Frank Noel, 7.dan, at Vanadis..

..& more Aikido in Stavanger.. But let’s go in order!

I finally had a chance to practice in a seminar of Frank Noel, after suggestion of several friends! And it had been a good choice! It definitvely helped that my first time with sensei was at Vanadis dojo in Stockholm, a place where I would like to spend much more time.. and seminar after seminar I feel extra-confortable to spend time there, both for the location (beautiful Stockholm) and the people..

And this time I was “living” in the dojo ALONE!!! Jorma advised me againsta the lonely ghost there.. but I guess than when we compare loneliness, I still win, and the ghost did not bothered to show up.. afraid to feel pity for me!

Anyway, stop blabbering..

Frank Noel’s Aikido was very interesting, deeply related to one of my favourite sensei,  Seishiro Endo, 遠藤征四郎, 8.dan Aikikai. I enjoyed very much practicing with Frank and I think it was very helpful his going around the dojo and showing every technique with all the people present on the mats. Furthermore, his comments and suggestions were very precise: I got a lot to work on and I noticed that some of my mistakes, when I do not think, are the same that I correct my students for. I have to focus much more on how I perform the technique and how I have to use my body in an effective way.

However, I admit I have been not too displeased by my own practice. My feelings for the different techniques and exercises were quite good and I was able to keep a good enough focus in order to write notes from each session. I have already used some of these notes for my Aikikai trainings here in Stavanger..

Yep! That’s true! I finally arranged Aikikai practice here, in parallel with the official Tomiki style club at Kampsport Instituttet. From this semester I got 2 teachnig session per week: late sessions, in the few schedule openings: Mondays 21-2230 & Thursdays 2130-2230. A good chance to practice “my” Aikido and see of sopme of the senior student are also interested in that. I decided in fact that the beginners must stick to official Bob trainings in order to avoid a mix up of basics.

Minoru Kanetsuka, 7.dan

Minoru Kanetsuka sensei, 7.dan, is one of the Aikido instructor that has contributed most to my understanding and growth.

More girls in Aikido???

After a friend suggestion, here it s a video that could help for having more girls in Aikido groups:

I am pretty sure I do not want to be her uke, 受け!!!!!

On the other hand, we might need a bit more of this kind of girls!!!

Igarashi-sensei seminar in Stockholm

As promised during NAF anniversary with doshu, 道主, Ueshiba Moriteru, 植芝 守央 in Brandbu by Urban Aldenklint, 6.dan, one of the main instructors at Iyasaka dojo in Stockholm, the seminar of Kazuo Igarashi, 7.dan, sensei in November 22-27 is free for Norwegian Aikidokas.

It would be then nice to pack up a consistent group of Norwegians and show that we appreciate the offer.. even better from places from where it is cheaper to travel than Stavanger!!!

Some video from sensei Igarashi is available from this demonstration:

Let’s start on that road again..

Yesterday I mentioned the path of the warrior.. walking along the path of life trying to follow a warrior code of discipline, awareness, purity, positive thoughts and more.. A path well described in “The Craf of the Warrior“, by Robert L. Spencer.

My life nowadays (it really means “in the last few years”..a bit pathetic, uhm?), besides working, has gravitated mostly around Aikidō, 合気道. And for practicing, I have often travelled to interesting and new places and met special people. Unfortunately none of this kind of special people has entered my life for remaining there.. So I consider myself a old lonely Aikido spirit, still confused and not so well balanced.. not a young promising freak or an adult realized Aikido instructor!

Aikido long ago gave me the inspiration for learning more about Japan, 日本, first, next Japanese language, 日本語, East Asian countries (bringing me to WenZhou, China) and other Asian languages.. And it seems that other people too get some of those interests out of practice: I envy soo much Christian and Thomas that right now are in Tokyo, practicing at Hombu Dojo!

But it is not that I look for life balance in my Aikido travels.. it is enough difficult to try to improve my poor technique!

So, as I say in the post tile, it is time to get again on my Aikido travelling path.. after a last trip in Slovakia (yes, I have still to write more about that and post more pics, I know Svein!!).. Friday to Sunday I’ll be in Stockholm, at Vanadis dojo for Frank Noel, 7.dan, seminar.

Instead of including a YouTube video has done many times before, I found this extremely interesting blog with several videos, deserving a particular mention:

Philippe Voarino’s blog – Aikitube

Books in movement..

I mean, a book read in movement.. Bought at the airport and read on the different flights, airport couches and bus to and from work/practice here in Stavanger.. Finished reading monday night after that weekend, in basically 2 days.. And sent a couple of days ago to a Chinese friend, DanDan.. Why her and not the other common destination of my Murakami books? First, because long distance friendship are easy to get cold, and the one with Chen Xi seemed to have frozen.. second, because something in the book made me thinking about DanDan..

But that was not the only book read in movement, there was one more.. It travelled with me from Oslo to Stavanger and now got back to Oslo to his owner.. Pedram has been a long time friend and became an extremely close friend! Through Aikido but not only! Especially after Tina and Pedram got their beautiful child, Enya..
This book, “The Craf of the Warrior“, by Robert L. Spencer, is an extremely interesting collection and reading suggestion in the field of warriorship in daily life. “Warriorship” not intended as violence or seek of fight, but as the purity, discipline, awareness characterizing a warrior.. Finding its own way the daily life..
Anyway, it will be interesting to follow up some of the suggested material provided by this book, but right now, I can conclude about myself that I am quite far from the model of the warrior.. almost a picture of what to not do in order to walk the warrior way… Demoralizing!