Dear Aikidoka and Senseis and Shihans,

My name is Kharla Kedgley (FieryHawk is a spiritual-religious name given to me
so I often use FieryHawk instead of Kharla to sign my emails off with!). I found
your group by searching for Aikido and specifically any groups for Australian
practitioners. Originally, I trained with Shihan Ken Maclean (who taught in
Sydney's CBD in the Angel Arcade for years, then at Bondi Junction, and also the
Paddington PCYC (sp?)) but I lived in the Blue Mountains and my father had
started Aikido with me, then his father died. He was grieving and didn't have
any heart left in him for much at the time, so he decided to stop traveling all
the way from the Blue Mts. to Bondi Junction to train. I enjoyed Aikido, even
though, coming from a background in (Shorin Ryu) Karate, I came away from my
first ever lesson/session, thinking, "I'll never get this/the hang of this!" -
something I'm sure many of you also experienced when you first went to a class
or were shown some Aikido. Mind you, when I began my first degree (BA) and had
started buying the books for my elected subjects (Archeology, Ancient History
and Classical Hebrew - yes, I was at the time wanting to go into epigraphy and
work as an archeologist in Israel) and saw the Torah - the Old Testament - in
Hebrew, the characters swum before my eyes I started thinking "I'll never get
this; I'm in way over my head!"

Well, I was awarded all of the (very few) scholarships available to the academic
best in Classical Hebrew and, coupled with my marks from my other major (I did
two, taking up Women's Studies in my 2nd year of my BA degree when it was really
new to the Uni's curriculum and I guess to ensue other faculties didn't see it
as woolly or easy, it was interdisciplinary with essential or core subjects also
and I got rhe highest marks which were Distinctions; I never managed a High
Distinction in Women's Studies, but always in the other subjects and esp.
Hebrew).

Then, in the middle of my degree, I received an offer of membership (which is
always by invitation only) based on my academic results to join the
(US-based/created but now international) Golden Key Honour Society. Knowing it
was from the US I was a bit suspicious but one of my teachers said, it'll look
good on your resume and looks genuine, so join up - you've nothing to lose
(joining is lifelong and free)


My point isn't to flout my marks but to explain how useless I felt after my
first Aikido lesson, that I'd never learn or grasp it as I had much more easily
grasped Karate, was the same way I'd felt when I looked at trhe Old Testament in
Hebrew and became fearful, wondernig if I had indeed gotten myself into
something too difficult for me.

As it turned out, I graduated with Honours and my partner, Shihan Harry Hall,
(who I first met in Aikido class but we didn't become friends till later and
then eventually partners - long story to tell one day <g>) has taught me with
his own students since we moved from the Blue Mountains (Katoomba, to be exact)
in '96 to the Redcliffe Peninsula, North Brisbane (QLD) and had his own dojo.
Previous to that he had been Shihan Ken MacLean's assistant instructor in class,
and also taught the children's Aikido classes at Paddington's (NSW)
PCYC. Then when we moved to Katoomba he met a woman who owned a large property
and she invited him to teach Aikido there - I was busy pregnant and then with a
newborn during that time, so wasn't able to train, although I'd come and watch,
itching to join in!

When our baby got bronchiolitis (caused by someone passing on an RSV (sp?) virus
to him somehow), so that I was having to use a ventilator with asthma type
medication in it which he hated.. but which, along with antibiotic stuff, would
keep him live, I wondered about the suitability of our place at Katoomba. Well,
when we went to visit my parents and siblings (I'm the eldest of 6) all living
just North of the Redcliffe Peninsula (in a place called Burpengary), I
selected, intuitively, the Motel and for reasons I think Fate knows more about
than myself, chose a Motel on the Peninsula and not closer to my parents' place
than others but one I felt drawn to. I loved the fact also it was a short
crossing across a road and one was on a beach !! (we're surrounded by Moreton
and Stradbroke Island so don't get much that resembles surf) - I had grown up
with the beach being hours drive away and also it was winter but people were
able to wear t-shirts as it was so mild. I loved the place and badgered my
partner all the way home on our trip (3 days - we had stop at Motels; I was then
breastfeeding our son). By the time we arrived back to our Katoomba place, Harry
could see the contrast immediately... And, being very intuitive and both Fire
(sun) signs, we decided to take a leap of faith, make a major change and move.
We again went to Redcliffe, found a real estate agent I felt was genuine, and
saw several places before the one we live in now - and have since almost 10
years now


We saw the potential: a double garage, covered in petrol/oil stains we could
make into a dojo for us and if Harry decided to start teaching classes again.
Plus potential for a lovely garden, pergolas and a meditation hut (next to the
dojo). Anyway, after a lot of work and fine-tuning over years, we have it in
great condition
and since 1997 Harry has been teaching Shin Sen Aikido to adults (only a few
times has any other woman turn up besides myself, and that was the wife of one
of Harry's regular students).

It was interesting when Harry's old teacher sent him a white hakama when Harry
asked about teaching from his own dojo which was in our backyard (it's totally
clean, has skylights, fans, shutters/blinds on windows to keep out the views
nosey neighbours might get of our martial art work there, and the sun!). It was
meant as a symbol to indicate Harry as a Master or Shihan, or higher, in his own
right... Harry is a very humble man and continued to wear his black hakama and
the white one is still in its wrappings - never been worn! I learn something new
everyday from my partner about humbleness, gentleness of spirit, and about
Aikido philosophy as well as the techniques. I once was eager to get my black
belt and now it is getting the flow of Ki and the techniques becoming so easily
executed at a soft level that I am concerned with and not my grading for Shodan
which is coming up sometime - Harry says whenever I'm ready, but as I've had
some operations (endometriosis related) not so long ago, I'm not quite ready yet
physically although every other part of me is raring to go!

