Seventeenth Annual Fall Mountain Camp
Sponsored by Arizona Aikido
With Hiroshi Ikeda Shihan
September 7-10, 2000
Contributed by Zita Worley*

This year marked the seventeenth anniversary of Fall Camp at Prescott, Arizona. Set among the pristine pine forest of the Emmanuel Pines Camp, this camp featured the instruction of Hiroshi Ikeda Sensei as well as the perfect opportunity for private retreat in the surrounding woodlands.

Camp began on Thursday evening, September 7th with practice from 7-8:30, after which the arriving aikidoka settled in for the night at the Pine Lodge. Friday and Saturday practices ran from 10:30 to 12:00 and 3:00 to 5:00 and a single practice session from 10:30 to 12:00 on Sunday drew the camp to a close. Instruction from Ikeda Sensei featured numerous koshinage arts and iriminage with emphasis on connection and timing. As practice progressed over the weekend, the emphasis turned toward performing an art with a variety of approaches rather than becoming locked into one way of moving. Visiting aikidoka also had the opportunity to see three dan tests. Congratulations to Rob, Sharon, and Tom for their accomplishments. Following the tests, Ikeda Sensei took time to remind us all that aikidoka must "be" their rank at all times and not just "achieve" their rank.

As always, students of all ranks were welcomed to attend and special sessions were scheduled for beginner and advanced weapons work. Beginning weapons work focused on basic bokken strikes under the instruction of Ralph Pfleger sensei. More advanced students worked on paired kumitachi exercises presented by Tom Haines sensei.

The camp also featured morning meditation sessions as well as a banquet at St. Michael's Hotel in downtown Prescott on Friday evening. On Saturday evening the products and crafts of some of the visiting artistic students were put on sale along with featured items by Bu Jin Design. In between practice sessions, students enjoyed the wonderful meals and warm greetings of the Emmanuel Pines staff, wandered the local Prescott shops, and hiked the winding trails through the surrounding national forest. All in all, camp at Prescott was the perfect opportunity for an active and restful retreat.