Randori with bees

I have many fond memories of aikido, some very humorous.

An incident came to mind just the other night as I was lying in bed and I thought I’d share it with you.

Many years ago in the old "Hell" dojo, we were all training with Sensei Emmerson, our Kancho at the time.  

It was a weekend course and a sticky hot day!

The atmosphere was intense and silent as everyone was training their shugyo in ringing wet gi's. We were stood in stance as Sensei walked around observing. All was proceeding well until the sound of a buzzing noise broke the silence.

To everyone’s horror a giant bumblebee had popped in to see what was going on in the dojo! It was HUGE.

All of a sudden everyone went ape! Stances crumbled and we all took cover from this creature that took great delight in sending black belts running without so much as laying a sting on them!! Sensei was shouting at us "its only a bee, stand still!" But we couldn’t, I remember hiding behind one of the lady Dan grades, who in turn hid behind another black belt, it was chaos.

The little creature eventually got tired and quietly left us all through the same window he entered.

Amazing how nature has a way of reminding us not to take our training too seriously!!