Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Year End, New Year Schedule

Hello fine people. Below is our end of the year schedule. This schedule includes home practices that are congruent with the focus we had at the traditional Dojo in Japan. The end of the Year, and beginning of the next was always done with ritual.

*** Today Monday is Train at your level day in all of the classes. 12noon and 7pm is the beginner’s seminar. (Regular class is still going on at this time too)

DEMO AND TESTING DAY (all levels)
****TUESDAY DECEMBER 22ND 12NOON, 5PM, AND 6PM


***LAST TRAINING OF THE YEAR WEDNESDAY December23rd WITH A SPECIAL CEREMONY AT THE END OF EACH CLASS
***12NOON Adult class
***5PM youth and family class
***6PM Adult class



Dojo rest December 24th-January 1st
I would like to give everyone 3 assignments:
1.This is the time to contemplate your victories and defeats for 2009
2. Please contemplate violent conflict resolution vs. peaceful conflict resolution
3. Boken cuts to focus on clarity, peace, and positive extension of energy


***New Year’s first class of the Year Saturday January 2nd 9:30am, Special Ceremony to follow.

***Youth and Family Class special beginning class on January 4th, special ceremony at the end of class!

Instructors can impart only a fraction of the teaching. It is through your own devoted practice that the mysteries of Aikido are brought to life. Morihei Ueshiba

Monday, December 14, 2009

Dec 09

Hello fine people. Can you believe that it is almost the end of 2009? That means it’s time for the 2010 New Years resolution planning to begin. Let’s set an intention to make 2010 the best year for YOU. Please use the new way in which we teach and share the curriculum so that you can move up systematically and enjoy the whole process. The Aikido we do on the ma,t is the Aikido we demonstrate on the demo and testing days. It’s easier than the past way of testing and it’s a whole lotta fun for every level. Please pick at least one of the demo and testing days and do your thing!

This week at the Dojo :

Wednesday: is train at your level day in all of the classes .

Wednesday: Black Belt seminar at 12noon, and 7pm( regular classes still on)

Saturday at 11am is the demo and testing make up day = we will practice and demo this month’s curriculum. You can earn a stripe, or even test for the next Kyu level especially if you can’t make the demo and testing at the end of the month. Demo, test, or practice! Open to Adult, Youth and Family class members.



DEMO AND TESTING SCHEDULE FOR DECEMBER

Monday the 28th; 12 noon/ 5pm youth and family/ 7pm

Tuesday the 29th; 12 noon/ 5pm youth and family/ 6pm

Wednesday the 30th, 12 noon/ 5pm youth and family/ 7pm

It is important to me that everyone in the Dojo understands the system, so if you need help, please call to set up a time where I can go over everything you will need to succeed!

Also I have included a link to youtube with a video of December’s curriculum.

Keep gettin’ betta. Vince Sensei

Monday, December 7, 2009

Winter Wonderland of Awareness

Good morning fine people. Reno has become a winter wonderland! This is a great time to practice your AWARENESS. When you walk out your front door check how slippery it is before traveling off. If you are driving, check the conditions of the road and maintain control of your speed and braking in all situations. Just like when we learn a new technique, start slow and be aware. The Dojo is open for regular schedule today, and the rest of the week.
This week at the Dojo:

***Monday through Thursday: Jiyu waza practice at 8pm class. Our Black Belts will be running you through many freestyle practices.

***Tuesday is Train at Your Level Day in all of the classes. Youth and Family class at 5pm.

***Tuesday: Intermediate seminar for the Ranks of 4th and 3rd Kyus, Adult Students at 12noon and 6pm.

***Saturday: HUGE EVENT after regular class. Laughter Yoga workshop 11am till your belly hurts so much that you can’t take it anymore, or 12 noon. Laughter is the best medicine, and in this Holiday season many people get so stressed that they are unable to enjoy it. This seminar will teach you some techniques that will make you smile, laugh, and feel better! Open to all students, family members, all ages, anyone that you know that could benefit from this practice. The seminar will be taught by certified teacher Daria. $5 donantion appreciated.

