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<blogEntries>
<blogEntry id="2521">
	<title><![CDATA[7Tepee's--teaching Aikido on the front lines]]></title>
	<body><![CDATA[                                   First technique, 3rd Week 

I asked for volunteers, and Jeraldo (not his real name) stepped up.  They were all excited, as the class has run for three weeks and I had not yet taught a single technique, focusing instead almost exclusively on ukemi.  Well, today I wanted them to take ukemi for ikkyo.  They had just learned shikko that class, and they were hungry for more. 

Tense and excited, Jeraldo gabbed my wrist, using ai-dori .  What would I do, he wondered?  Would it hurt?    

Suddenly, his head whipped up.  "Wait!" he exclaimed.  "Did you hear that?  It was outside: sounded like someone saying 'you're going to get what's coming, now!'  Did you all hear that?"  All six pairs of ears were now attuned to noises outside, in hopes of tuning into the same wavelength as Jeraldo.  

We were up on the second-floor, way in the back of the building.  For someone to come into the Center, he'd have to ring the buzzer, wait to be buzzed in, climb a flight of steps, and make his way through a 30 or so milling students and people in the foyer, to finally reach where we were training.  Immediate danger from outsiders was not a likely possibility.  

And so, for the next few minutes, I attempted in vain to get the class to re-focus.  But they wouldn't have it: they were caught in the spell of fascination and voyeuristic dread that accompanies traffic accidents: people just have to slow down and scan the area for blood...my students were attempting to tune into Jeraldo's aural impending traffic accident, all at the expense of precious class-time.

Inwardly sighing, I realized that this was one of those "hard lessons," that Sensei's must teach their students, now and again.  "JerALDO!" I barked.  "WHAT did I say about staying focused?!  Sit DOWN!  Someone else, volunteer!"

Jeraldo didn't take his removal from being the alpha student well.  He first started verbally haranguing the next volunteer, and then he shoved his chest against the other, clearly attempting to re-establish dominance.  My assistant and I talked Jeraldo down, and the lesson went on, uninterrupted.  

A few kids later came up and asked me about earning rank.  Why do they have to wait so long...?  Can kids earn a black belt?  What's the earliest age...? etc.  I rolled my eyes, ruefelly remembering my kyu-ranking days, and the anticipation and yes, avaricious glee, I felt, in anticipation of my shodan, before any of these kids were born.  

I try to tell them that it's not the rank: it's what you understand, about Aikido.   But they are still stuck in this idea of dominance, and hierarchy.  To some of them, a rank means official recognition of their social pecking-order.  But am I any better?  

Fold the mats away, change to my civvie's, out the door.  Just as I leave, I see Jeraldo and the other volunteer working on ai-dori ikkyo together.

To myself, I smile.  The road to learning is rarely linear.             ]]></body>
	<date>02-22-2006</date>
</blogEntry>

<blogEntry id="1771">
	<title><![CDATA[TRAINING ACROSS BORDERS: Dance, Dance, Dance]]></title>
	<body><![CDATA[[b]Party Like It's a UN Buffer-Zone[/b]

Take a hundred or so Aikido students, give them about two three or four days to train together, add a few feasts and throw in about a dozen or so different nations, cultures, and music, and you're bound to end up with an unforgettable bash, by Saturday night. 

Add several [I]other[/I] martial arts to the mix (with a little [url=http://www.aikiweb.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=966&sort=1&cat=500&page=1]limbo*[/url] in the center of the room), with members from one dance mingling and joining another, and you get some idea of the wild spirit that bounced around the room, that night.   

"This may be the first time that this kind of dancing has ever occurred,"  observed Don.  Yeah, that IS a tall order, but consider it: there was aikido, chi qung, capoeira, several Mediterranean line-dances, limbo, and a few other dances I have never seen...all occurring at the same time, and sometimes flowing from one to the other.  I started in with capoeira with the amazingly acrobatic and talented Tesfaye (to the the sound of...was it Ethiopian, Jordanian, or Iraqi music?  I had no way to tell, but I THINK it was mostly Ethiopian.  Someone write me and tell me which), and soon I had about 4 people jump up and requested immediate lessons.  Every time I tell this story to my capoeira-instructor friend, he busts a gut, laughing (clearly, he's jealous :)  ).  


[b]Aiki-Follies[/b]

The Aiki-Follies were great.  As is often the case, they went from the sublime to the ridiculous.  [url=http://www.aiki-extensions.org/photos/TAB/misc/Tesfaye.jpg]Tesfaye,[/url] the student from Ethiopia, amazed us with his acrobatic skill, and led us in a few line-dances of his own nationality.  Mark, whose booming voice acted as our TAB PA-system, was perfect as an MC.  Ala'a gave us a combination air-Iaido demo, while he joked about the dubious wisdom of staring down opponents he'd already slain.
  
At the height of it, I realized that the variety-show was going so well, that we all needed a little counterbalancing.  People were having too much fun, after all.  We needed a little misery thrown into the mix, or we were all going to die of happiness and glee.  And so, in a spirit of emergency preparedness,  I got up and told them all that they needed to suffer a little, and so I fulfilled that need by singing the theme-song to "Rocky Horror Picture Show (with audience partici-pation, of course)."  By the second verse, a quick-thinking Aikidoist leapt onstage and beheaded me with a clean swipe of his air-katana, before I could finish the verse.  Thud!   I went into immediate convulsions and died a messy, virtual death onstage. ;)  

He later came up and apologized.  "No, no," I said.  "You were doing a public service."  "Yeah," he said.  "I couldn't stand to listen to the whole song, all the way through.  

With a grin: "Now, if you had done the [i]"Time Warp...!"[/i] :D

The dances also took the character of the music and the venue.  The [url=http://www.aikiweb.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=967&sort=1&cat=500&page=1]Thursday-night Turkish revelry*[/url] was a little more traditional, with a few Mediterranean-style line-dances and [url=http://www.aiki-extensions.org/photos/TAB/misc/dance1.jpg]horah's[/url] so familiar to me from the Greek wedding-parties I attended in my youth.  They tended to build in flavor, variety and spirit, until by Saturday we were, in my humble opinion: "off the hook." 

Oh, Lord, how we suffered!  Can't you see the misery written all over our faces??  :)  Mercy, mercy, aggh!]]></body>
	<date>05-01-2005</date>
</blogEntry>

<blogEntry id="1746">
	<title><![CDATA[TAB: Keiko, and Workshops]]></title>
	<body><![CDATA[(note: click on words marked with an * for a photo link).

[b]Keiko, and Centering[/b]

Ah, [url=http://www.aikiweb.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=942&sort=1&cat=500&page=1]keiko*:[/url] our reason for coming to Cyprus.  

[url=http://www.aikiweb.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=941&sort=1&cat=500&page=1]Richard Heckler*:[/url] "Remember why you are training.  Keep this thought in your mind, as you train, today."

In respect to keiko: the Training Across Borders Seminar was no different than any other Aikido seminar: classes usually went from 9-5:45PM, with breaks for lunch and workshops dealing with healing from trauma, leadership, meditation, and other topics.  Keiko was our center.  Without it, we would all have gotten along well enough, but the keiko cemented our connections, provided a framework for interaction.  

[url=http://www.aikiweb.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=943&sort=1&cat=500&page=1]Jamie Zimron*[/url] (at the public Aikido demo): "O Sensei became the greatest warrior in Japan: he could beat everyone.  But what good is that?  Here (gesturing to her uke's): you're dead (throwing uke down).  No, stay down.; you're dead!  Now, YOU'RE  [url=http://www.aikiweb.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=950&sort=1&cat=500&page=1]dead* (next uke)![/url]  And you, and you, and you (all uke's on the floor, with Jamie the only one standing).  Now, with all of this power to destroy: I'm the only one alive.  What good is that, if everyone else is dead?"

