This is a good time to remind everyone to put forth your best effort in all that you do. Remember that whatever you do on a consistent basis is what you are going to do when it counts. I’d like you to change the phrase “practice makes perfect” to “practice makes permanent”. This phrase can be applied to everything you do from sports, music, handwriting, to how you treat others, or what kind of friend you are.

Think about consistency as you begin this new year and resolve to put forth your best effort all the time. Make the most of your time with whatever it is you’re doing (Aikido, music, sports, homework, etc.) and you’ll make progress because you are focused and determined.

I hope 2012 is a wonderful year for you and if you give your best effort you can be assured that it really will be!

Teresa Mastison Sensei

Some things to remember:

• If you don’t go after what you want, you’ll never have it.
• If you don’t ask, the answer is always no.
• If you don’t step forward, you’ll always be in the same place.

Happy New Year!

Teresa Mastison Sensei

During this holiday season look for ways you can help others. You can help by doing something nice or helpful; being extra courteous by letting others go first or ahead of you; sharing what you have with others or letting someone have something of yours; buying a gift for a charity drive; giving food to a food bank. The list is endless. Be creative. Brainstorm with your family to come up with some unique ways to help others this holiday season. When we help others we often times realize just how fortunate and blessed we are ourselves.

I wish you each a very special time with family and friends this holiday season. I’ll see you in 2012 for another great year of training!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Teresa Mastison Sensei

Aikido training is really just conditioning your body and mind to react to various stimuli. If you do anything long enough it becomes a habit. When you train you’re teaching yourself how to move, blend and redirect energy. The importance of good, solid kihon (basic) technique and aiki taiso (exercises you do by yourself) becomes obvious when the speed of attack increases or during a randori (multiple attackers at the same time). When you don’t have time to think you rely on your body to react instinctively and that’s when you find out how solid your fundamental motions are.

Patience is paramount in Aikido training. You just can’t create lifelong habits quickly. Even after studying for years you’ll find a new connection or make a discovery that is new to you. Your training has so many layers of understanding and levels of proficiency it really is a lifelong journey. Just when you think you have a technique down and understand it something happens that makes it ineffective and you have to “go back to the basics” in order to figure it out.

I bring these ideas up to encourage you to practice the aiki taiso you are familiar with during our break. You can also use the Student Manual as a reference for the ones with which you’re not as familiar. You can also walk through techniques focusing on your motions and extending ki throughout your body. It is this kind of training that helps you create habits that will help your learning. Give yourself the advantage of knowing how to move by practicing the aiki taiso or reviewing techniques done in class even if it’s only in your mind.

It’s been another wonderful year for Aikido of Phoenix and I thank you all for your hard work and dedication. Count your blessings this holiday seasons and know that I count each of you among my mine. I look forward to training with you in 2012 and hope you all have a safe and happy holiday!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Teresa Mastison Sensei

During this time of thanksgiving count your blessings and be willing to share with others, even if it’s just a smile or a friendly conversation. Sometimes people lack more than food. A friendly gesture can go a long way in making someone feel special or at least noticed. If you’re able then maybe you can buy a little extra at the grocery store and then give it to a food bank or shelter, but it doesn’t have to be food when you think of helping others. Look for ways you can be kind or helpful. Go out of your way to be a friend or to smile at someone.

Be like the pebble that gets dropped in the pond, the ripples continue going out from the center for a long time. Your kindness and extension of good energy may make someone’s day and that is something for which to be truly grateful.

Teresa Mastison Sensei

We have several opportunities to further the feeling of camaraderie within Aikido of Phoenix coming up. During November and then in January we have several high ranking tests happening and you are all welcome to attend any and all of them. In fact, I highly encourage you to make an effort to watch others test whenever possible. Watching fellow students test not only shows your support but you can also learn a great deal. If you’ve tested before you can appreciate the effort and hard work that goes into preparing for it. You can also get in some extra “practice” by watching the techniques being executed. Your mind doesn’t know the difference between what’s really happening and what’s happening in your mind so take advantage of the opportunity to learn by watching others. Watching other students test is not reserved just for high ranking tests. You can learn from watching any test.

The students who will be testing soon for brown belt or above are:

• Amanda Redington-Nikyu (1st brown) at the S. Chandler dojo on Sat., Nov. 12. Class begins at 10am.
• Daniel Horn-Nidan (2nd degree black) at the Chandler dojo on Wed., Nov. 30. Class begins at 7pm.
• Clement Singarajah-Nikyu (1st brown) at the Chandler dojo in Jan. after he’s healed from an injury.

I am inviting every Aikido of Phoenix student (this includes kids as well) to attend these tests. These students have worked hard to get where they are. It’s a great show of support and helps to develop our sense of community when we come together to watch each other make progress.

Another opportunity for us to gather together as a dojo will be on Sat., Nov. 19 for the Shodo Workshop. Come join us as we learn the art of Japanese calligraphy with Yuko Halada Sensei. She teaches Shodo as a “martial arts with a brush”. Come experience how she incorporates ki into the calligraphy. This will really help expand your martial arts horizons and understanding.

Finally, we end the year with our Christmas party and awards ceremony which is meant to bring all three of our dojos together to honor each other as well as to socialize and have some fun. This year it will be on Wed., Dec. 21 from 6-8pm at the Chandler dojo. You’ll find complete details later on in the newsletter. Sign up sheets will be at each dojo and I hope to see you all there. It’s always a fun and relaxing time to visit with each other and our families.

I hope you take advantage of all the opportunities available to gather with students from each of our dojos. I know our schedules don’t always allow for you to visit one of the other dojos, but hopefully you’ll be able to attend some of the events that have been planned. When you go outside your usual realm of comfort you can really grow and you might just make some friends along the way.

From my family to yours, thank you for being a part of Aikido of Phoenix. Without you all we wouldn’t exist. Thank you for your support over the years and I look forward to many years ahead. May you have a blessed Thanksgiving.

Teresa Mastison Sensei