Over the years I’ve heard the statement made that Aikido is “without form”. I believe that this is a result of both misinterpretation of O-Sensei’s views and misunderstanding of Aikido pedagogy. My views are distinctly influenced by my Iwama Style background, but I think O-Sensei left quite a bit of evidence behind indicating that while HIS Aikido was without form, the path to getting to “Aikido without form” is not devoid of intense focus on form.
Category Archives: Aikido Education
Zanshin (Remaining Mind) – Cultivating a Budo Mindset (Part 2)
This is the first installment in a five post series discussing the role of “mindset” in serious Budo training. This post discusses “Zanshin”, or “Remaining Mind”.
Shoshin (Beginner’s Mind) – Cultivating a Budo Mindset (Part 1)
This is the first installment in a five post series discussing the role of “mindset” in serious Budo training. This post discusses “Shoshin”, or “Beginner’s Mind”.
Our 4th Anniversary!
Our Dojo is Celebrating it’s 4th Anniversary! We consider ourselves lucky to be part of a large and vibrant global community of Aikidoka. We’re looking forward to continuing to build a strong Aikido community along the Front Range.
In-Person Aikido Practice… Gettin’ Back To It…
We’re planning on re-opening the Dojo for in-person Aikido practice on Monday April 26th 2021. We’re finally seeing what appears to be a light at the end of the tunnel …
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Aikido is a Martial Art…
There are some commonly held, and evolving, misconceptions about Aikido, some of which are held by Aikido practitioners. The Aikido of Morihei Ueshiba O-Sensei is a martial art. It’s not a “health system” or a form of “dance”. This post discusses these misconceptions.
Patricia Hendricks Shihan – IAF Online Aikido Class
We were honored to be invited to attend Patricia Hendricks Shihan’s Online IAF Session on August 10th 2020.
Aikido Webinar – Hendricks Shihan
Patricia Hendricks Shihan taught her first online weapons intensive on 26/27 June 2020. We were excited to be able to attend the seminar.
Organizational Affiliation – Important?
Affiliation with a larger organization is important to both a Dojo and it’s students. Review this post to learn the reasons why affiliation is important.
Dojo Lineage… How Important is it?
This post discusses the importance of a lineage reaching directly back to O-Sensei. We also discuss why it’s important for a Dojo-cho to have an on-going and active relationship with their teacher.