From 12 to 19 of July, Students from Switzerland, Belgium, Italy and England have participated a "dream camp" in Switzerland, Ober-Tschapina (1800m) under the lead of Kwan Jang Nim accompanied by SBN Shipley (US - living in Italy), SBN Mister and Miss Kenyon and their Children (US - California), SBN Spörri (Swiss), SBN Schoonejans (Be) and SBN Stephanie Spörri (Swiss). Training took place in front of "Pits Beverin" (2224m) and when the weather was not so good in a wonderful room of a school.

   

SBN Miss Kenyon, SBN Mister Kenyon, Kwan Jang Nim, SBN Shipley,

SBN Spörri, et Sa Bom Nim Schoonejans

    

Every delegation arrives on Friday and Saturday. This is the first contact between participants.

We are informed about intendancy and briefed about the protocols that are adopted in this camp.

The supper and a good night are bringing us to Sunday early in the morning. 

We are ready to begin training and to discover the program.

 

6h30: Moo Pahl Dan Koom. Facing the mountain when the sun is rising.

This is a peaceful moment of silence, stillness and wonder with the

masters among the wild and awesome nature.  

 

At 7h30 sharp, we have a light breakfast.

8h30 : We start driving to the Do Jang.

 

       The Do Jang is situated about 8 kms down from Beverin hotel in Urmeind village.

   

We have 6 hours training on a single day. Sometime, we are feeling hard to begin. Warming up is more then ever fundamental.

Nights are short, evening are intense. The ambiance is especially accurate for intimate conversations.

The Kwan Jang Nim is always present, observing, participating in conversations. His incredible kindness is reaching everyone of us.

 

In the Do Jang, he is available, simple, ready to help anyone. The masters are relaying to teach the different classes.

Let's have a look at the different delegations :     

  

 

Swiss team after the clinics (above)

 

Swiss team during the clinics (left)
                 

France

England and Italy

Belgium

England

 

 

The clinics covers all the disciplines we know in Soo Bahk Do, but in a very deep way. Everyone of us can experience the teaching, practice a lot alone and with partners.

Everyday, a different kick is taught thoroughly. Kwan Jang Nim insists on standardization, meaning that we all apply the techniques everywhere the same way.

 

   

 

 When watching Kwan Jang Nim performing a technique, you always see something clear, easy, natural, normal ... until the moment you try to do the same. This is one application of the Sip Sam Seh: "Give awareness and purpose to every movement. When done correctly all will appear effortless".

 

During the summer camp, we were really lucky to mix with Sa Bom Nim Shipley, who is one of the Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan pioneer. His extraordinary experience confers respect and admiration most especially during his classes, and talks about history and philosophy. He is unique in such that he is most of the time funny, he is inimitable, but can be severe when needed.   

 

 

Ko Dan Ja training on under Kwan Jang Nim's lead one side while Dan Members are training on the other side. Everybody in synergy facing the real nature, the proud mountain and the sun which finally appeared stronger then the clouds. The Um and the Yang. We sincerely prefer when the "good" is winning. 

 

    

Training under those conditions is really generating motivation, and is certainly the best way to learn a lot of things in a minimum of time. It is also the best way to understand the "Moo Do" aspect of the training. Everyone is involved in a human adventure where respect for everyone and everything is the guideline, where everyone is considered important, where you learn better then ever how important nature is for each of us, and where we could talk with our Kwan Jang Nim without ceremony, outside a Do Jang, exchanging ideas and feelings like a family. In my heart, this summer camp has been one of the best moment in my life.

 

Thanks a lot Sa Bom Nim Spörri,

Vanya and Fabian for your kindness and your welcome.

All my gratitude to Boussalaa, SBN and  Schoonejans, SBN

for making my dream a reality.

 

by Robert Dequinze, Dan Bon 42709