David Brown Sensei

With a very heavy heart my friend and teacher David Brown (sensei) of 49 years has passed peacefully at 8.00am in the Alfred hospital Melbourne on the 30th September 2026 with the love of many people visiting him for his final curtain bow in this physical form.

David showed us his un-waivable courage with humour through his spirit all the way to his final passing.

I met David nearly 50 years ago as a young boy beginning an apprenticeship in watchmaking and this is also when he introduced me to the art of aikido. My father was also a watchmaker but had passed when I was only 11 and I looked up to David to fill my father’s shoes at this time and I admired his skills as a brilliant teacher.

I spent a little over 2 years of a 4-year apprenticeship my bench next to his as he passed on his skills. There would not be a day that went by that he didn’t explain his deep mindset of the philosophy of aikido when he wasn’t passing on his watchmaking skills. His aikido philosophy was way past my understanding then but I knew he was to be my sensei.

I visited him on many weekends at his home then in Tecoma where we would watch rare aikido videos mostly on slow motion or pause and he would give his insight and understanding. On several occasions he would make the most simplistic meal for us but I felt enormously privileged just to be in his presence back then.

David at one stage was not teaching within his organization and was not going to return. I encouraged him to recommence or all his knowledge would go to waste and he did. I trained directly for more than 25 years under David and rarely missed a class. I introduced several high grades to David’s dojo out at Christmas Hills in the beginning days, but most dropped off after one or two attendances because of the far travelling distance. There are many memories of those days I hold close to my heart. David was at his peak in those years and I was his experimental crash dummy to advance his theories and understanding of the art. I felt very blessed that I was his unspoken deshi and I soaked up his unselfish knowledge the best that I could.

David and I stopped communicating roughly over the last 10 years. Even thou for those years we didn’t train on the mat together he was often called upon through my memories of his technique.

I am so glad that Scott a student of David’s kept me informed of his tragic events and I was able to reconnect before his passing.

I can honestly say David you showed us your dignity strength and humility in your darkest hours.
It was my pleasure to have met you and to call you my friend, been apprenticed in watchmaking by you and taught the spirit of martial arts through aikido by you. I will do my best to make you proud and pass on the spirit of aikido that you have passed to me.

Go now my friend, you mastered the Tenchi nage on earth – now it’s time to master it in Heaven.