**And if you don’t know what to get that special someone for the Holidays, how about an Aikido of Reno Gift Certicate? There are many options available.

**Aikido of Reno Sweatshirt , $30 for a beautiful hooded zippered baby, (just $30) please order before this Thursday.

Let’s have a safe, fantastic week practicing our AWARENESS. IT’S ALL PRACTICE.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Ho Ho Ho

Hello fine people. We have some wonderful things planned for December! We had the whole month written up in a newsletter format to send out to everyone except it just disintegrated before my eyes. We will send it out tomorrow. I am going to write out what is going on this week.

This week at the Dojo:

***Thursday is Train at your level day in all of the classes.

***Thursday is the advanced seminar for 2nd and 1st kyus at 12noon, and 7pm.

***Thursday, Parent’s meeting at 5pm, we are going to go over the curriculum and our new systems.

***Friday is movie night at the Dojo. It starts at 6pm till 9pm, Aikido Class/pizza/ movie/popcorn and a whole lotta fun. Adult students are welcome to attend also. $5 per student.

***Saturday is Sempai training after the regular class. We will film this month’s curriculum and discuss some higher level principles.

Aikido of RenoSweatshirt order: We are going to order sweatshirts and if you would like one or more, please let us know your size and sign up on the bulletin board sign up sheet.

Let’s have a fantastic week practicing the beautiful and dynamic art of Aikido, It’s a gift man! Sincerely, Vince Sensei

Monday, November 23, 2009

Big Bird Day is coming! Prepare

Hello Fine people. We had a fantastic seminar this past weekend. If you were unable to participate, don’t worry. We will be covering some of the material this week in class. I thought we were very lucky to have such a great teacher that is really focused on O’Sensei come and share some beautiful Aikido with us!

This week at the Dojo:

***Monday today: it is train at your level day, all day, in all of the classes. Black Belt seminar at 12 noon and 7pm. Still regular classes are going on at this time.

***Thursday the Dojo will be closed for Thanksgiving Day. Don’t eat too much! But if you do come into the Dojo and work it off.

**if we haven’t seen you for a little while, don’t worry, just come to the Dojo and enjoy your practice. It is the best way to get re-going.

Let’s have a great week! Vince Sensei

Monday, November 16, 2009

Conflict Resolution at the Native American Youth Leadership Conference 15 Nov 09

Aikido of Reno was invited to lead a Conflict Resolution seminar to a group of high school youth and teachers at the Native American Youth Leadership Conference at Circus Circus. Vince Sensei gave this youth group alternative ways to deal with conflict, anger and fear. Instead of using their fists or angry words, they could practice becoming calm through breathing, being aware of a defensible space around them and extending their open hands in a gesture of peace. Planting an alternative idea or response in these student's minds and having them physically experience how it works in a conflict situation was a meaningful exposure to a fundamental Aikido principle.
If any organization or business is interested in hosting a Conflict Resolution seminar, please contact the dojo at 337-8030.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Ninja Assassins

Hello fine people. Yesterday I was watching part of a football game and an ad for “Ninja Assasin”(new martial arts movie) came on. I noticed the amount of violence that was on this short little ad and realized that most people that watch TV are not really even aware of the amount of violence we are exposed to everyday. I am not saying that I haven’t watched martial art movies before, it’s just if you are being exposed to an over abundance of visual violence it’s probably not the best thing for your well being. Some things you can do to neutralize the visual violence effect; turn off your TV, go for a walk, or come to the Dojo and practice the dynamic art of non-violence called Aikido.

And check out this link to Saturday’s Sempai training on some of the stuff for this month:



This week at the Dojo

***Train atYour Level Day on Thursday

***Intermediate seminar for the ranks of 4th and 3rd KYUS at 12nooon and 7pm. Regular class still going on at this time.

November 20-22, Mary Heiny Sensei seminar. She is one of the American Aikido Icons that has direct experience with O’Sensei. Please take advantage to sign up early and guarantee your spot on the mat. This seminar is open to advanced students from the youth program also.

