Travis,

I train in the Birankai and I really love the hard core training. I came into the Birankai at a time when Chiba Sensei had mellowed out. Even so, I still think that his Aikido is devastating. I think that Chiba Sensei came to understand that he can relax, not be so hard, yet still be very serious and just as deadly. It is a learning process. He is someone I really respect as a martial artist.

That being said, I will tell you this. Everyone has their own threshold of tolerance. Only you know what yours is. You have to follow your first mind and at the same time, sit down and weigh your options. Pit the positives of staying against the negatives of staying. Even if you decide to leave, you will take the experience of being there with you and you can turn it into something postive that will help you continue to grow in Aikido as you move on and progress. Also, once you make your decision, accept it, remain calm and try not to leave bitter. There comes a time when we all move on at some point.

Lastly, I hope that what I have written, as well as others, helps you put things in perspective, but the decision is yours and yours alone. You have to do what you think is best for you. You may find out later that there are a few positive things that you got out of your time at that dojo. You may decide to leave that dojo, but if you love Aikido, then stick with. This is your journey.