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Ullana Twahn Senpai
15 years ago almost to the day I saw my first explosive expression of Aikido. It was produced from the man who was to become my Sensei. I remember he had an open approach to teaching and demonstration; "this is what I can teach you to do". Awesome ki (life energy) levels; "this is how I can teach you to be". And he carried an extraordinary burden, the desire to provide for others a means to what he had learnt by travelling the hard, hard do (way) of Iwama Ryu Aikido.

During that evening 15 years ago I remember feeling very excited; I had found a good teacher for my children. I was not so excited when my daughter declared that she wouldn’t join unless I did. For her sake I joined. For myself I assumed I’d never be able to do Aikido effectively, not with the body-related issues I had - with my spine being the way it was. I was only going to stay for 3 months, and then bow out and watch my children grow. As it turned out, I couldn’t seem to leave. Sensei said, "persist" to all of us, so I persisted. And there was always something new to learn, a deeper understanding or appreciation to focus on.

I inhabit a body that is often a painful temple to live in, so to find and touch upon the inner-grace that lies within all movement, this enraptured me. To discern the power that can lie within all shape, this intrigued me. To understand the intricacies of weaving two such shapes, attack and defence, to create a third dynamic with an accelerated and combined power far beyond the promise of its’ component parts, this held me spellbound. So pain or no pain, I trained and trained, enraptured, intrigued, spellbound. Well you know how beautiful Aikido is, or can be. And if you don’t, keep training!

I am and remain one of life’s truly fortunate people. I have been given the knowledge and understanding of persistence. I have learned how to wield this powerful tool to my advantage in the past, far beyond what I thought was my capacity, and will do so in my future. I believe that all opportunities granted us are life’s gifts. Gifts used well become tools. Tools enhance and create further opportunities. I was born with a congenital weakness in the lumbar region of my spine. This has formed and reformed circumstances in and throughout my life, and has provided me with challenges that would not have existed otherwise. This weakness has made me strong. Has forced me into an appreciation for the absolute beauty of life, in birth, in growth, in rebirth.

Given the excellence of my teacher, the purity and purposefulness of Aikido, and my ever-waking desire to be open and to learn, given all this, I know the gods have granted me gifts of abundance. I have attended several Misogi (purification through training - bush training camps), training Intensives, and International Seminars, all thanks to my Sensei. I have watched my Sensei stretch himself to develop the legacy left to him by his Sensei. And I have endeavoured to stretch myself to help him. But I have been on borrowed time with regards to Aikido training for many years - probably 15. My constitution and physical health has begun to wane during the past few years, and I find myself faced with a unique opportunity to harness those skills I have developed, and to positively reform my approach to things, especially my body.

I had been back at work after recovering from spinal surgery for just two days, when one of our Shodans remarked that I looked fit and well enough to be, well let’s just say that being out there on the mats doing Aikido was definitely implied. Not that he meant that I should be, just that I looked like I could be. This is because I have trained Aikido for a decade and a bit. It is because I have trained as hard as I could without breaking. Aikido has kept me alive and functioning at a level well above the physical capacity I would have had otherwise. And that fitness wraps itself around my weak constitution and the damage I was born with, and fortifies it.

What I have written is not my whole Aikido story, it would take more pages than we have room for here, but I hope it is enough that you may understand, and feel encouraged for your own sake. I have done very well through effort, and this is as it should be. My surgeon has instructed me not to return to training or teaching, and this presents me with new challenges, new vantage points, and new opportunities. As I watch you train, it makes me smile to think that many of you, right now, are being offered such gifts as I have been given. Train hard and learn.

Melbourne
March 2004



ULLANA TWAHN JOINED FIELD AIKIDO February 1989

ULLANA’S KYU GRADES & THE SPECIAL EVENTS SHE TRAINED.

AUTUMN INTENSIVE 15th & 16th April 1989 A 2-day training intensive.

5th Kyu GRADING 30th April 1989

MORNING TRAINING 6.30 am-7.25 am class, attended fortnightly during 1989-90 at the Kew Micro Dojo.

WINTER MISOGI 8th & 9th July 1989 A 2-weapons training camp - Howqua River

4th Kyu GRADING 18th October 1989

SPRING MISOGI 18th & 19th November 1989 A 2-weapons training camp - Howqua River

SUMMER INTENSIVE 13th & 14th January 1990 A 2-day training intensive.

