Re: A New Column: It Had to be Felt
 

Thank you Ellis for mentioning my book Journey to the Heart of Aikido, recently released. I am so glad that the book is finally out (after over ten years of working on it!) and that people are reading it. I hope it will make a contribution to Aikido history and encourage people to commit themselves to Aikido practice.

If anyone is interested in more information about the book, or the October book launch events in Santa Cruz and San Francisco, please check out www.journeytoaikido.com.

I love the "It Had to be Felt" personal accounts and have read every one. Thank you Ellis for setting up this format for sharing people's first-hand experiences and memories!

Re: A New Column: It Had to be Felt
 

FYI - A note of clarification about Motomichi Anno Sensei's relationship to the Kumano Juku Dojo in Shingu, Japan: He retired as chief instructor in April of this year, just before he turned 82.

Anno Sensei served as the chief instructor for nine years, following Michio Hikitsuchi Sensei, who was the chief instructor for half a century until his passing in 2004.

Anno Sensei still teaches occasionally at the Kumano Juku Dojo. The new "Dojo-Cho" is Tsutomu Sugawa Sensei. The classes are taught by a variety of instructors.

Anno Sensei is coming to Santa Cruz, CA for the Oct. 5-6 Book Release Celebrations. Everyone is invited!

Re: A New Column: It Had to be Felt
 

Darn! Cannot get away that weekend....I have special ordered your book from my local bookstore and am looking forward to settling down with it for concentrated reading during some upcoming air travel!

Re: A New Column: It Had to be Felt
 

After years of reading AikiWeb, I made my first post today, to thank Ellis Amdur for his mention of my newly released book Journey to the Heart of Aikido. Then, for some reason, my post didn't appear! Only my followup post about Anno sensei's relationship to the Kumano Juku Dojo. Not sure what happened, but here is my original post, again:

Thank you, Ellis. I am so happy that Journey to the Heart of Aikido is finally out, after so many years of working on it! I wrote the book out of a sense of gratitude to all my Aikido teachers, especially Anno Sensei. I hope that this book will make a contribution to Aikido history, and will help to inspire people to practice.

And thank you for setting up the "It Had to be Felt" columns. I've read and enjoyed every single one. Ellis, what a great idea you had for this format for people to express their personal experiences and memories, and make them a clear resource for all of us.

Re: A New Column: It Had to be Felt
 

Janet,
There are actually 3 Book Launch Celebrations in October: the two in Santa Cruz Oct. 5 & 6, and a third one in San Francisco - Oct. 12, 2:30-4:30. Maybe you could come to the SF event?

The event details can be found on the Aikido of Santa Cruz website www.aikidosantacruz.org, or the book website www.journeytoaikido.com.

Hope to see you! Everyone is welcome.

Re: Book "Journey to the Heart of Aikido" by Linda Holiday
 

I apologize for the out-of-sequence aspect of these posts. I'm just learning how to post on AikiWeb.

Here is the original post from Ellis Amdur on the thread "It Had to be Felt", to which I attempted to respond with the above posts:

"Linda Holiday, 6th dan, has published a new book, entitled: Journey to the Heart of Aikido: The Teachings of Motomichi Anno Sensei.
In addition from a lovely description of the Shingu area and the dojo milieu in the early 1970's, the bulk of the book is distilled from the teachings of Anno Motomichi, currently head instructor of the dojo. The book offers Anno sensei's passionate ideas on the moral heart of aikido.

"In a quite understandable drive to understand what O-sensei did (internal strength), the question of how to do effective technique and who Ueshiba was (a man with feet of clay and a complex life story), the indisputable fact that the statement that "budo is love" was both heartfelt and central to his vision has, recently, been given short shrift. Anno sensei returns us to Osensei's worldview, without, in any way, vitiating these other concerns.

"And I mention this book here, because there are a number of chapters where he describes, in detail, what it felt like to take ukemi from Osensei."

--Ellis Amdur

Thank you.

Re: Book "Journey to the Heart of Aikido" by Linda Holiday
 

Hi, '
I would be interested to know why O Sensei is portrayed in the statement above quote as a man with feet of clay. A complex life?O Sensei certainly had this.As far as feet of clay is this a personal opinion or factual?Please enlighten me here. Cheers, Joe.

Re: Book "Journey to the Heart of Aikido" by Linda Holiday
 

Hi Joe,
Perhaps address your question to Ellis Amdur, in the original thread where his post occurred: "A New Column: It Had to be Felt"?
Thanks,
Linda

Re: Book "Journey to the Heart of Aikido" by Linda Holiday
 

So there is no thread drift, I'll start a new thread elsewhere.
Ellis Amdur