Community is defined as an interacting population of various kinds of individuals in a common location, but that sentiment does not fully capture the depth of its meaning.

There have been times and places in my life where I felt the distinct essence of community, but I never felt fully encompassed by it until I started training at the dojoPlace of the way; a place for strengthening and refinement body, mind and spirit; training hall.

When I started training my body through the practice of yoga, I focused more on myself and body awareness, but was never faced with the challenge of awareness of others. At the yoga studio there was a communal understanding that the class was meant as a personal decompression period. This was followed by minimal small talk, but more often than not simply leaving quietly. After a time I felt like the commute and costs were outweighing the benefits. I had a spiritual itch that yoga could not scratch even with both feet behind my head. After making this realization I knew it was time to move on.

AikidoThe word "Aikido" is made up of three japanese characters: ai - harmony, ki - spirit, mind, or universal energy, do - the way. Thus Aikido is "the way of harmony with universal energy." infused me with a wild energy and enthusiastically inquisitive disposition to learn everything I could about the art. I felt as though I had finally been invited into the intricate inner workings of the community I had so long been searching for without realizing it.

We, as a class, form our community, and the bond is an intensely sacred one. We respect and admire each other for the diversity each individual weaves into our lives, and we feed on the energy that radiates almost as an entity itself.

I am both proud and infinitely grateful to partake in the perpetual learning and growing process of such and exceptional group of people. These people are my chosen family. I come to class each night looking forward to what I will learn on the mat and be able to integrate it into all aspects of my life. This family also extends to Aikidoists around the world, connecting person to person, without saying a word. A transforming community rotating in and out, spiraling into itself and changing with each new generation.

We are growing ever closer as a family and in doing so we gain strength and integrity, which allows us to better serve each other and ourselves. We form ties that last a lifetime to be kept in the form of memories, anecdotes, and scars. We provide each other with the love and support to persevere through the inevitably turning tides of life. I have felt this most pure form of compassion in my time of need and I can only hope to relay it to my chosen kin.