The Art of Aiki

Terminado el curso acabo de escribir lo siguiente en Aikiforo España:

Pues como siempre, Daniel inmejorable. Miento, inmejorable no, porque a cada curso me parece mejor. La organización perfecta (gracias Jero). En cuanto a lo técnico... ¿para qué voy a hablar, si soy el que menos se entera de todos? Se agradecen las explicaciones detalladas y la santa paciencia de este hombre, porque hacernos empezar a entender la aplicación del kata de 31 sin que le diera un ataque de nervios tiene tela...

Los compañeros que vinieron de fuera en su línea. Mención de honor a Kodo y Asalía, a quienes por fin conozco en persona y con los que tuve el placer de entrenar un par de técnicas.

Ikkyo no, pero shihonage con una mano, jejeje...

Me quedo con un detalle que no por no conocerlo dejó de interesarme: kokyu en todas las técnicas. Eso y que cada vez el Aikido de Iwama me parece más grande... más profundo y más ancho. Tantas variantes (incluso alguna que compartimos, por ejemplo el gyaku kote gaeshi)...

En fin, espero impaciente el siguiente. A ver si los que faltaron a éste (¡recupérate pronto Mayk! Pingu, si te encuentras entre los vivos, ¡manifiéstate!) pueden acudir entonces.

Algunas (malas) fotos aquí.

Me reitero en lo escrito en el foro: Toutain Sensei es una máquina del Aikido de Iwama. Practicamos shihonage, ikkyo, kotegaeshi, desde katate dori (junte), desde muna dori, en kihon, en ki no nagare... el sanjuichi no kata y su aplicación... casi nada, vamos. Mucha insistencia en la base, que es lo importante. Simplemente impresionante.

Gracias a la Organización, a Arturo, a Jero y a todos los que lo han hecho posible una vez más. Y por supuesto gracias a Daniel Toutain.

“Old age? There is no such thing!” Mme. Jeanne Lieberman replied in response to a query whether her age of 92 plus was weighing on her. She was martial arts Grand master who lived in France. This was her response to a question by Claude Bobin. He was interviewing her. Check the 1978 September issue of the Indian Reader’s digest and you can read the article. The summary is given here.

Mme. Jeanne Lieberman started learning martial arts at the tender age of 63, when most of us would prefer retiring from the armchair to the sofa- watching the antics of our grand children. But for her, it was the beginning of a new life- a life of conquering and self–discovery plus a whole new vista of opportunities and healing for a lot of people past 60. She had prepared herself though. She was a regular practitioner of Yoga. And she had-Inspiration-lots of it!

She joined a Judo Dojo (martial arts school) in Paris. When she went to enroll, the joke goes that the instructor asked if it was for her son or her grandson.

Imagine his surprise when she replied it was for her!Her astounding progress soon put an end to the apprehensions of her instructor and her younger classmates and she completed her black belt in sharp five years! Inspiration to her classmates!

She didn’t rest on her achievement, though. She went to Japan and started polishing up her Aikido skills that she had started learning in France. Aikido is a non-violent form of self-defense. She practiced under Master Tadashi Abe for four years before she secured her black belt in Aikido(!).

No, that is not the end of the story. At the age of 72, she started learning Kung fu (Wing Chun).She received her black belt in Kung fu at the age of 80, from Master Hoangnam at the famed Shaolin temple, China! Astounding Inspiration, isn’t it? To think how much an old lady would exert, pushing herself to the limits.

Her diet is very simple: a carrot for breakfast, an egg for lunch and a potato and a spoonful of honey for supper.

Mme Lieberman’s dedication paid off abundantly. She achieved such a level of prowess that she was able to perform unbelievable feats. She has demonstrated her prowess in several ways: In one demonstration she pinned a trained (black belt), 1.8 m tall, 200 kg athlete to the ground in less than one second and then repeated the feat nine times!

Pretty tempting skill to acquire isn’t it? This should be inspiration for young and old alike.

Mme Lieberman is not an aggressive person. Her personal philosophy is rooted in silence, tolerance, understanding and love.

She returned to Paris and started her own martial arts class. She developed her own synthesized style based on the three martial arts and Yoga. Most of her disciples are in their sixties or seventies. Some of them have had extraordinary experiences. One seventy year old student was attacked by two young muggers in the dark side alleys of Paris . She was able to ward off their attack easily and hold one of them in a paralysing arm lock, with him begging for mercy.

At a time when we keep hearing stories of estranged and isolated old people, who have been abandoned by their children, Mme. Lieberman’s story is heartening in that it gives inspiration to stand up for ourselves, dig into the resources within ourselves and prove to ourselves and the world that we can take care of ourselves, and much more!

Martial arts are a sure fire way to keep oneself fit and old age at bay. Martial Arts also help to maintain peace of mind and to develop suppleness of the body.

Martial arts are one of the best ways to spend ones excess time. Of course this statement would not appeal to the enthusiastic follower, who has dedicated his life to perfection in martial arts.

The lives of people like Jeanne Liebermann convey Inspiration in us to achieve all that we are capable of. They give inspiration to transcend our limits.

A raíz de que si "el Aikido es la manifestación del movimiento circular", el compañero Aikidobaturro nos señala el siguiente vídeo de Takeno Takafumi Sensei, 8º dan Yoshinkan.

