2025 Gratitude

Dear Friends,

It is always at this time of year, when I take stock of everything; the ups and downs, the gains and losses, the lessons, the triumphs. On a personal note, 2025 was a trying year. The one constant besides my awesome family and friends was my aikido practice and the precious dojo that I serve.

Going to class was nourishing to my spirit throughout, the elixir for my body and mind. I am grateful to have this art as my study and my tonic. But, it wasn’t until I attended the Friday evening of the Christmas seminar when I understood why. It was a special evening where I was privileged to witness the three instructors (Bobby, Kim and Jun-ya) sharing their considerable wisdom from a place in their hearts. It touched me. They were vulnerable, dynamic and creative. We trained hard and the mood elevated us. It was a holistic experience. I felt so happy and in awe of you all. This was the foundation that set the tone for the rest of the weekend of classes, black belt tests and our famous party!

I want to thank Peter, Penny, Harvey, Vu and Laura for adding to the festive atmosphere with their presence and their fantastic classes. My appreciation to the NYA instructors who taught and trained. We can’t do it without you. The black belt tests were a highlight of the weekend. We could see the hard work and effort that went into their execution. And thank you Steve Sensei, Kevin and Paul for giving so much of yourselves during test prep.

There are no shortcuts in aikido. Anything of value takes time and aikido is no different. The people who tested put the time in. Some plan their lives around their practice. Others come when they can. They train hard, not just for their next tests, but through the years. The essence of the art reveals itself to those who carry on in the day to day. Even the most gifted among us has to go through this process.

For those who haven’t been with us long to those who have been on the mat for forty or more years, my advice is, persist. Train hard. It fortifies your practice, it informs your teaching. It’s your journey. The more you train, the easier it is to embody it. And yet, aikido is here for you whenever you can get on the mat. And Steve’s smiling face will greet you with love. I promise you one thing, if you put your heart into it, you will reap the rewards.

This is what we peddle; flow, joy and connection. You can fly through the air or be pounded into the ground. All in good fun and all while practicing the principles that make the art such a profound tool for transcendence and growth.

With all that happened this year, the big win for us was our 60th Anniversary summer camp. It was not only a joining of Senseis from all over the world, culminating in the rare visit from Doshu, but it was also heartwarming to see how we came together as a dojo to pull off a week-long event, hosting 550 people. You all continue to step up big time. It was a big undertaking and to have it go on without incident was a miracle.

That leads me to the dojo itself. Running a school, owning a building, managing all the moving parts, things do falter. As the issues arise, Steve and the Board work hard to fix them. Please join me in thanking Steve Sensei for holding down the fort, for his love of the school, for his energetic classes. I would also like to thank the members of the Board: Jun-ya Nakatsugawa (VP), Mieke Vandersall (Treasurer), Michael Parrella (Secretary), Kevin Kanesaka, Jennifer Henis and Michael Holben for their dedication and generosity. A special thank you to Joan Ellis for her work on the Finance Committee and everywhere else. We are so lucky to have her. Thank you to my husband, Javier Dominguez, the chronicler extraordinaire with his camera in tow. To Jay Tall, thanks for all you do and to Hal Lehrman for your work with the real estate brokers. It’s a lot and it takes a village.

As ever, there are many more people to thank. However, the biggest thank you is saved for you. To all the NYA instructors who devote themselves to us, whether there is one person in class or fifty. To the students, we are the main ingredients in this big soup. We love training together, teaching each other. We hope you know that we are always seeking ways to enhance your aikido experience. Speaking of which, there will be exciting news in the new year. Stay tuned!

And finally, thank you for all your patience around the renovation. Talk about ups and downs, we have had our share of challenges. Currently, we are waiting on Con Edison, so we can provide heat for the entire building. Not to mention that we hope to have the ground floor rented soon, so we can finish what we started.

There will be plenty in 2026. At the end of the day, I hope we find each other on the tatami. Let’s train and polish our stones together. As Rene says in his video, “Not being here is not an option. It’s for life.”

It could only happen here! Happy New Year!

Sharon Dominguez
President