Dojo Update: 28 January 2007

 Download the PDF File here and distribute to friends and family!

Bermuda     Aikikai

Experience the Power  of Movement!

Dojo Update January 28, 2007

ASNJ Celebrates 30 Years of Aikido in New Jersey
1977 - 2007
April 20 - 22, 2007

Smith Sensei is one of  the great list of instructors teaching at this special event. There are a group of us heading up for this important event, make plans to join us! It is guaranteed to be a great time, check it out…

http://www.aikidoschoolsnj.com/2007Anniversary.htm

Bermuda Aikikai Annual Summer Camp

Special Guest Instructor: Luqman Sensei, 6^th dan

June 1^st to the 3^rd 2007

“Luqman Hakeem is probably not the first person to find his life's work in a department store.

But how many people discover a martial art at Macy's?

"It was the first time I saw an aikido move," said Hakeem. "Macy's was having a Japanese festival, and the teacher, T.K. Lee, used a nikyo [an often painful wrist technique] on me. I had taken jujitsu, so I knew what it was."

From that beginning more than 38 years ago, Hakeem, 69, would come to devote his life to the study and practice of aikido - a Japanese martial art created in the early days of the last century - with much success.”

Read the whole article:

http://www.albanyaikido.com/instructors/luqman-hakeem-sensei-daily-news-article.shtml

See Smith Sensei at Luqman Sensei’s dojo in Morocco here…..

http://www.aikido.bm/Morocco_2006.htm

USAF Fees

It is that time of year (again) when we must all pay our individual United States Aikido Federation (USAF) membership fees.

Annual individual membership fees are $30 for any person ranked 5kyu and above must be paid by the end of the month so I can send the renewal package to the USAF.

Those persons with a fukoshidoin title (Assistant Instructor) must pay an additional renewal few of $20.

Bermuda Aikikai Fukoshidoin

Dean Gomes

Eugene O’Connor

Back to Budo-Basics

After we have been in the dojo for a while it is often easy to forget the importance of the basics, both practice and theory. I urge you to revisit:

http://www.aikido.bm/dojo_etiquette.htm

http://www.aikido.bm/aikido_primer.htm

According to O’Sensei:

A dojo can be defined as:

A place where the Way of  Aikido is practised.

A place for forging the body and spirit.

A place for enlightenment.

A dojo is not a gym for mere "working out".

It is more than just a building.

It is a sacred place that cannot be defined by it's geographical location,

the height of it's walls, or the value of it's contents.

It is defined by the spirit emanating from within it-individual,

collective, and it's universal spirit.

A dojo should be appreciated by seeing it with one's heart.