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BIRANKAI EUROPE NEWSLETTER MMUUSSUUBBII Issue 2 January 2011 Chiba Sensei concludes his account to establish Aikido abroad CONTENTS 1 After 40 Years: London After 40 Years 2 Editorial A New Start in London 5 Why join Birankai? n 14 December 1967, I left 6 Silent Heroes Newcastle Station on the 11:55 train bound for 6 2011 Course Calendar OLondon. I had made this particular trip countless times, but this time 7 Living with an Aikidoka was different - I was relocating to London for good. It had been one 8 A Feminist view year and seven months since the political mess in the UK had landed 9 ʻAikido Widowʼ me in Northern England; during which time I bitterly felt as though 10 Balance between Aikido I had been sent into exile for rea - and family sons not of my making. Three notable individuals had 11 Chiba Senseiʼs First appeared at the station to see me Tel Aviv Seminar off: Mr Logan’s secretary, Mr R Myers of Sunderland who had acted a b Integrating Aikido and as my personal assistant during my i 12 h C family life stay, and Mr P Butler - a dedicated K T Aikido student on whose behalf m o r f Saluting the ʻShadow I had battled the Sunderland o 13 t Physical Education Authority to o Warriorsʼ h keep as my student. As a result of P Chiba Sensei, Cardiff, South Wales 1967 14 Balancing Aikido family that battle, I had lost my job and my and work only source of income at the time. His eyes were filled with tears as we in the fields where scattered herds of 15 Aikido thought shook hands goodbye, and I was sheep peacefully grazed - a typical touched by this display of tenderness view of the English countryside that 16 Pictorial review from a man whose physical strength I always enjoyed. I tried to analyze and hot temper had frightened many my experiences since my arrival in 18 Nairobi Aikikai people. Northern England in an attempt to A few days earlier I had thrown away identify what had gone so terribly 19 Shogaku Shugyo all of my belongings (save my gis, wrong. Had I accomplished anything? weapons, a few books and a heavy Perhaps there would be no right 20 First trip to Japan sheepskin coat I had bought to protect answer or satisfactory conclusion to myself from the cold winds of the the power struggle that had begun 24 New Birankai Shihan North) so that I might travel lightly on prior to my arrival in England other this new adventure. As the train made than to say that it was a tangled web 24 In Memorium its way toward London my heart was of personal pride, ambition and ego, filled with overwhelming happiness like most human problems. Deadline and joyful anticipation of the future that Nonetheless, of one thing I am for July 2011 issue: awaited me. certain - that the core cause of the 1 June 2011 It was a fine day with a bright winter difficulty I personally experienced was sun reflecting off the patches of snow continued on page 2 BIRANKAI EUROPE Editorial Technical Director Shihan TK Chiba 8th Dan o c n a European Birankai Shihankai ongratulations to Patrick Barthélémy, Dai Jyo Kan, r F : Norberto Chiesa 6th Dan, Birankai Aikikai de Bagnols, Birankai France, who was o t o France promoted Birankai Shihan by Chiba Sensei at the h P Gabriel Valibouze 6th Dan, Birankai CPolish Summer camp in August 2010. Shihan Norberto France Chiesa acknowledges his achievements on page 5. MIke Flynn 6th Dan, British The main theme for this issue of BE Musubi was to explore what impact Birankai Aikido has on relationships with a partner and the family. Both Suzanne Tony Cassells 6th Dan, British Brunner and Chris Howling wrote to all the members asking them to encour - Birankai age their partners to share their experiences with the community. These Chris Mooney 6th Dan, British ‘shadow warriors’ are very much a part of Aikido even if they remain invisible Birankai in the background. It is right that we acknowledge and recognise their very Dee Chen 6th Dan, British Birankai important contribution. Daniel Brunner 6th Dan, Birankai In October 2010, on the recommendation of Chiba Sensei, both Piotr Switzerland Masztalerz, Birankai Poland and Davinder Bath, British Birankai went to Patrick Barthélémy 6th Dan, Ichikukai Dojo in Tokyo, Japan for training in misogi-no-kokyu-ho (purification Birankai France through breathing) and zen meditation. The Ichikukai Dojo website states that through this training one seeks the source or root of one’s being, and strives Member Countries to attain oneness with the universe. The Shogaku Shugyo begins on a Birankai Austria Thursday evening and finishes early Sunday evening. As it involves physical Birankai France exertion roughly equivalent to jogging, it is recommended that only those in Birankai Germany good health should attend. Davinder and Piotr share with us their unique and Hellenic Birankai transforming experiences. Birankai Israel Piotr Masztaler reports on