I decided to start in Iaido after developing experience with meditation practice over the past 4-5 years. While that practice has been, and continues to be a regular and important part of my day, one thing I'd noticed as time went on was that there was a growing distinction in mindset and mindfulness between the times when I was meditating and when I was not.
What my intention was, then, was to find some activity to help bring parts of meditative practice into waking practice. Some friends of mine mentioned both Tai Chi and Iaido as activities to look into. I'd taken a semester of kendo in college as an elective, so I'd heard of Iaido before. As it happened, one of the first dojo that turned up on my search was Multnomah Aikikai, so I arranged a visit and came away deciding to continue on with Iaido there. I started with a single weekly practice, but now attend the dojo twice weekly and also practice at home.
There are some things of note about Iaido at Multnomah Aikikai that have made the experience one that I wanted to continue.
First, the support and encouragement from the other students has left me feeling almost spoiled after every practice. Whether it's conversations about forms, equipment, or just a laugh about goings on during the week, the members of the dojo are very approachable and supportive of each other.
Second, there is no discernible competitiveness or push for rank. Students progress at a rate they are comfortable with while also being mindful of both learning new forms and refining simple forms that they may have practiced hundreds of times over.
Third, I've appreciated learning the diverse motivations that everyone in the dojo has for practicing Iaido. Some focus on the meditative aspects, some on body movement, some on an appreciation for Japanese culture and artistry, and still others want to widen the scope of their martial arts practice. This allows me to learn more than just the kata, but also delve into other aspects of Iaido that I hadn't considered before (ask me about traditional indigo hakama dye sometime!).
I've really enjoyed my time learning Iaido at Multnomah Aikikai and look forward to practice at the dojo and at home. I'm very glad I took that first step in getting in touch and arranging for a visit and afterwords joining the dojo for regular practice. It's really exceeded the experience I was hoping for and I'm very glad to be a member!
Rob Forkner
Rob Forkner, iaido student at Multnomah Aikikai since December 2022