March 26th, 2020 re pandemic

March 26th, 2020

Updates from Northcoast Aikido

It's been a week since the equinox and the official start to Spring here in Humboldt County. And while the weather has continued to be lovely, the dojo remains closed for training at this time due to the ongoing precautions taken in response to COVID-19. The Board of Directors will continue meeting remotely and in conversation with Chief Instructor Tom Read Sensei, and will continue to monitor the situation as it unfolds. Please stay tuned for updates as they are available.

Given the uncertainty of the events taking place, the duration of the dojo closure as yet remains undetermined. Mindful of the power of community and continued training, Aikibojitsu classes will be resuming at an offsite location. This Saturday's class will be taking place (weather dependent) at Halvorsen Park, North of the Adorni Center and South of the Samoa Bridge, in Eureka. A link to a map can be found here. Robert Eckholdt Sensei will be leading class, starting at the usual time of 7am, concluding 9am. Per Department of Health Guidelines on Social Distancing, we ask that students keep at least 6 feet of space between each other at all times. Additionally, class size will be limited to 9 people. 

Additionally, the dojo will be offering limited classes online via Zoom, a free online video sharing service. The next class will be taking place tomorrow, Friday March 26th, at 6:00pm. In order to join classes, you will need to install the app on your computer or tablet (a link to that download can be found here). Once you have downloaded and installed Zoom, click here https://us04web.zoom.us/j/954530636 This should launch the app and take you to the scheduled meeting. If you are asked to enter the meeting ID, it is as follows: 954-530-636

As we will not be able to make physical contact, the class will include some stretching, warmups, group bokken and staff practice, and light movement practice. We hope to see you then! Additional classes will be offered as the instructors are available and the platform continues to make sense as a means to connect. 

Thank you for your continued support of Northcoast Aikido. We hope to emerge from these challenging times and continue in our own path along the way. 

March 20th, 2020 re pandemic

March 20th, 2020

For those of you looking for ways to continue your training while adhering to the Shelter In Place orders from the Governor I would recommend reviewing the recommended reading, books and blogs, on our Resources page. There are also several video clips of O’Sensei that can easily be found on YouTube, if you have not already seen them. To get you started one was posted on the dojo Facebook page. Now is also a great time to look into Aikibojitsu if you have not done so. You can access lost of information, and instructional videos are available, at aikibojitsu.com. Speaking from personal experience a stick is a great “partner” for solo training as it has no capability to “pull” a strike if you are in the way of the trajectory you set it on. So pick one short form, go out to the back yard, the beach, or an empty park. Start slow, it doesn’t hurt as much if the stick is moving slowly when you hit yourself with it, but you will be moving and training. :-)

Taking care of yourself and your community can also be considered training, so be sure to eat healthy, get plenty of sleep, and practice excellent hand hygiene.

Wishing you all good health, Allegra

March 15th, 2020 re pandemic

March 15th, 2020

Dear Dojo Community

We are writing to convey some very serious news, regarding our dojo and the developing COVID-19 pandemic that is affecting our families and communities.

After a substantive and careful discussion, the Board of Directors of Northcoast Aikido decided that all classes and activities at our dojo will be temporarily suspended, beginning Monday, March 16th and continuing at least through March 29th. We will continue to monitor the situation to determine if an additional suspension will be necessary.

We are taking this action with the goal of protecting the health of all members of the dojo community, family members, and the greater community to which we belong. This temporary suspension of classes brings us into alignment with the most recent guidelines of the California Department of Public Health, and the decisions of many local organizations to proactively cancel gatherings at this time. The goal of these radical actions is to reduce, and slow down, the transmission of the virus in our communities, so that our healthcare system will have the best chance of providing essential care for those who will need it, including the most vulnerable among us.

During this period of time, the dojo building will be closed and not available for any kind of training, including personal or individual practice. We hope that you will continue your own personal practice (Aikibojitsu, bokken) during this time and take this opportunity to train outside in nature (weather permitting). Continued exercise, time in Nature, and connection with the art we love is sure to help keep our immune systems and spirits strong during these challenging times.

We hope that those of you who can will continue to support the dojo through your monthly dues. This is the best way to ensure the survival of the dojo so we can resume normal operations as soon as possible. If you find yourself in financial or other difficulties, please let us know. Drawing on our years of Aikido training experience, we will work together to sustain our supportive dojo community, and keep our practice deep and meaningful.

Sincerely,

Jeremy Wheeler
President