A Year of Gyodokan

A Year of Gyodokan

A reflection, written by Ivan Melo, September 2024 As we return to training after our short summer break, with great memories and sharpened skills from the Aikido of London summer camp, we can’t help but to also remember it’s been a year since Gyodokan opened its...
Aikido Styles

Aikido Styles

Written by Ivan Melo In the world of Aikido, it has become extremely popular to talk about styles. The most common one, is considering a political entity or institution a “style”. “They are Aikikai”, “he is from Iwama”, “she does Tomiki” and so on. Also often...
Hai, Sensei!

Hai, Sensei!

Article by Ivan Melo “The Japanese way of teaching and learning anything, whether it is art or making sushi or practicing Zen, is a lot of watching, eventual doing, being super confused and yet not asking questions, having someone inevitably correct you, and then...
Kenshō- Seeing One’s True Nature

Kenshō- Seeing One’s True Nature

Pictured: “Kenshō” Shodo piece by Ivan Melo on Gyodokan Kamiza. About our new dojo calligraphy piece​. by Ivan Melo (18.04.2024) This week our dojo got a new calligraphy piece for the kamiza, the altar to which we face at the beginning and ending of every...
Bag of Rocks

Bag of Rocks

Picture above: “wa” or “harmony”. Shodo piece by Ivan Melo. About Aikido training, harmony, and transformation. by Ivan Melo (31.03.2024) The art we have chosen to learn, is or has the potential to be a multilayered and multidimensional...
From Tanabe to Ealing

From Tanabe to Ealing

The cultural and historical context of Aikido and Gyodokan’s lineage. Originally posted 31.03.2024 Created in Japan by Morihei Ueshiba, one of the highest exponents of martial arts, Aikido is a deeply Japanese art. It sounds obvious, but to appreciate what that...