History of the Dojo

Milton Keynes Aikikai is the spiritual successor of Sunrise Dojo, after the chief instructor had to close and step back from teaching due to various reasons. After the four years I spent training and teaching at Sunrise, I felt it a natural progression to continue to provide a space for people to dedicate themselves to transformation through sincere training through aikido.

After 15 years practicing aikido in multiple dojos, and time spent as uchi deshi (live-in student) to Ryugan.R.Savoca sensei and Patricia Hendricks sensei, I have learnt much about how a dojo is run. And I will strive to ensure that this dojo is open to all, and full of dedicated students, after all to ensure that a dojo continues to exist, it takes everyone invested in it to work, to maintain and grow it. A traditional dojo really does need a community behind it to thrive.

Traditionally the dojo itself has a name, I have chosen 見性館  Kenshō Kan, meaning place to see one’s true nature. Kenshō is a buddhist phrase, mostly associated with Rinzai Zen. Ken means "seeing," shō means "nature" or "essence": usually translated as "seeing one's (true) nature". So it can be interpreted as the beginning of one's journey towards enlightenment.

Kenshō is an initial insight or awakening, not full Buddhahood. It is to be followed by further training to deepen this insight, and learn to express it in daily life.

I hope that if nothing else, Milton Keynes Aikikai remains to be a sanctuary for individuals to see their true nature and work towards it.

As I will continue to work towards providing Milton Keynes' first fulltime traditional dojo, open every day of the week. So that as many individuals as possible can improve themselves, and their lives through aikido.