Many people I meet are surprised (and possibly disappointed) upon discovering that aikido is aggressive and that aikido has attacking techniques. But it makes sense: how can we practice any type of self-defense technique without an attacker?

Two often repeated ideas in the dojo are that “rank doesn’t matter” and that “I just want to train.” The former is usually pronounced by people with an advanced rank, and the latter by students without rank. Although both sentiments have value, both obscure what is important to everybody’s practice: testing. 

One way to break the routine and avoid the complacency trap is to attend seminars. Seminars offer opportunities to train in a new environment and with new people.

The last newsletter of 2022! Conventionally, I’m supposed to look back, reflect, meditated, and comment on the year past, and talk philosophically about the year to come. However, in the words of the tired, old engine from the Little Engine That Could, “I cannot. I cannot. I cannot.” I’d much rather think about the Little Engine herself saying, “I think I can, I think I can.”

Day by day, rank by rank, AOSB is recovering from the pandemic. Recovery took–and is still taking–a great deal of effort and investment. Although the government has declared the pandemic over, the ambient fear, worry, and anxiety continues to linger. Moreover, the dojo received no financial aid from the city, state, or federal government.

In keeping with our spirit of independence and self reliance, we’re planning more aikido workshops, activities, and special events to further strengthen our recovery. And we’re adding more music! Our next special event is a concert with the world renowned Artemis Guitar Duo. By purchasing tickets, you’re supporting the dojo and live classical music in NYC!

Complete relaxation is one of aikido’s four basic principles. Teachers frequently tell students, and students frequently tell themselves, to relax. But what does that mean and how is relaxation achieved? Isn’t pursuing relaxation–making it a goal, something to do and to achieve–anathema to relaxation in the first place? Is it physical? Mental? Should we try to suppress or ignore physical or mental stressors? Reading this, are you starting to stress about relaxing?

If only there was a single, knowable secret to aikido. A piece of knowledge so vast and comprehensive that it made the possessor an invincible warrior and all-knowing sage. A secret that obviated the need for practice, perseverance, dedication, and time. A knowledge about the human mind and body so profound that it transcends time and space and those in the know would exist in the rarified air of ancient philosophers. Is there? Find out here!

Aikido is a year-round pursuit. Training is not seasonal like baseball or skiing. However, dojo life tends to ebb and flow in accordance with school and vacation calendars. Summer affords some extra free time to recuperate, plan, and set up new things. That said, this issue of Inryoku is devoted to delivering some exciting, practical news about September at the dojo.

It’s been entirely too hot to write a newsletter. By mid-July temperatures were in the mid-to-upper 90s with humidity to match. The dojo’s new 14,000 BTU air conditioner made it only marginally less oppressive. I wanted to move as little as possible; to sweat as little as possible. So, instead of a newsletter, I offer you a short but cooling video montage of some of our favorite photos from 2022 thus far.

Going to the dojo frequently and repeatedly is not easy. The stories we tell ourselves about who we are, how we feel, and what we need to get there are persuasive. The adage that 90% is showing up is hardly flippancy. Showing up is a challenge, and learning to overcome that huge obstacle is in many ways the first step along the path.

May is National Meditation Month. In celebration, we’ve reissued the January 2021 issue of our newsletter about the relationships among aikido, meditation, and mindfulness. As we’ve discussed in recents issues of Inryoku, people are drawn to aikido for many reasons, and continue it for many others. The meditative aspects of practice — of engaging in a repetitive form that emphasizes a mindful exchange with a partner — is an important and often overlooked reason. It is also among the most practical aspects of aikido, routinely applicable to daily life.

One of the most misunderstood aspects of aikido is that every technique—all 48,000 plus—is literally applicable in a physical conflict. They are not. The techniques and their infinite variations are vehicles for developing, understanding, and executing free and spontaneous movements.

We’ve changed the name of our newsletter to Inryoku. It is the culmination of attractive forces: esoterism and practicality; the dojo and the market; physical contact and Covid; tradition and expediency. We hope the name will remind us of aikido’s persistent and needed practicality.

In this issue of In the Dojo, we considered the dojo’s center: the shomen. The shomen is the dojo’s focal point. It is one of the many features that distinguishes the dojo from a studio, gym, or any other space.

Welcome back to In the Dojo, the newsletter of Aikido of South Brooklyn. In this issue, we’ll be addressing some frequently asked questions about aikido. We hope this edition will answer some of your questions or help you answer someone else’s questions.

December 21, 2021. In the face of the current Covid surge in NYC, we wanted to republish information about our evidence-based Covid prevention equipment and strategies.

Starting September 8, 2020, we are adding limited-attendance indoor classes to our schedule! We will continue offering on-line and outdoor classes, as well as private individual and group instruction to our active members.

Thank you. It is because of you that we’ve been here for a decade and expect to be here for many more years. Ten years is a huge accomplishment for a small business—only 35% reach this milestone. And, of course, a dojo is only part business. It is a business because it costs money to exist, but it is also, and perhaps even more so, an ideal. It is a place where likeminded people congregate to pursue a path.

Opportunity is not an infinite resource. Opportunities lost, and the consequent regret, is perhaps more terrifying than a kaiju and a crowd. Don’t tell yourself you’ll train tomorrow. Train today and again tomorrow. The adage, “Don’t put off until tomorrow…,” is a cliche. That doesn’t lessen its import. And with that terrifying thought in mind, be sure to checkout these terrifying images from past Halloweens.

We’d like to start this month’s issue of In the Dojo by congratulating senior dojo member Greg Schneiderman (aka Greg Squared) on his promotion to sandan (third-degree black belt). Greg began training in 2007 and has cultivated and maintained a dedication to the art and our dojo that has withstood dojo changes and moves, graduate school, becoming a parent, career changes, and of course the pandemic. Amidst these many life changes and challenges, and preparing for his demonstration, Greg also launched his own woodworking and cabinetry company called Great Circles Woodworking. AOSB is fortunate to have such a student, and we are very pleased to share the essay he wrote as part of his sandan application.

This month, we’re very excited to announce our plans for autumn 2021. In addition to a full class schedule for members, free weekly trial classes for prospective students, and a new soto deshi program, we also have some exciting instructor updates, promotions, and…wait for it…our 10-year anniversary.