Our dojo—not just the physical space, but also aikido and its community of practitioners—has persevered. We hosted a seminar in February. We had promotions, including two black belt promotions, and we continued to train and progress in the art. We reopened for in-person classes after a six-month closure, and we are ending the year with a five-day-per-week class schedule.

This month, we are pleased to feature Avi Kaplan's shodan essay on shuhari. Shuhari is a Japanese concept on the stages to mastery of an art: obey, detach, and leave.

Despite this year’s interruptions, social distancing requirements, technological learning curves, and general chaos, there’s been progress.

The September news for Aikido of South Brooklyn is short but momentous: we are open and offering classes in the dojo and online for all ages. It is a community success story.

We are pleased to announce AOSB’s phased reopening strategy.

Aikido's founder, Morihei Ueshiba, known as O'Sensei, proclaimed aikido to be a way to reconcile the world and to make it one family.

The decision to extend stay-at-home orders for NYC until mid-June was a disappointment for the AOSB community. However, despite appearing to be sitting still, we are forging ahead.

Here’s the short version of Aikido of South Brooklyn’s current status: we still exist! The fuller story is that thanks to the dedication, commitment, and generosity of our members and their families, we still exist.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many classes and activities ranging from individual instrument lessons, to sing-a- longs, drag queen story times, yoga and dance classes, etc., have begun delivering their services online. These pursuits lend themselves to individual, solo viewing and practice. Aikido, however, is unique. It is intentionally designed to be practiced with other people.

The word dojo literally means “the place of the way.” A dojo is a unique space dedicated to the pursuit of learning, meditation, and personal improvement and growth. The dojo is a brick and mortar establishment as much as it is an idea. Any place “the way” is practiced could be a dojo. A dojo does not have to be defined by its architecture or interior decor. A dojo is mostly defined by the people who gather and practice there.

There are many pitfalls along the path of aikido. Perhaps none are quite so treacherous as that of complacency. One way to break the routine of practice and to avoid the complacency trap is to attend seminars.