Stay positive and feel the power of blending with violence. Vince Sensei

Monday, November 2, 2009

Good Stuff

Hello fine people. The new system of moving upwards in Aikido isn’t fully understood by everyone yet. That’s OK. In Aikido we need patience and willpower to get to higher levels of practice. Just come to train and you will naturally get better. This month we have many chances to get better.

This week’s schedule:

***Wednesday is TRAIN AT YOUR LEVEL DAY in all of the classes .

***Wednesday at 12 noon, and 6pm is the asvanced seminar for the ranks of 2nd Kyu and 1st Kyu. (classes are open to all students at that time also)

***Saturday Sempai Training at 10:40 am. We are going to train this month’s curriculum at a high level.

This month’s schedule for Moving Upward Demos is as follows:
Youth and Family Class
Monday November 16th @ 5pm
Tuesday November 17th @ 5pm
Wednesday November 18th @ 5pm

Aikido Adult Program
Monday November 16th @ 7pm
Tuesday November 17th @ 6pm
Wednesday November 18th @ 12noon & 6pm

*****SIGN UPS FOR THE MARY HEINY SENSEI SEMINAR HAVE BEGUN, SIGN UP SOON, SHE IS VERY GOOD. November 20-22.*****sign up before 11/12 and save 25%

Let’s have a wonderful week of training! Vince Sensei

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Progressively get better

Hello fine people. In both the Youth Program and the Adult program I felt the new way of testing/demo-ing went well. There is another opportunity to Demo your stuff this Tuesday during any of the classes. All students are encouraged to attend. The structure is set up so that any student at any level will be able to demo in a way that is good for them. Please attend one of the Tuesday classes 12noon, 5 pm, or 6pm and you will understand by doing. Keep getting better, and enjoy the process!

This week at the Dojo:

ALL WEEK POSITIVE ENERGY IN ALL OF THE CLASSES.

***Tuesday is Train at your Level day, all Day. Adult class at 12 noon and 6pm. We will run through this month’s curriculum. Youth and Family Program at 5pm.

***Tuesday, Black Belt Seminar at 6pm. We will run through the curriculum with all levels of students, and I will clarify the things you need to keep getting better.

***Thursday; Self Defense and Halloween Party. 5pm till 5:45pm. Youth Program members please invite your friends and family. Sempai, and older youths please come to assist in running the class.

Let’s have a great week of classes! Vince Sensei

Monday, October 19, 2009

Positive Power

Hello fine people. The Dojo recently had a mini-seminar focused on the principles of Aikido applied to self defense. Some of the energy and practices were very negative and brutal. Please remember that Aikido mat practice is focused on the positive extension of energy and this is demonstrated in our everyday practice. Use the Dojo to develop into higher states of positive power for yourself, family, friends, and your world.

This week at the Dojo:

*** this whole week we will work on the curriculum at your level.

***Wednesday is Train at your Level day in all of the classes.

***Wednesday Adult Beginner’s Seminar at 12 noon, and 6pm.

***Thursday at 5pm Demos and Tests for the Youth and Family Program.

***Saturday: Demos and Testing at 10:40am

Let’s have a positive week of training! Vince Sensei

Monday, October 12, 2009

WOW!

Hello Fine People. The intention of our Dojo is to have a powerful place where we come together to grow with the Art of Aikido. There are two things I want to bring to everyone’s attention. The first is that with any discipline, there is discipline that is needed to break through the self imposed limitations that may be in the way of us moving upward.
The second thing that is important to address is that there is a flow, or gentler energy that we want to tap into also so that it isn’t a burden, and we naturally move up in a more relaxed and fun way.-------Well, to sum up my intention; be disciplined to come to class and flow with your schedule so that you are applying Aikido to life.


This week at the Dojo:

***Thursday: It is Train at Your Level Day in all of the classes!

***Thursday: Intermediate seminar for the ranks of 4th and 3rd Kyus at 12 noon, and 7 pm. All student levels are also training at these times also.

