Fundraiser/Training and More

We will be having our 3rd annual "Help Us Keep the Lights On" fundraiser/training on Sunday November 13th. Our power bill is due towards the end of the year and this helps us weather the storm so to speak. It is interesting that this year marks the 35th year of the dojo(it opened in July of 1976, the bicentennial year). It also marks the 10th year of the dojo at our current Martha Street location. Indeed time has a way of passing.

Since we have not done much weapons work this year I thought it would be interesting to make that the focus of the training this year. Joining me in teaching will be senseis Linda Holiday(Aikido of Santa Cruz), Harry Concepcion(Aikido of San Jose) and Dianna Lynne(Happokaze Budokan Fair Oaks). Each will bring something unique to the presentation.

Weapons work is sometimes seen as advanced. But I would like this to be something that a new person could use to get oriented to this aspect of aikido. At the same time I would like to offer something that a student of many years could attend and be introduced to something new. So quite a challenge. My feeling is that the techniques of aikido are more than just techniques. And that a certain approach to weapons can be useful in breaking the code for what they represent. And I am interested in presenting that in a way where both a beginner and a student of some years might both find something.

Osensei did a lot of work with weapons and a lot of that training was by himself. When he was alive he did not like people doing weapons, even mentioning to some of his senior people who had formulated their own systems that they should not teach weapons. That they did not understand sufficiently. My sense here is that Osensei's use of weapons was alchemical or shamanic. That he was using the sword and/or staff to interact with or navigate certain forces or energies. For him they were apparently about transformation. About codifying both himself and his relationship to the universe. Therefore not to be confused with the sense of making aikido a martial art or giving people more material to learn.

So the challenge here is to make a very basic but deep presentation where weapons are presented in a way that he might approve and further the growth of both newer and more advanced students. My feeling is that the weapons and the way they are presented constantly need to be updated while still somehow maintaining a connection to their history and source. Certainly a challenge.

So the event will be Sunday November 13, 2011 at the San Jose dojo. The time will be from 1pm to 6pm. There will be 4 classes with breaks in between. There will be a social gathering after, with drinks and snacks provided. We are going to have a raffle then as a part of the fundraiser. Those who would like can donate an item for the raffle. Dianna Lynne is a very gifted bodyworker and healer and has offered bodywork sessions 10 minutes for $10 all of which would go to the dojo. The recommended donation for the event is $50, but those challenged may use a sliding scale. And those who would like to donate more are certainly welcome to do that. Getting a tax deduction for a donation is possible. For that or any other question please contact me jack@aikidosj.com. Those out of area reading this blog who would like to be involved in the fundraiser please feel free to contact me.

I got a new phone with a good video camera. I shot myself at the local Y shooting baskets. I do that strictly for fun and just enjoy moving and creating. And the background is a little piece Dennis and I did at the dojo......