Trusting the Unknown

The dojo was quiet except for the whisper of Jiro’s sandals against the polished wood floor. Mina and the orb sat together, watching as Jiro placed two small stones in the center of the room.

“These are you and the orb,” he said, pointing to the stones. “Separate now, but destined to move as one. What connects you?”

Mina glanced at the orb, which hovered silently. “I guess… our purpose?”

Jiro nodded. “Purpose, yes. But purpose alone doesn’t make movement harmonious. What happens when paths diverge? When you can’t see what lies ahead?”

He gestured for Mina to stand and face him. “Let’s explore this with tenkan.”

Mina positioned herself in the center of the room, hands raised as Jiro approached. He reached out, as if grabbing her wrist.

“Tenkan is a pivot,” Jiro explained. “It’s the art of turning with energy rather than against it, even when you can’t predict its final path. Watch.”

As Jiro’s hand made contact, Mina instinctively pulled back, resisting.

“Don’t fight,” Jiro said gently. “Accept the motion. Move with it.”

He led her through the motion again, this time guiding her into a spin. Instead of resisting, Mina turned her body, stepping back into a circular movement. The orb shimmered as if responding to the flow.

“Good,” Jiro said. “Tenkan teaches us to trust movement, even when we don’t know where it will lead. It’s not about control—it’s about adapting and maintaining connection.”

Mina practiced the motion several times, her movements becoming smoother with each turn. She began to notice how the pivot created space, how it redirected energy without breaking the connection.

The orb hovered close, its light dimming slightly when Mina hesitated, brightening when she flowed with the motion.

“Think of the orb as your partner in tenkan,” Jiro said. “When you pivot, it pivots too. Neither of you can see the full path, but you move forward together.”

Mina paused, catching her breath. “What if I make the wrong move?”

Jiro smiled faintly. “You will. But tenkan is forgiving. It doesn’t punish mistakes; it teaches you to recover.”

Mina glanced at the orb, which pulsed reassuringly. “So we just… keep moving?”

“Yes,” Jiro said. “Forward together, even when the way is unclear. That is how harmony grows.”