AIKIDO, 32 eventful years
I started of with Aikido back in 1987 in the city of Braunschweig (Germany). The flowing movement was fascinating to me as it is still today.
In 1990 I joined for the first time a seminar with Shimizu Sensei. It was very amazing and exciting for me as I could see Shimizu Sensei in a Dojo. It looked very different to what I was used to. At that point in time it was christal clear for me that I had to start Tendoryu Aikido right away.
So back in Hamburg, where I lived at that point in time, I started in a Tendoryu Aikido Dojo until 1993. During this time I joint many seminars and if there was a chance of course the ones with Shimizu Sensei.
Than Axel and me moved to Berlin as we wanted to practise Aikido by Peter Nawrot. During this time I became pregnant, which caused me to pause train Aikido, while changing the point of view to a spectator. But this gave me different information about Aikido which were useful as you can focus on many details and interaction between the Aikidokas.
After 2 years in Berlin we went back to Hamburg as Axel started his first job and founded his first Aikido dojo/group. That was great form me as I could relaunch my Aikido training. Our son Jan got an own ‚castle‘ made up from gymnastic aparatus so that I could train while knowing what he is doing. That went pretty well until I went pregnant with our second child Patricia. After the birth I could train from time to time, but with two children it was pretty limited. Nevertheless Aikido was also during this time a part of my life, even mostly as spectator only.
Than after an intermezzo in Munich we moved to Starnberg and Axel opened his second Dojo. At that point in time Patricia and Jan were old enough so that I could start again with Aikido. From the first second onwards I felt very comfortable and I realised how much I missed Aikido. On top of this both children started with Aikido. It was funny to watch them ‚training‘ Aikido in the garden. So we approached them if they would like to start and they were excited to do so. Now we could all together join Aikido seminars.
For me family is a very important part of my life and Tendoryu Aikido was for me like a big family.
A very big highlight was to visit the Tendokan for two weeks back in 2009.
A lot of training; I missed only one session. In the Dojo I felt to be very welcome. All japanese Aikidoka were very friendly and helpful. The time passed by way to fast.
Of course I’d like to mention here as well the Herzogenhorn seminars. Since 11 years I’m now constantly joining them. To train on this mountain in the nowhere, spending a lot of time with nice people and to refresh the mind, that’s it.
Beside all this seminars I’d like to recall the time I could spent with family Shimizu while doing some trips. A boat trip on the lake of Starnberg, ‚Onzen‘ visit in Schwangau and some Wednesday afternoon in the surrounding of Herzogenhorn. All that is a part of my memories which make up my life.
I’d like to take the opportunity to say a big thank you to Shimizu Sensei for all the teachings and I hope this will remain for some more years!
I appreciate particulary that Shimizu Sensei took special care about the behaviour and manner oft he Tendoryu Aikidoka inside and outside the Dojo. For example that all Aikidokas deal together in a very respectful manner. That is not a given; it had to be hard won and require a continious effort to maintain it as I could recognise from time to time.
Of course I’d like to thank you as well Waka Sensei, Birgit and all the nice people I could get know during this long period of more than 30 years. I feel very grateful about this.
Aikido did and will continue to change and enrich my life.
Domo arigato gozaimasu
Anke Bergemann from Starnberg, 3.Dan Tendoryu Aikido since 1987
