Travel Scholarship Information
Dear All-
What follows are some notes on visiting other dojos, traveling with Sensei, scholarships, and the position of otomo (explaining/clarifying a formerly unwritten policy in the dojo).
Visiting other dojos/zendos
If you are planning to travel to or visit another school to practice aikido or zen, you should speak with Sensei well in advance of going. This is a matter of courtesy and tradition. He will generally write a letter of introduction to the instructor of that dojo for you or he may have suggestions regarding your practice. Please keep in mind that, whether you intend it or not, you are a representative of Brooklyn Aikikai and your teacher. I am not speaking about your technical abilities, but rather the spirit with which you train and the consideration for others that you demonstrate on and off the mat.
Traveling to seminars
You are always welcome to travel to seminars hosted by other Birankai dojos but, again, please speak with Sensei beforehand. The schedule for these events can be found on our website in La Conexión or on the Birankai website.
Sensei travels several times during the year to teach, and anyone is welcome to join him. He plans far in advance for these and if you are interested you should contact him as soon as possible and make arrangements early. There are three ways of traveling with Sensei: (1) you pay your own way, (2) you apply for a scholarship from the dojo to help pay for travel expenses and/or seminar fees, (3) you apply to travel with a scholarship as otomo to Sensei. A further explanation of scholarships and the otomo position are below.
It should go without saying, but no matter how you travel it is expected that you will do your part to help out before, during, and after the event. This is the spirit of our dojo. Everyone participates in the daily cleaning and upkeep of the dojo as a part of their training. This is how we hone our awareness and practice selflessness. It is not limited to cleaning the mats! There are countless ways to practice while lightening the load for others: running errands, serving during meals, carrying luggage, etc.
Scholarships
When Sensei was coming up in aikido, serious students traveled with their teacher whenever possible. They saved their money and spent it on aikido before anything else. There was very little in the way of fundraising or scholarships in the aikido community in America. At Brooklyn Aikikai, Sensei is changing that. After becoming a non-profit organization in 2008, one of the purposes of our fundraising activities (once we had paid off the immense debts incurred in purchasing and renovating our dojo building) was to build the dojo’s capacity to support students who wished to travel to seminars. It should be noted that the dojo is a business with many financial obligations and the budget for scholarships is necessarily limited.
If you are interested in traveling to a seminar (with Sensei or not), and do not have the funds to pay for the travel expenses and/or the seminar fees yourself, you may apply for a scholarship. It should be understood that anyone applying is someone who is taking their training seriously: coming regularly to train (at least three days per week, but likely more), maintaining regular communication with Sensei about their training, and are 4th kyu or above.
Please reach out to Kate if you are interested in applying for a scholarship.
Otomo
The position of otomo is a special one in a traditional martial arts practice. It can be translated as “attendant.” The otomo’s first and foremost responsibility is to take ukemi for Sensei when he is teaching. However, it goes far beyond just hard practice on the mat. An otomo who travels with Sensei experiences a deeper level of training through the practice of service. An otomo develops their awareness, sensitivity, and responsiveness through their attempts to anticipate their teacher’s needs at every moment: pouring the water, carrying the bags, hailing the taxi, washing the gi, checking into the hotel, putting the incense on the kamiza, having the weapons ready, making the reservation for lunch, and on and on. It is a demanding and rewarding practice.
Anyone may express interest in this role, but Sensei will choose someone based on their ability to take ukemi, their proven commitment to the dojo above and beyond the minimum weekly class schedule, their attention to detail, and their willingness to push themselves. It is a deep challenge and always exhausting (if done correctly). The otomo’s travel and training fees will be paid for by the dojo. Please speak with Sensei if you are interested in this role. Again, one must be 4th kyu or above, however there have been exceptions to this if a student demonstrates significant time commitment to the dojo and their practice.
If you have questions on any of the above, please feel free to reach out to Sensei or myself.
Warmly,
Kate