Un Aikido rápido, preciso y poderoso. Sin muchas florituras pero efectivo. Bonito, puro Yoshinkan.

No sé por qué, pero me recuerda aquella frase de Saito Sensei que decía "Aikido is generally believed to represent circular movements. Contrary to such belief, however, Aikido, in its true Ki form, is a fierce art piercing straight through the center of opposition."... Por si quedaba alguna duda, vamos.

Un par de entrevistas en http://www.aikidojournal.com/article.php?articleID=300 y en http://www.aikidojournal.com/article.php?articleID=661.

Interview with Morihiro Saito (9th Dan) by Mark Binder (3rd Dan)

BINDER: What do you think the most important Aikido technique is?

SAITO: They're all very important, but the one that makes people really get good is Shihonage, because you have the way of movement and the way of using weapons in Shihonage. O Sensei used to always say you can never do enough shihonage.

B: What is it that makes a strong shihonage?

S: Kokyu. And the hips.

B: Can you explain Kokyu?

S: You can't really see it. You can't really show it.

B: What is the biggest mistake that people make with Shihonage?

S: They forget the feeling of the sword when they do it. You need to always have the feeling of the sword when you do it. You have to have it from the beginning to the end.

B: Is there anything that you'd like to correct with people about what Aikido means?

S: I would like to fix in people's minds that the weapons (ken-do) and the taijitsu (hand-to-hand) come together, and you need both of them for Aikido. It will be a really big mistake if you don't place importance in both of those.

As a young judo enthusiast, Kuniyuki Kai found that he was regularly defeated by bigger, stronger opponents. This led him to take up karate in order to strengthen his body and confidence. Kai later discovered Yoshinkan aikido which he promptly added to his martial repertoire. Though initially skeptical of the efficacity of aikido’s techniques, this art now forms the central core of his training. Today Kai continues his study of various classcial martial arts in search of a way to realize his dream of integrating these martial systems into his aikido.

To read more visit http://www.aikidojournal.com/article?articleID=479.

For more information on Kuniyuki Kai, visit Seibukan homepage at http://www.seibukanbudo.org.

Para la mayoría un desconocido, el Aikido Shodokan (también conocido como Tomiki Ryu) es uno de los estilos pre-guerra que guardan de cerca las técnicas de Daito Ryu que O'Sensei enseñaba por aquellos años.

Es uno de los estilos más injustamente olvidados (e incluso marginados) por el colectivo del Aikido debido a que incluye un elemento de competición que, según dicen, O'Sensei no aprobaba. De todas formas, el estilo Shodokan, fundado por el maestro Tomiki Kenji, mantiene la efectividad de los estilos de la pre-guerra.

El curriculum de la escuela contine distintos kata. El kata principal, el Juunanahon no Kata o Randori no Kata, contiene las diecisiete técnicas permitidas en competición. Son técnicas especialmente elegidas de entre las más efectivas, fáciles de realizar y que causan el menor daño posible a uke.

Otros kata de la escuela son los denominados Koryu no Kata o kata antiguos: Koryu Dai Ichi, Koryu Dai Ni, Koryu Dai San (también llamado Koryu Goshin no Kata), Koryu Dai Yon, Koryu Dai Go y Koryu Dai Roku.

Por cierto, los estilistas de Iwama Ryu verán con satisfacción el primer movimiento del Koryu Dai Go ;) .

Tembién existen kata individuales como el Tegatana no Kata, el Kuzushi no Kata, Unsoku Undo, Tandoku Undo ...

En definitiva, un estilo muy completo y a tener en cuenta que incluye trabajo de tanto, bokken, jo y taijutsu.

He visto este pequeño vídeo en la página de Stefan Stenudd en el que realiza algunas técnicas de futari gake.

Futari gake son las técnicas, procedentes del Daito Ryu, realizadas contra dos ukes que "agarran" a tori. Normalmente se confunde con el futari dori, que son las técnicas que se realizan sobre dos ukes que "atacan" a tori, sin haber llegado a conseguir un agarre sólido. Así, el futari dori sería un randori contra dos oponentes.

El nivel exigido para realizar este trabajo es alto, ya que nuestros movimientos al aplicar la técnica sobre un uke se encuentran grandemente limitados por el agarre del segundo oponente, así que las técnicas de futari gake son poco estudiadas, si es que llegan a serlo, incluso por grados altos.

Realmente, las técnicas que se pueden emplear en este tipo de situaciones son las típicas del trabajo en kihon: shihonage, iriminage, nikyo, kokyunage... pero es interesante hacer "nudos" con los dos ukes, tirando a uno encima del otro, poniendo a uno delante del otro, haciendo que se estorben entre sí. Es un buen ejercicio tanto para aprender a moverse correctamente, desde el centro, como para buscar la estrategia que nos permita ayudarnos con un uke contra el otro.

Niveles más altos de práctica incluyen el sannin gake (tres ukes), yonin gake (cuatro ukes), etc... Estos ejercicios sólo se ven normalmente en exhibiciones de Daito Ryu.

Si podeis, son muy educativos, así que ya sabeis.

A partir de una entrevista realizada a Ueshiba Kisshomaru para la Japan Martial Arts Society (JMAS) en marzo de 1986, Ellis Amdur extrae las siguientes conclusiones.