We went to Cyprus with the purpose to train.  We also went to demonstrate Aikido and to support training efforts and promote harmony throughout countries in the Middle East.  The constant commitment to keiko held us to our original intent.

[b]Context[/b]
[quote]Aikido expresses the order of the universe through the body. If the order of the universe is correctly applied to the body, the techniques and health flourish naturally.  If the order of the universe is correctly applid to everyday life, then education, work, and personality flourish naturally.  If the order of the universe  is correctly applied to society, social harmony and the relation of the self to others flourish naturally.  Humanity, like one family, will then work towards reestablishment of the world whose harmony is perturbed in our times.[/quote] 
 
from "Aikido Etiquette and transmission Manual for Teachers" by Tamura Nobuyoshi

My roommate, Jim, pointed this passage from an Aikido teaching manual out to me on Saturday night.  "This could well be the theme of the whole TAB Seminar," he said.  

Context is everything.  We were training on Ground Zero of a politically-contested area: many of us arriving from home-nations in the grip of conflict.  The context of TAB made the training more poignant, and even gave it an underlying sense of urgency, to get to the dojo to train.  We were all serious students of Aikido, but the context added a practical dimension to our keiko.  

There was also a joyous, uplifting element to it.  Here was the culmination of all of our work, and it was amply apparent that it was going better than expected.  There were no arguments, no dissentions, from what I could see (even, when some doka were accidentally locked in the dojo during lunch on Saturday, for several hours: no one raised a fuss).  Brotherly/sisterly love was everywhere, and we couldn't wait to get training.  A week after the event, my heart is still so full, reflecting back on the keiko.

The excitement was like a wave, building and pushing outward.  We all wanted our spirit of cooperation and harmony to build within us, and we also desired to push this wave of feeling outward, to literally take this cooperative spirit off the mat, like an outward-reaching wave.  

The excitement was manifest even at the beginning of the event.  Some of the [url=http://www.aikiweb.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=947&sort=1&cat=500&page=1]Israeli*[/url] students couldn't even wait to get their [url=http://www.aikiweb.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=945&sort=1&cat=500&page=1]uniforms*[/url] on, before we were [url=http://www.aikiweb.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=946&sort=1&cat=500&page=1]tossing*[/url] each other about!
  
My biggest regret was on Friday night, after a full day of keiko, teaching in the hot sun for two hours, dinner and dancing: many of the Aikidoists still needed more, and they went down to train at the dojo around 9:30PM.   I wanted to go as well, and I thought I would just lie down for a minute, catch my breath...and wake up, about 6hours later. :(  

The next day, Jim said what a great jiyukeiko that was, last night!  By all accounts, it was WILD!   Oh, great: just… "great." :rolleyes:

Hans Goto: (practicing, [url=http://www.aikiweb.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=955&sort=1&cat=500&page=1]Pt 1*[/url] & [url=http://www.aikiweb.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=956&sort=1&cat=500&page=1]Pt 2*[/url]): See this jo (holding jo vertically, with on end resting on the mat)?  This jo is much like you want your spine to be, in respect to its being straight and vertical.  If your head wobbles (moving top of jo): then your whole spine is crooked.  You want to keep your spine straight."

Altogether, the Sensei's seemed intent upon teaching keiko each from a different perspective of Aikido.  While all of them stressed underlying themes of harmony and principles "off the mat," Sensei's Goto and Wagner seemed to spend a bit more of their keiko-time exploring certain technical aspects of Aikido (note that this is not a criticism, as I think everyone seemed wildly enthusiastic about the keiko offered.  If it were up to me, I wouldn't change a thing).   I remember Wagner Sensei demonstrating kotegaeshi beginning with his arms upraised; and Goto Sensei talked (in one keiko) about the diverse elements of practicing iriminage.


[B]workshops[/b]

[i]Trauma and Ethnic Conflict:[/i] Paul Linden.
[i]Meditation:[/i] Miles Kessler
[i]Youth Outreach--ACAO Harmonia Brazil Program (reaching out to kids in the Brazilian favela's):[/i] Jose Bueno
[i]Embodied Leadership:[/i] Richard Heckler
[i]Wake Up Aikido![/i] [url=http://www.aikiweb.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=944&sort=1&cat=500&page=1]Don Levine*[/url] 
[i]Aikido in Everyday Life:[/i] Kurt Bartholet
[i]Bronx Peace Village: (program reaching out to at-risk innercity Bronx youth)[/i] Scott Evans

Too many workshops, with too little time for me to attend.  I was in charge of first aid supplies, water-cooler replenishment (a big, and important job, as we were going through a full container of water every 2 hours), registration, PR, basics classes on Friday afternoon, and assisting the Sensei's with whatever they needed.  I had to do a lot of legwork, and I was not the busiest person present.  Philip Emminger didn't even put on his uniform until Saturday afternoon; he was just too busy.  His pedometer had him clocked at walking an average of 10 miles a day.  Before enlightenment: carry water, chop wood.  After enlightenment: carry water, chop wood.  

I did manage to sit in on Sensei Heckler's workshop on leadership.  In I, he discussed methods of communication and clarifying your modes of speech.  Leadership, he said: begins with making your requests, assessments and statements clearly, and expecting a clear response.  He said that many business meetings almost exclusively discuss the content of previous meetings and when they are going to meet, for the next meeting.  Communication is about manifesting the future, and as such deals with time—an aspect of behavior that we, as humans, are unique, in respect to animals.  

[b]Fulfillment of a Dream: One Voice of Many[/b]

I am one voice of many in this event.  I should not be taken as the final authority on how it went, and what happened.  A documentary is coming out at some point, and aiki-extensions is composing a website dedicated to TAB.  Hopefully, all of these sources will provide a sense of [url=http://www.aikiweb.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=949&sort=1&cat=500&page=1]what it was like*[/url], [url=http://www.aikiweb.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=948&sort=1&cat=500&page=1]training at this amazing event*.[/url] 

I did fulfill a dream, though: I had the honor of teaching beginner's classes for two hours, in the park, nearby.  "Embrace the world," I said, demonstrating tenkan.  "Make your technique bigger than you and your partner."  I focused upon classic attacks, stance, and posture.  Some of my students did not understand English, but the feedback I did get was positive.  The next day, the beginner's looked to me for more beginning classes, but unfortunately it was not to be.  The beginner's rejoined the general keiko.

[b]Crowded Mats[/b]

And then there was the [url=http://www.aikiweb.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=951&sort=1&cat=500&page=1]crowding-factor*,[/url] on the mat.  Mat-space was at a premium, and when we were all present, ukemi became a challenge.  Still, no matter how crowded it got, we were filled with the spirit of [url=http://www.aikiweb.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=952&sort=1&cat=500&page=1]camaraderie, and fellowship.*[/url]   Goto Sensei admonished us to remember the rule of one tatami per group of two.  When the mats were fully attended, the rule became more of a mandate.  

Next entry, I will relate the spirit of TAB: the dances, and the parties.  If keiko was the spine of the Seminar, then the dances were TAB's heart and soul.  Stay tuned.
 
P.S. The quotes above are paraphrases.  Apologies to Wagner Sensei for not including a quote from you: I missed many of your classes.  I remember your heartfelt words in the small groups after Sunday keiko, and it reflected my sentiments, as well.
]]></body>
	<date>04-26-2005</date>
</blogEntry>

<blogEntry id="1729">
	<title><![CDATA[TRAINING ACROSS BORDERS: Location, Location, Locat]]></title>
	<body><![CDATA[At the rate I'm going (still bogged down by jetlag, I might add): the next journal entry of TAB will come out shortly after I finish it, in book form, and right before aiki-extensions puts out their own online version (which I'm told will be happening soon).  And so, I'll just forge on ahead, in a piecemeal format.  No time like the present, after all (note: picture links included, with text below, noted by an *).

