JANUARY 2023 – ONLINE WORKSHOP – TAKEMUSU AIKIDO ONLINE DOJO

The first Online Workshop of 2023 with the Takemusu Aikido Online Dojo will explore the theme of…

“𝘛𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘈𝘪𝘬𝘪𝘥𝘰 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘦.”

— 𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘩𝘦𝘪 𝘜𝘦𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘣𝘢

Aikido at its best is a constant invitation to enquire into our relationship to pressure and the resistance that is created in reaction to it. Our practice is an opportunity to open up to the possibility to be more responsive and less reactive, and allowing us access to non-resistance as a more functional and creative solution to problems and challenges as they arise in both our training and daily life.

Like Lewis Carroll’s White Rabbit we might ask: “𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘐 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘯?”

“𝘉𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨,” is the only reasonable response.

So where or, more importantly, what is the beginning?

We might notice that everything has a beginning. Our practice has a beginning – a formal bow. Each movement has a beginning – a kamae. Every sword cut has a beginning – a raise. We are constantly beginning. All. The. Time.

Our Martial Arts practice should constantly draw our attention back into our bodies – our feelings, our sensations, and our direct experience. It should be about waking up and moving toward freedom. Returning us back to our senses – standing on our own two feet, firmly rooted. It would be a shame to spend all our time training only to find ourselves falling deeper and deeper down the metaphorical rabbit hole, floating with no ground in sight and not knowing which way is up.

Our source, and our foundation, is ourselves. The ground that we seek is right at our feet. We begin there.

“𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘯𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳, 𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘳, 𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘳. 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯. 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘴. 𝘚𝘦𝘦𝘬 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧.”

— 𝘔𝘪𝘺𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘰 𝘔𝘶𝘴𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘪

The workshop will explore these ideas and will weave in and out of the Takemusu Aikido Bukiwaza and Taijutsu systems, and explore the levels of Kihon to Ki no Nagare, with Kata and Jiyuwaza practices.

REGISTER

SCHEDULE:

SATURDAY 28 JANUARY 2023

10:00 – 10:45 1st Class
11:00 – 11:45 2nd Class
12:00 – 12:45 3rd Class
12:45 – 01:00 Q&A + Discussion Period

All times are Central European Time CET

REQUIREMENTS:

All the training will be designed especially for solo home training.

Keep your weapons (Bokken + Jo, Tanto) close by and ideally you will need a minimum of 2m x 2m with a high ceiling for the practice.

ONLINE CONTENT:

The training will be recorded LIVE and available for you to review after the Workshop. This can be accessed through the YouTube Channel at:

YouTube

INSTRUCTOR:

All classes will be led by Michael Ormerod, 3rd Dan Aikikai.

Michael Ormerod began his training in Aikido at the age of 15 in the UK. He has trained extensively throughout Europe and under taken an intensive training period in Japan under the guidance of Hiroki Nemoto Sensei (7th Dan) and training in the Founder’s Dojo and Hombu Dojo. In 2016 he began a full time apprenticeship under his teacher Lewis Bernaldo de Quiros (6th Dan), training and teaching in the Takemusu Aikido Motril Dojo and attending international seminars as assistant. Michael has over 10 years of teaching experience, and in January 2018 he established Takemusu Aikido Orgiva, offering classes to children and adults. In 2019 Michael received the rank of Sandan (3rd Dan) from the Aikikai in Japan, Tokyo. Early 2020 saw the creation of the Takemusu Aikido Online Dojo, as a response to the Covid Pandemic – giving people the opportunity to continue their daily practice and the comfort of knowing that Aikido is just a click away under any circumstances.