Aikido starts as pure Daito-ryu (irimi-issoku), and then is rounded out, the opponent projected away rather than crushed or folded close in. In other words, you can't do aikido unless you can do Daito-ryu. Kamata Hisao describes Ueshiba Morihei's early aikido in Daito-ryu terms: "He always said, 'You must enter the opponent; get inside him and then draw him into you!'" This, by the way, is true ukemi on Ueshiba's part— fully congruent with the precepts of koryu, rather than the modern idea that ukemi is "taking falls."

Amdur redunda, como hace siempre, en la imposibilidad de practicar el "do" sin haber dominado el "jutsu". Es decir, si no podemos realizar correctamente la técnica, de manera que el agresor quede controlado en todo momento, ¿de qué sirve realizar una bonita y fluída técnica circular? Como diría aquel, "para morir de forma grácil".

No me puedo cansar de recordar que el Aikido es una evolución (no por supuesto la única) del Daito Ryu, y que no se puede evolucionar o desarrollar algo que no se conoce.

Ueshiba Kisshomaru does emphasize here some elements of the basics of proper physical organization and alignment, but if that was enough, why didn't he - or any of the other top shihan for whom I took ukemi, both in kokyu ryoku yosei ho and in aikido techniques - manifest such power that we otherwise hear about? Perhaps because Ueshiba Morihei (and his compatriots in early Daito-ryu), as I have written over-and-over again, practiced basic breathing exercises, which one could also term kokyu-ho, which literally means "the method of breathing." "Kokyu-ryoku yosei-ho" means "the cultivation of breath power." This begs a question, because one can only further develop what one already has. Can we start with a two-person exercise that "refines" power, without developing such power first?

Retorna al tema de la imposibilidad de refinar algo de lo que se carece. ¿Qué sentido tienen los ejercicios por parejas de kokyu ho, cuando no se tiene kokyu que desarrollar? Para eso hay prácticas, ejercicios, en los que no se require compañero; por ejemplo el tanren uchi, los suburi de ken y de jo...

But, without barre work, no ballet; without scales, no virtuoso pianists; without juggling with the feet, no soccer; without prep work, no cordon-bleu. Without exhaustive solo training, no aikido? At least, no aikido of Ueshiba Morihei.

O también: "sin (Aiki) jujutsu, no hay Aikido. No al menos el Aikido de O'Sensei."

El artículo completo en: http://www.aikidojournal.com/?id=3600.

Existen cinco mentes o espíritus fundamentales en el Budo: shoshin, zanshin, mushin, fudoshin y senshin. Estos antiguos conceptos, sin embargo, son enormemente ignorados en los dojos modernos. El budoka que emplea el tiempo necesario para comprender las lecciones de estos cinco espíritus, madurará hasta convertirse en un artista marcial competente. El estudiante que no toma el tiempo necesario para aprender e interiorizar estos espíritus, sienpre estará falto de calidad en su entrenamiento.

• Shoshin: (初心) Espíritu de Principiante


• Zanshin: (残心) Espíritu de Alerta


• Mushin: (無心) No-Mente


• Fudoshin: (不動心) Espítiru Inamovible


• Senshin: (先心) Espíritu Purificado

Shoshin

El estado de Shoshin es el del espíritu del principiante. Es un estado de alerta que permanece siempre plenamente consciente y preparado para ver cosas por primera vez. La actitud de shoshin es esencial para un aprendizaje continuado. O'Sensei decía "No espereis que yo os enseñe. Debeis robarme las técnicas vosotros mismos". El estudiante debe jugar un papel activo en cada entrenamiento, empleando una actitud shoshin, para poder robar la lección del día.

Zanshin

El espíritu de zanshin es el estado de espíritu alerta. Se describe a menudo como un estado sostenido y enaltecido de alerta. Sin embargo, el verdadero zanshin es un estado de concentración antes, durante y tras la ejecución de una técnica, donde se conserva una conexión entre tori y uke. Zanshin es el estado de la mente que nos permite estar conectados, no sólo a un atacante, sino a múltiples atacantes e incluso a un contexto: un espacio, un tiempo, un evento...

Mushin

El término original es "mushin no shin", cuyo significado es "el espíritu de la no-mente". Es un estado de la mente en el que no existe el miedo, la rabia o la ansiedad. A menudo se define mushin con la frase "mizu no kokoro", que significa "mente como el agua". Esta frase es una metáfora que describe la laguna que refleja lo que la rodea con calma, pero cuyas imágenes se desdibujan cuando un simple guijarro cae a sus aguas.

Fudoshin

El estado de fudoshin se caracteriza por una mente inalterable y un espíritu inquebrantable. Es coraje y estabilidad, manifestados mental y físicamente. En lugar de indicar rigidez e inflexibilidad, fudoshin describe una condición que no es fácilmente alterada por pensamientos internos o fuerzas externas. Es capaz de recibir un fuerte ataque manteniendo la compostura y el equilibrio. Recibe y cede ligeramente, con las raíces bien plantadas, y refleja la agresión de vuelta a su origen.

Senshin

Senshin es el espíritu que trasciende los cuatro primeros estados de la mente. Es un espíritu que protege y armoniza el Universo. Senshin es un espíritu de compasión que abarca y sirve a toda la humanidad, y cuya función es reconciliar la discordia en el mundo. Mantiene que toda vida es siempre sagrada. Es la mente del Buddha, y la percepción de O'Sensei de la función del Aikido.

