Basic Rolling and Falling Aikido Workshop

Just a quick reminder that Castle Rock AIKIDO will be hosting a Basic Rolling and Falling (or UKEMI) Workshop this Saturday, June 6th, 2009 from 1pm-3pm.

Due to the large number of new, beginner-level Aikido students that have joined Castle Rock AIKIDO in recent months, we thought it would be valuable to have a special class dedicated specifically to mastering the basics to falling and rolling.

All students are welcome to attend. However, it is strongly encouraged that any students training for less than six months make every effort to attend this FREE workshop.

Basic rolling and falling is a critical first step in one's Aikido training and mastering such early dramatically accelerates one's skills and greatly reduces the likelihood of injuries.

Some advanced falling, called breakfalls, will be demonstrated at the end of the workshop by more advanced students.

This workshop is FREE to all active or inactive Castle Rock AIKIDO students. The workshop is only $10 for students who train at other Aikido schools.

Regular Saturday morning classes at 10am and 11am will be held as scheduled with the Ukemi Workshop to follow.

Hope to see you all there! http://www.craikido.com/ Call 720-22-3665 for more details.

From Daily Stress to Daily Joy! Zen Meditation Classes

Monday evenings at Castle Rock AIKIDO in June! "Zen with Len"

These 30 minute, intensive Zen meditation classes are intended to succinctly cultivate a stronger sense of self-awareness and rejuvenate one's spirit for the week ahead.

Here's what you'll get in these short bursts of intense Zen practice:

• 10 min of sitting meditation (includes brief instruction)
• 10 min of the ancient movement meditation of Qi Gong
• 10 minutes of conscious mindfulness with discussion

Classes are led by "Kensho" Len Silverston. Len has been practicing, studying and applying various styles of meditation for 20 years, which has transformed his life. He is an authorized teacher of Zen through his instructor, Roshi Jun Po, a Zen master and lineage holder.
Len has co-taught and led spiritual group sessions at numerous Zen retreats sponsored by Hollow Bones.org, attended nearly twenty, week-long silent meditation retreats, and participated in dozens more multi-day workshops and retreats.

CLICK HERE for more information about these classes.

When: Monday evenings in June - 6/1 6/8 6/15 6/22 & 6/29 from 5:15pm -5:45pm at
Castle Rock AIKIDO

Cost: Classes are $5 each (cash only please)

Walk ins welcome. No appointment necessary.

Which is Stronger? A Speeding Bullet or a Samurai Sword?

I was flipping about the channels last weekend when I came across a very funny, and rather chovanistic, television show on Spike Network called Manswers! It is a show that pseudo-scientifically tries to answer questions that only guys would ever think of. An example of such questions include, "How many days can an average man survive on beer alone?" This ought to give you an idea of the intellectual capacity of the show's producers.

Nonetheless, they aired a segment called, "Which is stronger: a samurai sword or a speeding bullet?" The answer very much surprised me. It turns out the answer is: A Samurai Sword.

They carefully lined up a Colt .45 handgun to fire a bullet at 1,022 mph to strike the sharp edge of a traditional, Japanese samurai sword handcrafted by heating and folding its steel 33,000 times.

The sword was mounted in an upright vice so that the bullet would strike the blade of the sword perfectly. The result? When viewed in slow motion, it can be easily seen that the edge of the sword literally slices the lead-encased the bullet in half! Think about that next time your swinging around a katana blade!

Click here to watch the Spike video on the samurai sword vs. the bullet.

Japanese Flower Arranging Class: Ikebana

Event Details:

Japanese Flower Arranging Workshop - at Castle Rock AIKIDO (click here for directions)
Saturday, June 6th 2009
11am - 1pm

Cost $35, includes flowers and you may take the arrangement with you.

Pre-Register by Clicking Here. * Mother's Day Gift Idea - If this seems like fun, tell your family that this could be a great Mother's Day gift idea.

Castle Rock AIKIDO is honored and excited to host accomplished Ikebana instructors, Seiko Yoshikawa and Kyoko Kita for this hands-on beginner's Japanese flower arranging workshop. Mrs. Seiko Yoshikawa teaches in Colorado Springs and senior Ikebana instructor (called a "sensei" pronounced "sen-say"), Mrs. Kita, is well known throughout the Japan and United States Ikebana community.

This workshop comes at just the right time of year and is a great opportunity to learn a new, artful way of displaying your flowers all summer long.

Space is limited! Click Here to Pre-register today or call Castle Rock AIKIDO at 720-221-3665.

What is Ikebana?