***Saturday: Women’s class at 11am till 12 noon .

Saturday: Special Seminar with Peyton Quinn. Title: Aikido Concepts for Real World Self- Defense. Peyton is a world renowned instructor in the field of Human behavioral Development and personal growth. He has taught this type of seminar all over the world and has influenced various groups, including: Hollywood actors, Educational Professionals, and various types of Police and Military professionals that use his training in real life situations.

*** The reason I have invited Peyton back to the Reno Dojo is that I wanted to provide another opportunity to our students to experience this seminar live. (this is a different seminar then the previous performed in Reno) We will be filming and completing a DVD from this seminar. I feel that when we understand how to deal with fear, and get past it, it provides you with the ability to go into the higher principles and practice of Aikido. It is $50 for the seminar, and you will receive Peyton’s previous self defense DVD series for free. Please invite anyone you feel could benefit from this unique event.

Let’s have a great week! Vince Sensei

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Winter is coming!

Hello fine people. This week the weather is changing for the colder. Before Winter begins we have a tradition of cleaning, and winterizing the Dojo. This is an important practice in Japan that we also use to keep the spirit of the Dojo fresh. On Saturday, any Dojo volunteer that would like to help is welcome to join us. We will wear regular clothes and do some boken cuts first, and then proceed to clean. It’s a lot of fun! After we are finished we will have a bar-b-q in the parking lot. This all happens Saturday from 9:30 am.

This week at the Dojo:

***Today, Monday: is train at your level day in all of the classes.

***Today, Monday: Parent’s Meeting at 5pm, we will cover the new curriculum and events for the month.

***Today, Monday: Advanced seminar for 1st and 2nd Kyus at 12 noon, and 7pm.

***Thursday: Advanced Jiyuwaza Seminar, and Weapons practice at 7pm

***Saturday: Dojo Boken cutting, purification, and Bar-B-Q, please sign up on the sheet on the bulletin board, and if someone has a 10ft A frame ladder, that would help a ton!

Near future stuff:

***Thursday the 29th is our Halloween Party for all of our Youth members! Bring a friend, and brush your teeth!

***October 17th, Reality Based Self defense Seminar with Peyton Quinn, times and details to follow.

Never say die, baby! Vince Sensei

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Test Results- 9/24/09

Name__________Youth/Adult_________Rank

Fumi Salvatore_____adult_________1st kyu
Greg McMurray____adult__________1st kyu
Lynn____________youth__________1st kyu
Andy Hanson______adult__________5th kyu
Sharon Parker_____adult__________5th kyu
Dan Bigelow_______adult__________5th kyu
Cecilia__________youth___________6th kyu
Corinne Yorks_____adult__________6th kyu
Rosemary Martin__adult___________6th kyu
Anton Shevchenko__adult_________6th kyu
David Board______adult___________6th kyu
Shawmin Yang____adult___________6th kyu
Dustin Thompson__adult___________6th kyu
Tim Grafton______adult___________6th kyu
Patrick Nolan_____adult___________6th kyu
Carlos S.________adult____________6th kyu
Presley_________youth___________9th kyu
Dalton_________youth___________10th kyu

Everyone did a fantastic job on testing! Keep up the good focus and training!

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

JSAN & American Lung Assoc. Demos






















On September 12 , several dojo members participated in an exciting demo during the Japanese Student Action Network's annual fundraising/cultural event at UNR. Sensei and his students, both youth and adults, wowed the crowd with the spirit, philosophy and dynamic movement of Aikido.


The very next day, Sensei and some more of his willing students went out to Damonte Ranch High School to help support the American Lung Association's annual Asthma Walk and awareness day. Everyone had a lot of fun showing the audience what a healthy practice Aikido can be.

Monday, September 21, 2009

Welcome Autumn!

Good morning fine people. Please extend your POSITIVE KI and feel how you can influence your world. Don’t let in the negative stuff, tv news, other people’s negativity, junk on the internet, and any other place where negativity can run wild if you are not aware. Remember it is always your choice to be influenced, or not be influenced by outside things and your personal KI. Enjoy your life .

