Origami crane folding Jan. 7 - Fold a Crane for the New Year!

  Fold a crane for the new year!

Origami crane folding activity 

for adults and children at 
Aikido Multnomah Aikikai.

Paper and instructions provided.

Hosted by Suzane Sensei. 

Wednesday January 7th, 2015

4:45pm- 6:30pm

FREE!

Resolve to intensify your practice! Winter Training begins January!

January 2015  Winter Training

Pick up a schedule at the dojo!

image of January training schedule

Winter training is a time to intensify your practice. Focus on your ukemi, build stamina and improve your conditioning. We'll serve up plenty of opportunities with ushiro waza, weapons & body arts training and a special ukemi weekend January 16-18.

View all the special events scheduled this month on
  Upcoming Dates

Bookmark it to your home screen: http://tinyurl.com/aikidodates

Introduction to Sword Handling: Feb 4-25

artist: Daniel Fruelund

Introduction to Sword Handling

Wednesdays, 7:30pm

February 4-25, 2015

Series of four sessions 

Open to the public, no experience required. 

Fee: $60

Basic sword handling skills will be introduced based on the Japanese art of Iaido. Partner exercises may include Aikido weapons forms. The series of four classes build on each other. For this reason, commitment to the series is advised.

This class runs concurrent with our regular Iaido class and is taught by Suzane Van Amburgh Sensei. 

Participants may use wooden bokken for this introduction to Japanese sword handling.  If you do not have your own equipment, the dojo has a limited number of bokken available for use during class.  

Please preregister by February 2. 

Contact us through the inquiry form on this site or send email to multnomahprojects@gmail.com

Multnomah Aikikai, 6415 SW Macadam Ave, Portland OR 97239

Holiday Schedule, Class cancellations, Upcoming Dates

Here is a summary of important Upcoming Dates at the dojo in December and January. Blue font indicates a hyperlink to more information.  

Members, please bookmark these links on your smart-phone and check frequently: Dojo News and http://tinyurl.com/aikidodates.

Holiday class cancellations and schedule: 

Adult classes are cancelled Dec 24-28. 

Class will be held on Monday Dec 29 and Tue Dec 30.

Classes are cancelled Wed. Dec 31 and Thursday Jan 1.

Winter weather note: 

Class cancellations due to inclement weather will be posted on Upcoming Dates: 

http://tinyurl.com/aikidodates.

Summary of upcoming public events:

Fold a Crane for the New Year! Jan. 7, Wed. 4:45- 6pm, FREE

Aikido Appetizer, Saturday January 31, 2015, FREE

Aikido First Course: Tue/Sat, Feb 3 - Mar 14. $90

Center Yourself Tuesdays: 5:30pm- 6:00 pm Tuesdays. $10

The Lines of Engagement, Second Saturdays, noon, $10

Introduction to Sword Handling: 7:30pm Wednesdays Feb. 4-25

Quick reference to upcoming dojo events in Jan-Feb 2015. 

Events displayed in bold italics are open to the public.

Check for updates to this schedule on: http://tinyurl.com/aikidodates.

2015 Jan 4, Sunday in Forest Grove: 

A special event at Aikido Forest Grove. Hosted by Dave Dewberry Sensei. Save the date! Details TBA.

2015 Jan 6, First Tuesday: Advanced class 7:30pm

2015 Jan. 7, Wed. 4:45- 6pm:  Fold a Crane for the New Year! 

Origami folding activity for adults and children. Paper and instructions provided. Suzane Sensei will be available to help you!

2015 Tuesdays in January, 5:30-6:00pm (starts Jan 6): Jo staff basics. This series is a great introduction if you are new to jo work! For members familiar with jo, this is a chance to center yourself before the 6:15pm class and warm up your hips.

2015 Jan. 10, Second Saturdays at noon, Lines of Engagement.

2015 Jan 16-18, Ukemi Weekend:  What do you want to improve?  Principles of ukemi will be taught and applied to a variety of situations; body arts and weapons. Schedule details TBA.

2015 Jan 31, Sat. 10am: Aikido Appetizer, a FREE Introduction to Aikido. Open to the public. Spread the word! Invite your friends and family. All are welcome. Members please mark the date and plan to attend.

