International Women's Day 2024

On this International Women's Day, the BCAF board wishes to acknowledge and honour all women aikidoists who come back to practice after an absence.

There are many reasons why one stops practicing:  changing place of residence or work, changes in health, loss of support network, pregnancy and childcare, injuries (on or off the mats), pandemics....  Most of these apply to men as well as women, but as this is IWD, we're specifically honouring women. We sometimes have unique challenges.

As many of us know, once you've stopped practice, life fills up with a different pattern of movement. It's sometimes easier to forget how important being on the mats used to be, and that it has left a space that little else fills. 

Sometimes forgetting is not possible.  If you're one of those who has never lost sight of your practice; if you know that you've been practicing off the mats as much as you would have if you could've been on the mats, if you have manipulated and moved the pattern of your life so that you can now practice again, then this tribute is for you.

Okaerinasai - Welcome Home.

      - Barb Wolfe, BCAF president