International Day for Eliminating Violence Against Women and Girls

Hello Valkyries!

Just coming in for a little landing to let you know about a new development, tell you a quick story, and encourage you and your dojo to mark the International Day for Eliminating Violence Against Women and Girls on Tuesday Nov. 25.

My home dojo, Clearwater Aikikai, is currently undergoing some organizational restructuring; we are now a dojo that is run by a non-profit society with four Valkyries (including myself) sitting on its board. As part of this restructuring, we finally have a website for the dojo. And I would like to designate a section of this website as the Home of the Valkyries.

For now, I’ve only had time to upload the last email that I shared with all of you. But in the future, I would like to continue to tell the Valkyrie story through this page. If you have any accomplishments, notices, or musings that you would like to share, please feel free to send them to us; I can’t promise timeliness. But I will try to spread the word!

Because—spreading the word remains important. Sharing the bad moments makes them easier, and sharing the good moments is just—empowering.

I recently had a Valkyrie from another dojo reach out to me after she had had “the worst aikido class of my life”. What she described was very much a “been there, cried a bit” situation for me. 

“It’s just in moments like that, it feels like 4 years of practice means nothing when the guy is bigger, and they’re all bigger.”

Oh, little cricket, I recognize that particular frustration. Your practice is not for nothing. Elbows in, not up! You’ve got all of us in your corner.

Stronger together, remember?

Which brings me to a Call to Action that recently came across my dojo’s Facebook Feed.

I know that this can be a very triggering topic for some of us. And dealing with it, in its entirety, is something I feel very unequipped for. But, yes, I do believe in the “aikido principles of peace, respect, and resilience.” Quite strongly.

And stronger together, remember?

So, I’ve decided to open our regular evening class on Tuesday to anyone who wants to come by in support of the Day and to learn a bit about what those aikido principles of non-violence are. That I can do.

And so here’s my big ask: what can you do to mark the International Day for Eliminating Violence Against Women and Girls?

That’s all for now, Valkyries. Happy Flying!

With love from your Instigator,

Myrna