March 2012

1. Birthday in Hamburg
Picture, placed at the bar of the Shoshin dojo, a buddhist saying "if you can practice even when distracted, you are well trained", Yamashima sensei in the background on the mat, as usual, still energetically sharing his experience, talking with the interested aikido students and, lying on the ground nearby to sensei, receiving a welcome shiatsu after an intensive 90 minutes ikkyo practice, Dirk Müller. A bottel of Dutch "Bols" spirit stands next to the buddhist text on one side and on the other side, a majestic bright smiling buddha. It is little compositions like this that make aikido trips so fascinating. This trip was especially memorable for me as it was the weekend of my birthday. We had very nice practices with Yamashima sensei all day Saturday and Sunday morning at the Hamburg police dojo and on Monday morning at Dirk Müller's Shohin dojo (http://www.shoshin-hamburg.de/).

On Sunday March the 4th, I was treated to a birthday surprise at the end of the lesson as Yamashima sensei got up and threw me first 10 times. Then Müller san asked all the participants to get up and throw me. I guess I was thrown around 50 times (I am not that old however and glad to say that my condition is still ok!).
I treated the group of friendly aikido people to the special Dutch Bols spiritual drink which seemed to provide a nice warm feeling in everybody's bellys and we proceeded to the restaurant after practice where we filled our warmed bellies with delicious Asiatic food.

With Dirk Müller sensei, 5th dan Aikikai

My heartfelt thanks to Dirk san (5th dan aikido sensei of the Shoshin dojo in Hamburg) for allowing me to practice at the seminar and to Yamashima sensei for the great practices. I will have nice memories of this friendly warm group for a long time. Domo arigatou gosaimashita!

2. In Memory of Peter Bacas Sensei
Peter Bacas Sensei passed away on the island of Ameland on the night of the 27th/28th of February 2006 on the island of Ameland. This year, like the previous years, his passing away was commemorated by way of a special practice in Ameland and a visit to his grave.

Peter Bacas Sensei (R.I.P. 28/2/2006)

3. After Ameland
Each year, the CABN lent school in Ameland takes place at the end of February, there is always an enthusiastic feeling amongst the participants as they practice a lot and enjoy many social activities during the long weekend. On driving back home, we meet on the boat and there is a good vibe around as people order sausage rolls, beer and erwten (pea) soup from the boat bar. The people want to practice more aikido and the buzz of the dojo fills the air with the motivation to improve our practice. Again, we were privellage to receive excellent lessons with Yamashima sensei, 7th dan Aikikai. This year's Ameland event had an exceptionally international feel to it as some students came from other countries to join (Peter from Sweden, Rachid from France, Tony from England, Mio/Japanese from Spain). The party on Saturday evening was great and Yamashima snesei produced a wonderful Japanese curry.
As with every lent school after 2006, it has now become a tradition to remember Peter Bacas sensei during that weekend. A memorial lesson was lead by Ernesto Ladavas sensei, 6th dan Aikikai.
We also took the opportunity to congratulate two new yudansha graduates: Dominika Beila (shodan) and Clifton Tjen Fat (san dan).
This year's visit from Yamashima Sensei included two extra visits to Belgium and Italy (received by Peter Reynders and Alessandro Costa respectively).

Yamashima Sensei teaching in Antwerp, Belgium

If you didn't make it to Ameland, here is a little bit, in pictures and movie, of what you missed:

4. The Yamashima Sensei World Tour 2012
2012 has already started out very busy for Yamashima sensei. He'll have been to Europe and back to Tokyo already three times after returning from Hamburg and it's only just the beginning of March. Sensei has provided a tentative schedule of all his trips this year. Here-below is the concept of the trips of Yamashima sensei until December this year: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AmWLAaZbddcMdGVnanFwVkJFZ200Y2ZKZ2NGMlE5Y0E

February 2012

1. Editorial

I don't quite know what happened but all of a sudden one day, I woke up to this blog not having the pictures on it anymore. I believe some of the wiped out pictures were from Picasa (which could have had a broken link) but other pictures were simply uploaded. I'm still trying to work out what happened. So, for the moment, some of the previous months' posts are missing some pictures. I'm working on solving this problem so I hope you can bear with me and I do hope, at least, that this month's post keeps the photos there!

Have a good Aiki-February!

