09/09/2026
🥋 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗜𝗦 𝗪𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘 𝗦𝗔𝗡𝗦𝗔́𝗥𝗔 𝗗𝗢𝗝𝗢𝗦 𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗕𝗘𝗚𝗔𝗡 — 𝗕𝗔𝗖𝗞 𝗜𝗡 𝟭𝟵𝟴𝟮.
I’m very excited to announce that we are now able to replicate the 𝗢𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗮́𝗿𝗮 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 for our students to wear proudly on their right sleeve, identifying the lineage from which our Dojo has come.
This is also a little piece of history and an opportunity to honour the woman who started it all — 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗘𝗹𝘀𝗮.
In 1982, Shihan Elsa started 𝗦𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗮́𝗿𝗮 𝗗𝗼𝗷𝗼𝘀 at Bedford Playground, on the corner of Love Street and Water Street, Spring Hill.
She also held classes twice a week in the afternoons at Brisbane Boys’ and Girls’ Grammar Schools.
As Grammar was a boarding school, Shihan Elsa had an agreement with the Principal to conduct training in the park on the main thoroughfare.
𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆.
Sansára is a variant of Samsara, a concept rooted in Hindu philosophy. It refers to the 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲 — the eternal cycle of birth, life, death, rebirth and karma. It reminds us that all things move in cycles, and that growth is found not only in beginnings, but also in endings and in the spaces between.
But there was another concept that Shihan Elsa strongly emphasised to me, and one that remained a very strong belief of hers — 𝗞𝗮𝗺𝗮.
I remember Shihan Elsa often referring to it in terms of the 𝐂𝐢𝐫𝐜𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 — what comes around goes around.
For her, it wasn’t simply about waiting for good or bad things to happen to us. It was about understanding that our thoughts, our intentions, our choices and the way we treat others all become part of that circle.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗽𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗿. 𝗜𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱.
If we act with respect, compassion, honesty and good intention, we contribute something positive to that circle.
If we act through anger, greed, ego or selfishness, those actions can also come back to shape our lives and the lives of those around us.
𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗜 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗵𝗲𝗿: 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗽𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗶𝗿𝗰𝗹𝗲.
And perhaps that is one of the greatest lessons a martial artist can carry beyond the Dojo floor — be mindful of your actions, be responsible for your intentions, and understand that every action becomes part of the circle.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱, 𝗴𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱.
🥋 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗘𝗹𝘀𝗮 — 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂.
🤜 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 • 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵 • 𝗛𝗼𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗿 🤛