Harry himself had to be tricked or pushed into gradings by Shihan Ken McLean! He
wasn't interested and would turn up to class and suddenly be told he was being
tested for his 4th or 5th dan! And as much as he tried to avoid it, they made
him do the gradings. I admired that about him and still do. And as he is not
just my partner, but my Aikido teacher, a mentor and he is also a lot older than
myself (he is 82, I'm 34; we've a 110 1/2 yr old son and got together and have
been together since 1990 - nearly 16 years now ), I endeavour to learn from his
example in his conduct and ethics and so on as much as I can. And I am so
pleased to be able to say that my partner is my hero, mentor and inspiration.
Most people never list their husbands, wives or partners but celebrities or
sporting 'role models'. For me, it's Harry.

Anyway, Harry was conducting classes in our dojo twice a week (for about 1 1/2-2
hours from about 5-6.30 or 7pm) but one student dropped out once he gained his
Shodan citing that he wanted to follow his "inner child" (he was a Canadian and
had done some psychology studies before moving into working with autistic and
other children with special needs) although when he said that my first thought
(which I naturally did not verbalise!) was that from what I knew of him, he
needed to find his "inner adult" (i.e., be more responsible such as to his wife,
children and so on). Then one guy's work hours changed and he is so tired he
hasn't trained since last year. And one stalwart ended up having his
long-standing shoulder pain checked out at the Prince Charles Hospital,
Chermside (QLD) and actually had a heart attack in the hospital - which saved
his life... but he is in no condition to do Aikido (he hasn't been able to pas
the stress tolerance test as yet and his face looks ashen gray). One guy who'd
privately study (who is a qualified Zen Do Kai Karate Sensei) developed a
business a few years ago and now that's taking up all his time so doing Aikido
is not his first priority, unfortunately. Lastly, we had guy left and Harry
didn't want to train exclusively with him so Aikido training has been suspended
for sometime.

Anyway, I don't know if any of you have heard of Harry Hall of Ken McLean (of
Shin Sen Aikido) but I wanted to introduce you to the style (like Aikikai but I
think Ken broke away at one stage to form Shin Sen Aikido) and Harry isn't
interested in computers except for occasionally thinking about typing up some of
his profound writings on it - which I'd insist go to publisher, they're so true
and good. So when I came across the list, I and to write an introduction for
both of us to the group.

I am 34 and our son is now 10. He is really into martial arts - just as well,
considering his parents both are - and loves to be taught Karate and Aikido by
myself and some Aikido by Harry. He is very physically strong and smart and has
fast reflexes plus a sense of fairness which is excellent because it has saved
him from getting into unnecessary fights with other school kids, and when he was
being picked on at one stage, he fought back and now the bully is his friend -
Lol! It is my hope he and a good friend of is, about a year older, will want to
learn together so they can work with each other under my supervision.

Anyway, this was a very long-winded intro. I hope none of my fellow Aikidoists
aren't offended by the length. I just knew I hadn't introduced myself to the
list and thought I should, esp. when I saw a post about an even in Brisbane
soon.

By the way, I a wondering how often people post to the list and discuss
techniques or philosophy/ethics, when they believe a child can really grasp (or
begin to, anyway) Aikido... and what ppl on the list think causes more women
than men to be drawn to Aikido than to many other martial arts?


Blessings,
FieryHawk (HP)
(NB: The HP is a title indicating I' an ordained High Priestess in feminist
Dianic Witchcraft/Wicca. I am very much a feminist and run three women's
e-groups and cyber 'covens' on the internet. Mind you, in 2001 I was made an
ordained Minister of the organisation/religious org' Universal Ministries which
meant I could legally use the term Reverend or "Rev." before my name but I
wasn't keen no that as it connected me with the terms used in Catholic or
Protestant denominations and my focus is Pagan or, to be precise, Wicca or
Witchcraft. Dianic means we acknowledge one supreme deity - the Goddess who is i
all thing and has no male consort, so we do not believe in a male deity of any
sort, and when we work together, as a rule, it is women-only). Just thought I'd
mention it so those of you interested in what Dianic means can get some idea.

And if anyone *is* interested in finding out more they're welcome to email me at
fieryhawk@...<mailto:fieryhawk@...> or go to Yahoo! Groups and
apply to join my Dianics Of Australia group (webpage:
http://groupsyahoo.com/group/dianics_of_australia<http://groupsyahoo.com/group/d\
ianics_of_australia>

Also, I run Brisbane Dianics (webpage:
and S.O.A.R! (Sisters Of Artemis, Rejoice!) (webpage:
- the latter two are for women living in the Brisbane and surrounding areas,
from the South al the way up to Mayfield, Caboolture, Bribie Island etc).. and
are all online groups/elists but are being made into irl groups where the women
get to meet myself and each other. The Dianics of Australia has women spread all
across Australia so a get together would be difficult but we can organise
rituals done at the same time as each other, just not in each other's physical
presence).



Harry is quite content for it never to resume and to just get on with his own
workouts etc, and get me to Shodan and beyond.



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