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May 2015 Newsletter—The Final Edition
Teaching aikido as a complete budo to adults and kids in Mesa,
Chandler, and S. Chandler.
www.AikidoOfPhoenix.com
“Domo arigato gozaimasu,
Deshi!”
(Thank you very much, students!)
What’s Inside:
Upcoming Events:
Sensei’s Corner— The Samurai Code
May 5—Ikkyu (2nd brown) test in Chandler
From John Scanlin Sensei— My Favorite Quotes
May 6—Nikyu (1st brown) test in Chandler
Kids’ Corner— Plant Your Own Seeds
May 13 & 20—Shodan (1st black) tests in Chandler
Dojo News—Check here for the dates of all the final classes at each dojo.
Rank Promotions—See who’s recently been promoted and who will be testing in May
Other Information—Brief summary of other martial arts; what to expect at a new dojo; a new Makoto Budoka
A Word from Sensei
From John Scanlin Sensei
Greetings. I’d like to close out by giving you some
of my favorite quotes:
“Do not fail to learn from the pure voice of an ever-flowing mountain stream splashing over the rocks.”
“Never fear another challenger, no matter how large. Never despise another challenger, no matter how small.”
The above kanji is the Samurai Code we had hanging in our Chandler dojo. I don’t know it’s literal translation but the general meaning is this:
“A true samurai lives his life in protection of those weaker
than himself. He follows the highest standards of character and
lives to the best of his abilities with justice, courage, mercy, politeness, honesty and sincerity, honor, loyalty, character and selfcontrol. He is the first to help others and the last to seek personal
pleasure.”
It is this type of living that Aikido of Phoenix has tried to inspire
over the past 20 years. Fred and I began Aikido of Phoenix because
we had a passion for Aikido and felt a call to share what we learned
with others. It has been a labor of love for all these years and the
Samurai Code was at the heart of it. We strove to live it, model it,
and share it with our students. I only hope you were able to see a
glimpse of it once in a while.
Being human we fall short all the time, but it’s the struggle and
persistence that make the journey more important than the destination. We must continually strive to better ourselves in all areas of
our lives. That’s what drew me to Aikido in the first place. I saw
an opportunity to learn more than just some techniques that could
help me defend myself. I saw a way to improve myself and through
teaching I could share what I learned with anyone who was interested in learning. In my own small way contributing to the world.
Thank you for being a part of that. Thank you for being students
with me; for allowing me to share what little I know with you; for
coming to class after class after class; for sharing your energy with
me and the other students; and for teaching me things I would never
have learned anywhere else.
“The Art of Peace does not rely on weapons or brute force to succeed; instead we put ourselves in tune with the universe, maintain
peace in our own realms, nurture life, and prevent death and destruction. The true meaning of the term samurai is one who serves
and adheres to the power of love.” - O’Sensei
“Foster and polish the warrior spirit while serving in the world;
illuminate the path according to your inner light.” - O’Sensei
May God continue to bless each and every one of you and may you
continue to be a blessing in our hurting world. Be the goodness so
desperately needed. Continue your training both on and off the
mats and be one who serves and adheres to the power of
love...according to your inner light. You are all such special people
and I will always treasure our times together. I’m honored to have
been a part of your lives.
“When your eyes engage those of another person, greet him or her
with a smile and they will smile back. This is one of the essential
techniques of the Art of Peace.”
“Always practice Aikido in a vibrant and joyful manner.”
“Whenever I move, that is Aikido.”
- O’Sensei
“To know oneself is to study oneself in action with another person.”
“I do not fear the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once. I fear
the man who has practiced 1 kick 10,000 times.”
- Bruce Lee
“The best fighter is never angry.”
- Lao Tzu
“Face a single foe as if you are facing a thousand enemies: face
ten thousand enemies as a single foe.”
“Instructors can impart a fraction of the teaching. It is through
your own devoted practice that the mysteries of the Art of Peace
(Aikido) are brought to life.”
“Those who are possessed by nothing possess everything.”
“Failure is the key to success; each mistake teaches us something.”
- O’Sensei
“If you knew the time it took to gain my mastery, it wouldn’t seem
so wonderful.”
- Michelangelo
“Always keep your mind as bright and clear as the vast sky, the
highest peak, and the deepest ocean, empty all limiting thoughts.”
“A good stance and posture reflect a proper state of mind.”
“Attacks can come from any direction - from above, from the middle, from below; from the front, from the left, from the right, from
the back. Keep centered and remain unshakable.”
- O’Sensei
“Fall down 7 times, get up 8.”
- Japanese Proverb
Thanks, everyone, it’s been great. Now it’s on to the next chapter.
See you next month at Aikido of Chandler and hopefully for many
years to come. And as always…Keep the Spirit Strong!
Domo arigato gozaimasu, deshi!
- John Sensei
Teresa Mastison Sensei
Kids’ Corner
Dojo News
Chandler:
The last day of classes for the Chandler dojo will be Wed., May
27. Sensei would like to invite the adult students to the San Tan
Brewery after this last class to enjoy some camaraderie and celebrate the time we’ve had with each other.
