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Old 05-09-2006, 08:58 AM   #1
dps
 
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Purpose of Dojo

After reading the debates in the threads I am curious what other people think the purpose of the dojo is?
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Old 05-09-2006, 09:54 AM   #2
happysod
Dojo: Kiburn, London, UK
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Re: Purpose of Dojo

OK, I'll bite, which threads have broght this question on? For me - dojo = padded place to land butt so no hurty when throwie. Philosphy etc. is kept for the pub.
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Old 05-09-2006, 10:11 AM   #3
dps
 
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Re: Purpose of Dojo

Quote:
Ian Hurst wrote:
For me - dojo = padded place to land butt so no hurty when throwie. Philosphy etc. is kept for the pub.
For me - dojo = place to learn things to use when not in dojo like standing, falling, throwing other people, hopefully not hurty. Philosophy and politics for Aikiweb.
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Old 05-09-2006, 11:42 AM   #4
Dirk Hanss
 
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Re: Purpose of Dojo

Dojo is a place, where go learn to go the DO. Every technique is philosophy. You do it in a way whithout hurting yourself, nor your partner. You do it - ideally - in a way to enforce the technique, without using force or violence. You just make it happen.

And you go your DO then inside and outside the dojo, in the pub and in the web, at work and at home. You can fight hard - hopefully mostly verbal, without hurting any one more than necessary. Even if you wish to just kick his ass as hard as possible.

Dirk
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Old 05-09-2006, 02:08 PM   #5
wmreed
 
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Re: Purpose of Dojo

Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name...

William M. Reed
Columbus, OH USA
wmreed@columbus.rr.com
"I'm not the author William Reed -- yet."
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Old 05-09-2006, 02:48 PM   #6
milhasan
Location: Orlando, Florida
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Re: Purpose of Dojo

As I vacuum the mat before the class, I vacuum my ego, self.
Months go by I unlearn everything & continue to empty my cup. After my Shodan, my cup will start to fill with nectar of Aiki. I hope Sensei is right.
Dojo is a place to unlearn & learn about ourselves.
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Old 05-09-2006, 03:17 PM   #7
Jorge Garcia
Dojo: Shudokan School of Aikido
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Re: Purpose of Dojo

It's the place where I learn about myself.

"It is the philosophy that gives meaning to the method of training."
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Old 05-09-2006, 04:23 PM   #8
mickeygelum
 
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Re: Purpose of Dojo

" True victory is self-victory "...OSensei

Within the dojo you discover yourself, your true self...not your imaginary self....In that, you do this with others that are attempting to do the same...Aikido resides in everyone, regardless of age, social stature or education...it does not reveal itself quickly to all, but earnestly to those that come to know themselves....Sensei or student, we all learn from each other, it is those that recognize the lessons that discover themselves and Aikido....

" Thank you for showing me, helping me and teaching me....
When I say ' I love you ' , I have said it all. " Merritt Stevens Shihan
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Old 05-09-2006, 04:43 PM   #9
Dajo251
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Re: Purpose of Dojo

Its a place where I go to throw and get thrown, a place where I leave everything that isnt aikido at the door, And a place where I dont have to worry about anything but aikido.....well that and the floor coming up at me really fast

Dan Hulley
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Old 05-09-2006, 05:39 PM   #10
Mark Freeman
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Re: Purpose of Dojo

Quote:
Within the dojo you discover yourself, your true self...not your imaginary self....In that, you do this with others that are attempting to do the same...Aikido resides in everyone, regardless of age, social stature or education...it does not reveal itself quickly to all, but earnestly to those that come to know themselves....Sensei or student, we all learn from each other, it is those that recognize the lessons that discover themselves and Aikido....
I like this.. alot, thanks Michael.

Quote:
Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name...
Cheers William

Success is having what you want. Happiness is wanting what you have.
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Old 05-09-2006, 08:36 PM   #11
SeiserL
 
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Re: Purpose of Dojo

A place to have the opportunity to train.

Lynn Seiser PhD
Yondan Aikido & FMA/JKD
We do not rise to the level of our expectations, but fall to the level of our training. Train well. KWATZ!
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Old 05-09-2006, 11:45 PM   #12
xuzen
 
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Re: Purpose of Dojo

A dojo is a place to play the THROW SENSEI (TM) game. Oops, I forget, that is the other dojo (Judo).... I rephrase:

An aikido dojo is a place to grab someone else's wrist and do funny things to them.

SHOMEN-ATE (TM), the solution to 90% of aikido and life's problems.
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Old 05-10-2006, 01:13 AM   #13
batemanb
 
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Re: Purpose of Dojo

A place to study, learn and practice.

A difficult problem is easily solved by asking yourself the question, "Just how would the Lone Ranger handle this?"
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Old 05-10-2006, 02:16 AM   #14
Josh Reyer
 
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Re: Purpose of Dojo

A place where the practice, cultivation, and training of martial arts is held.