The TAB Project itself was the result of many collaborators, working at different ends of the spectrum.  From beginning to end, many hands went into the planning and execution of TAB, on different levels.  For instance, Horoshi Ikeda Sensei contributed to the calligraphy for the shomen (when there was concern about the Islamic proscription about bowing to images), and he also held a benefit seminar.   One Sensei wanted to take part in the Seminar and even was one of the five featured Sensei's, but he had to bow out when he learned that his foreign citizenship might get him into legal problems, in training with Aikidoists from a hostile nation. 

I came onboard about a year ago, after I had searched the internet and interested Aikido Sensei's for an Iraqi-American Aikido Friendship Seminar.  Three years' ago on aikidojournal, I made the acquaintance of Ala'a Hijazi, from Jordan.  We both agreed what a great idea it would be to establish an Iraqi-Jordanian-American AIkido Seminar, possibly taking place in Amman, Jordan.  Timewise, this was shortly before the US invasion (around November 2001).  

Events in Iraq escalated to a point that made such a seminar impractical.  Still, Ala'a and I kept our dream alive, even as we mostly lost touch.  I wrote to several American Sensei's pitching the idea, and finally Paul Linden pointed me in the direction of aiki-extensions, and Don Levine (at one point, Don offhandedly mentioned that without the internet, Aiki-extensions would not exist).  

When I spoke to Don, we made an immediate connection.  He and aiki-extensions were working on a similar idea, and Jamie Zimron was also working on supporting the growth of a cooperative Palestinian-Israeli Aikido effort.  We started work on an Israeli-Palestinian meeting in Istanbul at a Seminar already established by Ayhan Kaya's dojo, with Sensei [url=http://www.goldmountainforge.com/aikido/sensei.htm]David Goldberg[/url] (I wrote an article about the Seminar in the August '04 issue of [i]Aikido Today Magazine[/i]).

Sadly, the meeting never took place.  An internet exchange based on an announcement of the event put pressure on the Palestinian's to withdraw their support, and the whole effort fell through, even as the regular seminar continued, independently of aiki-extensions.  I went to Istanbul more out of a symbolic effort and to find Cyprian contacts (in preparation for next years' effort), than anything else.  I also attempted to organize a gi-drive to send a "gi-packet" to Palestinian's, but this also failed when the new do-gi's I brought were somehow switched for a set of worn, undersize gi's (I am still puzzling over that one).

[b]Fall down, get up...fall down...[/b]

Successful results feed off the failures of the past.  This project was no exception.  Even tho I returned from Istanbul empty-handed, the effort was not in vain.  It was later decided to include more countries in the international seminar than Israel and Palestine.  In fact, Don tells me that were it not for the failure of the Istanbul Seminar, the TAB Seminar would not have happened.  The effort would have channelled into further Palestinian-Israeli meetings, with less inclusion of other groups.     Lemons, into lemonade.  The growth of the Seminar planning took an "organic" aspect, in how it progressed.  We learned from our mistakes and took strength from them.

[b]Cyprus[/b]

From the [url=http://cia%20factbook:/]CIA Factbook:[/url]

[quote] Cyprus 
A former British colony, Cyprus received independence in 1960 following years of resistance to British rule. Tensions between the Greek Cypriot majority and Turkish Cypriot minority came to a head in December 1963, when violence broke out in the capital of Nicosia. Despite the deployment of UN peacekeepers in 1964, sporadic intercommunal violence continued forcing most Turkish Cypriots into enclaves throughout the island. In 1974, a Greek-sponsored attempt to seize the government was met by military intervention from Turkey, which soon controlled more than a third of the island. In 1983, the Turkish-held area declared itself the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus," but it is recognized only by Turkey. The latest two-year round of UN-brokered direct talks - between the leaders of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities to reach an agreement to reunite the divided island - ended when the Greek Cypriots rejected the UN settlement plan in an April 2004 referendum.[/quote]

Why Cyprus?  In many ways, Cyprus was the perfect spot for the first TAB Seminar.  Cyprus has a politically contested "buffer" zone maintained by the UN, yet there has been a ceasefire maintained for years.  The weather perfect (if a little hot), the island has been host to thousands of years of empires and culture, and Aikido is still very new, there.  The Cyprian's themselves are sensitive in referring to the northern region as anything other than the "occupied zone."  The standard of living is quite high (The Cypriot pound was equivalent to 2.2 US dollars).

While Cyprus boasts a rich history, playing host to a series of empires and civilizations that go back tens of thousands of years: its recent history is still quite arresting (no pun intended...OK, maybe a little).  The first President, [url=http://www.aikiweb.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=931]Makarios III*,[/url] also held the title of Archbishop of Cyprus, the only person to hold both titles.  He played a pivotal role in [url=http://www.aikiweb.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=930]liberating Cyprus from the British.*[/url]   The current occupation of Cyprus partly stems from the Greek military junta's attempt to depose him in 1974 (a brief personal footnote: my Greek stepfather was visiting Greece at the time and was in danger of being drafted by the military to go fight in Cyprus). 

It is interesting how the Cyprian's feel in regards to the Occupied Zone.  I later discovered that the Cyprian's do not consider Cyprus to have any borders, only an occupied zone.  When we went through the checkpoints to dine at the Turkish restaurant on Friday night, the Cyprian's did not come along.  Many Cyprian's simply refuse to go through the Turkish checkpoints.  If you ask a Cyprian whether they are from North or South Cyprus, they will inevitably answer that there IS only one Cyprus: no "North" or "South."  Philip asked Herodotus (our local contact) to elaborate on this point as we drove to the airport: what do Cyprian's call the "northern" region?  "Ah, that is the 'Occupied Area,' said Herodotus.  He did not join us for dinner either, that Friday, as he finds the idea of having to cross through foreign military checkpoints in his own country unpalatable.

Which brings me to the choice of venue within Nicosia, itself.  We could well have had the whole Seminar within the Holiday Inn near the Buffer Zone, but Philip (the TAB Manager) cleverly chose to spread the Seminar over three areas (actually, it later became four, if you count the park where we had the Beginner's Classes).  If you look at the [url=http://www.aikiweb.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=932]site map,*[/url]  you can see that the route from the hotels to the dojo is bisected by a huge wall that runs around the whole of Nicosia (the wall itself is very interesting and plays a key role in the T-shirt design, which has a story all its own.  But that's for next time, maybe).  To get from the hotel to the dojo, you had to walk around the length of the [url=http://www.aikiweb.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=939&sort=1&cat=500&page=1]wall[/url] until you found a road-opening.  

The building that became our dojo has an interesting history of its own.  Known as the [url=http://www.aikiweb.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=934&sort=1&cat=500&page=1]American Center,*[/url] the building, currently owned by the Fulbright Center (and graciously lent to Aiki-Extensions), used to be owned by the UN until about five years' ago.  It was clearly built to withstand a military assault: the windows had heavy, barred slats on the windows and it was practically impossible to scale it from the outside.  When the dojo was closed for the evening: it was locked [b]down![/b]  It had two stories, with [url=http://www.aikiweb.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=936&sort=1&cat=500&page=1]a huge meeting room*[/url] on the ground floor.   For a dojo, it was [url=http://www.aikiweb.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=935&sort=1&cat=500&page=1]perfect.[/url]  

The other spot was actually in the Buffer Zone in [url=http://www.aikiweb.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=937&sort=1&cat=500&page=1]the Fulbright Center,*[/url] right next to the Ledra Palace, which housed the UN (wish I had pic's, but pic's were verboten).  Philip wanted the participants to get the feel of going through military checkpoints as part of the experience of training here.  I thought of this spot more as a "dojo auxillary," than anything else.  We had a few workshops here and in the Ledra Palace, but the main keiko took place in the American Center.  

