We all want to be happy and live in a beautiful world.
And it is to make this aspiration come true that we strive. In these endeavors we sometimes succeed but might also hit a deadend. But, I think what matters, at the end of the day, is that we’ve tried our best. If that’s exactly what we’ve done -try our best- then we have all the right in the world to put a smile on our faces even without the aspired outcome.
That’s what I do. I work hard. I thole a lot, and I try to give it my best. That’s why I’m not sullen, whatever the outcome.
Problems are unending. A new challenge to take on after every achievement. When we grow, so do challenges. When challenges puff out so does our ability to take them on. That’s the full circle, on and on.
United Aikido Organisation, too; is continuously growing and claiming a stronger foothold in the international world of Aikido day in day out, that is thanks to our trainers -dojo-chos- shouldering the larger part of the responsibility. Most of it is their work, hence no less portion of the praise.
Lately, it is not only me but my friends shuttling between our dojos, lending a hand for honing our technique. There’s no way I can tell how happy I am to see that.
Yet, it’s not only about the toil of my trainer-friends but I’m doubly happy seeing how they’re respected as senpais and warmly embraced as a family-member in our inviting dojos.
How beautiful it is to witness this construct we’ve etched out for years on end blossom into a corporate structure.
Last year the UAO Aikidoka numbered 1200. With Lebanon returning on board after many years and with our recent initiatives in the UK I believe this year we’ll be more.
Aikido is a universal language, with a universal message. We see this especially in our encounters with Aikidoka from other schools.
In the past couple of months we’ve gotten to know Mr. Dorin Marchis of the IAF Board (International Aikido Federation ). He’s given his heart to Aikido and we’ll rectify our bonds with the IAF in his guidance.
Only a handful of the senseis of the past in Europe lingered to this day. Asai Shihan in Germany, Kitaura Shihan in Spain, Tissier Shihan in France are among those great masters that continue teaching.
We’ve lost Kanetsuka Shihan in the UK last month. He had been our guest in Turkey many years ago.
So, it is the advent of a new generation in Europe, and what is peculiar about this new generation is that The significance of the new generation is that this is a generation that has trained and learned Aikido from Japanese senseis but they are not Japanese.” Yet, it is great that this non-Japanese generation follows in the footsteps of Aikikai with no less love and respect.
Moriteru Ueshiba Doshu, he’s done it.
He has not only bolstered Aikikai’s position in Japan, even stronger than before, but also brought to fruition this global family through strong cooperation with Aikido all over the world.
Thus, he has proven how much he deserves to be respected as the Master of the Way, or the Beacon of the Way.
Aikido has now become a world-wide family.
United Aikido Organisation also becomes a member of this family through strong bonds.
Our friends in UAO dojos in Turkey, Macedonia, Austria, Kosovo, Lebanon, UK and Qatar are among the members, the building blocks of this one big family. There will be more to join us in these countries as well as in others and this family’s going to get bigger, unfold, reflecting a bigger smile on our faces.
It is our wish to get to know one another and cooperate with other Aikido organizations in the international arena. For this reason we’ve no doubt that guided by the Aikikai, the fruits of our cooperation with the IAF will be plentiful.
I want to avail myself of this opportunity to also extend once again, our warm embrace to all the new souls in our Feltham Dojo in London, with love.
We need big hearts to build that world of peace and love. Come, let’s do Aikido.
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