Today's Schedule:

5:15-6:15pm Aikido

6:30-7:00pm Short Class. Bokken.

7:00-7:45pm Monthly General Meeting.

7:45-8:00pm Clean-up.

The teachings have their own special energy and from ancient times, the place, time, and situation in which this teaching was passed from teacher to student was considered very important and sacred. Today, we think that it is only information which we can get from our teacher or from the internet or a video and such teachings have lost their significance with most people today. . . . with this common lack of respect, its energy is also weakened considerably. . . . This is a shame.

Monthly Meetings:

We are having our monthly meeting today but I am beginning to wonder about the value of such meetings. Many new students attend but without the attendance of the higher ranks, real decisions cannot be made. . . . We really need eveyrone's participation. Most people do not like meetings because they think it is part of the bureaucratic process of their boring jobs. . . . I understand this quite well myself. On the other hand, the meetings in the dojo are to share with each other and it is important that everyone receive the same information, know what is going on in the dojo and participate in the dojo's decisions and direction. In martial arts, there is always the "arrogance of rank" which means that the higher ranks do not want to mingle with the lower ranks or beginners because they are too good or they cannot waste their time. . . . Many think that if there is nothing for me, why attend? We think of ourselves, but rarely think of the dojo as a whole, the entire membership as a whole and we as a part of all the others in the same dojo. . . without this spirit, we can never have good meetings in which everyone participates.

This dojo is a very special place, you really do not know what is going on until you appreciate this. . . . . . There is nothing more important and necessary than the on-going difficult, often frustrating and incompprehensible task of getting along with each other and working together in harmony as a part of our Aikido practice..