The Bond Street Dojo Letter 1.1

2 April 2004

Starting this month, and every month hereafter, the dojo will be putting out a newsletter. The format will likely change over the next few months as we hammer it into its final form, and I hope to add some new features as we go along.

The point of the newsletter is, first and foremost, to keep everybody abreast of what's going on. It will be an easy place to see what's ahead on the schedule, and we'll also be including a summary of what's gone on at the latest board meeting.

A section called "Training notes" is meant draw your attention to points related to training that have come up in discussions with the chief instructors and senior students. Important points from the board meeting are also reemphasized here.

"Aikido terms in translation" will go over the Japanese terms we use in aikido. Learning what's behind the meaning of the names of aikido's techniques and attacks should make them easier to remember.

If there's anything you'd like to see in newsletters to come, give me a shout. My email is jdlahart at yahoo.com.

- Justin Lahart, Editor

Upcoming events:

April 4th: Spring Cleaning. Please come help spruce up the dojo.

April 6th: Special class with Kenji Koyama Shihan (6:30-8 pm.) $20 mat fee.

April 24th & May 1st: Spring Aikido 101 Intro Seminar

June 4th-6th: Saotome Shihan Seminar

Congratulations...

...are in order to Junior Thomas for attaining the rank of 6th kyu, and to Vance Vizcarrondo and Greg Mariperson for attaining the rank of 5th Kyu.

Training notes

It's the responsibility of senior students to train with beginning students. No two beginners should be paired when experienced members are available. Senior students, please see to this yourselves rather than waiting for the person leading class to set things right.

Beginning students should make an active effort to find somebody senior to work with, and should try to train with as many different experienced partners as possible during class. One good way to accomplish this is to put yourself in the middle of the line rather than over on the edges of the mat.

Remember that, as per the most recent board meeting (see below), dues are to be paid on the fifth of each month. If you have outstanding dues, they must be paid before you get on the mat.

Finally, please make an effort to get to the dojo Sunday, April 4 for the annual spring cleaning.

Aikido terms in translation: Shomen uchi

The first character, sho, translates as "true", and here it means true not just in the sense of "correct," but in the carpenter's sense -- like a plumb line going straight down. Words that have sho in them include shogo (noon) and shotai (one's true nature). Another way the character is spoken is masa, as in masa katsu -- true victory. This is the first part of a favorite saying of aikido's founder: masa katsu, agatsu, katsu hayabi, which can be translated as "true victory, self victory, day of swift victory."

The second character, men, translates as face, but in Japanese the idea of face extends beyond the hairline (or, in some cases, where our hairlines used to be) to the top of the head.

Uchi, the last character, translates as hit, so the whole word, shomen uchi, can be translated as a straight blow to the head. You may find it helpful to think of the unwavering directness that the character sho implies when attacking in shomen uchi.

Notes from the Mar. 22 Board Meeting

Membership: We would like to contact people who haven't come to Bond Street recently to see how they are doing and that it would be nice to see them on the mat.

Also, watch for our new ad in the New York Press in the Live & Learn section of the Education Supplement on April 21st

Financial report: Dues are to be paid by the 5th of the month. When people come back with outstanding dues, they must pay before getting on the mat.

Dojo status: Current rent situation remains the same for now. The board will form a group to brainstorm and further develop the location contingency plan.

Chief Instructors Reports:

Paul Kang Sensei - Kenji Koyama Shihan (7th dan, Aikikai Hombu Dojo) will be visiting Bond Street Dojo on the 6th of April. The dojo needs a spring cleaning ahead of his arrival. Also, Shaun Acton will arrange the entry space gallery ahead of Koyama Shihan's visit.

Chris Jordan Sensei - Jordan Sensei went to a workshop taught by Frank Doran Sensei, chief instructor at Aikido West, which addressed the relationship of sword to empty hand techniques.

Comfort of Beginners:

The dojo will initiate an informal mentoring program where senior students will work more closely with beginners. This should enable beginners to feel comfortable approaching senior students for personalized attention.

Goals for upcoming year:

The dojo plans to create kyu test requirement videos, which will be filmed during advanced classes and made available on the website.

Ahead of Saotome Shihan's visit we'll be embark on a number projects to improve the dojo.

Miscellaneous:

Fujitani Sensei will be in town and would like to do a video in the dojo. She will have a film crew with her. It would be good international promotion for the dojo.

We'll be collecting donations to purchase a wedding gift for Steven Katz and Edeline.