Spotlight - Frank Silvey

I first heard of Aikido from Mel Stewart. He was a black belt at the San Francisco Aikikai. We met through mutual friends and he kept talking about Aikido. I decided to go to a class one evening to see what it was all about.

My initial attraction to Aikido was the energy in the room. The dojo was located South of Market in San Francisco. Is was a very dark night in a rough part of town. When I finally found the entrance to the building and the stairway to the dojo I was glad to be in the light. It seemed, though, that the room became brighter as the training progressed!

I began my training in 1972 at the San Francisco Aikikai shortly after seeing my first class. My instructors were Mel Stewart and Takashi Kajiwara. I remember Ken Kubo and Mr.Ting. The strongest influences in my development have been Robert Nadeau Shihan and Jack Wada sensei. I have been training at Aikido of San Jose with Wada sensei since 1981. Occasionally I get the opportunity to train with Nadeau Shihan. This is a great "reality check".

There has been an Aikido class at Apple Computer, Inc. for so long that no one remembers when it started. I took over the class from Lou Bermingham sensei of Aikido of Los Gatos in 1990. The class size has varied greatly with the various "downsizings" that have occurred. The class is now about 15 people, and that will vary depending on the workloads of people in various departments. The great thing is, they keep coming back to study when they can and many of them have been to City Aikido, Aikido West and San Jose dojo. Most of them mention the calmness the training has brought to their lives.

My most Memorable Aikido Experience
My most memorable Aikido experience is still going on! Over the years my understanding has gone from mind to mind/body. I see the transitions in myself as technique becomes more fluid. The need to "do" the technique becomes less important and the ability to let the technique flow through me becomes the study in the moment and that moment is gone. Memorable times are watching those sensei who inspire
me create the magic. Each moment is new, the first time.

	Featured Dojo-cho, April 2006

Frank Silvey, 3rd Dan Apl.Ai, Cupertino, California Division 3
I first heard of Aikido from Mel Stewart. He was a black belt at the San Francisco Aikikai. We met through mutual friends and he kept talking about Aikido. I decided to go to a class one evening to see what it was all about. My initial attraction to Aikido was the energy in the room. The dojo was located South of Market in San Francisco. Is was a very dark night in a rough part of town. When I finally found the entrance to the building and the stairway to the dojo I was glad to be in the light. It seemed, though, that the room became brighter as the training progressed! I began my training in 1972 at the San Francisco Aikikai shortly after seeing my first class. My instructors were Mel Stewart and Takashi Kajiwara. I remember Ken Kubo and Mr.Ting. The strongest influences in my development have been Robert Nadeau Shihan and Jack Wada sensei. I have been training at Aikido of San Jose with Wada sensei since 1981. Occasionally I get the opportunity to train with Nadeau Shihan. This is a great "reality check". There has been an Aikido class at Apple Computer, Inc. for so long that no one remembers when it started. I took over the class from Lou Bermingham sensei of Aikido of Los Gatos in 1990. The class size has varied greatly with the various "downsizings" that have occurred. The class is now about 15 people, and that will vary depending on the workloads of people in various departments. The great thing is, they keep coming back to study when they can and many of them have been to City Aikido, Aikido West and San Jose dojo. Most of them mention the calmness the training has brought to their lives. My most Memorable Aikido Experience My most memorable Aikido experience is still going on! Over the years my understanding has gone from mind to mind/body. I see the transitions in myself as technique becomes more fluid. The need to "do" the technique becomes less important and the ability to let the technique flow through me becomes the study in the moment and that moment is gone. Memorable times are watching those sensei who inspire me create the magic. Each moment is new, the first time.