Conseguir el senshin es esencialmente equivalente a la iluminación, y puede muy bien exceder el ámbito de la práctica diaria. Sin embargo, los cuatro primeros espíritus probablemente pueden ser obtenidos por el practicante serio a través de la alerta y el entrenamiento sincero. Obtener estos estados de la mente pueden beneficiar al estudiante de innumerables formas.

Shoshin puede liberar al estudiante de un frustrante proceso de aprendizaje, dándole la capacidad de discernir lo que no era capaz de ver con anterioridad. Zanshin puede elevar la percepción total del estudiante, mejorando la práctica de su randori. Mushin puede liberar la ansiedad del estudiante sometido a presión, mejorando su rendimiento en los exámenes. Fudoshin puede proporcionar la confianza para mantener la posición bajo atáques físicos desproporcionados. El budoka serio debe siempre encontrar formas de incorporar estos espíritus en su entrenamiento diario.

Todo sendero no se parece al otro. Siempre el sendero le corresponde al guerrero que le transita.

He visto gente caminando en el sendero, caer y desaparecer. He visto a otros caer levantarse y seguir caminado. He visto los que se pierden, otros que toman atajos que solo los llevan al principio.

También he visto senderos llanos y expeditos, algo anchos y tranquilos. Y los que más me han sorprendido son esos senderos pedregosos, angostos, maltrechos, los cuales llevan al mismo lugar que llevan todos y he visto a guerreros caminarlos sin frustrarse ni perderse.

Pero la visión más triste y desgarradora que he visto, es a los guerreros los cuales, el único obstáculo que se encuentran en la senda, es el de su propia sombra.

This is Morihiro Saito Sensei in action. Please, note that during the last part of it, filmed on 2001, Sensei was ill with cancer, and could barely move. Even in those conditions, you can feel the martiality of one of the great masters of all time.

I wish I would have been able to train with him. Fortunately, his legacy is still alive in Iwama Ryu, in all of his uchi and soto deshi. I'm fortunate enough to train with one of them, Daniel Toutain Sensei, at least once a year.

This year's Taikai at Cala Montjoi has been a complete success. The organization has been just perfect, and the location a good combination of sun, sand, sea and tatami.

We counted with the presence of Jan Janssens (7th dan Aikijujutsu Yoseikan), José Guisado (7th dan Goshin Jujutsu), José Miranda (6th dan Aikijujutsu Yoseikan Ha), Pau Ramon Planellas (6th dan Nihon Kobudo), Juan Antonio Salas (5th dan Aikijujutsu Yoseikan Ha), David Buisán (4th dan Goshin Kenpo), Pere Soler (4th dan Mugai Ryu Iai Heido), Xavier Teixidó (3rd dan Aikijujutsu Yoseikan Ha), Miguel Ángel Ibáñez (3rd dan Aikijujutsu Yoseikan Ha) and others, among the Sensei. The best in their specialities.

We could practice a full weekend of Aikijujutsu, Jujutsu, Nihon Taijutsu, Iaido, Iaijutsu, Aikuchi and other martial disciplines.

I never step out of the "aiki tatami", where Senseis Janssens, Miranda, Salas, Ibañez and Teixidó did their best to try to teach us some of the techniques of their two different Yoseikan lines. Miranda Sensei's line, Yoseikan Ha, includes techniques from old schools, usually meaning Daito Ryu, but also Aikuchi, Jo Gatame, etc. We could say (or, at least it seems to me) that this line is more traditional and painful in its forms.

Janssens Sensei's Yoseikan tends to be more dynamic in its application. Rich in Sutemi Waza, this line doesn't invest time in making complicated human knots with its ukes. Instead, tori gets rid of his ukes in a quite expeditive manner.

I also attended the Aikuchi class by Miranda Sensei. Those expecting a class in Tanto Dori didn't get what they were ready for. In this work, it is tori who's welding the aikuchi (tanto without tsuba), and it is the aikuchi wielder who "wins" in the kata. A very interesting work, from a different perspective.

Saturday night, the attending groups prepared an exhibition in honor of Javier Juarez Sensei, recently deceased. The Spirit of Budo was present all over it, with demonstrations of Aikijujutsu, Jujutsu, Kenpo, Iaijutsu, Nihon Taijutsu, Aikuchi, Jo Gatame, Tambojutsu, even some Hojojutsu... It was a very emotional moment.

At the end, my whole body was acking for a complete day and night... But I loved it! Hope to see you all next year!!

One spirit
Four souls
Three elements
Eight powers

As taught by Sadao Takaoka Shihan, Wakayama Aikikai dojo

Mototsumitama (literally translated as the Great Basic Metaphysical Substance of Being) of the one spirit, four souls, three elements, and eight powers, make up the Great God. The Great God is the living infinite mother who has spread spiritual and physical prosperity throughout space. Space was once empty, with no Heaven and no Earth. Suddenly a pinhole opened up in this empty space.

This pinhole was the very origin of existence. From this hole, Ki of the Great God, which was finer than steam, smoke or mist, gradually came forth to form a circle which surrounded the pinhole and gave birth to the Kotodama of Suu. This birth was not only the birth of the physical world, but of the spiritual world as well.

