Selected Articles from Issue 3

October 2000

TAKAYAMA-SENSEI OF CHIBA-SEN

A club activity for Spring of 2001 has been planned and approved by the club instructors.  It will be called, “Spring LEARN-IN 2001!”  We have chosen the date, Saturday, March 17, to hold the learn-in.  What it will encompass is the conducting of three special classes for all of  our students during that morning.  The classes will be planned and taught by all of our instructors.  Students are encouraged to attend and train in as many of the classes as they can.  If they can not make it to all three classes, they should practice in at least one or two of them.  All the instructors will be there at the classes to help each and every one of the participants.  The learn-in will end with a lunch.  There will be a small fee charged to buy bentos for anyone who will be at the lunch.  Detailed plans are currently being worked on and further announcements are forthcoming.

Parents are invited to participate also.  You may observe, just have lunch with us, or if you would like to, you may participate in the sessions.  You will be introduced to the exercises your youngsters go through each session.  You may also try and learn breathing exercises, etc.  We would love to make this a “family” affair!  If the shirts are received on time, we will also be distributing our new “Hilo Seishikan Aikido” t-shirts at the learn-in.  So, come and participate everyone, and learn at Hilo Seishikan Aikido’s “Spring LEARN-IN 2001!”

FIRST RANK TESTING COMING!

Hilo Seishikan Aikido’s first rank testing is coming up fast and your instructors are hard at work planning and preparing for it.  New certificates of promotion are being designed and soon will be ordered.  We are really looking forward to the testing and ask that you all train hard and get ready!

Your instructors were asked, “What are some of the most important things that you think should be considered in ranking a student?”  Here are their replies:

Ruth Walker-sensei:  “I believe some important factors that should be considered in ranking are:  knowledge of the arts and execution of the moves, the exercises, but with an attitude that is demonstrated by positive behaviors.”

Carrie Yonemori-sensei:  “The development of the whole student is considered in determining rank.  The student’s understanding of aikido principles, enthusiasm for learning, participation in club activities, number of hours practiced and how the student practiced during those hours, and maturity are all factors which are taken into consideration.”

Steve-Adams-sensei:  “Ranking is more than how well one performs aikido arts.  Ranking needs to reflect the total development of the student.  The ranking needs to reflect continued improvement in arts as well as the student’s attitude and behavior on the mat.”  

THOUGHTS

By R. Yonemori

What are words?”  How do we use them?  Where did words come from?  Logic tells us that there probably was a time when there were no words.  Man came along and somehow for some reason, invented words.  Words have evolved, and today there are countless words used everyday in many different languages.  We use them orally and we also write them.  We say them over the phone, and also send them over the internet.  We speak them and also hear them.  We use them to explain things, to tell someone what to do, to find out things, to learn, to teach, to give messages, and many other things.

One important function of words is the expression of our thoughts, feelings, emotions, etc.  We express our love, anger, jealousy, joy, gratitude, insecurity, ego, and other feelings through words.  In this way, words are very revealing of the speaker and the writer.  The personality, mood, intention, and inner thoughts and feelings of the person are shown just as clearly as by facial expressions.  The language we use can be beautiful, bad, dirty, sincere, compassionate, kind, affectionate, rough, or whatever we chose.  How we say or write words can also make a big impact.

Words have a strong impact on those who hear or read what we have to say.  Sometimes only a single word can hurt someone and the would could last for a long time.  Through words, we can hurt others, or other can hurt us.  On the other hand, our words can bring someone joy, relief, gratitude, and other positive feelings.  Therefore, we should watch what we say and express.  In keeping with the goals of our club as expressed in our club name, be sure to be truthful, and at the same time consider how your words will affect the other person.  And, sometimes even the truth can hurt.  At times we need to be discreet and choose when and if we should say it, with regard to the effects of our words.

JAPANESE PROVERB

Chiri mo tsureba

Yama to naru

(translated)

Even dust amassed

Will grow into a mountain

Think about it!

Selected articles from Issue 2

September 2000

OFF TO A GOOD START!

Hilo Seishikan Aikido held its historic first ever practice session on Monday, August 14, 2000.  There were some 35 members present at the session which was conducted by nine of our instructors.  Each of the instructors took turns addressing the students at the end of the practice.

It was an exciting and inspiring practice session and everyone involved enjoyed it!  Everyone joined in and partook of refreshments following the practice.

We have gotten off to a really good start and the instructors are planning for a busy schedule of hard training.  A first instructors’ practice and meeting was held on Saturday, September 2, and the instructors all committed themselves to plan and carry out classes and instruction, which will be of the utmost in training their students.  Our aim is to make Hilo Seishikan Aikido the best martial arts club anywhere.  In order to accomplish this, we need to have the commitment to training of each of our students.  Please make up your minds to train as often as possible.  Make it your goal to train as hard and as best as you can.  Remember, “if you do, you can.  If you don’t, you can’t.”  So, “JUST DO IT!”

