Aikido Center of Los Angeles

06/11/2026

Today’s goal: “I never lose. I either win or I learn.” -Nelson Mandela

06/01/2026

Every day there will be something that stands in our way.

Weirdly, the easiest obstacle is a human opponent.

The harder opponents to deal with are the ones with no human form like taxes, homework, or just no energy or motivation to go to the dojo.

Regardless of the obstacle, we still have to be a martial artist about it.

What that means is that in everything we do, we never give into our feelings or emotions.

Those feelings bring for emotions like fear, temptation, or boredom.

The best martial artist sees past the “story” that our minds are telling us when they tell us to give up, give in, or quit.

- “Kodo, Ancient Ways” by Rev. Kensho Furuya

05/30/2026

This is my office for the weekend teaching at Aiki Kai o Kona’s annual seminar.

05/26/2026

You can learn everything you need to know about a student by how they do Aikido.

- Furuya Sensei

05/26/2026

The May digital edition of the Aiki Dojo Newsletter is now available!

It is almost summer time! In this issue of the Aiki Dojo Newsletter, Ito Sensei discusses dedication vs discipline, Almaraz Sensei explains control vs destruction, Watanabe Shihan briefly explains footwork and Furuya Sensei why we shouldn't be for sale.

On the cover of the newsletter is a woodblock print by Hiroshige. The iris is the flower of May. The iris plant or shoubu (菖蒲) is a popular motif in Japanese art. The word for iris is shoubu but when the same word is written with different kanji it can mean victory (勝負) or militarism or martial spirit (尚武). The Japanese like this kind of play on words called goro awase. With one plant it looks like a few swords standing up, but with many rows of plants it looks like an army staging before a big battle hence this idea of militarism. Another nice symbolism is that the flower or true inner beauty only comes out once the leaves have grown tall which gives us this idea that growth and experience can bring out one's true inner beauty

Read it here in Englishhttps://static1.squarespace.com/static/5744da899f7266e1f35c57f4/t/6a14c062a4610d707c3587bf/1779744866421/ACLA+Newsletter+sMay+2026+PDF.pdf

Read it here in Spanishhttps://static1.squarespace.com/static/5744da899f7266e1f35c57f4/t/6a14befc89ca9d51ebe913a1/1779744508124/ACLA+Newsletter+Mayo+Español+2026.pdf

You can also read every newsletter dating back to 1985 here: https://aikidocenterla.com/newsletter

# Aikidomexico #合気道 #居合道

05/20/2026

Today’s goal: Get out of your head and get back into your body - it is the only thing which you can know is real.

05/20/2026

In this episode, Edgar Johansson Sensei and Ito Sensei discuss what it means to study budo and how budo today is going the way of bullshido.

The Aiki Dojo Podcast - Edgar Johansson Sensei and Budo vs. Bullshi...

05/19/2026

Today’s goal: Whatever happens today, don’t stop breathing!

05/17/2026

Another successful Little Tokyo Sparkle!✨

Furuya Sensei originally posted this to his blog on June 22, 2004:

One tiny action may spread just like dropping a single drop of water in a big pond where the tiny waves and vibrations will travel throughout the entire pond.

Can you imagine if there are many drops of water, like the rain coming down, and how those vibrations and tiny waves will cross each other and intermingle with each other in infinite and subtle ways?

There is no way to comprehend such a complex pattern.

It is the same with human action and thought even as we live and breathe.

In everything we do, we must exert this mindfulness and wisdom.

Please refine this in your Aikido practice.

05/16/2026

People have been asking about our travel podcast set up for The Aiki Dojo Podcast. Everything goes in that hard case except the gymbal.