The universe then began its natural respiration taking a deep breath of expansion, and as it expanded sound flowed from it. This original sound was the kotodama Suu. Suu then continued expanding in four directions and formed a pulsating circle. When Suu has developed it turns into U. The constant work of Suu produced the kotodama U.

The kotodama U, which is the origin of spirit as well as substance, divides into two and works as opposing forces which function independently. Each of these two functions has its own Mitama (spirit). One of these forces flows up and generates the kotodama A, while the other function falls to Earth and creates the kotodama O.

With A going up and O going down an opposing force is created, and held together by Ki, an attraction is formed. Takamagahara (high planes of heaven) represents the universe. It teaches us what the law and order of the universe should be and how the gods reside within it. Everyone s family represents Takamagahara and each individual has Takamagahara within him/herself.

All the elements of this universe constantly breathe and flux and live every moment of our lives. In other words, Takamagahara is the great celestial globe which has successfully accomplished its formation and wishes. It is the very origin of creation of heaven and earth. To come to understand the wishes of Takamagahara and pursue the tasks of the gods to satisfy their will is Aikido. Clarify the Ki of space, the Ki of the self-curdling island (Onogorojima), the KI of the universe, and all the ways which mitama come into your body. Make all the breathings of the universe match your own. Use these lines as the law, and make them accomplish the mission of the universal heaven. The basic principle to pursue in each direction is called Aikido.

Aikido should be the doctrine endowed by god to clarify the workings of the universe. The past, the present, and the future are the routes which the universe should follow. This includes the human body, as it has the universe within it. Purify the universe and harmonize it with the three worlds of the manifest, the spiritual, and that of the gods. Following this continually is Aikido.

The core of the universal dynamism consists of 75 sounds. Each one of these sounds obeys three rules: triangle (Iku-musubi), circle (Taru-musubi), and square (Tamatsume-musubi). The kotodama, A, O, U, E, I, manifesting the mind of the Founding god (Kuni no Katachi no Kami), interacting with the neutral god (Toyokumo no Kami), the functions of the Five gods came into being. When the eight powers interact with each other, the light, pure ones went up to the heavens, and the heavier, impure ones fell to the Earth.

Each time the heavens and the Earth interacted, some functions fell to Earth, expanding it. This was done by the god of Tamatsume-musubi. With the three elements, Iku-musubi, Taru-musubi, and Tamatsume-musubi, influencing the process, the universe grew and continues to grow today. Aiki is this interaction and use of kotodama. It is the one spirit, four souls, three elements, and the eight powers.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, one hundred, one thousand, one million, and the great Mitama of all These words represent the one spirit, four souls, three elements, and the eight powers. Ueshiba Sensei never failed to recite these words in his prayer before and after Aikido practice in order to teach us to assimilate ourselves within the universe.

By doing so, we can produce techniques which make the three elements visible in the manifest world. Wishing for world peace, Ueshiba Sensei always preached that human beings are also a part of the universe.

The Three Elements

Ueshiba Sensei told us in his Dobun that the Three Elements are gas, liquid, and solid. After studying this for a long period of time, I came up with my interpretation for this. I think that these three elements are three stages. When O Sensei said gas, he wanted to tell you to match your breath with that of your opponent.

Liquid indicates that you should absorb your opponent's strength. Solid implies that you should use your breath and perform the technique. In other words, in the gas stage we should lead our opponents with our Ki. In the liquid stage we should assimilate ourselves with our opponent. In the solid stage we gradually apply ourselves in the desired directions to complete the technique.

The Four Souls

Historically in Japan four separate aspects of functions of mitama have been recognized. The first is Kushimitama, or the heavens, which give light to all things in order to purify their KI. The second is Sachimitama, or the Earth, which lavishly provides and never expects anything in return. The active and valiant Aramitama, or fire, is indispensable for any type of development. The harmonious Nigimitama is the water that can flow anywhere and rules the Earth.

The Eight Powers

The eight powers are always contrastive to each other. Moving force and stopping force, dissolving force and curdling force, pulling force and releasing force, joining force and separating force, work actively in the universe to sustain life and the Earth. This is also true within ourselves, as we are part of the universe and have a universe within our bodies. I draw an analogy from the Ken-zen-ichi-jyo sword tactics which were written in the twelfth century.

In Ken-zen-ichi-jyo we learn that if an opponent gives you his full 100% attack, you should receive the attack with zero. If he gives you 90% then you receive it with 10. 80-20, 70-30, 60-40, 40-60, 30-70, 20-80, 10- 90, 0-100. I believe this is much easier to understand than the definitions given by O Sensei. If we meet 100% with 100% we end up with a 50-50 connection and we cannot proceed with the desired function.

Fire and water are two basic examples of the opposing powers. Fire naturally flows vertically, while water flows horizontally. Water puts out fire, and fire evaporates water.

Many people ask about Aikido with relation to religion. I don t believe in religions because I know that history has seen a lot of conflicts among religions which have caused many great battles. Instead I believe in the god of fire and the god of water. It is such a simple concept that I wish people all over the world could come to support the idea.

The final set of contrastive powers is positive and negative. When explaining these two forces I use the terms plus and minus. Correct breathing is critical to using these forces effectively. Take a breath as you pronounce A, O, U, E, I. Try to let your body learn to breathe the kotodama, and not your brain. In doing so you will not need commands from your brain to move as quickly as possible.

