I have been training at the Komyokan dojo in Birkenhead for the past seven years and my understanding and relationship to aikido has changed and developed over this time. Aikido is both a physical and a spiritual discipline and when I began training at Komyokan I saw these two aspects as somehow separated from one […]

Ever since I was a child, I have always struggled with a lack of confidence and self-esteem. I have also been plagued with anxiety; fear of what might or might not happen. In school I was bullied daily for being ‘different’ i.e. being quiet and being bright. It took me a long time to get […]

Aikido has many facets, one of which that it is very important is posture. In our daily lives we can see that our physical posture is often a reflection of our mental and emotional state. For example, if we are feeling down our physical posture will quite often reflect this; there may be a slight […]

O Sensei, the founder of Aikido, told us that we should practise every day.  In our modern and demanding world, this may well be an impossibility, as family and work demands bite into our time and energy. However, having made a choice to make some time for ourselves and to practise aikido, it is good […]

When one first begins Aikido practice it is most likely to see Ukemi as a basic means of self-protection, whilst in the process of practice. A person learns to roll, backwards and forwards, and to fall in other directions so that Tore (the thrower) can practice with you in a safe way. As time goes […]

Regular updates from Ezra Shihan to follow