South Chandler:
The last day of classes for the South Chandler dojo will be Thu.,
May 28.
Mesa:
This is a picture of a field of daffodils. Posted on the door of the
house way in the back of the field is a sign that says this:
“Answers to the questions I know you are asking:
1. 50,000 bulbs
2. One at a time, by one woman with two hands, two feet
and very little brain
3. Began in 1958”
One woman did this...one bulb at a time over many years created
this incredible, beautiful landscape. She made the world a more
beautiful place one bulb at a time.
I look upon my teaching Aikido like this. I have tried to plant bulbs
of encouragement, compassion, and goodness that will make a difference. Each student that has come through the doors of Aikido of
Phoenix has been a blessing and I hope that I have been able to
impart something of worth back to each of you.
My last challenge for you is to go out into the world and plant your
own bulbs. Be kind and helpful; loving and compassionate; encouraging and friendly. The world needs you to plant good bulbs.
I will miss you all very much!
Rank Promotions
Children’s Rank:
Hachikyu (green) - Xzander Espindola, Xavien Millet, Emily
Zemke, Trevor Vaughn, Alexis Ortiz, Lorenzo Vasquez, Oshea
Trujillo
Shichikyu (orange) - Damien Bagnod, Maddy Hancock, Dhaniel
Saleh, Nayeli Agresta, Sydney Younce
1st Stepping Stone—Fira Sparks
2nd Stepping Stone—Faith Thomason
3rd Stepping Stone—Katherine Sundman, Chris Sutton
4th Stepping Stone—Alexandra Sundman
Adult Rank:
Gokyu (blue) - J ordan Paul
Yonkyu (1st purple) - Logan Knapik
Sankyu (2nd purple) - Thomas Skalsky, Michael Skalsky, Isaiah
Nixon, Lydia Sundman
Tests that will happen in May after the printing of this newsletter:
Children’s Rank:
Hachikyu (green)— Kai Diaz, Ami Batterjee, Shahir Batterjee,
Max Tanori, Leona Ho
Shichikyu (orange) - Haydn Anderson, Parthib Faruk, Ares Turnbow, Shahra Batterjee
2nd Stepping Stone—Rae Atalla
4th Stepping Stone—Getty Touchstone, Asher Nixon, Alison
Eierdam
Adult Rank:
Sankyu ( 2nd purple) - Caleb Sparks
Nikyu (1st brown) - Randy Shivers
Ikkyu (2nd brown) - Martin Camacho
Shodan (1st degree black) - Clement Singarajah, Nick Schiopu
There will be NO CLASSES on Mon., May 25 due to the Memorial Day holiday. The Red Mountain Center will be closed.
The last day of classes for the Mesa dojo will be Fri., May 29.
Sensei would like to invite the adult students to Red Robin after
this last class to enjoy some camaraderie and celebrate the time
we’ve had with each other.
High Ranking Tests Scheduled
You are all invited to attend the high ranking tests of several
adult students at the Chandler dojo. These students have demonstrated a high level of dedication and commitment to their training and each student will show a wide variety of Aikido techniques. Besides open hand techniques their tests will also include kick defenses, ground defenses, weapons work (jo,
bokken, tanto), and multiple attackers. They’ll be fun to watch
and for any Aikido student it’ll be training for your mind.
Here are the dates the tests are scheduled:
Tue., May 5—Martin Camacho, 2nd brown belt
Wed., May 6—Randy Shivers, 1st brown belt
Wed., May 13—Clement Singarajah, 1st black belt
Wed., May 20—Nick Schiopu, 1st black belt
The tests will be held at the Chandler dojo (125 E. Commonwealth Ave.) during the adult class which starts at 7:00 pm. The
tests will begin after a group warm up, about 7:20. The brown
belt tests will last about 45 minutes and the black belt tests a bit
longer.
AoP Weapons For Sale
If you are interested in purchasing a used jo or bokken from the
sets we use for class, please see Teresa Sensei. There are also a
few junior bokken available and one tanto (rubber training knife).
Prices will vary depending on the condition of the weapon.
Aikido Classes for Adults and Kids
We are very fortunate to have Martin Camacho and Lydia
Sundman decide to continue their Aikido training by teaching
classes at the South Chandler location.
Martin will be teaching an adult class on Wednesdays from 67pm. He is calling this new group Aikido of Chandler. It has an
age limit of 14+ but students who are younger than 14
(especially if you’ve been training for a while) are welcome to
come try a class and see if it will be a good fit.
Lydia will be teaching at the South Chandler dojo on Thursdays.
She will be teaching a younger kids’ class (6-8 yrs) from 4:30—
5:15pm and older kids (9-13 yrs) from 5:15—6:15pm. If you
have been training for a while and are younger than 6 you are
welcome to try class to see if it will work.
Registration for these classes can be done through the City of
Chandler’s website, www.chandleraz.gov/breaktime, or in person. The South Chandler dojo is located at the Snedigar Recreation Center, 4500 S. Basha Rd., Chandler.