On the last day, we practiced and had demo's by the [url=http://www.aikiweb.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=938&sort=1&cat=500&page=1]various Sensei's in the Holiday Inn.*[/url]  Why the Holiday Inn?  The actual floor-space was larger than in the American Center, and we needed to not be so cramped, as we had to do several activities (meet in small groups, etc., which I shall go into detail in a later entry).  Also, Philip wanted us to carry the mats back to the dojo in a sort of "ant chain," attracting public attention to TAB (as, Sunday is a busy day in Nicosia, with many people outside enjoying the day off), and also participating in a group work-activity.  This was only partly successful, as most of us did not understand that we were to stay together, as we carried the mats back.

Next entry, I will talk about the TAB Program, which bedeviled the organizers no end (literally finishing it minutes after we all met, for the first time). ]]></body>
	<date>04-21-2005</date>
</blogEntry>

<blogEntry id="1721">
	<title><![CDATA[A note to my 100 new friends]]></title>
	<body><![CDATA[Welcome to my blog, all you amazing TAB-people!  Thank you for visiting.  As soon as I am recovered from my jetlag, I will begin the process of recounting the amazing events that occurred last weekend.  I am even now editing and collecting photos of the event.  I am especially interested in the last huge group photo, as I was in the middle of it and could not take it, with my camera.

By all accounts, it was a wonderful seminar.  What really strikes me is the recurring imagery of the "wave" that seems to pop up.  I guess it originated within a Seminar keiko (but which one?  Which Sensei referred to a "wave" first?  Was it Goto Sensei?  Or Zimron Sensei?  I think it was Jamie Zimron, but I am not sure), and now it takes on the symbolic overture of the whole event...WE are the first wave, the beginning of a ripple that is spreading outward to the whole Aikido community, even now.  

In class today, I briefly recounted the troubles the Iraqi students had in getting to Cyprus.  My Sensei, Linda Holiday wryly noted how it makes any difficulties WE might have in getting to the dojo seem paltry, by comparison.  

Please, feel free to drop me a comment here, or at my email address.
I look forward to the day when we can train again: either in smaller groups, or as a huge, tidal mass, again. :)  Check back here soon (in a few days) for the more detailed description of the Seminar, with pic's.

Gambatte!]]></body>
	<date>04-19-2005</date>
</blogEntry>

<blogEntry id="1697">
	<title><![CDATA[TRAINING ACROSS BORDERS]]></title>
	<body><![CDATA[(Note: this is a work in progress.  Meaning, I will likely change a few things around when I return to the States, or sooner.  Certainly, I will add pic-links, delete some unnecessary notes...such as this one...and "fine tune" it all up, later...much like this Seminar.  So, check in later: much may change).

Must.  Fight.  Jetlag.   OK.

I did a lot today.  Awakened by a fire engine blaring outside my window at the barbaric hour of 7:30 AM (and just WHAT scion of hotel management figured it a good idea to build a hotel across the street from a fire station and a police station?!  Arrgh! ),  I barely finished breakfast before my duties came knocking.  Moving this, helping Sensei's with that, catching a class when I can (mostly not), relocating mats, helping new arriving groups find the dojo.

After breakfast, I went to the dojo to move some furniture and get in a little practice.  Heckler Sensei asked me to uke for the public demo at the Fulbright Center, next to the UN building (formerly a palace, still called the Ledra Palace), in the middle of the Buffer Zone.

How to describe the Buffer Zone?  Pretty much how I expected the whole area to look--crumbling storefronts next to stores selling paltry wares here and there; relaxed looking soldiers peering out from various apartments within the Ledra Palace, mean-spirited signs placed at the Turkish and Cypriot Zones---Turkey: "Turkey will FOREVER remain in Northern Cyprus!!!!" or Cyprus: "Express Your Humanity By Fighting Turkish Inhumanity!!!!"  with barbed wire decorating the crumbling buildings at various intervals.  Sadly, I was unable to take pictures, as I was informed that I would be arrested, if I took pictures within the Buffer Zone (an interesting side-note: the UN military unit tasked with securing the Palace during our event, recently returned from Iraq.  Puzzled, I asked the British Commander what the UN was doing in Iraq.  "We weren't a UN unit, when we were in Iraq," he said, British accent peppering his English.  "We were the British Army, helping the US."  About their stay in Iraq, all he had to say was that "it was a bad tour.")  

Sensei's Heckler, Wagner and Zimron all gave brief demo's and talked about Aikido.  Even tho the talks were geared toward non-Aikidoka, I got a lot out of them.  

After this, the "staff" contingent wended our way next door to the Ledra Palace with the UN force blessing our passage with metal detector wands and laminated ID cards.    We set up tables to register the Seminar applicants, which is how I spent the afternoon.  Shortly after we finished, the whole group met in a plenary session to handle intro's and talk about the genesis of this project.  After that, we went through the Buffer Zone, through the half-dead faded commerce, two checkpoints ("Passports, please")  and into the Turkish Zone.  A left turn and a block later, we made our way to a sumtuously prepared Turkish feast, complete with outside banquet table, multiple courses, and a 2-piece band.   We suffered through a few croony Elvis tunes, and then onto some Turkish ditties.  When they played "Havra Nagila," many of us jumped up and bounced ferociously in a twisty line-dance.  

Off to bed and then onto the next day: the official opening of the Training Across Borders Seminar.  Almost everyone is here, and the feeling of shared brother/sister-hood fills us all.  The Serbian's, several Israeli groups, the lone Turk are all here (the latter two arriving during dinner to the sound of a welcoming ovation).

I just hope my gi will be dry, in the morning. :)

*Yawn*]]></body>
	<date>04-14-2005</date>
</blogEntry>

<blogEntry id="1687">
	<title><![CDATA[Training Across Borders: First Keiko]]></title>
	<body><![CDATA[The day began with a chaotic bang.  We had a meeting shortly after breakfast hurriedly discussing the seminar itinerary.  The meeting never came to fruition, however: we were interrupted by a mixed contingent of 11 Jordanian's and Iraqi's, who came early.  This was unfortunate, as we were not quite finished with assigning rooms (by the time this seminar is over, I will have checked into three separate hotels, all within one block of each other).  It was good to finally meet Ala'a in person.  Three years' ago, we chatted on aikidojournal about the prospect of having a seminar in Iraq, before the invasion (of course, the invasion made all of those plans moot).  

The Iraqi contingent had quite a tale to tell about their travelling adventures: they barely made it to the airport in Jordan, because the US security forces closed down the border.  More on that, later.  Other contingents faced difficulties, as well: the Bosnian's had to completely cancel, due to an airport strike.   From what I hear, the Palestinian's had some difficulties, too: but they just arrived (it now being 11PM).  

After excitable introductions all around (not to mention some bleary-eyed Iraqi's), I shunted around an unseasonably hot and muggy Nicosia, on errands with our capable local contact, Herodotus, on various errands, with only a break to locate various media sources via the internet.

Fast forward to 5pm.  With a little help from our friends and a slow-building excitement, we made the finishing cleaning touches of our dojo and broke out the Zebra Mats.  At six, we were treated to a fine keiko with Jamie Zimron Sensei, followed by Winifred Wagner Sensei.  Shortly before that, Hans Goto Sensei made an appearance with his wife (even tho they'd been in Cyprus for several days, this was the first time I'd met them.  MAJOR faux pas on my part...when he said that he was from San Rafael, I didn't make the connection that he was one of the four Sensei's who were teaching.  "Oh," I asked.  "What dojo do you train, in San Rafael?"  