2015 Jan 31, Sat noon: Girls self-defense program, details TBA

2015 Feb 3 - Mar 14: Aikido “First Course” beginners series.

2015 Feb 3, First Tuesday, Advanced class at 7:30pm

2015 Feb 4- 25, 7:30pm, Introduction to Japanese Sword Handling: Wed evening series of 4 sessions. Free to members. Open to the public for a fee of  $60.

2015 aikido seminars 

Go to: Dojo News Seminar info page

Walk like a Samurai! Intro to Sword Handling

artist: Daniel Fruelund

Walk like a Samurai!

Introduction to Sword Handling

Wednesdays, 7:30pm
February 4-25, 2015
(Four sessions)

Multnomah Aikikai members participate free.
Series open to the public: $60



Make your body like a blade!

Use your te-gatana.

Enter and cut!

In your Aikido practice, embody the principle of the sword.


The sword is ever present in Aikido practice. Yet, how many of us have familiarity with using a sword?  Basic sword handling will enliven your Aikido practice. This series is open to all members for no additional charge. Know someone interested in sword?  The public is welcome for a fee. The series of four classes build on each other. For this reason, commitment to the series is advised.

Participants may use wooden bokken for this introduction.  If you do not have your own equipment, the dojo has a limited number of bokken available for use during class.  Please preregister by January 31.

This class runs concurrent with our regular Iaido class, led by Van Amburgh Sensei. Basic sword handling skills will be introduced based on the Japanese art of Iaido. Partner exercises may include Aikido weapons forms.

Multnomah Aikikai, 6415 SW Macadam Ave, Portland OR 97239

Learn the basics of Bokken (wooden sword) Tuesdays in December

Bokken Basics: Tuesdays in December

 In this Center Yourself Tuesday series for December, we will study the fundamentals of sword work using the wooden bokken while practicing an eight part kata. No falling is required in this class. Footwork patterns include pivoting, sliding and stepping forward and backward. If you do not have your own bokken you may borrow one from the school during class time.  Come practice! Center yourself with the wooden sword, balance and breath.

During this class we will:
•    Raise the sword in line with the spine
•    Execute sword motions relative to the center line of the body
•    Move our upper body so it’s supported by the motion of the lower body
•    Develop footwork that supports movements of the sword

By practicing these skills we will :

• make good use of the ground so that gravity becomes a friendly force

• enable our bones to transmit power cleanly so that our muscles can relax 

• engage the left hand so that it knows what the right hand is doing 

• educate the left and right half’s of our bodies to coordinate around a central axis 

• allow our ribs to expand and contract in sync with the rise and fall of the sword and breath 

• allow our eyes to settle and align with our intention 

•  improve our balance so that dynamic stability is realized

“Being centered” and “moving from center” will shift from abstract concepts to tangible experiences.

Your instructor: Suzane Van Amburgh
This class is open to the public for a $10 drop in fee. Free to Regular and Community Members of Multnomah Aikikai.
Tuesdays in December: 5:30-6:00pm

Find your Space to Move® at Multnomah Aikikai: 6415 SW Macadam Ave, Portland OR 97239

Second Saturdays at the dojo: Nov 8, Dec13

Second Saturdays Oct. 11, Nov. 8, Dec. 13;  noon- 1pm

Contact us to be informed of class schedule changes and additions

 The Lines of Engagement

Center, Engage, Connect

Come and play Saturday at the dojo in a safe, light-hearted atmosphere of lively, sensory learning. Based on the movements of Aikido, explore the lines of engagement:

• Investigate the moment when you encounter your partner.
• Sense your center.
• Experiment with where and when you make initial contact.
• Discover how you change the angle of encounter.
• Sense your balance.
• Follow the trajectory of your partner’s motion.
• Notice when you naturally take a step to restore balance.

No experience required. You do not have to fall down if you don’t want to.

This class is taught by Suzane Van Amburgh, GCFP and shidoin aikido instructor

Free to Multnomah Aikikai Members (Regular and Community members).  Open to the public for drop in fee of $10.

Send us a quick email to let us know if you’d like to attend. Use the inquiry form on this website or send a msg to: spacetomoveinfo (at) gmail.com

Location:  Aikido Multnomah Aikikai, 6415 SW Macadam Ave, Portland OR 97239 

503-246-8120 | dojo@multnomahaikikai.com