07 Nov Now Smoke This!

Chapter 28 – “Never Heel Up”

How many times had I hit the floor, swept by Juan, Richard, or one of the visiting university students? How much of my sweat was now soaked into the wooden floor, mingled with so many other karate students? How about the blood? Hundreds of broken noses and cut lips must have spilled blood on this floor, to mix with the sweat and become part of the wood that others unknowingly practiced upon. Scientifically we know that DNA cannot be changed by hitting the floor and being influenced by the blood, sweat and leftover skin particles of thousands of students. But what about the spirit? Cannot the spirit be affected by those who came before us and who have also worked hard and left their blood, sweat and yes, tears?

What would happen if one were to pull up the wood floor, place it in a controlled furnace, much like a crematorium, and burn it, at the same time collecting the smoke and fumes? Could it be bottled, condensed into a solid and sold, or better, be given away to future promising students to be inhaled as ‘instant budo spirit’? And could it be given to past students, so they could, once a year, at New Year’s for example, roll a small amount into a short joint-like cigarette and smoke it to infuse another year of combined knowledge and spirit? And how about the ashes? They could be added periodically to ceremonial dishes to make or keep students strong both spiritually and physically. The ashes could, of course, be added to the above joint to be given to the student who decides to travel to Japan, along with the letter of introduction. “Here is your letter of introduction, now smoke this!”