Aikido is my life!

Returning to physical practice at the time of retirement requires adequate activity and favourable circumstances. In Aikido, we are mainly fighting ourselves; we are learning to overcome our limitations, to unite our body and spirit through techniques and motions, and thus, more importantly, we are improving our nature and relationship with all living creatures.

After I met a young instructor in France who helped me, thanks to her patience and conviction, to return to the dojo after twenty years, I had the unique opportunity to meet the family of the Aikido Aikikai Association, Nepal (AAAN) dojo of Arjun Shrestha Sensei (who has various martial art knowledge) in Kathmandu, a city where I had been spending

Most of my professional life and is still an important part of my private life. In the AAAN dojo, every training is special, not only of the utmost quality but also an overall memorable event. In addition to incredible senior and junior advanced practitioners, I also met gifted teenagers who, every time, gave encouragement and inspiration. During each training, we experience a unique environment where all can progress, even those not particularly talented like me who thought such achievements had become impossible.

Fellow foreigners, whether working in Nepal or coming for a visit, a jungle adventure, a trek, or Buddhist studies, are definitely invited to join us in the dojo. In AAAN, not only are we training, but we are actually living the deep spirit of Aikido, designed by its founder, after the dramas of history, as the gift of peace to the world from the Japanese tradition of Budo. At every training, it turns out that we are not only stepping on the tatami, but we are also learning to overcome our fears. We slowly change, and then, suddenly, we realise that we are now able to start new endeavours or face many other challenges in life.

Finally, I would like to thank Arjun sensei for his guidance and the AAAN family for their kind cooperation.

Frédéric,

France

August 2023