Ikebana is the Japanese art of flower arranging. It is a three dimensional art form and the philosophy expressing the interrelationship between the self and the outer world.

Sogestsu Ikebana Class

There are many different styles of Japanese flower arranging. Sogetsu is a modern (since the 1920s) and innovative school of Ikebana that encourages imagination, individual creativity, and the idea that anyone can create ikebana anywhere, any time, with anything. Line, open space, focal point and asymmetry are key elements of Sogetsu design. After mastering many basic forms to learn technique and the design principles, Sogetsu Ikebana students progress to free style designs where the only limits are those of imagination.

Castle Rock AIKIDO, a Japanese martial art exclusively for adults, is committed to offering quality Japanese cultural events to the Denver metro area. In the past they've hosted a chef from Nagasaki, Japan who cooked a delicious tempura dinner at the school, Zen meditation seminars with an Renzai Zen Master, and a lecture on Japanese sake alcohol. To find out more about their award winning program, please visit http://www.craikido.com/

No Kids Allowed! New Angle for Martial Arts School

Castle Rock AIKIDO is a martial arts school unlike many others in that their program is reserved exclusively for adults. That's right! No Kids Allowed!

This martial arts school has identified a growing demographic of adults who are specifically looking for adult only martial arts programs. These people want to be able to completely and totally focus on themselves for just a few hours each week - a place where they can get away from the overwhelming responsibilities of work, home, and child raising for just a little while. Castle Rock AIKIDO provides just that.

At this school, adults have the opportunity to socialize exclusively with other adults, to de-stress, to physically reconnect with themselves, and get centered psychologically. In fact, it is not uncommon for parents and couples to train Aikido together where they can reconnect with each other, as adults, and step outside their non-stop roles of Mom and Dad. The philosophically non-violent martial art of Aikido also serves as a great new activity for recent empty-nesters or divorcees who may be struggling to some extent with their identity and newfound position in the world.

"We love kids," says Sean, the owner of this highly-specialized martial arts school, "but for our program, you must be over eighteen and we are quite strict about that policy. We have to be. For every child we might allow into the program, we would stand to lose several adults students who specifically train with us for our unique, adult-only atmosphere."

Since winning the 2007 "Best of Castle Rock" designation for martial arts by Castle Rock Magazine, Castle Rock AIKIDO has continued to grow, attracting students from as far north as Boulder and as far south as Fort Garland, Colorado, which is west of Pueblo. This came as quite a surprise to them. After investigating this interesting phenomenon, they quickly discovered why they had an affinity for attracting students willing to drive significant distances to come train in Castle Rock. "It isn't just because of the amazing quality of our Japan-trained instructors," boasts Sean. "We ask every single person who walks through our doors what made them select us when there are so many others closer to where they live? One particular answer kept coming up: they really liked the fact that we are for adults only."

It has become increasingly clear to Castle Rock AIKIDO that there exists a distinct impression that the martial arts industry has, in their words, been more or less "hijacked" by the day care industry. In many schools, it has become less about serious physical training and more about babysitting in flashy, colorful uniforms. In some respects, it has become a part-time, surrogate parenting program. Of course, these programs for children are fantastic and are very much needed today. However, this trend appears to have created a negative side effect: it has alienated those adults who take their continued personal growth in the martial arts more seriously and don't like seeing their passion for martial arts caricaturized and commercialized. Castle Rock AIKIDO is now serving the needs of this neglected, abandoned market.

"In my opinion," says an instructor at Castle Rock AIKIDO, "the martial arts industry has become so kid-focused that many adults are almost embarrassed to participate in martial arts programs beyond their youth. This is incredibly unfortunate considering the tremendous health, fitness, social, and, of course, self-defense benefits martial arts has to offer adults." Castle Rock AIKIDO is committed to changing this distorted perception.

Lots of martial arts programs claim to have adult classes. But according to Castle Rock AIKIDO, the actual definition of an "adult" is often very loose in some schools. For example, it's not uncommon for some schools to consider 14-year olds an "adult." But, the truth is that most 41-year olds don't like being in a martial arts class with 14-year olds. At Castle Rock AIKIDO, an adult class is an adult class. Period. Most of their students are between 25-55 years old and the oldest student they've had, so far, is now seventy. Aikido is one of the few martial arts that doesn't discriminate against its practitioners as they age.

"To our knowledge, we may be the only martial arts program exclusively for adults in Douglas County," says Hannon. "We are very proud of that distinction and that is what our students want - a kid-free zone."

You can visit their web site: http://www.craikido.com/ or call them at 720-221-3665 for more information and to receive a coupon for a FREE class.

