A brief look inside our “Circle of Honor” ritual.

https://youtu.be/MNiDCDZnzTk

Great morning on the mats gearing up for this weekend’s competition.

Looking forward to getting some training in with our coach Mitch McElroy this weekend.

It’s always an honor to host black belts at our temple, and our three main coaches in particular.

Our lineage is important to us in a direct fashion: we learn from those who have learned from others.

Those layers created by this handing on of knowledge are something we get to take a direct part in as we, in turn, pass this art on to others.

It is a beautiful thing to be a part of this.

Blood on The Mats tune up with Matthias tonight.

3 black belts on the mat tonight including coach Mitch.

Kimura seminar with Scary Terrie, on packed mats.

Band and DJ setting up for tonight’s Blood on The Mats After Party.
From the “you should have (and could have) been there” files.

Amazing day, beginning to turn into an amazing night.

Mats and gym are fresh and clean for todays final seminar for blood on the mats.

Final seminar of BOTM 1:

Black Belt Donald Adam’s (center black gi/taped fingers) 2+ hr “Fix your Game” seminar was incredible.

We all took something away that we can apply immediately to our Jiu-Jitsu.

If you haven’t had the pleasure of training with Donald, you’re missing out.

If you’re in Orlando-you know where to go: American Combat Club.

Thank you to Donald, Terrie and of course El Hefe himself - Coach Merciless Mitch McElroy, for making the trek to our spot. 🙏

Back to steady work.

Events and guests are always enjoyable but the real work happens in the in between.

Day after day, until the rough work becomes art.

Circle of Honor
6.24.22

“When motivation fails, consistency reigns.”

Just received word that Hanuman prayer flags will be delivered today, meaning they will ship to those of you who ordered this week.

Included with them will be your QR code for the 10 minute long Hanuman mantra chant for your personal use alongside your handmade sandalwood mala.

Y’all…fresh out of the box 📦

We’re setting up an all new streamlined fulfillment center in downtown Lynchburg as I type this.

Will help us get orders out to you more quickly!

Currently packing up your flag/mala/recording pre-orders!

A lot of you have messaged asking for public playlists.

I’m gonna have Paul assist in putting together a black metal one for y’all…but in the meantime I’ve got a great Trapanese rolling playlist that we use for circle of honor sometimes.

Just go follow my profile on Spotify and I’ll make any future ones for Devotion public/and clearly labeled.

While we were setting up the new fulfillment station today, we found 4 copies of issue 1.

They’re up on the site, first come first serve!

Belt promotions are great - everyone likes recognition and the invigoration that comes from the new challenge of a fresh colored belt around your waist.

Done right, they reward undeniable skill, and let you know that those masters who sit in the lofty places above you have decided you were ready to be named into a new rank of progression.

But - they’re not worth all that much if you spend your time stepping on the fingers of those coming up behind you.

A promotion is, like so many things, a call to service.

It’s your job to help lower belts drill their techniques- it’s your job to show up diligently, consistently, to put in time on the mats, to put in work and add your vitality to this art, to your school or temple, to your training partners.

There’s a lot of ways to earn your belt.

Even after you’ve earned it.