Josh Reyer

The lyf so short, the crafte so longe to lerne,
Th'assay so harde, so sharpe the conquerynge...
- Chaucer
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Old 05-10-2006, 03:19 AM   #15
rottunpunk
Dojo: koteikan aikido centre
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Re: Purpose of Dojo

Quote:
William M. Reed wrote:
Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name...
that would be cheers then

for me a dojo is there for like minded people to join together and learn the art in a safe and controlled enviroment.
the dojo itself should exist to provide the environment, and sound teaching of the art and its ryu
And as such any money taken should be used for the rent of the room, buying supplies and helping needy students from time to time. therefore no profit should be made from the students (like what mcdojos do)
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Old 05-10-2006, 07:38 AM   #16
dps
 
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Re: Purpose of Dojo

For me there are physical ,historical, philosophical, religious parts that make the whole of Aikido. I agree with everyone with what they are saying but, the physical part is the beginning and foundation of understanding the rest of the parts. By experiencing doing ukemi, atemi, waza and balance, posture and movement you are participating in the historical, philosophical and religious parts. Studying the other parts does not give you the experience of the physical part. Therefore I think the dojo is for experiencing the physical part of Aikido and then you can enjoy the other parts in your practice outside the dojo like in the pub with your friends, at work with coworkers, at home with your family or on Aikiweb.

Thank You all for your thoughts
Thank You Sensei Gelum
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Old 05-10-2006, 04:35 PM   #17
Lucy Smith
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Re: Purpose of Dojo

Everything is left at the door, there are no problems; no paper due tomorrow, no discuses about abortion, no stupid professor yelling at you to stop talking with your partner and pay attention to the white board, no lack of money, no politicians whose only life purpose is to dress in gray and steal money from everyone, no real fear but the one that leaves with just a confident glance of your Sensei; the only problem appears when you can't perform a technique right, and it's a nice problem to have, you feel everyone helps you, and when you finally accomplish it you feel great. All that matters is Aikido. I personally don't know any other place like this, where all that's important is what you are doing right now, and who you're doing it with. OK, I know what you're thinking... well maybe only one other place.

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Old 05-11-2006, 03:03 AM   #18
Dirk Hanss
 
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Re: Purpose of Dojo

Quote:
Lucy Smith wrote:
Everything is left at the door
I did that yesterday - nearly perfectly, i.e. even all my knowledge of aikido.

I couldn't finish work in time, so I was late. They already started warming up. Then we did ukemi exercises an shikko.
For ushiro shikko I started forward, as always, turned to go backwards, and when I got up, I thought "shouldn't I change direction of my turns in the middle? - damn-it I shouldn't have done turns at all, it was ushiro shikko!" And then I heard sensei claiming: "Sempai did a mistake and you all follow him, regardless, what I asked for. Stop this, before I get angry".
Later I did some extra exercises with a fellow aikidoka, who wants to take test for 3rd kyu. Then sensei came to us after a while and offered me his hand, so I took it katatedori. He said "ryote mochi, Dirk will have his next test also in near future."
I was only thinking of ushiro-ryokatatedori, as most of my new techniques are on this attack.
He said, "No ryote mochi".
I did not know, what to do. I knew,that ryote mochi means, I should take one arm with both hands, what how to hell shall I do this in ushiro waza? I took me some time to realise, that he never said "ushiro", it was only in my mind.

The only excuse is, that I had a light head-ache..

I know, this post belongs to the humor section, but I thought about it, when I read Lucy's description of dojo, so in this case it matches also this thread.

Regards Dirk
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Old 05-11-2006, 06:36 AM   #19
dps
 
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Re: Purpose of Dojo

I am very thankful for those that are better able to put into words the things I want to say.

Quote:
Lucy Smith wrote:
Everything is left at the door, there are no problems; no paper due tomorrow, no discuses about abortion, no stupid professor yelling at you to stop talking with your partner and pay attention to the white board, no lack of money, no politicians whose only life purpose is to dress in gray and steal money from everyone, no real fear but the one that leaves with just a confident glance of your Sensei; the only problem appears when you can't perform a technique right, and it's a nice problem to have, you feel everyone helps you, and when you finally accomplish it you feel great. All that matters is Aikido. I personally don't know any other place like this, where all that's important is what you are doing right now, and who you're doing it with.


Quote:
Michael Gelum wrote:
" True victory is self-victory "...OSensei

Within the dojo you discover yourself, your true self...not your imaginary self....In that, you do this with others that are attempting to do the same...Aikido resides in everyone, regardless of age, social stature or education...it does not reveal itself quickly to all, but earnestly to those that come to know themselves....Sensei or student, we all learn from each other, it is those that recognize the lessons that discover themselves and Aikido....
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Old 05-15-2006, 07:16 AM   #20
Lyle Bogin
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Re: Purpose of Dojo

Happiness. And that's without reading anything.
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