In Aikido, zero (or nothingness) is necessary most of the time. Kokoro (heart and mind) is one thing while Ki is something else. Many people believe that they are identical, but it they are not. Heart and mind remain innocent for your entire life, while Ki is always fluctuating. You must purify yourself to become nothing. What you do in Aikido never fails to reflect the state of your Ki. If your Ki is clouded, you cannot accept or lead your opponent. I really hope that everyone can learn to master the Aikido that Ueshiba Sensei taught and lived.

Acabo de recibir el siguiente e-mail del gran Paco Barberán.

Aprovechad que es lo mejor que hay en Zaragoza (y yo diría que en España) para aprender Japonés!

Hola

¿Cómo va todo?

Te escribo para informarte de que este verano voy a impartir un curso intensivo (intensivísimo, diría yo) de iniciación al japonés en el Instituto de Idiomas de la Universidad de Zaragoza. Son un total de 60 horas lectivas comprimidas en 20 sesiones de 3 horas cada una. La finalidad, obviamente, es conseguir que al alumno le estallen las neuronas y constate con estupor que estudiar japonés a este ritmo, además de resultar "molto facile e divertente", puede generar también graves trastornos de la personalidad.

Bromas al margen, la información completa sobre el curso está en el link que te dejo aquí abajo con el ruego de que le des al contenido de este e-mail la mayor difusión posible: http://www.unizar.es/idiomas/cur_japones_za.html

Un fuerte abrazo.

Francisco Barberán
www.nichiza.com

A useful utility to convert between old Japanese units (Shakkan-Ho) and the good old Metric and Imperial Systems.

Shakkan-Ho		Metric System		Imperial System
shaku (尺) sun (寸) bu (分)		cm		inch

One shaku (尺) is approximately 30cm. One sun (寸) is about 3cm, while one bu (分) equals 3mm. As a curiosity, one ken is equivalent to 6 shaku (180cm), approximately the height of a man.

Even when Shakkan-Ho is the old system, it's still used in Japanese martial arts for measuring the length of weapons, as well as for clothing (in which case a bu corresponds to 3.79mm) and footwear (when it corresponds to 2.4mm.) In any case, one shaku always equals to ten sun; and one sun contains always ten bu.

Thanks to Leonard from www.network54.com forums and to Kampai Budokai for the good information and the JavaScript code.

O'Sensei once said that a student could learn all the basics of aikido if he practiced just three techniques: tai-no-henko, morotedori-kokyuho, and suwariwaza-kokyuho. Given the seemingly endless number of different waza and their variations, how is it possible to encompass aikido in just these three primary techniques?

Read the complete article at: http://traditional-aikido.com/Technique/three_techniques.htm

Koryu.com has finally released the all too expected book on Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu written by Soke Risuke Otake. For a long time, "The Deity and the Sword" has been listed for up to USD500 in some online stores, so for all of you that didn't want to spend that lot of money this is great news. This one-volume 336-pager is based on the earlier 3-volume work, reedited and redesigned, and for a much cheaper price.

This book contains a lot on history of the School, the techniques and the strategy for which it is famous. Some extra information about the more esoteric principles (such as the kuji in) can also be found in this great work.

More information at http://koryu.com/store/katori-shinto-ryu.html.

“Shu-ha-ri” significa, literalmente, aceptar el Kata, diferenciarse del Kata y descartar el Kata. El propósito del entrenamiento en un ambiente Japonés clásico casi siempre sigue este proceso educativo. Esta aproximación única al aprendizaje ha existido durante siglos en Japón y ha sido clave en la supervivencia de muchas de las más antiguas tradiciones Japonesas.

Estas incluyen ámbitos tan diversos como puedan ser las artes marciales, la composición floral, él teatro, las marionetas, pintura, escultura y poesía. Si bien el Shu-ha-ri ha funcionado bien hasta la era actual, nuevas aproximaciones sobre el aprendizaje y la enseñanza están alterando este método tradicional Japonés de transmisión de conocimientos.

El artículo completo, traducido por Óscar Recio, en http://www.aikidojournal.com/article?articleID=222&lang=es.
Original version, by Yukiyoshi Takamura, at http://www.aikidojournal.com/article?articleID=222.

Por cierto, que O'Sensei ya hablaba de esto cuando decía eso de "Entra por la forma y sal de la forma". Algunos se quedan únicamente con el "sal de la forma", sin comprender el proceso, sin crear una base sólida. Creo que es un mal muy extendido en el Aikido de hoy día. ¿Por qué no escuchamos a los Maestros como Takamura Sensei?

Ellis Amdur published during last year, from March to October, a series of articles related to the origins of weapons training in Aikido. The following are the links to the original articles, eight in total, in the Aikido Journal website.

• PART I - Takeda Sokaku: The Embodiment of Gokui (Essential Principals)


• PART II - Aikijutsu/do comes from Kenjutsu


• PART III - Ueshiba Morihei and Weapons — The Shadows of Yagyu


• PART IV - Ueshiba Morihei and Weapons — Kobukan sword: Shinto-ryu, Kage-ryu, Chujo-ryu


• PART V - Ueshiba Morihei and Weapons — The Influence of Spear Technique Upon Stave and Stick


• PART VI - Ueshiba Morihei and Weapons — A Chinese Connection After All?


