A New Center for Mindfulness Training is Rising!
Happy Beginnings on the Lunar Year of the Pig!
This year marks the 20th year of the rebirth of the Boulder dojo of Rocky Mountain Ki Society. Less than a handful of faces remain of the original crew, but the spirit and teachings of Mind Body Aikido are still as relevant today (if not more) as they were in 1999.
Koichi Kashiwaya Sensei originally founded our parent martial arts organization, Rocky Mountain Ki Society (RMKS) in 1977, in Boulder, Colorado. The Denver and Boulder dojos merged into one new dojo in 1997, in Westminster, Colorado (which now serves as the official Headquarters of RMKS). With the encouragement and approval of both his teachers—Kashiwaya- and Russell Smith-Sensei—in 1999, Abel Villacorta Sensei formed Boulder Ki Aikido.
Over the last two decades, instructors at Boulder Ki Aikido have touched the lives of more than a thousand students, inculcating them with the teachings of Mind Body Unified Aikido, as expressed by Soshu Koichi Tohei Sensei.
Today, the tradition of disseminating the principles, interpersonal relationship practice, and graceful movements of Shin Shin Toitsu Aikido continues and is growing steadily in Boulder.
Birth of the One Dojo: A Center for Mindfulness Training
Since those early days in 1999, when the Boulder dojo was given new life by subleasing from Karate America, we have been visualizing a multi-disciplinary, mindfulness training space where people practice a variety of arts centered around oneness, connection, and community—a much needed respite from our fast-paced, busy world.
The One Dojo space at 3005 Sterling Circle is the start of that mindful, multi-disciplinary community center.
The One Dojo is intended for people who share the vision of practicing oneness, interpersonal connection, healing, and mindfulness. The relational, conflict resolution-based art of Mind-Body-Unified Aikido is at the heart of this offering, with its Self-defense techniques, ki breathing, ki meditation, ki testing, as well as taigi and weapons practice.
Our new home will allow the benefits of the meditative, interpersonal relationship practice we are leading at Boulder Ki Aikido to potentially resonate and attract a larger group of people—people who are seeing the separation and selfishness in the world, who want a new light, a new direction.
Mindfulness Training Encapsulated in the One Dojo Logo
The name One Dojo bears a deep meaning. It centers on the concept that everything we offer will seek to create oneness—to realize we are all one. It also aims to be one home where many modalities can gather around one concept, rather than having separate places to practice meditation, mindfulness training, movement arts, and martial arts of self defense.
The One Dojo logo is comprised of an enso circle and a single vertical stroke. Adapted from Zen Buddhism, a philosophy which imbues Mind Body Aikido with its core principles, the enso expresses a moment when mind and body are one and free to create. It serves to represent “the circle of life and the connectedness of existence” and holds the space for Self-expression—the single vertical stroke. Additionally, the O also has a western meaning—it is the first letter of the word ONE. The celestial blue color was chosen for its relation to spiritual aspirations and the pursuit of inner peace. Thus, the totality of the logo represents a community space where practitioners can feel safe to nurture their universal spirit.
The One Dojo is Seeking to Expand
The recently expanded One Dojo community is seeking great teachers and responsible subtenants to share our space, leading classes, workshops, events, seminars, photoshoots and other opportunities.
We envision modalities such as:
- Iaido, Japanese Jujutsu, Judo, Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu,
- Yoga, Partner, Acro-yoga
- Meditation, or Mindful Movement
- Sistema, Capoeira, Wing Chung, Kung Fu, Tai Chi, Chin Na, Qi Gong
- Contact Improv, Performance Art
- Circling, Psoas Embodiment, Bioenergetics, Spine Spiraling, and Body Ball Massage or similar;
- PiYo, Tabata, Mat Pilates, Barre or similar, high intensity interval training
- Kirtans
The One Dojo is currently available for all types of classes, workshops, events, seminars, parties, rehearsals, and performances. For more information, please see our Boulder Studio Rental page.