The Path is Clear

So many of my martial arts school owner friends, are making hard choices. Some are closing down. Others are opening their doors to in-person students in the midst of a pandemic. I get it. We want to serve our students. We want to save our businesses. But for Eric, Jordan, Nick and me, opening our physical doors would put us at risk and not save our business.

Bushido Karate Dojo is our home, we live here, and it has allowed us to raise this family in little Casco, Maine, because of our Satellite Business Model.

I have taught karate after-school in the Lakes Region of Maine for the past 21 years. Last year we served over 175 students at 7 different elementary schools.

Can you imagine a scenario in which an outside organization will be allowed access to a gym, in a school, with every grade level, participating in a hand to hand activity, after-school, while they are trying to clean for the next day in 2020?

I can't.

Karate is valuable, invaluable some would say, but I ran into the Principal of one of those schools 10 days ago. I floundered. She smiled. What she didn't say broke me. She didn't say, "Lisa, your program is so important to the fabric of the experience of all 500 of our kids. Let's figure out a way to make it all work out."

I am sure she has bigger problems running a school of 9 grades of kids and staff, for 4 towns, and 500 families. I get that. 100%, I understand.

And I am OK that she didn't say that thing. I know we don't serve the whole community. In the 21 years that we have provided programming after school, we have served 4-7% per year of the population of the schools.

We are a specialty program meant for a few. But the few who love it? Who can't live without it? Like me. We stack the bricks of our lives on the foundation of the movement. The respect. The culture. The people. The fiery ability to be aggressive and powerful and graceful and beautiful and fierce all at once. Where else is there for a girl to get that? And we have the best men at BKD. Great women need great men.

I cried for 14 hours after speaking with the School Principal because it was THE MOMENT. The moment that confirmed what I have known but haven't spoken to anyone outside of my own inner circle. That the September of my 22nd year of teaching this thing I love is going to be different, so different.

Indulge a transgression -

I have wondered about this thing I love.

Do I love it enough to keep teaching to a camera, in a dojo, all by myself? (The dog is now allowed in so I have a friend.)
Do I love it enough to figure out how to replace the CONNECTION of the touch and eye contact of teaching someone their first rising block in person, with something else that still makes them feel valued and important?
Do I love it enough to create a New Leadership Program for the aspiring mentors and teachers in my midst?
Do I love it enough to not throw in the towel, sell the house where the dojo and my family reside, with the roof that leaks, and get a 'real job'?
Do I love it enough to continue to master the technology that delivers Karate in an instant anywhere in the world?

Yes. Yes I love it enough. I love it so much.

But it's not the it, it's the WHO. I love teaching YOU.
(I know you may not be a current student, but this was a musing after all. Aren't we all both teacher and student?)

There are an incredible few who have stayed throughout changing schedules, Zoom links, and Karate not feeling like Karate.

Doing Kata in the dojo from all sides has taught me that Karate starts and ends at MY CENTER. And so it is with YOU. All movement is one movement. All Karate is one karate. Every Teacher needs her students (maybe more than the students need that teacher, but I hope not.)

We are in a symbiotic relationship...ooh sorry I was transgressing...Let's get back on track ...

SEPTEMBER

Everything will change in September. The routine will be strange and different.

Bushido Karate Dojo will not be going back to schools this year.

We will be opening our Virtual Dojo Doors and be seeking to gather students from all over.

We've always run satellite programs; in September our orbit will grow exponentially.

No more space limits.
No more travel (3-500 miles per week for me).
No more missing dinner with the family for karate. Students can take class, ditch the gi and be home.
We will make friends all over the country, maybe even the world. The internet has no bounds.
We will still CONNECT.
We will still be YOUR HOME DOJO.
We will still be Wicked Good Teachers Who Make Better People.
We will ADD personal and professional Mastermind Meetings.
We will ADD Nationwide Gatherings at YOUR Local State Parks, when COVID has traveled its path.
- Anyone thinking a beach on an island would be ok, too?
We will ADAPT.
We will RISE.

I would love to hear your thoughts...please email me a note...

If you've considered, if you've thought about joining, if you've ever wondered...

Now would be a great time to start. Click right here for more information >>> https://bba.strongersafersmarter.me

In September, when we open the Virtual Doors in an official fashion the prices will have to change. Did you know that because of our rural setting and focus on school programming, that we have always been 1/2 to 1/3 of the national average of pricing for karate?

Friends, I have taught kids and adults for 21 years. We've done over 300 virtual classes in just 4 months.
This is that thing I do. My ONE THING.

My focus is shifting. Adults, now is your time. Your time to escape the day for an hour with a new community of Karate friends.
Some have made it into a pretty great experience...

In YOUR space.
On YOUR time.
For YOUR life.

I will see you in the dojo!

Yours in Bushido,

Renshi Lisa Magiera

STRONGER. SAFER. SMARTER. TOGETHER.

The Path is Clear

Bushido Karate Virtual Dojo

Stronger - Safer - Smarter

The Path is Clear

Bushido Karate Virtual Dojo

Stronger - Safer - Smarter

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in your space. on your time. for your life.