- Lawrence Warry

2. Kangeiko (Winter Practice)

Kangeiko literally means "winter training/practice". It is traditional in Japanese budo arts to have a short intesive training period in the height of the winter.
Since the beginning of February, the cold spell has truly hit Europe and The Netherlands and it is with perfect timing as the CABN lent school (which happens every February) arrives at our doorstep. From the 17th of February until the 21st of February, a group of about 100 enthusiastic aikidoists will set foot on the northern island of Ameland to practice with Japanese 7th dan sensei from Tokyo, Takeshi Yamashima (assisted by 6th dan Ernesto Ladavas sensei and 5th dan Armando Braat).
Facing the cold in the morning is one way of starting the kangeiko training day. On the island, there will be the opportunity to join an even smaller group of "potentially crazy" people at 07:30 each morning for a 20 minute jog and stretch at the beach. Facing the cold this way allows us to overcome our mental and physical obstacles as one allows the nature into the system, without fear of it. It should not be taken on as a task of suffering but rather, once moving and warmed up, one does not feel the initial confrontation of being up at a crazy hour in sub-zero temparatures. Instead, one is relieved of initial prejudice and one starts to be calm in the mind. This is the same calm we need when we encounter all kinds of confontations in life. So, already with the calm mind, it becomes even a pleasure to be in the nature and to accept nature's ways.
So, are you ready to take the challenge and overcome that confrontation? Shall you join us in the cold at 07:30 each morning in Ameland? It is simply a matter of a strong mind and a convicted choice? but, if finally, you decide that staying in bed is your choice, then do so without regret because you can lie there snuggly, warm and cosy, knowing that the challenge of nature awaits you again, the following day, and every day thereafter.

Lawrence Warry

3. Thanks from Ze'ev sensei

Dear friends - fellow aikidoka from the CABN.

A few weeks ago, I received a wonderful greeting card and a present from you. The words in the card congratulated me for my promotion to 5th Dan.

Our friendship and the endless number of things that I learned from you friends is a treasure I will always cherish, and I hope it will always grow. I am so thankful to you friends, and to Fujita Shihan who linked us together.  As Lawrence said, this year, the number five is celebrated twice. Once for me personally, and second, but most important for me - our 5 years of friendship.

Last year, Paul sent us a bottle of champagne for children (with no alcohol). It waited until a few weeks ago, when we opened it after the kids class to celebrate the promotion.

Dan promotion is not important. As Fujita Sensei says - we have to be careful of godan (5th Dan) - because our ego can change it from "godan" to "go down" :)

I wish us all many many years of friendship and continuation of the construction of o-sensei's vision - a golden bridge connecting people from different countries.

Sending my love and gratitude,

Ze'ev.

January 2012

Happy New Year/Editorial

The purpose of this blog is to form aikido friendships around the world without political borders. I therefore invite all aikido enthusiasts to approach me with any aikido material they have. The editorial wishes all international readers a happy and aikido-ful new year. Since the blog started in May 2009, there have been more than 7000 hits. I'm wondering when number 10,000 is reached (maybe in 2012?). 
This month, we are reporting some recent events that have taken place around the new year. I just got back from a thrilling trip in Isreal where, as well as meditating by the dead sea, I attended the Kagami Biraki new year celebration event at the Masatake dojo in Israel. More about this event can be found below. The new year is also a time to remember 2nd Doshu Kisshomaru Ueshiba as he passed away on January the 4th 1999. Further, this newletter gives reports about recent CABN related events (Mori Shihan in Greece and Siberian visits from Dutch Senseis Marcel Reijers and Robert van den Bosch). Our wise oracle, Yoshinori Miyashita sensei, has declared the year 2012 as the year of health. We don't know how the situation will be in the world and the best we can do is to be at least physically prepared with a good nutritional intake, regular exercise and keeping fit physically, mentally and spiritually. Aikido will provide such a preparation so we hope to see you all soon training on the tatami! 


Aiki-greetings, 


Lawrence Warry


1. In Memory of 2nd Doshu Kisshomaru Ueshiba (1921 - 1999)

2nd Doshu, Kisshomaru with his father, O-Sensei

I don't think I'll ever forget that first day I entered Tokyo in the first week of January 2009 coincidently during the week that the 2nd doshu, Kisshomaru Ueshiba passed away (4th of January 1999). Each year, I am reminded about it and this year is no different.

Whilst his father, O-Sensei, developed Aikido, Kisshomaru Ueshiba was the mastermind behind the Aikikai, the group under which the goal was made to standardize Aikido practice to a formal structure.

2. Kagami Biraki 
All around the world, the beginning of the year marks the time of "Kagami Biraki", an event in aikido which marks a new beginning, the flowering of friendships and the congratulating of newly graduated students.
In Tokyo, Japan, the Kagami Biraki takes place on Sunday the 8th of January this year. The global aikido community is awaiting with baited breath for news about friends' graduations in the dan rankings. We wish all our aikido friends a happy new year and an enjoyable Kagami Biraki wherever you may be celebrating.
On Saturday the 7th of June, I attended the Kagami Biraki new year and celebration event which took place at the Masatake dojo, Rehovot, Israel.
To bring in happiness to the year, a great Lion Dance performance took place under the skillful performance of master Tzahi and his Kongfu group. In addition, the audience was treated to Kendo and Aikido demonstrations and Aikido practice and a special Aikido class with 7th Dan Judo master, Yona Melnik Sensei, who taught safe and enjoyable methods to practice ukemi for Koshi Nage. It was a happy, energetic and enthusiastic event with many new shodans receiving certificates at the dojo. Congratulations to all the new shodans and to the masatake dojo for leading the way and setting an example of how to run an aikido club successfully and make the some of the most enjoyable Aikido events.

