still water

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In stillness the pond is moving.

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Blending

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Just when you think the dojo can't get slammed again, Ron and I have come down with the flu. It is going on 2 weeks now. Our dojo has been effected by Covid, an aging student base, dropouts, winter and now the flu. It is a good thing we have been doing this for so long. Our plan is to keep training so we will be here for the Aikido renaissance. There is sure to be one. Recently,  we started doing a short work out everyday. First we do 40 techniques and then we do ki excercises. We invite our students to join us on zoom. Participation  has been good. We still have 2 classes a week. Hopefully  some students will be coming back to class when the weather inproves and flu season abates. Hope to see you on the mat soon.             
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The other day during a class at MCLA we were practising kata tori ikkyo. I had a line of 8 students or so and was doing my usual as nage and black belt, helping them learn the technique. Dora Sensei has those of us with experience throw first in the line, so set the tone. We show how it feels for an uke, but also how we want them to practise, that is gentle.This went fine until my whole line had thrown and I had the chance to throw again. 2 young men decided for whatever their reasons, to "test" my ki when I had gotten them to the walking down to the mat portion of the throw. The first refused to go down and even began a little taunt about how he would not be defeated. I totally fell into the trap. (the one that is internal and had very little to do with him) I applied a bit of pressure on the wrist and used a sudden tenkan to "make" him abruptly hit the mat. He got up, looked at me odd and walked back to the line. The second fellow did the same and as I began to fe...
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Training for life is quite a commitment. We get to run into ourselves often: injuries, classes where only one or two students show up, ego, rank, whether to stay with a teacher or wander about on our own. We train through times when life is easy and life gets difficult. Long drives, economic worries, issues with other students or teachers... these situations can all seem like reasons to stop...along with having to train with limitatations because of age or a long term injury. Job changes, family commitments, complacency, boredom...people stop training for all sorts of reasons. For me the best way to honor this commitment that I have is to train one class at a time. God willing and the creek don't rise... I will be on the mat on Saturday morning...10:00 A. M sharp...cause I am teaching first.
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