Iaido - Samurai Sword Classes beginnning in April at Castle Rock AIKIDO!

After repeated requests, we are finally ready to start offering instruction in the Japanese art of sword drawing called Iaido. Iaido (pronounced 'ee'-'yai'-'doh') is the traditional Japanese art of drawing, cutting, and retracting the Japanese samurai sword or 'katana.' The word Iaido literally translates as "the way of mental presence and immediate reaction." Iaido is a distinct, non-combative form of martial arts intended to cultivate a practitioner's spirit. Like Aikido, Iaido is purely a defensive martial practice.

Iaido classes will be taught by sixth degree black belt, Hideki Iwakabe Sensei. Iwakabe Sensei was born in Japan and has trained in the martial arts from his early youth. Thus, he was raised with the true spirit of Bushido, the code of ethical conduct of the Samurai based on personal valor, honesty, integrity, and patience. Iwakabe Sensei holds black belts in Shotokan Karate, Kendo, Iaido, and Judo. In 1975, Iwakabe Sensei returned to Japan to study Iaido with 9th degree black belt, Master Danzaki Tomoaki Hanshi. Two years later, Iwakabe Sensei, began teaching Muso-Shinden-Ryu Iaido.

Beginning in April, Iaido classes will be held Thursday evenings from 7pm - 9pm. Castle Rock AIKIDO students will receive a substantial tuition discount for training Iaido. You do not have to be an Aikido student to participate in these classes. Iaido is a great martial art for adults of any age. For more information, please call us immediately at (720) 221-3665. Class size is very limited.

Bring Out the Zen!!! An Ancient, Eastern Philosophy for Solving Modern Day, Western Challenges

On Tuesday evening, March 10th, 2009 from 7pm – 9pm, a unique out of state visitor will be holding a free workshop in Castle Rock called Zen Philosophy for the Modern American!

Join American Zen Master Jun Po for a powerfully enlightening and wonderfully humorous evening right here in Castle Rock. Jun Po is a 66 year old American Zen Master, one of only about twenty in the United States. He has spent over thirty-five years studying, practicing, and teaching Zen Buddhism. He is also a successful survivor of stage IV throat cancer, which, no doubt, has contributed to his moving perspective on life.

Jun Po will be sharing with us how to cultivate happiness in our daily lives by learning how to transform our negative emotions and showing us how to discover a clear, open channel for awakening our minds, bodies, and spirits.

What is Zen? How is Zen philosophy relevant in our Western society of today? How can Zen philosophy be of any value to me in my life and with my family? How can Zen philosophy be of any value to me now in this tough economy? Questions like these will be addressed at this fun and free workshop. "There is a huge elephant in the room," says Jun Po.

"Anger and shame and the violence these ignorant, unconscious habitual reactions project externally and the waste of time and energy spent in depression and self-judgment internally are the cause of enormous suffering. In order to alleviate this suffering, we need deeper insight into and understanding of our minds and the real nature and intent of our emotions… Once we experience this truth and change our understanding, we can learn to transform our anger, shame or any painful emotional reaction into an expression of genuine concern and compassion."

Jun Po has created a new, non-religious form of his discipline called Mondo Zen. He will be introducing Castle Rock residents to this pure, bare bones, down to earth rendition of this ancient discipline and make it relevant and practical to a modern day American with powerfully wonderful stories and his side-splitting sense of humor.

The workshop is absolutely free. But optional donations in any amount of your choosing will be accepted after the workshop is complete. Don't miss out on this extraordinary opportunity to introduce yourself to or deepen your understanding of one of the world's most ancient, healing, and even provocative philosophies. You are very welcome to bring a friend or two with you.

Attendees who register online in advance will receive a free gift. Visit: www.CRaikido.com/junpo for details.

This free workshop will be held at Castle Rock AIKIDO, a martial arts program exclusively for adults, at 185 Caprice Ct. #5 in Castle Rock, CO 80109.

Take exit 182 off of I-25, and head West on Wolfensberger Road for 100 feet. Then turn North on Caprice Drive at the Old West Barbeque restaurant. Take Caprice Drive to the end and turn right on to Caprice Court. Castle Rock AIKIDO will be the building on your left hand side, unit number 5.

The workshop runs from 7pm to 9pm. Please arrive a few minutes early and feel free to bring a pillow or two for comfortable floor seating.

Call Castle Rock AIKIDO at 720-221-3665 for questions or if you get lost on the way.

Learn more about Mondo Zen at http://www.hollowbones.org/

Learn more about Castle Rock AIKIDO at http://www.craikido.com/