AIKIDO RANK TESTS UPCOMING

Aikido rank testing is scheduled for the month of November.  Youth aikido students will test on Wednesday, November  8, at 6:00 p.m.  The Open and Advanced classes will test on Monday, November 13, at 5:30 p.m.  There are requirements of hours having practiced in order to qualify for rank testing.  However, who tests and for what rank is left largely to the judgment and discretion of the instructors.  Personal development, skill level, practice habits and attitude, improvement, and progress towards our club goals are all taken into account, in addition to attendance.  The instructors have all taken it upon themselves to train and prepare the students for the rank testing.  Let us all look forward and go for it!

Selected articles from Issue 1

August 2000

HILO SEISHIKAN AIKIDO KICKS OFF!

As the ancient saying goes, “even a journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.”  We have started our journey and taken that first step!  Our club will officially be in operation as of Monday, August 14, 2000.  We are all very excited and looking forward to developing the finest martial arts club anywhere!

Our club’s name was chosen in consultation with the Reverend Daien Soga of Puna Hongwanji.  The “Sei” means “makoto” which is righteousness, truth, sincerity.  The “Shi” means “kokorozashi” which means will, intention, ambition.  “Kan” means place or building.  Hilo Seishikan Aikido then, is the place to come to develop the will to be honest, sincere, and righteous through our training in aikido.  We have also named our aikido “O-shima-ryu Aikido,” which means simply, “Big Island Style Aikido.”  Aikido itself, is a relatively new and modern budo.  The founder of aikido, Morihei Uyeshiba-sensei, began its development in the 1920’s.  The word “aikido” may be translated to mean “the way of harmony with  ki.”

The focus of our aikido will be on “self-defense.”  The self-defense we will focus on is a “total self-defense,” including mental, emotional, psychological, in addition to physical self-defense.  Our practice sessions will be primarily based on defending yourself in the case of a physical attack, but we will use this to also instill other important aspects of self-defense in life.  By learning to fall without getting injured, one learns to protect himself against injury in many different real life situations.  Training hard and getting in physical shape helps defend oneself against injury and illness.  Extending ki, focusing and gaining awareness, makes it possible for one to defend himself in many lifetime situations—driving, playing, eating, fighting, studying, working—just about everything!  Discipline, learning to do that which you “should” do and not  necessarily  that which you “want” to do, helps to defend oneself against making wrong decisions.

We are an independent school of aikido, and as such we can include in our practice any art or exercise that we feel will be beneficial to our students regardless of its source.  All of our focus is on our students.  It is our goal to instill self-confidence by teaching our students to “defend” themselves in all aspects of life.  To this end, we will teach and practice whatever we deem to be beneficial to our students.

There will be no competition in our aikido.  We do not believe that competition spurs the kind of results we plan to see in our students.  There are winners and losers in competition.  In Hilo Seishikan Aikido everyone is a winner!

 

SCHEDULE OF CLASSES

The following is the schedule of the Hilo Seishikan Aikido:

            Mondays

                        5:00-6:30 pm     Advanced Aikido (Roy Yonemori-sensei)

                        6:30-7:30 pm     Open Aikido (Stephen Adams-sensei)

            Wednesdays

                        5:00-6:00 pm     Open Aikido (Carrie Yonemori-sensei)

                        6:00-7:00 pm     Youth Aikido (Ruth Walker-sensei)

            Fridays

                        6:00-7:00 pm     Youth Aikido (Ruth Walker-sensei)

            Saturdays

                        6:30-8:00 am     Open Aikido (Sadami Yamamoto-sensei)

WHAT IS TAYORI?

When you saw the name of this newsletter, you probably were wondering, “Tayori?  Now what does that word mean”?  Thinking of a name for this newsletter of Hilo Seishikan Aikido was a difficult task which required much thought.  To come up with a name, we looked through books, checked out the internet, and talked with some people. We finally saw the word “tayori” in a Japanese-English dictionary and later check it out with some Japanese speaking people.  One of them was Mr. George Yamamoto, an aikido pioneer in Hilo, and a former Japanese language interpreter in the U.S. Army.  We were able to confirm the meaning of the word to be “news, tidings, correspondence, letter.”  We liked the meaning for use as a name for our newsletter.  At any rate, we hope to keep you informed of our club’s activities, doings, and happenings by the printing and distributing of “Tayori” amongst our members.  Please look forward to future issues!

Anyone having suggestions or information for us to use is hereby invited to come forward with them.  We will be very happy to consider any suggestions for improvement or news items.

HILO SEISHIKAN AIKIDO STAFF

We are starting out our club with a staff of some thirteen black belts.  They are listed below:

Chief Instructor:             Roy Yonemori

Assistant Chief Instructor:           Steve Adams

Instructors:                    Leilani Pakele

                                                Ruth Walker

                                                Sadami Yamamoto

                                                Carrie Yonemori

Assistant Instructors:     Glenn Kahana                

                                                Robert Kamau

                                                Dennis Marshall

                                                Ray Yuson

                                                Kaimana Colobong

                                                Nicholas Kodani

                                                Joy Ogawa

We have a fine staff of instructors who are well-versed in the art of aikido, and very experienced in its instruction.  These instructors are all very enthusiastic and want to do well by their students.  We are very proud and appreciative of every single one of them!