09/26/2025
JUST 2 WEEKS AWAY!
Benefit Seminar for Mary Heiny Sensei - October 10-12, 2025
Mary Heiny Sensei has been coming to Brattleboro for over 25 years and gracing us with her vast knowledge and wonderful skill. This year, health issues are preventing her from traveling so far. However, we are still planning to gather and keep the energy going. The proceeds of this seminar will be sent to Mary to help her with her current challenges. Three outstanding teachers have agreed to co-teach the weekend - and they are all dear friends of Mary:
Aimée Bel 5th Dan, Zenshinkan Dojo, Worcester, MA
Cyd Curtis 4th Dan, Aikido of Northern Virginia, Arlington, VA
Ola Karasik 5th Dan, Shindai Dojo, Orlando, FL
This promises to be an amazing seminar!
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Schedule
Fri. October 10 6pm - 8pm
Sat. October 11 10:00am – Noon
Sat. October 11 2:30pm - 4:30pm
Sun. October 12 10:00am – Noon
Saturday evening gathering at 6:00pm for potluck and socializing.
Cost
Full Weekend is $140 or $40/Class
Advanced payment is encouraged to reserve a space.
Some scholarship discounts may be available upon request.
The Dojo will be open for people to stay overnight - please bring bedding. There are shower and laundry facilities.
Contact [email protected].
THE FIVE WAYS AIKIDO NURTURES HUMAN LIFE
While training with Hikitsuchi Sensei in Shingu in 1973 he told me that Osensei used to talk about how Aikido nurtured or developed human life. He then said 5 words, KI-IKU, CHI-IKU, TAI-IKU, TOKU-IKU, JOSHIKI. He said these were the five areas Aikido practice developed. O'Sensei thought that Aikido nurtured each person in the areas of understanding KI, increasing our knowledge and wisdom through study and experience, strengthening and purifying our bodies, increasing our understanding of ethical behavior and social sensibilities. The practice of Aikido would help us in all these areas if we practiced sincerely, with the intent to help others.
I was moved by this teaching and have thought about it and studied it through my own practice of study and teaching. You can see this in action in your own dojo if you watch the development of beginners as they advance in their training. With helpful guidance all of us could develop in profound ways, as I believe, O'Sensei wished.
Mary Heiny Sensei