This week at the Dojo:

***Wednesday is Train at your level day in all of the classes.

***Wednesday is the Beginner’s rally at 12 noon, and at 6pm for the ranks of no rank through 5th Kyu, Regular class is still on at those times also.

***Thursday is Testing and Demo Day. 5pm for the Youth and Family program, and 7pm for the Adult Aikido Program.

Let’s have a great week of training!! Vince Sensei

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Settle and Feel Positive

Hello fine people. This month we are talking about, and focusing on settling. Settling your mind and body to be positive and powerful in everything you do in life. When you are settled, it is difficult to be pulled into a negative direction. So breathe and settle so that you feel your power and train in a positive way.

This week at the Dojo:

***Tuesday, Today: Train at your level day in all of the classes!

***Tuesday, Today: Black Belt seminar at 12 noon, and 6pm. (regular class still on at the same time too)

***Saturday is Sempai Training from 10:40am. It is a important one in regards to curriculum improvements.

------Special Demonstrations will be on Saturday at UNR, and Sunday at Damonte Ranch High School, if you would like to participate please let me know at the Dojo.------

Let’s have a great week of training! Vince Sensei

Sunday, August 30, 2009

CAA Training in San Leandro






Here are some pictures from the CAA Training in San Leandro. One is of the entire Gang with Pat Hendricks Sensei. Plus everyone needs to congratulate Chad on his test. He did an amazing job!!

Monday, August 24, 2009

Testing Results- 8/19/2009

Name__________youth/adult__________Rank
Sheri ........................youth....................2nd kyu
Joe...........................youth....................6th kyu
Eva...........................youth....................8th kyu
Liberte......................youth.....................8th kyu
Kyra..........................youth....................9th kyu
Azelia........................youth...................10th kyu

Betsy Kreidberg..........adult......................1st kyu
Doug Heim.................adult......................1st kyu
Alex Salvatore............adult.....................2nd kyu
Mike Ashley...............adult......................4th kyu
Caleb Woolman..........adult......................5th kyu
Susan Cameron.........adult.......................5th kyu
Chad Brotherton........adult......................5th kyu
Sam Esquivel............adult.......................6th kyu

Dojo Awards Ceremonies

Aikido of Reno aikidoka recently enjoyed receiving special recognition awards from Vince Sensei. These awards included: completion of a six month deshi program during which the committed group created the dojo's new website and studied conflict resolution; honoring our fantastic uchideshi from years past; acknowleging sempai who teach a regular weekly class; and a tea ceremony where participants recieved their dan certificates. Congratulations to all of the recipients for their hard work and dedication to the dojo!








Friday, August 21, 2009

Interview with Greg Olson Sensei


Greg Olson Sensei from Big Sky Aikido in Bozeman, Montana taught a seminar at Aikido of Reno August 8 and 9, 2009. He took a few minutes to answer some questions at the conclusion of the seminar.

Already a third degree black belt in judo, Olson Sensei switched to aikido after observing it for just one hour. When asked what it was about aikido that affected him so strongly, he said, “It was a demonstration by Kisshomaru Ueshiba, specifically his iriminage technique.” The underlying philosophies of judo and aikido are similar, but they are manifested differently because of different constructs. From his judo perspective, Olson Sensei was drawn to the subtleties of aikido as demonstrated by Ueshiba. He was just watching as a guest from the back of the dojo, and decided in one hour to change the direction of his life. Before even beginning, he was already following one of the principles he said is important in aikido – being open to possibilities.

Olson Sensei commented that contact with a bully can help us to grow. When asked to elaborate,
he said, “When a bully enters our space or our environment, it allows us to examine ourselves and react appropriately under this kind of pressure.” We can learn that in aikido. The power of knowledge is like a sheathed sword, and when the bully sees it’s there, it protects us.
Olson Sensei also talked about similarities between aikido and ballroom dance. When questioned further, he responded, "They are similar in regard to rhythm, distance, and timing. Rhythm is the most important of the three, because it allows the unfolding technique to create harmony between two individuals, making it possible for them to come together. Mechanics are important for this to happen, but feeling controls mechanics. Although the qualities of dance movement are similar to aikido, there is a philosophical difference between the two. Dance is more cooperative. While aikido is not competitive, it is more so than dance. Also, generally speaking, dance is more constrictive in terms of partner choice, and aikido is more open that way."