Hello foot, this is my mouth...yum!  Nith Toeth!  :rolleyes:

Ah, but the training, the training... :D  My wish is finally achieved: training with Iraqi's, Jordanian's, and soon...Palestinian's and Israeli's, ALL on the mat at the same time.  The feeling comes close to a sense of [i]completion[/i] I'd sometimes feel when I'd finish a large art-piece, that took a long time to bring to fruition.  In this case, the artwork took three years, and in all honesty, I cannot claim to be the main creatrix of this burgeoning art-piece...merely a minor assistant.  

At times, that's enough: any more would be a paltry display of ego.  Sometimes you lead, sometimes you follow, and sometimes you blend, and simply let go of shallow categorization.

P.S.  Hooray!  The Palestinian's have just arrived, as I type!  They are excitedly chatting with Jamie, outside the comp-room. :) ]]></body>
	<date>04-13-2005</date>
</blogEntry>

<blogEntry id="1682">
	<title><![CDATA[TRAINING ACROSS BORDERS---Day 2]]></title>
	<body><![CDATA[From the [url=]CIA Factbook:[/url]

[quote] [b]Cyprus[/b] 
A former British colony, Cyprus received independence in 1960 following years of resistance to British rule. Tensions between the Greek Cypriot majority and Turkish Cypriot minority came to a head in December 1963, when violence broke out in the capital of Nicosia. Despite the deployment of UN peacekeepers in 1964, sporadic intercommunal violence continued forcing most Turkish Cypriots into enclaves throughout the island. In 1974, a Greek-sponsored attempt to seize the government was met by military intervention from Turkey, which soon controlled more than a third of the island. In 1983, the Turkish-held area declared itself the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus," but it is recognized only by Turkey. The latest two-year round of UN-brokered direct talks - between the leaders of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities to reach an agreement to reunite the divided island - ended when the Greek Cypriots rejected the UN settlement plan in an April 2004 referendum.[/quote] 

[b]Day 1[/b]

Let's not talk about Day 1, if you don't mind.  I don't even know if I could, except in brief, feverish, jetlag-induced, "telegraphic" bursts.  

Now, on to Day 2.

[b]Day 2--Quiet, excitable misogi[/b]

Things are progressing very well, in preparation for the Big Event.  Don Levine, Philip Emminger, Mark Walsh, and several core aiki-extensions members are all here.  I am working on some of the international PR (of which this blog is a small part) as well as cleaning misogi for our newly acquired dojo, right in the contested "Green Zone," in Nicosia, Cyprus.

Not that it really looks like a "contested area."  Actually, the internet cafe from which I type (pic's soon to follow)  is about a block away.  And yet, we still have to clear the event through the UN, and we will have to go through a metal detector.  Security is still a concern.  

At this point, we are coordinating events leading up to the weekend seminar, including a symbolic meeting between the North and South Cyprus Aikido Sensei's will meet, a public demo scheduled for tomorrow and Thursday, and a seminar from Friday thru Sunday will commence, led by four prominent Sensei's.  Check out the A-E prospectus, [url=http://www.aiki-extensions.org/pubs/tabprospectus071904.pdf]here.[/url] (may take a while to download)

The momentum is building.  If I weren't so caught up in it all, I'd realize how tired from jetlag I truly was.  We even have a documentary film-crew on-site, filming as the big weekend approaches.

As my fingers peck away, I can faintly smell the sickly sweet-scented cleaner from the dojo misogi, still on my hands (yes, I'll wash up before dinner).  The building itself, on loan from the Fulbright Society, is also historically significant, as it used to be owned by the UN.  We just opened up the zebra-mats for initial inspection, a bunch of grown-up kids sneaking a peek at their misogi presents before they get down to the work of cleaning the dirt from the molding.  Picture-links to accompany this blog, soon to follow.  

Mark W. wants to have a general class tonight for the "core" members.  If I can still stand up by 7pm, I'll be there.  ]]></body>
	<date>04-12-2005</date>
</blogEntry>

<blogEntry id="1681">
	<title><![CDATA["TRAINING ACROSS BORDERS" Seminar--Nicosia, Cyprus]]></title>
	<body><![CDATA[PRESS RELEASE

 At the site of the politically contested “green zone” in Nicosia, Cyprus: delegations of Aikido students from a dozen countries within the Middle East will assemble to inaugurate the first “Training Across Borders” seminar, on April 15-17, 2005. Coming from lands that have stood in chronic conflict for decades, these Aikidoka–Croatians, Serbs and Bosnian Muslims; Greeks, Turks and Cypriots north and south; Israeli’s, Palestinians, Egyptians, Jordanian’s, and Iraqi’s—will experience and demonstrate to the world the effectiveness of the Aiki Way to overcome combativeness and promote understanding.

For three days these martial artists (men, women, and teen's) will meet and train under five internationally respected Sensei’s (or teachers), participate in workshops aimed at applying aiki principles outside the contexts of training, and initiate plans for future cross-border training and community-building.  

Aikido is a Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba  (often referred to by his title 'O Sensei' or 'Great Teacher').  O Sensei emphasized the moral and spiritual aspects of this art, placing great weight on the development of harmony and peace. "The Way of Harmony of the Spirit" is one way that "Aikido" may be translated into English. Although it may seem parodoxical to seek harmony and peace through a martial art, it is one of the basic tenets of Aikido.

The Seminar is sponsored by Aiki Extensions, Inc. a nonprofit organization established in September, 1998 to support and enhance communication among those who apply the practice and principles of aikido in venues outside of conventional dojo settings.    

For information about Aiki-Extensions, Inc, contact dlok@uchicago.edu

]]></body>
	<date>04-12-2005</date>
</blogEntry>

<blogEntry id="1620">
	<title><![CDATA[Sandan Paper]]></title>
	<body><![CDATA[As announced, below is my paper.

Acknowledgements

 On Saturday, March 26th, my friends, family, and fellow Aikidoists will all come to watch my Sandan test, a work-in-progress 20+ years in the making, and still progressing.  In other words, my community will be there to support, bear witness, and share a bowl of what promises to be mighty good soup!   But, it would be wrong to suggest that this test is solely “my” endeavor, alone.  Many other “cooks” helped create this “dish.”  Sensei’s Linda, Glen, Aimen, David and Jeannie Sofen and Dennis all added necessary “ingredients” and invaluable signposts; and all the other regular members and visitors of North Bay Aikido were critical in “stirring the pot,” and providing signposts of their own.  I would mention you all here, but the list would number in the hundred’s.   

Thanks to you all, for your heartfelt training, your openness and your honesty.  I could not have made this effort without your participation, your suggestions, your heartfelt ukemi.

 
Community

 To understand the relevance of my promotion, it is important to examine the relationship of the rank, to the larger community.  Linda Sensei refers to Sandan-rank as a “pillar of the community.”  Since Dennis’ Sandan-test, I had puzzled over that designation.  Of course, other dojo’s and other Aikido-styles have differing interpretations of what “Sandan” means—at its most basic, yudansha-rank refers, generally, to a qualification to teach.  The higher your rank, the more qualified you are to teach, independently.  This understanding is not limited to Aikido.  A Tai Kwon Do instructor at SF State, who teaches a class right before mine, asked me if Sandan qualifies me to teach black-belt classes, after I told him of my imminent promotion.   I explained that the designation of Sandan is different in my dojo.  But in a sense, even the basic idea of teaching and rank in Aikido is complimentary to community.  All martial arts have a foundational element in instruction.