3. Celebrating the number 5 in 2012
We wish to pass heartfelt congratulations two good friends who worked a lot and dedicated a lot of time to aikido in the past years both having been promoted to 5th dan Aikikai at the latest Kagami Biraki in Tokyo, Japan. The following photos show the joy they have reached in attaining this new level.

Congrtatulations to Marcel Reijers of the CABN, The Netherlands (Warakyu dojo, Dordrecht, Holland)

Congratulations to Ze’ev Erlich of the Israeli Aikido Association (Masatake dojo, Rehovot, Israel)

4. Mori Shihan in Greece by Girogos Sardelis
Impressions from the seminar with Mori Tomohiro Shihan, (2011)

On December, 2011, Mori Tomohiro Shihan from the Aikido Hombu Dojo, Japan, conducted a wonderful seminar in Thessalonica, Greece, invited by the Hellenic Aikikai Aikido and George Koliopoulos Sensei 6. Dan Aikikai.

My little story is that this year I couldn’t attend the seminar, since I was getting married during the very same weekend and my and my wife’s family tradition is that such ceremonies last about ten days with the preparations, the ceremony and then the following celebrations. So even if I am in the middle of this celebration, I talked with friends who attended the seminar and I decided to write and post this article.

I believe that receiving a teaching coming directly from the Aikido World Headquarters is very important and it’s a great honor for a Sensei, his students and his organization to have this opportunity every year. There is a message carried by the Hombu Shihans around the world. A message sent from Doshu Moriteru, his father The Late Doshu Kisshomaru (1921-1999) and The Founder Morihei (1883-1969). And when you get this message directly from someone who is a member of the source then you are getting, in a way, closer to the source, The Founder and Doshu.

This opinion, which is my view, has been confirmed once more from the impressions of my friends who attended the seminar with Mori Shihan and I repeat them here. Mori Shihan is a very nice person, a gentleman and possesses one of the most excellent levels of knowledge concerning the martial art of Aikido. This is what one of my friends told me. And I am adding that this man is- and this is obvious- a very active member of Aikido’s tradition and development, leaded by Doshu. Training under Mori Shihan makes you feel that you come in contact with Aikido’s past, present and future in real time. Yes, Iwama is the birthplace of Aikido indeed, but Hombu is the place where Aikido grew up, matured and became what is today, even for those Shihans who left and created their own organizations. Their starting point basically was also the Hombu.

In this seminar Mori Shihan was once again in a very good mood and taught in a very joyful, vigorous and yet harmonious way. He shared his knowledge with his movements, his techniques and his advices. The attendees were sincere and really tried to learn what Shihan was teaching. Here I will add my experience that is confirmed by the reports once more. Mori Shihan creates an atmosphere around him. I cannot give a definitive name to this atmosphere yet. It’s a very innocent feeling where nobody whishes to demonstrate any technical or “political” power. You feel that only you, your partner and pure Aikido exist on the world. Plus, as one of my friends noticed, even in a big hall with many attendees training, you can’t miss Mori Tomohiro. His presence is very discreet, but also distinct. Perhaps one of the reasons that you are getting this feeling is that Mori Shihan practices with everybody during the seminar, no matter the number of the attendees. He practices with too much energy, all the time during the classes, with everybody.

It’s my belief- and I am in many ways an eyewitness- that there are many misunderstandings and misinterpretations circling the world Aikido community, concerning Hombu. My friends, who participated in this seminar, confirmed my opinion that Doshu and Shihans work hard at Hombu. What I mean by this? I mean that they work hard not only in order to keep and disseminate the original technical and spiritual axis of Aikido, which gives unity into a multifaceted- by nature, Budo and at the same moment protecting the art from becoming something that The Founder never meant his creation to be. But also they keep this budo within the context of modern society, which always changes, especially nowadays.

In his seminar, Mori Shihan explained and demonstrated- among others- some very simple things and he opened new dimensions for reflection and training. My friends felt once more that Aikido is a magic martial art, since each simple detail of this Budo has a deeper meaning, if the practitioner is serious and ready enough to understand it.