Finally, when asked what one piece of advice he would like to share with aikido students,
Olson Sensei smiled and said, “Easy. Train with joy. If I couldn’t have that, I wouldn’t train.”

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Testing Results 8/8/09






Name_______________Rank

Robert Gomberg..................Shodan
Jonas Ellison......................Shodan
Will Fisher......................Shodan
Congratulations to Robert, Jonas and Will for training hard, exemplifying determination and demonstrating to the best of their abilities. Great job!

Monday, August 10, 2009

High Level Black Belt Testing Footage



A few enjoyable clips from the Black Belt tests of some of our higher ranked members. Reggie Reid Sandan. Randy Onitsuka Sandan. Tim Waldren Yondan.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Testing Results- Adults- 7/25/09



Name____________________Rank

Laura Butler.......................3rd kyu
Kobe Harkins......................3rd kyu
Mike Jacobs.......................3rd kyu

Den Go.............................5th kyu

Laura Patterson.................6th kyu
Sherrie Hald......................6th kyu
Mike Ryan.........................6th kyu
Patrick Ryan......................6th kyu
Andrew Hanson..................6th kyu

Testing Results- Youth Program- 7/23/09


Name_______________Rank

Jessica......................9th kyu
Scott........................9th kyu
Ellie..........................9th kyu

Presley....................10th kyu
Mason.....................10th kyu

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Conflict Resolution Seminar for Inter-Tribal Council


On July 21st and 23rd, Aikido of Reno participated in the Inter-Tribal Council of Nevada's Domestic Violence Prevention Project Conference held at Circus Circus Hotel and Casino. The theme of the conference was, "Prevent, Protect and Empower." Vince Sensei addressed the issue of conflict in relationships and suggested three approaches to peaceful resolution. These included the following techniques: breathing and being grounded and centered when experiencing emotions such as anger, fear or revenge; gesturing to set a physical boundary around oneself when approached too closely; and using a questioning, soft verbal approach in contentious situations.

The group in attendance brought up various examples of conflict in their lives, such as with family, road rage, or neighbor problems. They had the opportunity to try out the techniques for themselves in a way that helps to remember for future application. Many of the participants seemed to enjoy the physical process of becoming relaxed and centered, so hopefully they will infuse it into their daily lives.

If you have a group or business that would be interested in having this type of seminar, please contact our school at 337-8030.

Betsy and Shelley

Friday, July 24, 2009

Seminar and Black Belt Testing – August 8th & 9th

On August 8th and 9th, Greg Olson, Sensei of Big Sky Aikido in Bozeman, Montana, will lead a seminar at our dojo. Olson Sensei holds a fifth degree black belt in Aikido and a third degree black belt in judo. He has been practicing martial arts since 1964, and is currently an Assistant Professor of Physical Education at Montana State University. He has written extensively about the physiological aspects of Aikido techniques.

Two of our students recently had the pleasure of training at Big Sky Aikido, and they had high praise for Olson Sensei. Students will find his explanations and insights into various aspects of Aikido fascinating and fresh.

We will also have three students testing for their black belts, and a ceremony to present dan certificates and deshi program graduate certificates.

This seminar is open to all ranks. Look for the signup sheet on the bulletin board.

Saturday, July 11, 2009

New Soto-Deshi Program Sign-Ups Starting

The current Soto-Deshi program is coming to an end August 1st and Sign-Ups are beginning for the next Soto-Deshi program. The program lasts for 6 months and meets every Monday from 6pm-7pm. The program is open to everyone from Beginners to Black Belts. Come take a more active role in the Dojo. Come help work on some exciting new projects. In the program that is ending now we helped work on getting the new website up and running. Plus we had a role in organizing some fun future events. I highly recommend it for everyone to come participate in the program. A sign up sheet will be posted in the Dojo. If you have any questions please ask Sensei or one of the current Soto-Deshi members for more information. We hope to see you there!