But what makes up a “community?”  Without delving into pointless definitions, I would say that a community is made up of the current and past members (and family-members) of the dojo, and the regularity of classes and our mutual interest is the “glue” that keeps North Bay Aikido viable.   A necessary component to an active Aikido community is an upwardly active membership.  Without a “critical mass” of participatory students, a dojo is in danger of becoming stale, rigidified, or overly tied to tradition.  

Featured events throughout the year go a long way to making the “glue” hold fast: the Japanese Cultural Festival, Kangeiko and raffle, the New Years’ misogi…all of these events play a role in community-building by keeping the members engaged in dojo-activities other than training.  These activities also provide a solid means of outreach, drawing new members into the community.

Within any community are groups-within-groups, or sub-groups, that are not clearly evident, to a newcomer.  These groups provide support to individuals outside of the dojo, or provide “behind the scenes” support to various dojo-functions.  In our dojo, these groups are not closed systems: rather, they are more properly “federations” bound by common interest, age, or marital status.  

Central to the process of dojo community-building, within any community, is the character of the Sensei.  Specifically, a Sensei often determines how “open” (or closed) a community is, and the primary areas of study within Aikido (as there are many “sub-topics” of Aikido: chanting, swordwork, suwariwaza, etc).  If you really want a litmus-test of the character of the dojo, go talk to Sensei.  This is obvious in a hierarchical-based discipline such as Aikido, but is evident in all communities.  

Conversely, the character of Sensei (of any martial art) can close the dojo-door to potential members, as well as open it.  Relationships to other organizations, petty rivalries, hidebound elitism: these are the elements that can keep that “door” closed, or cause feelings of alienation and “cliques” to align themselves against a given member.   The same groups and mechanisms that are so productive in ensuring the growth of a dojo have their dark sides in working to alienate some individuals, in a “toxic” dojo. 

We are extremely fortunate in having Linda as Sensei, as she has openly professed her aversion to such “power politics.”   Having been a member of five dojo’s in a score of years, I can honestly say that North Bay Aikido is the most “open” and non-political dojo that I have encountered.   In a sense, we at North Bay Aikido are “spoiled (in the best way)” in being blind to this toxic nature of a dysfunctional community.  

How do you watch out for this sort of toxicity?  It’s not easy: a “toxic” Sensei will not usually make his prejudices known.  In fact, s/he is probably unaware, consciously: that s/he is often the source of the factors that alienate.   But of course: look to your own motivations and sentiments, before questioning others.  Perhaps the toxicity originates, from you?   But a good, “quick” indicator of a “toxic” dojo, is if Sensei (or a senior student) claims that “their” Aikido is “not of everyone,” or that “their” Aikido is somehow “special.”  I have so far heard two dojo’s make this claim.  In my opinion, this idea runs counter to the teachings of O Sensei, who said: “Aikido is for everyone; not just the Japanese.”   


My Aikido History

 But what is your previous experience?   Several people in the dojo have asked me this question.  

It’s funny, one’s personal Aikido history is like an ever-widening river.  We all talk about our previous instructors and "light up” when common paths were crossed, albeit at different times.  “Oh yeah!  I trained under so-and-so for years!”  It’s another tie to community and commonality, this recollection of paths crossed, unknowing.  

Twenty years of study could seem like a long time, for some.  In truth, when I consider my time spent in Aikido, I feel a twinge of embarrassment.  Shouldn’t I know more, by now?  Shouldn’t I be “better,” than I am? 

To recount all of my past training experiences would be impossible, even to fully remember.  Memory is a poor recording-device.  But, from what I can remember, I shall list in chart-form, below:


Fall, 1984	My first discovery of Aikido, at Johns Hopkins Univ Aikido Club, taught by Fernando 
Salazar.  I still remember my first class: I was so excited that I stayed for the “intermediate” class, held in the 2nd hour (classes were each 1hr long, 2 classes/evening. 2x/wk).   I couldn’t walk straight for four days

 
Spring, 1985	I had caught the Aikido-bug.  But, I was stuck in a small private college, on an island off Maine.  At the time, Aikido did not exist anywhere closer than NH.  But I was determined, and stubborn.  I organized an independent study with one other person. Together, we collaborated on a teaching regimen with a dojo in Nashua, NH, run by Lou Periello Sensei.  We managed, between twice-weekly partner-training; visits from Peter Cina, a Nidan from Nashua; and attendance to 2 seminars; to eke out enough time to barely pass 5th kyu, which I set up as my criteria for evaluation, on my independent study.  

	When I completed my test, I asked Periello Sensei for feedback.  He said that I need to find more steady and experienced instruction, if I wanted to progress.


Fall, 1985	I moved back to Baltimore, and took up my studies under a satellite dojo of Saotome Sensei.  At the time, it was a little “club” which shared the space under a church which used the space as a daycare, during the day.   Sensei Charlie Page, a senior student of Saotome,  was the only instructor.  All told, I would guess the club had about 10 members.  Every night we trained, we had to move the Big-Bird toys, pull out the white, packing-material mats (which left a crumbly residue), and tape them down with duct tape, so they wouldn’t slip around.  What fun!

Dec 31, 1990	The date of my Shodan.  Up till that time, I stayed with Baltimore Aikido Dojo, which moved on since I joined to become a full dojo (we had to move out of the daycare), with two other Sensei’s who came onboard (Chuck Weber and Zenko Okamura), with an active membership of about 20-30 people.  

	On the day of my Shodan, it was a full-moon, we trained past the New Year, and I met the woman who would come with me to the West Coast, the moment I stepped off the mat.  Momentous?  Yeah, I guess it was.

	I well remember my randori.  Sensei’s Kevin Choate, Martha (last name?) and Jim Sorrentino (both Kevin and Jim now teach at their dojo’s in Chicago and Virginia, respectively) jumped up to be my uke’s, with Sensei’s Saotome and Ikeda as my test-board.  I decided to use my speed to “outrun” my uke’s.  Saotome Sensei was much amused.

Summer, 1991	I traveled across the country in a U-Haul, stopping at several dojo’s along the way.

Nov ’91	I started my membership at Jamie Zimron Sensei’s dojo, Aikido Arts Center, in SF.  They had shortly altered their membership to include men, and I was one of the first male members.  

	I also took advantage of the many dojo’s in SF and the Bay Area to broaden my Aikido experience.  With the exception of North Bay Aikido, I went to visit all of the dojo’s in which I would later become a member, such as:

1993-1998 Aikido West.  When Jamie Zimron Sensei moved onto another city, I decided to move on, as well, to another dojo.  I had managed to buy a used car, and so I could make the trip down to Redwood City.  My Nidan test was in 1995, with Cyndi Hayashi Sensei as my uke.   I also tried to incorporate skills I learned from other martial arts, such as:

1994-1999	Capoeira, with Mestre Urubu Malandro (Capoeira USA).  Most of my Aikido/Capoeira experiments were interesting (and good for a few unique moves in a randori), but nothing to go off and start up a new martial art (not that I wanted to).    But, I did have a moment of epiphany, when Mestre Urubu came to visit Aikido West to watch my Nidan.   I brought him over to the office to introduce him to Doran Sensei.  I wondered how they would each react, being masters of their respective disciplines, and each (in his own way) firmly set on his path.  Without hesitation, Doran Sensei shook his hand and said with a beaming smile: “I love that Capoeira-stuff.”  Urubu grinned back.  

I’ll never forget that moment.

1998-2003	Suginami Aikikai, with Sensei Jim Friedman.  For a time, I was a member of both Suginami and North Bay Aikido.  In 2002 I took an intensive with Kato Sensei and attended Summer Camp in Santa Cruz, literally right on top of each other.    

Fall, ‘01-today	I began teaching my class at SFSU.  Since then, my classes have grown from one to two sections.  I can only hope to get an intermediate class. 	