AUTUMN MISOGI 24th & 25th March 1990 A 2-weapons training camp - Howqua River

3rd Kyu GRADING 1st May 1990

WINTER MISOGI 8th & 9th July 1990 A 2-weapons training camp – Shady Creek, Neerim East

SPRING INTENSIVE 6th & 7th October 1990 A 2-day training intensive.

2nd Kyu GRADING 7th October 1990

AUTUMN MISOGI 23rd & 24th March 1991 A 2-weapons training camp – Howqua River

WINTER MISOGI 24th & 25th August 1991 A 2-weapons training camp – Shady Creek, Neerim East

1st Kyu GRADING 10th November 1991

GRAND OPENING 29th August 1992 FITZROY DOJO GRAND OPENING

TEACHING EXPERIENCE.

Helped to establish Juniors classes with Sensei at Glendalough (St Kevins Junior School) Mid 1991--1992
Helped to establish Juniors classes with Sensei at East Melbourne (pre-Fitzroy Dojo) Mid 1991--1992

Teacher training for Senior classes during February and March 1993.
Taught all daytime classes at Fitzroy on the occasion of Sensei’s absence during the years 1993 onwards.
Taught evening classes on the occasion of Sensei’s absence during the period April 1993 until February 2003.

Taught daytime classes twice weekly on Wednesdays and Fridays from March 1997 to August 2000
Taught evening classes on Mondays at Fitzroy 1998 until February 2003
Taught evening classes on Mondays & Fridays at Fitzroy 2000 until February 2003

DAN RANKS
AIKI-KAI (Japan) TAIJUTSU RANKS
Aiki-Kai Shodan January 1993

IWAMA RYU (Japan) TAIJUTSU RANKS
Iwama Ryu Nidan October 1994
Iwama Ryu Sandan November 1998

IWAMA RYU (Australia) TAIJUTSU RANKS
Iwama Ryu Taijutsu Sandan November 1998

IWAMA RYU (Japan)) BUKI WAZA RANKS
Iwama Ryu Ken-Jo Shodan May 2001

IWAMA RYU (Australia) BUKI WAZA RANKS
Iwama Ryu Ken-Jo Nidan October 2003
Iwama Ryu Ken-Jo Sandan October 2003

INTERNATIONAL SEMINARS ULLANA TRAINED IN

Shonan Renmei International Friendship Aikido Camp 1st – 4th April 1994 Canberra - ACT
From Field Aikido - Michael Field Sensei attended this seminar with selected Dan ranks.

Shihan Tetsuro Nariyama (8th Dan) 18th & 19th July 1994 Melbourne, Australia
Tomiki Aikido (seminal training opportunity).
This training opportunity was attended by Michael Field Sensei and selected Dan & Kyu ranks from Field Aikido.

Morihiro Saito Sensei 14th – 17th April 1995 Sydney, Australia.

Saburo Takayasu Sensei 30th Sept – 1st October 1995 Melbourne, Australia.

Hitohiro Saito Sensei 8th – 10th June 1996 Melbourne, Australia.

Morihiro Saito Sensei 28th – 31st March 1997 Sydney, Australia.

Hitohiro Saito Sensei 6th – 8th June 1998 Melbourne, Australia.

Ulf Evenas Sensei June 1999 Melbourne, Australia.

Morihiro Saito Sensei 21st - 24th April 2000 Sydney, Australia.
Ulf Evenas Sensei (Joint Seminar)

Ulf Evenas Sensei 29th March – 1st April 2002 Melbourne, Australia.

INTERNATIONAL SEMINARS ULLANA ATTENDED BUT DID NOT TRAIN

Saburo Takayasu Sensei 4th – 5th November 2000 Melbourne, Australia.

Ulf Evenas Sensei 9th – 11th June 2001 Melbourne, Australia.

Saburo Takayasu Sensei December 2001 Melbourne, Australia.

Nemoto Sensei, Ulf Evenas Sensei, Saburo Takayasu Sensei, and Michael Field Sensei (Joint Seminar) Easter 2003 Melbourne, Australia


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