January 3, 2015
I just completed my test for sixth kyu level in aikido. This is the very first test you take as a new student. We did testing during our dojo’s New Year celebration. We marked the event (the new year, not my test! 🙂 ) by performing 1,000 swings of our wooden swords. I found the exercise interesting and really painful. I’m barely able to hold my hands up to type this! To avoid having this difficulty next year, I’m thinking of practicing the cuts once a week. I also think there is something to learn in doing a motion that seems so simple on the outside, but may have depths to explore.
It was a pretty big day for several folks in our little school. Senior student Jason got his USAF teaching license, Brenda got her 3rd Dan, and Eric passed his 1st kyu test.