BNA Agoge OTC Aikido Seminar, 9-11 October 2020, Salt Lake City, Utah
First things first! A hearty congratulations to all the attending Aikidoka for their hard training and to those that were promoted: Ram Litchman, San Dan; Jan Arkless, San Dan; Barry Johnston Shodan; and Andrew Beal 5th Kyu.
In a country under quarantine during a worldwide pandemic a committed group of Aikidoka made the decision to further cultivate their Agoge Organic Training Circle (OTC) coming together to train in weapons and body arts. With determined attendance from Birankai dojos: New Tampa Aikido, Living Well Aikido, Desert Aikikai, Lansing Area Aikikai, Las Vegas Aikikai, Aikido Coachella Valley, Salt Creek Aikikai, and San Diego Aikikai (as well as friends from New Orleans), Summit Aikikai hosted a community-wide (OTC) aikido seminar filled with mindful training, testing, and teacher recertifications.
Face masks, hand sanitizing, dirt stains, grass stains, lots of fans, screening questionnaires, pre-registration, training bubbles, and frequent water breaks were consistent reminders of the unique context of a “CV19 era” aikido seminar. We all oathed a responsibility to come together and make Aikido training a possibility with appropriate safeguards. With many precious Aikido dojos closing throughout the country; now more than ever we felt the burden of duty to train and advance our BNA community in a creative and safe conscious way.
Pushing past our own personal CV19 views, I noticed a special type of respect in the air. Because of the more ‘life threatening context’, everyone wanted everyone else to feel as safe and as comfortable to train as possible. In this, I was especially proud of our Agoge OTC. This is where personal refinement has a real opportunity for growth and where bonds are forged between Aikidoka and BNA members. This is where aikido magic manifests itself. There were numerous valid opinions as to why we shouldn’t have come together to train in such dangerous times in the year 2020. Leave it to Marines and a strong frontline ER head nurse to persevere and MAKE A WAY. With their high standards of ‘keep training’ and ‘changing the world through Aikido’ as an utmost priority, we upheld the most sacred essence of our Agoge OTC lifestyle. We trained, trained, trained!