2002-today	North Bay Aikido, here I come.  I actually moved here in Summer, 2003, kicking and screaming from my beloved and much-fantasized town of SF, when I was an East-Coast’er.  Now, you’ll need a crowbar and a few horses to get me out of here.  Santa Cruz rocks: and I am walking distance to my dojo.  What could be better?
]]></body>
	<date>03-27-2005</date>
</blogEntry>

<blogEntry id="1608">
	<title><![CDATA[How I Prepared for My Test]]></title>
	<body><![CDATA[Thanks to Tarik for asking this question, in the comments.

I started thinking about my test shortly after Sensei told me of her decision, around November.  When I think back on the actual preparation: it's all connected, in the beginning, to events going on in the dojo, around January.  

On January 1st (around 10AM), our dojo did a "New Year's Misogi," consisting of a half hour class on the beach (mostly with weapons), followed by a misogi exercise thigh-to-waist-high, in the ocean.  Brrr! 

I lost a sandal in the tide. :)

Misogi mostly consisted of "shaking hands," Rowing exercise, etc.  I remember how cold it was, with the sky dramatic with threatening rain-clouds.  As the misogi progressed, the rainclouds came up on us, and right when Linda Sensei yelled "Happy New Year!" the sky opened up and rain down on us all.  I got out of the water, fast.  The next half-hour was taken up with a very long, hot shower.

This event ties into my test-preparation on several levels.  I was barely conscious on Jan 1st, but I managed to show up.  My  attendance was the most important thing--what I did after that was all secondary.  

But, my commitment to simply [b]be present,[/b] in all aspects of the term, cemented my commitment to my training (and test, which, in this sense, is the same thing).  

I upped my level of commitment with the next big event: Kangeiko.  On January 20 for one week, our dojo engages in a Japanese Aikido tradition of "cold training," in which Aikidoists train in Japan at 6:30 AM every day for 2 weeks, in the coldest part of the year.

Of course, over HERE in balmy Santa Cruz, the temperature plays less of a role in kangeiko, but the commitment to simply BE there at such an ungodly hour is still evident (also, our kangeiko only trains for one week, instead of two).  After kangeiko, I started coming to the dojo a lot more: sometimes 5 times a week (not counting the classes I teach up at SF).

Sandan means different things in different dojo's, and Aikido organizations.  Linda likes to refer to Sandan as a "pillar of the community."  During January, I thought a lot about what this definition means.  Concurrently, Linda also asked me to co-organize the raffle that takes place during kangeiko.  

Now, if you know me personally: you'd understand what a stretch this is...I tend to be a little introverted, with a small group of close friends.  "Selling" a raffle is not my idea of a joyous good time, initially.  But, over the years I saw what a unifying pull to the community, the raffle was.  People got to donate their services (I won a killer pizza, in the raffle), and the money earned from the raffle went to support the dojo.  And so, I overcame my shyness and made the raffle-effort my own.  

Attempting to answer exactly what is a "community" does not render any simple, comprehensive answers.  But, one thing significant in all communities is the aspect of "giving."  Humanity, IMO, is defined by "giving," by offering service to a person or group for their benefit, over your own.  One's service to the community strengthens the ties that connect the individuals, and the group is stronger for it.  My efforts in the raffle were steps in the process of better understanding what Sensei meant by Sandan being a "pillar."

Shortly before kangeiko began, I started to consider the aspects of weapons more carefully.  As I mentioned earlier, I had wanted to do a "weapons randori," but I was still a mudansha through most of my time training under Saotame Sensei.  But, the desire never left.

The internet and video's helped a lot.  I watched a '03 Summer Retreat video where Anno Sensei demonstrated bo nikyo (and ikkyo)  over and over, copying the moves (and smashing a few lampshades and glasses that dared try to intercede) until I could do them independently.  After I felt competent enough, I worked with my uke (Aimen) to firm up elements that you cannot ascertain so well from video-practice: footwork, weight-balancing, and the subtle differences between a jo and a bo (where the hands are placed, etc).

Linda Sensei's one-on-one class was/is an immesurable help, as well.  In it, she showed me some further, valuable pointers on footwork, and striking with the bo.

For the jo (ikkyo-yonkyo), I relied upon memory and "feeling my way" through the techniques I learned from Kato-Sensei.  

How do you get to Carnagie Hall?  Practice, practice, practice.  It's the same with weapons.  Anno Sensei said something in the video in '03 that stuck with me.  He said that you have to train "until the bo becomes 'inside of' you."  Much of this journey in beginning to understand the bo (as I still have a long way to go, well past my Sandan test) is in "absorbing" what the bo has to teach me, to make the bo "a part of" me.  I wish I could explain this concept better, but it makes a lot of sense, when I am swinging the bo around.

In the end, this Saturday will be just another day of training, on one level.  I show up, I try to be present, I have a pretty good idea of how I'd [i]like[/i] it to go, but anything could happen.  But the most important thing that my preparation has so far taught me is that showing up and being present are the most important aspects of this test.  IMO, the rest is what the community in which you are training expects of you, and gives back to you.]]></body>
	<date>03-22-2005</date>
</blogEntry>

<blogEntry id="1607">
	<title><![CDATA[Tuesday: rain, as a focusing device]]></title>
	<body><![CDATA[(No training for me, on Monday...but, for Tuesday--)

Morning class held several small, pleasant surprises.  Aimen wasn't at the dojo for some reason, but Linda Sensei was: and she led the morning class.  

The class theme loosely centered around "wide, full" blends, versus, "tight, footing-centered" blends.  Iriminage was the technique mostly we primarily practiced, opening up into jiyuwaza and variations.
In the last 20minutes, Linda demonstrated aspects of randori, and using peripheral vision, instead of squarely facing down each new uke.  

At the very end, she had me come up and first demonstrate eyes-closed "waza;" and then a very "flowing," continuous randori.  My main focus was to be very easy, and relaxed..as relaxed and possessed of "shihan-patience," as I want to be, on Saturday.  Afterwards, I received a lot of positive feedback, from the other doka watching.   

After class, I practiced bo-work for an hour.  I feel that I have a loong way to go to understand the bo (I never even touched a bo, before I came to this dojo, not that long ago).  It's very different in many respects from the jo, which I am more comfortable.

More later.  For now: I will check my email, and enjoy the laziness brought on by the rain and a day off.  Perhaps I will go to tonight's class.  Decisions, decisions.  ;)       ]]></body>
	<date>03-22-2005</date>
</blogEntry>

<blogEntry id="1597">
	<title><![CDATA[Sunday: chai-klatch]]></title>
	<body><![CDATA[Today was a light-to-medium training-day.  Aimen and I were both a little late, and so no yudansha were there to start class.  A brown-belt decided to take over the warm-up's.  Aimen liked this format, and so he had every brown belt present lead the class in one technique (there were about ten or so, in attendance).  

It was a good class: the students all were a little nervous, but they demonstrated the techniques with a feeling of humility and a "not-quite-there-yet," approach that left the ego at the door.  

After class a brown belt pegged three of us to go over some specifics of randori.  In his case, he needed to use his hips more, as I kept grabbing him and clamping on...must have been the leftover ebullience, from yesterday. :)

And then it was my turn.  Mostly we did a weapons-randori (shinai) for a few rounds,   followed by a straight randori.  We trained for a short period (about 40 min) and then an old friend from another dojo where I used to train dropped by, and we chatted over chai for about 3 hours.  It's funny, but this chat felt like training itself, in a way.  We talked about Aikido, or more precisely, we talked about relationships in any given dojo.  

I'd like to leave it there, partly because it was a private conversation, partly because I am still thinking on that chat.   Basically, tho: she had a lot on her mind; and she needed a sympathetic ear to "ease her burden."  