• PART VII - Ante-Bellum: Bo & Jo


• Part VIII - The Solo Jo Form

Ellis Amdur is the author of "Dueling with Osensei", "Old School" and the Instructional DVD "Ukemi from the Ground Up". You can reach him at his website at www.edgework.info.

"We are learning how to apply Aikido techniques when uke uses a dagger." I used to think that also. These days I’m not so sure. In most dojo that I have seen, tantodori takes shape tsuki kotegaeshi, tsuki rokkyo, tsuki gokyo, yokomenuchi gokyo, and ushiro kotegaeshi. Of course you see a few kansetsuwaza thrown in as well. That was fine for me in the beginning. But I realize now that there are two basic flaws in the way that tantodori is usually taught: they don’t take into account the way a person committed to cutting you would attack you, and they don’t take into account the way a person committed to not being cut would defend themselves. In Aikido, most tantodori is conducted with uke performing tsuki, shomengiri, yokomen or kesagiri while holding a wooden tanto. While these are common vectors that any attack may come from, they do not represent a sincere attack given the nature of the knife. An attack with the knife is all over the place. Slashing and thrusting in rapid succession is perhaps the most basic handling of the knife. Training to fight someone when armed with a knife is a most serious business, much more than an all-or-nothing, vector-based, yokomen or tsuki. The person with a knife knows that if their attack fails, that they will most likely be justifiably killed.

Read the complete article at http://www.aikidojournal.com/?id=3149.

Kashima Shinto Ryu's keppan from May 1937, showing the names of Ueshiba and Akazawa.I have always being intrigued about this. Where did Ueshiba O'Sensei learn the sword techniques that were to be called Aikiken? Until now, the official history establishes that all Aikido was the genial creation of O'Sensei, that he created everything. It's often denied even that the hand arts, the taijutsu, is based on Daito Ryu Aikijujutsu. As always, there is one "official history" and one "real history".

The following is an extract from Koryu.com, written by Meik Skoss:

Shortly after I first raised these questions, in 1978 or '79, I visited the dojo of the late Koichiro Yoshikawa, 64th headmaster of the Kashima Shinto-ryu. He very graciously answered many questions about the history and techniques of the ryu. Moreover, he showed me a registry of the people who had entered the Kashima Shinto-ryu and performed keppan (lit., "blood seal," signing the enrollment register and sealing it with one's own blood as an earnest of one's sincerity and serious intent) dating from before World War II. Guess what, sports fans? One of the names in the register was that of Morihei Ueshiba, along with that of Zenzaburo Akazawa, his deshi. I was told that a number of people at the Kobukan, including Ueshiba, studied for a period of several years. Once again, when I brought up the subject of Kashima Shinto-ryu and its influence on aikido, several aikido people, including one of the most senior instructors at the Aikikai, assured me I was mistaken.

There is, thus, evidence that Ueshiba O'Sensei studied Kashima Shinto Ryu, and the trained eye can see similarities in Kashima Shinto Ryu waza with Aikiken waza. For example, Kashima Shinto Ryu's "ichi no tachi" is virtually identical to Aikiken's "ichi no kumitachi" as taught by the late Morihiro Saito Sensei.

Of course, Ueshiba, being the genius he was, was no content with just preserving what he learnt from the school, but modified it to adapt to the concept of Aiki. The following video from a Kashima Shinto Ryu exhibition is an ilustration of this point.

While one can see similar techniques here and there, it is obvious that the kata are not only not identical to those of the Aikiken, but also the intention is different.

More to come on this subject... maybe tomorrow.

During the practice of 'ran o toru', a free style method of practice used in the Kito Ryu Jujutsu system, Iikubo would repeatedly throw Kano, even though he was thirty years older than the young man. Kano began to analyze the process of throwing, to see what makes it effective. During this analyzation, Kano came upon three discoveries. Once he implemented them, he was capable of defeating nearly anyone. Upon relating these concepts to master Tsunetoshi Iikubo, he was admitted into the Okuden, inner traditions, of the Kito Ryu, and allowed to view the scrolls and books of the system.

Read the whole article at http://www.yoshinjujitsu.com/real_secrets_of_jujutsu.htm.

Attached in this post is a copy of the certificate that Takeda Sokaku issued to Ueshiba Morihei in the art of Daito Ryu Aikijujutsu.

I have, however, marked in red a section that reads "Takeda O'Sensei".

Now, I thought that only Ueshiba was reffered to as "O'Sensei", but it seems that I was wrong. At least his teacher, Takeda Sensei, was also using that title. And good to know too that he spelled it "大先生" (meaning Great Master), as opposed to "翁先生" (Venerable Master).

Update (08/12/2008):

The 大先生 in Ueshiba's kyoju dairi is properly read "Dai Sensei". This is what Takeda was known by, as a check of some of the Daito Ryu related articles at Aikido Journal and Kondo Katsuyuki's website daito-ryu.org will confirm.

"Dai Sensei" is the usual reading of that compound. "O'Sensei" is somewhat irregular.

Thanks to Josh Reyer for the info.

From "Aikido in Daily Life" by Koichi Tohei pg.33 copyright 1966 ISBN 0870402218

Koichi Tohei wrote:

2. The Breathing Method Used in Aikido

As pre-practice training in aikido we frequently use a breathing method that calls for inhaling and exhaling through the nose.

