Basic Dojo Etiquette
We at the school are a friendly group of like-minded people who come together out of our mutual love of Aikido, Iai-Do and T'ai-Chi to help develop our bodies and our minds. We are a non political and non-religious School of people who welcome all who wish to train. Safety is our paramount concern.
For those who have not studied an eastern art before the etiquette can be confusing and strange to start with. For example, Aikido's power is in its relaxing methods and therapeutic movements and although we adhere to a set of 'rules of basic etiquette' we are not strict disciplinarians. To put it simply we are (mainly) western people studying eastern arts and not eastern people studying eastern arts.
Etiquette, as practised in our dojo, is a learned system that will become second nature to the new person and experienced students and instructors will be there to help you at every turn. Do not feel inhibited or embarrassed as we have all had to start somewhere.
Listen carefully to your instructor and train in a happy and relaxed state of mind and body. Please do not forget, always
ask questions. If we do not have an immediate answer then we will always research it and come back with one.
Training Tips for Timid Beginners
First posted on February 14th, 2005
Sensei Nev Sagiba
Published here by kind permission, personally given by the author Sensei Nev Sagiba of Blue Mountains Aikido, New South Wales, Australia
www.aikiblue.com
When you train ENJOY.
Enjoy movement for its own sake.
Do not obsess with “getting it right” the first time, then stand around beating yourself up mentally because you think you are wrong.
Or chattering.
You are not on display.
It is not an exam.
You are not wrong.
Simply try to come close.
Then repeat.
And continue repeating.
As the mind-body-ki connection is healed through practice THE TECHNIQUE WILL REFINE ITSELF.
Not because of stress or volition or undue striving.
Nor because of intellectual understanding, which will come with time, but because you are MOVING.
Movement is life.
Breathe and move.
Do the best you can do for that moment and let it go.
You are not here to be judged or to judge yourself harshly.
BE YOURSELF.
The dojo is a place where with respect, you have permission to be YOU.
So drop the social acting, role plays and expectations.
BE YOU.
Stalling in this way is useless.
Trying to intellectually understand a technique before doing it is futile. MOVE!
Do something. Anything is a good start.
There is no "wrong" movement, just less or more harmonious movement but you can only make a start from where you are at right now.
The more you move, the better it gets and improvement is guaranteed!
Provided you do move.
Standing around thinking is a waste of time.
Just do what is best for you for that moment AND LET IT GO. Forget it.
Tomorrow is another day.
Remember, however, that it is a martial art and one thing which will get you hurt or killed in a real situation is freezing.
This freezing is a reflection of old trauma, parental abuse and bad schooling where you were told you were wrong, embarrassed, humiliated, violated or abused.
None of these a teaching techniques.
They are abusive.
The error lies with the abusers.
Reclaim yourself.....MOVE.
You are not expected to do a technique perfectly for the first 500 years.
And after 5000 years you have to begin refining again.
And...
It never ends but now is now.
Start with a single step.
Even the best sensei and the greatest master is still learning and will continue to do so.
So when you train, do so for enjoyment.
Yes it is a dojo, show respect.
Yes it is a combat art, be aware, awake and vigilant.
Yes it is physical, mindful and intense, so be present.
But above all leave your ego, your worries, the world and the past OUTSIDE.
When you bow onto the mat you enter a “spiritual” domain where you and your dojo compatriots are dancing with The Great Cosmic Universe.
Nothing else matters.
There is nothing wrong with you.
We all get a tad “rusty” from the rigours of life on earth and lack of regular fine tuning and proper use.
And though many will not admit it, we all started with some degree of clumsiness, two left feet, all thumbs and possibly even bad suicide habits from other arts.
That’s life. Accept it. Accept yourself. And accept that all new endeavours carry some measure of discomfort because CHANGE is disturbing the inertia of old entrenched habits.
This too will change, but only with regular, manageable installments of regular training input and movement.
Transformation is guaranteed but it takes time and due season and cycle to bear fruit.
There is great healing in all this, for you, for those close to you, for society and ultimately the world.
So enjoy training. MOVE and be kind to yourself.
Sensei Nev Sagiba