I'd say more (maybe I will, later, since this in large part, sans the personal details, will be the thesis of my written paper), but this can wait.  I promised you, gentle reader: a listing of the elements of my exam, and I shall not disappoint.  

So, here's an itemized list, so far.  Of course, the exam is continually a "work-in-progress" (until this Saturday, of course: after which it will be a [i]completed[/i] "work-in-progress.")  :)  Items subject to change without notice, and uke's in mirror may seem closer than they really are. ;)

* Suwariwaza ikkyo thru rokyo (still deciding on this.  I may not have enough time for the last two).
* Hamni handachi, various techniques
* Standing, jiyuwaza, with 3 disparate ranks
* Jiyuwaza, blindfolded
* Iriminage variations
* jo-nage, ikkyo through yonkyo (a la Kato Sensei)
* tachidori 
* Bo-ikkyo and -nikyo (a la Anno-Sensei)
* Shinai-randori (a la Saotame Sensei)
* Randori, without weapons
* Kokyoho

All in 20 minutes.

So, this is what lay before me.  I wanted the test to have a wide variety of weapons practice from different styles to reflect the diverse schools of Aikido where I was a student.  I also wanted to challenge myself.  To me, this is more than simply a "demonstration:" truly, it IS a work in progress and an opportunity to learn more and to deepen my practice.  I always wanted to try the Saotame-style "shinai-randori," and I'm here to tell ya, it's harder than it looks (and it looks hard, if you have not seen it).  Another challenge I've yet to fully address is the inexperience of my uke's to give good ukemi for this kind of randori...they don't "pursue" as much as Saotame's students, after the first cut (making a mental note to peg some yudansha to work on the ukemi-aspects, before Saturday).  

I'd like the pacing of the test to go from straight demonstration of technique (surawiwaza, and very classic), flowing through to standing, jiyuwaza, and so on through the varied weapons demonstrations.  I like the "organic" feel of this line-up--very natural.

During my preparation, Linda Sensei gave me a "theme" to work on in preparation for the exam.  She wanted me to "think round," and "large."  I'd go into more detail, but then I'd have to write a book and try your patience.  Perhaps tomorrow, I'll go more into where this theme of "round-ness" took me, in my training.  

In the meantime: gambatte!]]></body>
	<date>03-20-2005</date>
</blogEntry>

<blogEntry id="1596">
	<title><![CDATA[Saturday Mangling]]></title>
	<body><![CDATA[Urf.  It sure was tough getting out of bed this morning.  But, drag myself down to the dojo I did, and my body felt stuck in amber, as I trained.  Rigid, slow.  And so, I found the class, which focused on opening the hips in a series of responses to ushiro ryote dori's, more than a little challenging.  I met with more stiffness than usual in other uke's, which of course meant that I was being more than usually stiff, as well.

And then, after class I did a jiyukeiko with Tarik (big, broad-shouldered yudansha), and we did a sort of continuous, soft-center extended kaishi-waza sort of freeform ukemi-waza. :)  I don't know what you'd call it, but it loosened me up, a little.  

After this I went through a dry-run of the exam.  I'd say that it was all right.  A little rote, maybe: but at this point I was focusing on the rythm the test will take, in the sequence of techniques I will present.  I was thinking a little less of "being present," and more about pacing the test.  

And then, wham.  The randori killed me.  In a good way, of course.  We practiced starting from "clumping," where all the uke's had me grabbed already, and I had to get out.  
 
Yeah, sure: you might have gone through this exercise and wonder what's the big deal, right?  A few twists and turn and the uke's fly, right?  

That's the problem with writing about Aikido, you miss the salient details.  Like, my energy-level, at this point.  It wasn't quite bottom, but I felt winded.  My batteries weren't recharging as well as usual.   I'd been training about 3hrs by that time and I had about 5hrs of sleep.  My arms were aching, I needed water, and there was no stopping the uke's.  They were all very fast, strong yudansha: and they so wanted a piece of [i]me![/i]  :)  

Does this come off as complaining, or criticizing my uke's?  See, there's that problem writing about Aikido.  No,  actually: they gave me good ukemi and MAN!  They did not make it easy.

No, the best way to describe the training today was in the nature of an endurance test.  I even asked for water, and the Sempai attending said no, wait till the end.  So, we did a number of randori's starting from "clumping," and I tended to get tense in the upper part of my body.  The Sempai, Allen, noted that I could use my feet well enough, but all the grabbing around the middle was where all the tension was focused.  He advised me to train toward using my lower body to twist out of ukes' grip.  He demonstrated a very "twisty" way of moving out of the "Iron Maiden," that is the crush of the uke's.   After a few tries, I was able to get out of ukes' clump.  

Gosh, I'd write in great detail about all of the cool elements I plan to demonstrate, all the various weapons-kata's, the 1,000 variations of iriminage (in about 4min...all the time I'm allowed, for the iriminage variations), but if you'll excuse me....*Clunk!*......zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz]]></body>
	<date>03-19-2005</date>
</blogEntry>

<blogEntry id="1593">
	<title><![CDATA[Quiet Rain]]></title>
	<body><![CDATA[So I've been sitting here for weeks, looking at the aikiblog link (OK, so I wasn't [i]just[/i] sitting here, staring at a link, for weeks...I DID do other things, [b]too![/b] sheesh) thinking about what the things I could write, to pass on the gleanings I have discovered, some sage words of wisdom for all those doka to read, reflect, and nod sagely in their newfound wisdom.  

Yeah....right. :freaky:  

I have trouble reading other people's reflections on Aikido.  It's why I don't get long-winded discussions about say, iriminage, very often. And so, I found myself procrastinating in writing this blog, not to mention the paper due in a week! :O  Just call me The Procrastinator...better yet, don't.  

Still, to be honest: procrastination IS a part of my M.O., especially when it comes to journalism.  I wait until the last minute to write about a new adventure, and little-to-no writing about the day-to-day, normal elements of what my life is like, before the adventure.   

And so, here I begin my "Sandan-ho" blog, a week before I test.  It lacks the appropriate build-up, careful meditation and a recounting of the process that got me from "there," to "here," you say?  

Sue me.  :)

But let me take a moment here to give you the Cliff Notes.  You invested in reading about my test-preparation, and an accounting you shall get.  And, what a journey it has been.

I have always been adverse to the "X-treme Testing Mania" that seems to afflict us all at some point in our respective paths.   You know: a few weeks before a big test and [i]suddenly[/i] there's a committed cadre of ppl who want to train, train, train, after class is over, as jiyukeiko, or sharpening up this or that technique, staying on for an hour or so for a few nights, getting all hopped on testing day, and then...blam--a month later, they disappear for a couple of weeks, or months.  

They burned themselves out, cramming for the test.

I always thought that a really good test should be an "organic" part of training, that the test should enrich your training, and not the other way around.  But, our society and educational system teaches us to do the opposite--we train to enrich our test.

For me, tho: this time it will be different.  But, maybe the difference lay less in my approach, than in the very nature of the test.  In Sandan, I am expected to give a demonstration designed by me, as opposed to demonstrating technique called out by Sensei (or a testing board).  

In my dojo, the parameters for Sandan are:

1. At least 15min in length, preferably 20
2. The demonstration must have the following elements:
 a. "Basics" (ikkyo thru yonkyo);
 b. jiyu waza;  
 c. randori;
 d. and some form of weapons.
3. I also have to write about some aspect of Aikido and distribute it in some form to the community (newsletter, internet, etc).

Pretty broad parameters.  Just the way I like it.  

Tomorrow, I'll go into more detail about what, exactly: I am preparing for my demonstration.  Constructive feedback is always welcomed.]]></body>
	<date>03-18-2005</date>
</blogEntry>


</blogEntries>