At this time of great pain in our country and the world, I want to reaffirm Bucks County Aikido’s commitment to anyone who wishes to train here regardless of race, sexual orientation, religion, or political affiliation. All BIPOC and LGBTQ people will always be welcome. We are all companions on the Way.

While there is rank and, therefore, hierarchy in our art, the core of our practice is to uncover what is common to all of us. In Zen, it is called our ‘original face,’ which is unblemished by human prejudice, failings, and stupidity.

Our culture emphasizes self-affirmation, but the purpose of training is to drop the ego and, in so doing, put down the barriers between self and other. By dropping our guard, we can be genuinely open to all people. To harm another would be to harm ourselves.

This is a dark time for all of us. If you are not suffering from it, you are not paying attention. It might be a dream to imagine a day when we might walk as one people. But it’s a dream worth having.

George Lyons

Chief Instructor

Bucks County Aikido