It’s true that if you have a great Shihan, coming directly from the source of Aikido, you have an excellent benefit. You come directly in touch with the past the present and the future of the art, expressed by The Founder, The Late Doshu, The present Doshu and The Future Doshu. This is the reason why I find the connection with Hombu and the name of Ueshiba essential and it’s always a great honor to have Mori Shihan in Greece.

[Source: The photograph of the article is a kind offer by Mr. Makis Potiris. Mr. Potiris is a friend, and an Aikido instructor who out of love for Aikido- even during these difficult times of Greece- he is opening a new Aikido dojo, contributing to the further development of Aikido in our country. Plus, he is a man who even if his profession deals with the real social violence, he chooses to practice and teach The Art of Peace.]


5. Siberian visits from Dutch Senseis
Recently, the Dutch senseis Ernesto Ladavas Sensei (6th dan aikikai), Marcel Reijers (5th dan aikikai) and Robert van den Bosch (4th dan aikikai) have been making Russian aikido heads turn in Siberia due to the various trips in the past year to the cities of Barnaul, Irkutsk and Vladivostok. Here-below is a report from the recent trip of Marcel Reijers sensei (assisted by Erwin Nijhof).

Aikido trip to Irkutsk (Siberia) by Marcel Reijers
On thursday the 24th of november we flew to Irkutsk via Moscow. My student Erwin accompanied me during this 6th Aikido visit of me to Russia.
After a terrible short night with no sleep we arrived in Irkutsk in de the morning of the 25th. We went straight to the Irkutsk Hotel where we checked in and had to change immediately. Fortunately the dojo was located on the 2nd floor of the hotel.
Between getting out of the plane and stepping on the tatami was less than 1,5 hours.
Many Aikido friends had travelled for many days to attend my seminar. In addition to the chairman of the federation Mr. Alexander Petrov, people from Barnaul, Krasnoyarsk, Ulan Ude, Chita and of course Irkutsk were present.
Throughout the weekend I taught about one hundred adults and fifty children.
As always my host Mr Bator Rinchine  (and his student Ms. Darya Bakhaeva) did everything in their power to give me and Erwin a good time, accompanying us on lunch en late dinner and treating us with a visit to a (cold) lake Baikal.

The first day we started slowly by all kinds of themes on gyaku hanmi katate dori. The four basic tai sabaki's taught by Fujita Shihan were present in the lessons.
The children's classes were very full as usual, but the children wanted to learn a lot and the nice part is that I now recognised a lot of children from the last time, I actually see them grow over the years.
In the evening we took up yokomen uchi and studied different angles on this attack.

After a good night sleep, with some awakenings because of the jet lag, we started fresh on the second day. Even more people were on the tatami, it was nice to see that people from different Aikikai Organisations in Irkutsk were attending my classes and working together harmoniously.
The focus of the rest of the seminar was on ushiro ryote dori and ushiro eri dori. We also practiced a lot on kata dori and of course other themes.
By the end of the third day everybody was very tired and while some students were travelling back by train, the different teachers in the Siberian Aikikai accompanied us on a great farewell evening, which also encompassed a Russian Banja.
We celebrated another great Aikido weekend.

Every time I go to Russia, I like the atmosphere of hard practice and good friendship. I thank  Mr. Bator Rinchine and Mr. Alexander Petrov again for the invitation and hopefully in the near future I see all my Russian friends again.

Marcel Reijers Sensei (5th dan Aikikai)

6. Japanese Word of the Month (Onegai)

In our training we often use the phrase "Onegai Shimasu". What does it mean? The most important and valuable word within this phrase is "negai" which comes from the word "negau" - means, to pray or to wish for something. Adding to it "O" is just like the "O" in O-Sensei. It gives a more polite sound. It makes it more humble and honoring. "Shimasu" means "to make / to do".

So, when we bow to our teacher or to our training partner, we make a wish to train together. We show clearly that our teacher and our partners are not taken for granted. 

Onegai Shimasu dear friends, I pray and wish to train with you in 2012.

Happy New Year,

Ze'ev Erlich, Masatake Dojo, Israel.

7. Announcements

The next CABN seminar will take place in the island of Ameland (17 - 21 February 2012).

For more information (facebook event), click here: http://www.facebook.com/events/327972817220418/

8. Greetings to you all and Thank you Lawrence from Ze'ev (Israel)

I would like to thank Lawrence for his wonderful and kind visit and participation in the Kagami Biraki event at our dojo. Lawrence also taught and practiced with us in the regular training sessions after new-year day. I miss you all dear friends, and I hope to train with you in 2012, and to see you again. Your dojo's member's kind and big heart always inspires me. You are always welcome to visit and train with us here in sunny Israel.

Happy New Year 2012. Good Luck and Happiness to everyone.

Ze'ev Erlich

Masatake Dojo

Israel   www.aikikai.org.il