Aikido Daiwa

Thank you to Gabriel Weiszman of Hombu Dojo for his generosity and instruction!

Congratulations to David Alonzo on receiving his 6th dan certificate from Archie Champion Shihan.

Our sincere gratitude to Roo Heins Sensei for a great weekend of Aikido. Thank you to everyone who joined us and for making this a memorable seminar. 🙇🙏

The Place of the Way

Anybody who wishes to practice Aikido in our dojo is welcome. Anybody, regardless of who they are or where they are from. Given the horrific actions taken by our current government, particularly though not exclusively against people of color, there may be an understandable reluctance to leave one’s home and instead pull down the shades, lock the door and stay under the covers. This in itself is appalling, because no one should be made to feel this way. It diminishes us as human beings and has a poisonous ripple effect. Fight this feeling with all your might.

The word dojo (道場) means place of the way, where people come together to study something – physical, mental, spiritual – that serves as a path to greater understanding of themselves and each other. It is not a place for competition or narrow self-interest, but for cultivation. It must be safe for anyone who practices, and everyone must work to ensure that this atmosphere continues and grows.

Safe is not the same as comfortable. Sincere practice means confronting unpleasant personal truths and diligently stripping away the ego in an effort to polish one’s character. Such a path is rarely straight and usually full of stumbles along the way. The work never ends and is almost always arduous. But it is open and available to all.

Please take care of yourselves, and your family. Please do whatever you think is best for your safety. Please practice.

John Brinsley
Chief Instructor
Aikido Daiwa

Join us for an Aikido seminar with Roo Heins Sensei, 6th Dan Kalamazoo Aikikai–Mitsubachi Dojo, 2/28 - 3/1.
Registration is now open at: https://aikidodaiwa.com/seminar

Taking ukemi, from the center. #aikido #martialarts #birankaina