ryback

When I think back at the time when I was a beginner the only think that I was interested in was to practice and learn the art of aikido. Credentials, diplomas and affiliations seemed like the most boring thing to think about, I just wanted to practice and have good, effective technique.
When I first met my sensei I was intrigued by his passion of the art and by his choice to be independent. When I saw and felt his technique I realised that lack of affiliation could be an...advantage. Now, after almost 20 years I can see all of these officially recognized and affiliated aikidoists with their tons of ranks and credentials that they wave like a flag, struggling with their same, lame, pathetic technique as they were alway doing, a sad repetition of themselves and each other, with no sign or enthusiasm for any progress, hiding their incompetence behind their number of Dan ranks and taking advantage of all those people that would do what the OP's article advices. Choose a dojo by its front window.
I would need a whole...encyclopedia to refer to all those things that consist a good dojo, so this is neither the time, nor the place. Yet, I can say this: Beware of superficial credentials and...neon light dojos, sometimes the commonly accepted recognition can be the most misleading thing on the Way of the martial arts. Aikido is a practical martial art and the dojos and senseis cannot be judged by a beginner... Instead the beginner should be thinking what he is ready to try or do in order to learn the art and develop himself into a better person...