a situation
and understanding the point of view of others. This applies to all
aspects of life, not just potentially violent ones. Yes, Stav
training does include practical self-defence but our first priority
is always to develop our awareness to the level where actual
physical violence is unlikely to occur.
Learning Stav begins with our twelve lesson foundation programme.
While participating in this process of training you will learn:
How to do the sixteen stances in their basic form for posture,
breath and energy.
How to do the basic staff exercises for fitness, coordination, and
working with the web.
The two person drills which will introduce you to working with a
training partner and begin your familiarity with the five
principles.
When you have completed the foundation programme you will be
eligible for the advanced weapons and close quarter combat classes
where training is taken to the next level.
Classes on Mondays 7.30 to 9 pm
Regards
Graham
PS You might enjoy this video of home defence in action
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKF3U9UWrBI