his visit in December 2010 to teach at the first Birankai Poland official seminar at the Nairobi Aikikai established by one of his friend and Birankai Portugal student who moved there in the last two years. Birankai Switzerland It is quite possible, that at some stage, we may have wondered why it was British Birankai necessary to become registered members of our group. Shihan George Lyons of Birankai North America shares his thoughts on this question. If you would like to respond or expand on this subject, please send us your contribution for our next issue. BE Musubi is published twice All the European Shihans extend their best wishes to the members of a year in January and July. Birankai Europe for the new year, and would like to thank everyone for their English edition available on work and support during the past year. ☯ www.britishbirankai.com and the French edition on www.birankai.eu/shiun_fr.html After 40 Years. unable to confirm my suspicions as Individual article reflects the continued from page 1 Abbe Sensei was seriously ill and author’s own views. All submis - I hesitated to burden him with such sions may be edited due to space the strained relationship between me questions. constraints and should be sent to and Mr Logan. He apparently had My unwillingness to support Mr the Editor or Assistant Editor or quite a grand plan to establish an Logan’s plan for a competing Aikido Sub Editor. Aikido centre in the north that would centre provided the initial strain in compete with the major Aikido groups our relationship, which was then Editor : Dee Chen (eg the Renown Aikido Society) and worsened by a mishap that occurred [email protected] the Japanese teachers who were influ - during a demonstration for the Assistant Editor : Suzanne ential within British Aikido at the time. Northumberland Police Department in Brunner [email protected] I did not show any interest in his Newcastle shortly after my arrival in Sub Editor : Chris Howlin plan, especially the political battle England. Mr Logan had ambitions to [email protected] against the Japanese teachers - they introduce Aikido into the police force’s Design Consultant : Franco Chen were my seniors, and as such training programme that could well commanded all of my respect. It have succeeded had I not seriously © Copyright 2011 seemed to me that Mr Logan was injured an officer during demonstration. All rights reserved. Reproduction is prohibit - (mis)interpreting the will of Professor It became clear to me that Mr Logan ed without express written permission. Abbe to his own advantage, but I was continued on page 3 BE MUSUBI January 2011 continued from page 2 had abandoned his hopes for Abbe Sensei’s work when he cancelled my five-year contract with the British Judo council after only three months. If there was anything positive I had achieved during my time in the North o c it would have to be the significant n a r F improvement I had made in my English : o t language skills through personal study, o h and perhaps a few loyal students I had P managed to bring up. As it was, that George Stavrou, Chiba Sensei, Mrs Stavrou and Harada Sensei, London, c1990s would have to be enough. The train continued making its way Postscript connect various events more or less to to London, and after we passed York This entry concludes a series of my satisfaction. the sun began to sink below the hori - articles I began writing for Biran in Soon after my arrival in London zon. The last few bright rays fell 2005 as a commemoration of the 40 I started teaching at Busen Dojo in across the well-cultivated land creating years since my arrival on the shores King’s Cross - the old judo Dojo in the mysterious shadowy patterns that of England in 1966. The articles cover church basement where Kenshiro reminded me of the striped cotton my experiences starting with my Abbe had started. There were 20 or kimonos that I loved to see the voyage from the Port of Sasebo in so students waiting on the mat for me Japanese women wear. “Well, this is March 1966 to my early life in when I first began - most of which it,” I thought, “the end of one chapter Northumberland (May 1966 to were Greek and in one way or another and the beginning of a new one.” December 1967). It was a daunting associated with George Stavrou. This Whatever awaited me in London; task to accurately recall all of the Dojo was used as a temporary space I believed I would be better off and events of that time as my memories until the new tatami ordered by Mr hopefully a bit wiser, and if the teach - have faded in the last 40 years - Iyengar arrived, at which time the Dojo ings of Dr Osawa (the founder of especially when it comes to names was moved to a new location on macrobiotic systems) were correct, and places - but what made recollec - Seven Sisters Road in Finchley, then the Three Strengthening tion of my first exposure to a foreign London.