Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu, Happy New Year 2026 Each year, I take time to reflect on where I am and where I want to go. This year feels especially relevant. The Horse is the personification of freedom and movement, and Fire represents passion and intensity. Together, they speak directly to this moment in my life, a year…
“Keiko Osame” holds profound significance in Aikido and Japanese martial arts, marking the culmination of a year’s practice and training. In Japanese, “Keiko” signifies practice, while “Osame” means conclusion. Therefore, Keiko Osame represents the pivotal final training session of the year, offering a moment for both the dojo and its students to embrace the full…
When we start Aikido, we have the absolute joy of being a beginner. We can’t be good at this stuff. We have no idea what we’re doing, and we can’t possibly understand the movements and how to connect brain, hands, feet, and body in a flowing technique. That’s just the way it is, and no…
What if the more important part of learning Aikido isn’t natural talent, athleticism, or a certain body type, but instead a long-term learning mindset that’s within the reach of every student? This approach was discovered by Angela Duckworth, Ph.D., professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, who began her career as an elementary school…