I have a good friend and sempai named Rachel Massey and during a recent
conversation she related her philosophy to me and I wanted to pass it on.
A Student of Aikido is making a stew. Adding a few vegetables and seasoning
here and there.
Sometimes boiling and sometimes simmering. In the beginning the stew
hardly has a smell, then the aroma grows to fill whole the house.
Eventually the stew becomes a perfect mix of everything that has been
added. If you rush it, it will boil over the sides of the pot. If it
simmers too slowly the fire under it may burn out. To make an Aikido
stew takes a lifetime.
Thank you to all the students that helped with the April 25th
Dojo clean up day. It was a huge success. We managed to stain
the inside of the dojo, move a few large rocks for the rock garden,
and clean up all the wood that has fallen off trees since the fall
and clean the mats. We also added a new shed and stored the windows,
training mats and balls. I have also been able to frame and hang the
certificates and artwork, stain the front of the dojo and clean up the
basement. Your help was greatly appreciated. Thank you.
The children’s program has just tested 5 students for their first test,
10th kyu. The children surpassed my expectations and demonstrated their new
skills superbly. Many of them plan to return to our program in the Fall to
continue their Aikido training. I have thoroughly enjoyed teaching them and
feel I have learned as much from them as I taught. Working with children has
always been a joy to me and this group was no exception.
The outside landscaping of the dojo is coming together nicely. We have taken
the view point that we will purchase as few plants as possible and would rather
use found plants and materials from the surrounding woods or cuttings donated
from students. This way the landscaping is an extension of the surroundings and
students can add their own input to the dojo.
We have recently acquired a wood vine from the surrounding woods to grow on one
of the trellises. The have three more trellises that are empty and would appreciate
cuttings from trellises students have to fill them. We have had several plants
donated from parents of the children’s program that have been added in front of the
trellises. They are a hardy plant that can spread quickly and should fill the opening
by next season.
The rock garden is near completion. It has been completely created from rocks that
were in the yard, cedar trees that have fallen, and plants that have been growing in the
surrounding woods. Sensie McLuskie split several large trees of cedar to make the back
wall and his help was greatly appreciated.
A special thanks goes to Palmer for donating 36 marigolds that have been planted
throughout the rock garden and yard. Thanks
Thank you to all of you who attended the New Years Day practice.
It was a day that will stay in my memory through out the year. I
would like to say a special thanks to the students of Aikido of
Charlotte, Charlotte Aikikai and Water Oak Aikikai
that came together for this annual
event to celebrate Aikido. It was a special event for me and created
a feeling of community that I hope continues through out this year.
This years event was a special year to me because I have not been able
to participate in past years. To have such a large showing and being
able to participate in the class afterward was a great joy and a testament
to the hours I have spent on the mat this summer and fall getting back in
shape. I hope many of you choose to come to the advanced class on the 3rd
Friday of each month at WOA so this fun can continue from month to month.
If you have questions about this class please contact Bill or me.
After much thought, I have decided to start a journal on the web.
Actually Sensei McLuskie has requested I do this, so here go’s. It is
the end of the year so I like most people ponder the last year and make
resolutions for the upcoming. And so I must say that one of my greatest
joys has been to teach Aikido this year. I have had the unique opportunity
to teach both the children’s program and some of the adult classes when
Sensei McLuskie was out of town. The students who attended my classes
showed me the up most respect and valued my instruction. We just had our
first adult student test for 5th kyu (Jayson) and I took great pleasure in
knowing I was very involved in his training and he tested very well. Teddy and
Grace Bilbao, two of our children, will be testing for 9th kyu, their second rank
in the next month and their success has left me amazed at the ability of children
to learn. My experiences this summer and fall have convinced me to pursue a
Masters Degree in Art Education which I will start taking classes for next fall.
I look forward to training with you all in the upcoming year and hope at times
I will be asked to teach.