Today's Schedule:

5:15-6:15pm Aikido. David Ito, 4th Dan

6:30-7:30pm Aikido. Kensho Furuya

Aikido practice is not just for yourself - it is for your friends and family and your loved ones. It is for your classmates, for your teacher, for the dojo, and for Aikido. It is for the people who came before you and it is for the people who come after you. Each time you practice, many people are depending on you to practice hard and refine yourself. It is important to understand how important you are yourself, it is vital to understand the worthiness and honor behind your efforts.

To think that you only practice for yourself is a narrow-viewed thought. Please think about this when you practice. How many people are counting on you. . . . .

Because we look at Aikido is a sport or play - we don't mind to beat others or "pretend" to hurt them with "lethal" techniques. . . it is all fantasy, however we want to brag how "effective" this and that is. In REAL life, it is all about helping others, sharing and caring. . . . Aikido is an art about LIFE, not about violence and pain, nor is it about fantasy and playing games.

The greatest virtue of Aikido, I believe, is that it allows us to return to our original, ordinary, normal existence in its most refined and pure state. . . . . where "nothing special" in all aspects of our existence and daily life is indeed very special. . . . . .