Thursday, July 9, 2009

6/30/09 TESTING RESULTS

Youth/ Adult_______Name____________Rank
Youth................... Kai ......................... 5th Kyu
Youth.................. Anya ........................ 6th Kyu
Youth ................. Sennen .................... 9th Kyu


Adult ................... Kat Gallagher .......... 1st Kyu
Adult ................... Laura Klaich ............ 3rd Kyu
Adult ................... Robert Kucera ......... 5th Kyu
Adult ................... John Ferriera ........... 5th Kyu

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Name That Blog Contest!!

The new website is coming along very well but we need your help! The blog section of the website is going to become a magazine for the dojo and we need your help finding a name for it. The magazine will contain Articles, Stories, Tips, Interviews, News and other interesting things. But we need your help to name it. So we are going to have a name that blog contest. The winner will receive one of the brand new Dojo T-Shirts that are arriving soon. The contest is open to everyone. So take a deep breath, get centered and put on your thinking cap and come up with a catchy name for the new online Dojo Magazine!
Send all your ideas to renoaikido@hotmail.com . Just put Blog Contest in the subject line. Good Luck!!

Friday, July 3, 2009

Conflict Resolution for CFO’s at Montreux

On June 9th I attended a Conflict Resolution class presented by Vince Salvatore Sensei to a group of CFO’s from the Reno/Sparks area.
Some important questions were asked of the participants about their business practices, such as; What is your intention? How can you apply this intention to customer service? Are you approaching situations with win/win outcomes? Does your mission statement truly represent what your company is and does? Are all of your employees passionate about the mission statement?
A group of approximately twelve individuals pondered these questions for the next two hours. In addition, we physically experienced that being centered and breathing could create a calm approach to dealing with conflict. We also experienced the opposite of this by being tense, which did not present a positive intention and resulted in negative outcomes.
The main lesson I learned about conflict is as situations change, I will have to readjust my center or reidentify where the center is. This was a very worthwhile class.

Lonnie Klaich

Conflict Resolution at the Art Museum

On March 14th and 21st Vince Sensei, with the help of several students from Aikido of Reno, taught a conflict resolution class for front line service and security personnel at the Nevada Museum of Art.
In the first class Sensei taught techniques to help the employees of the museum to stay calm in stressful situations and to diffuse aggressiveness in conflict. Each participant experienced neutralizing conflict first-hand through the exercises and techniques Sensei offered in the one-hour class.
On the 21st, Sensei asked the museum employees what new insights they had noticed in the week after the first class. One student mentioned being more aware of her surroundings and of other people’s feelings. Another said her awareness and focus on breathing increased her feelings of being calm and centered.
In the 2nd class, participants learned about the cultural conditioning of many people’s dislike of being given orders, and some ways to get around that conditioning. Because most of the people in the class were security personnel, Sensei also taught some physical restraint techniques. From personal experience, I can tell you they learned these restraint techniques quite well in a short timeframe!
At the end of class I took a moment to talk to a couple of the participants. One gentleman told me the biggest thing he took away from the class was how the moment of first contact set the tone for an entire encounter. I asked the head of security for the museum how many times he has hosted Vince Sensei to teach conflict resolution at the museum. His reply was, "Multiple times." His emphatic response to my question if he would recommend this class to other businesses was, "Absolutely!” He went on to say he thought the class was, “completely appropriate to the museum’s situation". When asked what he felt the biggest thing his people took away from the classes was, he replied, "confidence". The experiential nature of the exercises allowed the students to swiftly and effectively internalize the lessons.
If you own a business and would like your employees trained to turn potentially customer-losing conflict into win-win situations, give Aikido of Reno a call and schedule a class today.

Jay Northrup