A New Makoto Budoka Among Us
What to Expect at a New Dojo
It is with great pleasure that I announce that Chris Weemes of the
Mesa adult class has completed and passed the Makoto Test! The
Makoto test is an advanced student achievement test meant to test a
student’s physical limits, knowledge of Aikido history and philosophies, ukemi skills, and teaching ability. This test was done over a
two week period and failure to pass any one section would have ended the test. Chris demonstrated great determination and fortitude
giving his best throughout the process. This was a test of his spirit
just as much as his physical and mental abilities. He showed that he
truly understands the meaning of Aikido and applies it to his everyday life. CONGRATULATIONS, Chris! You have earned the distinguished honor of being called a Makoto Budoka—to study the
way of the warrior with sincerity, truth and the highest level of positive spirit.
Once Aikido of Phoenix closes you may find yourself wondering about how things will be if you decide to continue
training in Aikido or branch out and try something new.
There are a few things that I’d like to pass on to you so you
can know what to expect.
Kanji for Makoto Budoka
Brief Summary of Other Martial Arts
I just wanted to give a brief summary of the three major martial arts
that are most common: judo, karate, and taekwondo. The following is
just a short synopsis of the arts’ focus. If you decide to expand your
martial arts experience by training in something other than Aikido just
remember to vet the dojo and instructor thoroughly. Each art has their
strengths and a good instructor can make all the difference in the
world. I’ve always looked upon martial arts as a pie. Aikido is one
slice, Karate is another slice, etc. You can grow and develop as a person no matter what art you study. It comes down to preference, really.
What do you want to focus on? Do your research and find out all you
can about a particular art then find a dojo to visit. Talk with the instructors and see what kind of feelings you get from the place. Remember to go with your gut. The instructor will make the difference as
to what is emphasized and taught on a regular basis. I just googled
“what is judo/karate/taekwondo?” to get the information listed below.
I’m sure I could have gotten more details if I had spent more time reading and exploring all the various websites. Also, talk to your friends
and family about their experiences with different martial arts. Personal
references are the best.
If you continue training in Aikido you may or may not be
able to keep your rank. This depends on the style of the Aikido dojo you’re considering. Aikido of Phoenix has it’s
roots in Seidokan Aikido but was created as an independent
Aikido dojo because we did not care for the politics and
money required to be affiliated with a particular style. We
followed the Seidokan curriculum because it was how we
learned it from Roderick Kobayashi, Kancho and founder of
Seidokan Aikido, and we saw no reason to vary from it.
Because of our roots Aikido of Phoenix students have
learned the Seidokan style of Aikido. So...if you go to another Aikido dojo the instructor may have to watch you for a
while to determine how your rank and skills fit in with the
style they are teaching. They may or may not recognize
your rank. Please don’t be offended if they do not recognize
your rank. It seems that every style has it’s own ranking
system with different expectations and requirements. They
have to be true to their style and hold you to the same standards they hold their own students. Chances are, however,
that if you have to “start over” or test at a “lower” level in
the beginning you’ll catch on quickly and move up the ladder more rapidly because of your experience. If you delve
into a different martial art all together then naturally you’ll
have to begin as a white belt and work your way up their
particular ranking system. If you continue training in Aikido
here in Chandler both Martin and Lydia will honor the rank
you attained with Aikido of Phoenix.
When going to a new dojo remember these things:
“When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” You are in their
dojo so you must follow how they do things. Different is not
good or bad, it’s just not what you’re used to. Blend with
the changes and get excited about learning something new.
Don’t interject what you learned with us into what you’re
learning at the new place. Just open your mind and listen to
what they’re saying. You will learn a lot that way.
Judo:
Judo is a tremendous and dynamic combat sport that demands both
physical prowess and great mental discipline. From a standing position, it involves techniques that allow you to life and throw your opponents onto their backs. On the ground, it includes techniques that allow
you to pin your opponents down to the ground, control them, and apply
various chokeholds or joint locks until submission.
Always be respectful. Take what they teach and try your
best. Ask if you have questions, but don’t challenge them.
Remember, you’re the student.
Karate:
Karate is a Japanese martial art whose physical aspects seek the development of defensive and counterattacking body movements. The
themes of traditional karate training are fighting and self-defense,
though its mental and moral aspects target the overall improvement of
the individual.
Instructors have different teaching styles so don’t expect the
same kind of teaching. Every instructor has something to
offer their students. It’s up to the students to pay attention,
listen, and learn from them.
Taekwondo:
Taekwondo is one the most systematic and scientific Korean traditional
arts, that teaches more than physical fighting skills. It is a discipline
that shows ways of enhancing our spirit and life through training our
body and mind. Today, it has become a global sport that has gained an
international reputation, and stands among the official games in the
Olympics. “Tae” means foot, “kwon” means fist, and “do” means the
way, so taekwondo means the “right way of using all parts of the body
to stop fights and help to build a better and more peaceful world.” This
definition was taken from the World Taekwondo Federation’s website.
Pay attention to what’s going on around you. You can learn
a lot just by watching others. This will also help you catch
on to how they do things in their dojo.
These are just a few things to remember that may make transitioning to a new dojo a bit easier. I wish you good luck
with whatever art you choose to follow.