1. Mini Aikido Tour of Asia
Vietnam
I explored some new Aikido territory on my visit to Vietnam in April. I started with meeting the Aikido group in Ho Chi Minh city where the welcoming party met me at the airport and gave me a lift to the hotel on a motorbike. Motorbikes are the most convenient form of transport in Ho Chi Minh. It is not unusual to find a family of two parents and two kids all sat on the same motorbike. With my size considered, I guess fitting me on the motorbike was equivalent to having a Vietnamese family on the motorbike :-).
I also visited and trained with the group of Hanoi.
This December, Yamashima sensei will visit Ho Chi Minh for the first time. Keep your eyes open for the official times. The people of Vietnam have been so friendly and helpful. Thank you.
My visit to Vietnam coincided with the 40 years anniversary of the liberation of Vietnam (29th of April 1975). This was celebrated in the streets of the cities with fireworks and parties. Noteable in Vietnam is the temparature and, when practicing with almost no airco, the practices become sweaty and tiring. Nevertheless, I enjoyed every minute of the practice.
On my last day, I got to join a children's class with Thien Nguyen as the main teacher. Many thanks for this nice practice.
Japan
My next stop after Vietnam was Japan, for the yearly golden week seminar of Yamashima sensei at Nerima sports center where I met and practiced with Aikido friends of Tokyo. We made a lot of practice and also drunk too much afterwards but it is always a pleasure to practice and learn from Yamashima sensei's vast experience.
Also present from Europe, was Alain Guerier of France, long time friend and student of Yamashima sensei. Alain invites Yamashima sensei yearly to France.
South Korea
My last stop on my mini tour of Asia was to Seoul, S.Korea, where I stopped by at the Sinchon aikido dojo for a practice with Yoon sensei. The practice was lively and enjoyable, with Yoon sensei always having a lot to say about what he was teaching. Unfortunately I didn't understand what he was saying because I don't speak Korean :-).
2. Yamashima Sensei in Europe (21st of May to 6th of June).
During the end of May/beginning of June, Yamashima sensei will visit Holland, Belgium and Germany. The general schedule is as follows:
Fri 22nd of May - Mon 25th of May practice in Holland.
Official times are on the poster here:
Tue 26th of May - Thu 28th of May. Practice in Belgium (contact: info@aiki-o-kami.com for more information).
Fri 29th of May - Wed 3rd of June. Practice in Manheim & Heidelberg. (contact: x.raphael@gmx.net for more information).
Thu 4th of June - Sun 7th of June. Practice in Düsseldorf (contact: info@aikido-zentrum.net for more information).
Masatake Dojo Aikido Rehovot
Musubi: In Aikido, the term "musubi" is sometimes a little insufficiently translated as "knotting/tying-up". If we look it up in the dictionary, it is a correct definition, but in aikido, musubi actually means creation or birth of things as a result of harmony between things or people. Harmony gives birth. Peaceful resolution to conflicts gives birth. Harmony between your thoughts, words and actions gives birth to wonderful things.
Each aikido technique is a beautiful and harmonious knot - within you, with your partners and with the whole world.
Musubi is a special knot. A knot with a promise, with a vow, with blessing. Like the one on the wrists of romantic couples when they promise to love each other for eternity. Like buddhist blessing wrist thread. This, I hope, is the nature of our aikido training. Lets try it today at the dojo.
Vietnam
I explored some new Aikido territory on my visit to Vietnam in April. I started with meeting the Aikido group in Ho Chi Minh city where the welcoming party met me at the airport and gave me a lift to the hotel on a motorbike. Motorbikes are the most convenient form of transport in Ho Chi Minh. It is not unusual to find a family of two parents and two kids all sat on the same motorbike. With my size considered, I guess fitting me on the motorbike was equivalent to having a Vietnamese family on the motorbike :-).
I also visited and trained with the group of Hanoi.
This December, Yamashima sensei will visit Ho Chi Minh for the first time. Keep your eyes open for the official times. The people of Vietnam have been so friendly and helpful. Thank you.
My visit to Vietnam coincided with the 40 years anniversary of the liberation of Vietnam (29th of April 1975). This was celebrated in the streets of the cities with fireworks and parties. Noteable in Vietnam is the temparature and, when practicing with almost no airco, the practices become sweaty and tiring. Nevertheless, I enjoyed every minute of the practice.
On my last day, I got to join a children's class with Thien Nguyen as the main teacher. Many thanks for this nice practice.
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| Aikido Group Hanoi |
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| Aikdo friends of Ho Chi Minh, Lan and Anh :-) |
Japan
My next stop after Vietnam was Japan, for the yearly golden week seminar of Yamashima sensei at Nerima sports center where I met and practiced with Aikido friends of Tokyo. We made a lot of practice and also drunk too much afterwards but it is always a pleasure to practice and learn from Yamashima sensei's vast experience.
Also present from Europe, was Alain Guerier of France, long time friend and student of Yamashima sensei. Alain invites Yamashima sensei yearly to France.
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| Golden week practice group at Nerima, Tokyo. |
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| After keiko party, Nerima. |
My last stop on my mini tour of Asia was to Seoul, S.Korea, where I stopped by at the Sinchon aikido dojo for a practice with Yoon sensei. The practice was lively and enjoyable, with Yoon sensei always having a lot to say about what he was teaching. Unfortunately I didn't understand what he was saying because I don't speak Korean :-).
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| Drinking tea after a nice practice with Yoon sensei in Sinchon aikido dojo, Seoul. |
During the end of May/beginning of June, Yamashima sensei will visit Holland, Belgium and Germany. The general schedule is as follows:
Fri 22nd of May - Mon 25th of May practice in Holland.
Official times are on the poster here:
Fri 29th of May - Wed 3rd of June. Practice in Manheim & Heidelberg. (contact: x.raphael@gmx.net for more information).
Thu 4th of June - Sun 7th of June. Practice in Düsseldorf (contact: info@aikido-zentrum.net for more information).
3.0 Come and Practice at The Grote Pyr
We have a regular practice in The Hague every Monday from 19:00 to 20:30. Beginners are welcome to come and learn Aikido. You will be guided through the basics of Aikido and you will have a lot of fun whilst doing it.
Contact Lawrence Warry (lawrence.warry@gmail.com, mobile: +31 624603343) for more information.
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| Grote Pyr Aikido, address: Waldeck Pyrmontkade.115, The Hague, NL |
4.0 More Aiki Wisdom from Ze'ev Erlich Sensei
Musubi: In Aikido, the term "musubi" is sometimes a little insufficiently translated as "knotting/tying-up". If we look it up in the dictionary, it is a correct definition, but in aikido, musubi actually means creation or birth of things as a result of harmony between things or people. Harmony gives birth. Peaceful resolution to conflicts gives birth. Harmony between your thoughts, words and actions gives birth to wonderful things.
Each aikido technique is a beautiful and harmonious knot - within you, with your partners and with the whole world.
Musubi is a special knot. A knot with a promise, with a vow, with blessing. Like the one on the wrists of romantic couples when they promise to love each other for eternity. Like buddhist blessing wrist thread. This, I hope, is the nature of our aikido training. Lets try it today at the dojo.
