This was Linden Sensei's second international seminar held in Rodgau, Germany. Aikidoka from various parts of Germany, Istanbul/Turkey and Orlando (Curtis) came to this event. With a maximum of 22 people at a time on the mat we enjoyed optimal training conditions.

Over three days, we had altogether six classes. From relaxed, flowing movements to hard tanto-dori and Aikido against boxing attacs Sensei treates us with a very wide range of training styles and intensities. Throughout all this, Sensei concentrated on Center, Nexus, Break Points, Triangulation, Technique, Timing, Ki, and Strategy, eight principles that Sensei sees at the very core of the way towards mastership in Aikido. This was the first seminar where he introduced this integrated approach to the public. With this approach, Sensei wants to make it easier for Western Aikidoka to understand Aikido, conciously avoiding Japanese terms where possible. He sees the excessive use of Japanese terms and mystic phrases as a, if not the, highest hurdle for developing Aikidoka (Shodan and up) trying to master Aikido. He has developed a way to get around/over these hurdles and still get the message across, in effect a de-mystification that enables a much faster process of learning and understanding Aikidos principles. Technical "styles" or details don't mean anything. Like Saotome Sensei says so often: „(Technical) Style is just a security blanket for unsecure people, like the cuddly bear for little kids. Aikido has no style. I take your security blanket away!“ Linden Sensei will release his teaching system to the public very soon in his book "On Mastering Aikido".

The program around the classes also made the trip to Rodgau worthwile. The music sessions every evening are a tradition by themselves. This time we had two guitars, a bazooka and a mandolin playing. Linden Sensei and Andrew Wilby Sensei were great together, this time partly accompanied Curtis (guitar and vocals) and Ergün (from Istanbul) doing "table percussions".

After the seminar had ended Sensei, Curtis and Olaf went on a four-day trip through Bavaria, Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, The Elsace, and the Black Forest (a tour that proved how close they all live together in Europe). A trip pushing all senses to their limits for the two visitors from Orlando!