Welcome to South Austin Aikido

Wow what a weekend! I do not remember having so much fun and so much to think about in quite a while. The seminar was packed full of useful information about technique, the proper feeling of a technique and the spiritual aspects of making a connection.

Mary Heiny Sensei started off at the beginning of how to put your energy on your partner’s center line then how to establish a center to center connection. We worked on a simple kokyunage for two hours but where did the time go and how did we find so much to investigate in just one technique? From there we went on to the second hardest technique in all of aikido (iriminage) and worked on that for two hours exploring different exercises associated with the connection and how to get your arm out of the way at the end. We went into groups since the mat was crowded and got to go pretty fast. By the end of the morning session I was plenty spanked.

On Sunday morning, Mary Heiny Sensei started off the training with something to think about. And that was for each of us to focus on how to be a benefit to everyone in the dojo. With the proper mindset each of us can achieve aiki in our technique but without the proper thoughts and focused attention to accepting our partners we can not achieve aiki. We may move through the movements but will not find aiki.

The pot luck on Saturday night was a lot of fun with an awesome turn out, plenty of food and great conversation.

The seminar was a great success. I hope everyone who attended had as much fun as I did and will return next year. Thanks to everyone who came and supported Mary Heiny Sensei and our dojo. Thank you to Mary Heiny Sensei for sharing your experience and wisdom with us over the seminar weekend!