Evolutionary Aikido summer camp, Montreux, Switzerland

From the Evolutionary Aikido Community Facebook page.

We are happy to present you Ray Butcher, dojo cho of Henshin Aikido, Dublin, Ireland. He will be sharing his energy during our EAC summer camp starting in one month! Come and join us for the first EAC summer camp in beautiful Montreux Switzerland, August 5th-10th. Sign up by sending an email to info@aikidomontreux.com

Ray’s bio

Ray Butcher Henshin Aikido Dublin

I am co-owner of Balance Ireland where I teach Aikido (Henshin Aikido), Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Self Defence, Yoga and mobility. I also specialise in Women’s Self Defence, teaching a program called ‘Reduce the Odds’. It uses scenario based training to deal specifically with awareness and sexual assault/rape prevention. 

I started training when I was 10 years old in the 70s. I have studied various martial art traditions, including Judo, several styles of Karate and striking arts, Aikido and Gracie Jiu Jitsu. I started practicing Yoga in the early 2000s and completed my teacher training in 2011. I have worked in the field of Crisis Intervention teaching Control & Restraint and Defensive Tactics to security personnel and health professionals. I currently hold a 4th Dan black belt in Aikido and a 1st degree black belt in Gracie Jiu Jitsu.

As I started at a young age, I developed a passion for martial arts and eastern philosophy. In my late teenage years I began to feel, especially form a physical perspective, that there had to be a better way to resolve a conflict than winning at the expense of the other person, In my mid twenties I moved from Ireland to Australia, and it was there that I found Aikido at a University club in Sydney. I distinctly remember during my first class having a sense of belonging. As I delved deeper into Aikido, I found the answers I was looking for in the founder’s philosophy but I soon realised that it was going to take a lot longer for this to manifest physically. 

Because of my experience in the other martial arts I felt confused and unsure physically about Aikido and its practically. In the early 2000s I began to feel a shift in my understanding and started to make some changes and progress. I finally found the way forward when I began to let go and start to trust the process of Aikido and realising that my previous concepts of self protection and conflict resolution were flawed. Two main influences that paved the way forward for me back then were with my study of Gracie Jiu Jitsu under Phil and Ricardo Migliarese, and then later in 2011 when I began to study Aikido with Patrick Cassidy Sensei and Evolutionary Aikido.

After almost 30 years of practice, Aikido obviously plays a very important role in my life. It has and continues to open up many avenues of growth, constantly keeping me creatively engaged and open minded. Rather than close the door on my past martial arts experience, Aikido opened up a new and wonderful way to look at all the arts I have studied. Utilising Aikido’s principles gave me a greater understanding and appreciation and helped me to continue my studies in other areas and arts, such as Gracie Jiu Jitsu and conflict management. I believe that the basic Aikido curriculum is a very important foundation to learn the principles. To keep evolving and truly understand the vastness Aikido has to offer, we need to step outside this box of just technique based Aikido, take a risk and explore all avenues, hopefully creating opportunities to discover new possibilities.

Currently I am working on a ground based flow. The goal being to seamlessly include a complete flow from all ranges standing to ground, with single and multiple attackers. An important part of my training is to put myself in physically difficult, sometimes restrictive scenarios. To find solutions under stress, all the time staying curious with the process and true to myself and the core principles of Aikido.

I think a good description of Aikido is that it is a tool for reconciliation. At its core, it helps us to embrace conflict (inner and outer) with curiosity and confidence, cultivating inward reflection and peace. 

In conclusion I would like to say that I have met some amazing people on this journey. I am very grateful to all my teachers both past and present for sharing their knowledge. I feel very fortunate to walk this path, and to have the opportunity to study and teach.

Would you like to know more about Aikido?

More information on Ray’s dojo can be found here. You can find out information about Patrick Cassidy and the Montreux dojo at www.aikidomontreux.com, and more info on the Evolutionary Aikido Community at www.evolutionaryaikido.com.

Balance BJJ Promotions

Balance BJJ Promotions May 14th 2019

Congratulations to everyone who got promoted on Tuesday night. Ray gave out some stripes and we have two new blue belts Noel and Shane!

BJJ Phibsborough

If you’re interested in starting Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, we have a 4 week beginner’s course that’s suitable for anyone over 15 years old and up . It’s called Gracie Basics and you’ll find more information here.

Balance Ireland is affiliated to Relson Gracie 6th and 5th degree black belts Phil and Rick Migliarese of Balance Studios in Philadelphia.

Balance Studios: A Jiu-Jitsu Story

Balance Studios: http://BalanceStudios.net Phil and Ricardo Migliarese began their journey over 30 years ago by themselves, when jiu-jitsu had not even established itself in North America.

Under the guidance of Relson Gracie and the inspiration of Helio Gracie, the creator of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, the Migliarese brothers became some of the first black belts in the United States.

Today, almost 20 years after they opened their first school in Philadelphia, they have created a community, a family, of diverse individuals who are dedicated to learning from one another, on the mat and off.

“Balance Studios: A Jiu-Jitsu Story” gives the viewer a unique perspective into the service-oriented experience that the Migliarese brothers have created, and how it touches the lives of people in Philadelphia and at more than 40 global affiliates.

BJJ Dublin

Here at Balance Jiu-Jitsu Dublin, Ireland. we have lots of Gracie Jiu Jitsu classes. If you’d like to start BJJ, we have on going beginner’s courses. You’ll find lots of information here.

The art offers something for everyone, men, women and children. They can
enjoy the benefits of the simple and effective techniques as a method self defence, to keep fit and as a combat sport.

Balance Jiu Jitsu Ireland is a community, we strive to provide the best instruction with highly qualified teachers in a safe, clean and relaxed learning environment.

Ray Butcher is a 1st degree BJJ black belt under Phil & Rick Migliarese of Balance Studios in Philadelphia. Balance Jiu Jitsu Ireland are a Team Balance affiliate with Relson Gracie 6th degree black belt Phil Migliarese and Ricardo Migliarese 5th degree black belt of Philadelphia.

Our Gracie Basics 4 week course for beginners is on Tuesdays 6.45pm, it costs 50 euro. You can start whenever you like and do your 4 weeks.

Balance Kids Summer Camp

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It’s Summer Camp time again in Drumcondra and if we get enough kids interested by 18th June, it will run from Monday 18th to Friday 22nd July 10.30am to 3pm.

We have a fantastic community of Instructors at Balance for the Summer Camp week. BJJ and Aikido will be taught by Ray, Mauro will be teaching Stunt Kids and Animal Movements and Tanja will be teaching Yoga. We’ll also have Assistant Instructors each day to help out.

So if you have a little person between 7 and 13 years old who is interested in trying out a Martial Arts or  Yoga, make sure you make contact with us asap as we only have a 20 places available on the camp.

You can call Maeve 087 229 7215 or Ray 087 229 0332 or you can email us info@tbi.ie. There’s also a contact form on our website www.tbi.ieMauro

Your kids will:

  • Have fun and get fit
  • Increase flexibility and agility
  • Learn new skills including anti bullying techniques
  • Develop co-ordination & focus
  • Build self confidence

Our Instructors are:

  • Highly qualified and fully insured
  • Garda Vetted
  • Trained in First Aid
  • We have 20 years teaching experience in the local community
  • We have coaching certification from the IAWA who are affiliated to the Irish Sports Council