1. Stand with your legs open about a half step. In this breathing method you may either open or close your eyes. Spread your fingers, and let your arms hang naturally, (fig.2a).


2. Breathe in as if you were drawing in the ki of the universal, close the fingers of both hands in order beginning with the little fingers. As you inhale, rise up on your toes. Inhalation should take about five seconds, (fig. 2b).


3. When you have taken in sufficient breath, lower your fists as if you were about to fall on them, tense the single spot in the lower abdomen, and lower your heels, (fig. 2c). In this case it is not as if your ki were sinking into the spot in the lower abdomen. It is rather that you are concentrating all of your body's strength there. This will cause you too feel strength surging all through your body. Remain fixed in this position for about five seconds.


4. Keeping your mouth closed, begin exhaling through your nose as if you were driving out all of your body's strength. Simultaneously, open the fingers of both hands in order, and when they are open turn them palms down as if you were pressing on the surface of the earth. Swing both hands in the directions shown by the dotted lines in fig. 2d. When you have finished exhaing, tense the single spot in the lower abdomen, and return you hands to the position in which they seem to be pressing downward. This process should take a total of about ten seconds.


5. When you have completely exhaled immediately open your fingers, face them outward, and return to the position in fig 2a to begin inhaling again.

Though this breathing method falls short of the misogi method in deep spiritual and bodily unification and in the propagation of real srength, its advantage lies in the brief time it takes under daily circumstances. Five or six times is enough to do it, and because it takes only twenty seconds to go through one exercise, a whole set only requres from one and one half to two minutes.

We have a reason for saying that you should tense the single spot in the lower abdomen when you do this breathing exercise. When you are shocked, extremely tired, or angry it is difficult to sink you spirit into the single spot in the lower abdomen, because, we say, under such conditions we cannot locate that sopt. This breathing method is very effective in such cases. If you tense your lower abdomen without breath practice your blood will rush upward, and you will find it still harder to find the single spot, whereas if you do both, your strength will concentrate in the single spot in the lower abdomen. Once you have unified completely your body and spirit and relaxed you will be able to collect ki in the single spot. When you are tired this method will quickly restore your strength by helping you reunite the sundered spirit and body to give birth to new strength. Even when you are not tired and about to begin some task, practice this breathing method, and it will give you a sense of security to begin and show what real strength you have.

• Fig. 2a shows K. Tohei standing with feet about shoulder length apart with arms out at waist and fingers splayed out.


• Fig. 2b shows him on his toes, hands closed to fists with inside arm facing front. Chest and shoulders have risen from inhalation.


• Fig. 2c shows him with feet on floor, chest and shoulders down. Hands in fists with arrows drawn down along arms, showing direction of focus.


• Fig. 2d Shows him with fingers splayed out and palms facing the ground. Directional arrows show a circular swing to the center. There is no stepping or change in position in all four poses.

What follows are answers from Kurita Sensei during an interview with Aikido Online, in which he points some interesting notes about Aikido nomenclature and training.

---

On shomenuchi vs. katateuchi:

Is yokomenuchi this way or tenkan this way? Is this Aikido? Everyone is doing yokomen this way, the wrong way, or like that. Everyone is doing shomenuchi like this, but it's wrong. Is it this way with a bokken or that way?

Shomenuchi one way, shomenuchi another way. You may call this shomenuchi or you can call that shomenuchi, but that doesn't answer the question: which one is correct? The correct name is actually katate uchi, not shomenuchi.

Why is there confusion? Because they never understood it properly. Shomen is this way, from the top of the head in an arc downwards, not from the front of the face forwards.

Aikido's tsuki is called furi komi, a strike diagonally up. It comes from not the open hand strike but rather like having a tanto in your hand and striking upward.

On tsuki vs. furikomi:

Today we were doing a warm-up like karate but Aikido is not that way. O-Sensei said "we don't know any karate". Tsuki, for example. Kanai Sensei does it this way. O-Sensei did it differently. Does it mean that O-Sensei was lying when he said there is no karate in Aikido or was Kanai Sensei lying when he said punch this way?

O-Sensei did only Aikido. Aikido is not against karate or against judo. Aikido is Aikido. Aikido's tsuki is called furi komi, a strike diagonally up. It comes from not the open hand strike but rather like having a tanto in your hand and striking upward.

Many people don't know that O-Sensei taught furi komi tsuki. That's why everyone teaches punching straight like karate's tsuki. Therefore Aikido is being taught against karate's strikes.

Koichi Tohei Sensei and others taught the karate tsuki. So who is correct, who is telling the truth, and who is telling a lie? If furi komi fails it turns into shomenuchi, but if a straight strike fails what does it turn into? It becomes two directions of a cutting motion.

The raising part is a little bit larger and it turns into tsuki. So that seems far more reasonable as a way to attack. Besides from a physical point of view which one is better, a straight strike or a strike angling up, from a purely mechanical point of view? Because people don't study physics or mechanics people just say "Aikido is this way, a straight strike" but that is not true.

On nage being the initiator:

We always start by learning that the attacker holds you and you do the technique. The attacker does shomenuchi and the defender does a technique. If I were to attack could I do the technique? If uke were to hold could he also do the technique? Isn't that a possibility? We never practice the uke attacking and then doing the technique as well. People say that in Aikido there is no attack, but who says so? That's not right.

Why shouldn't you be able to attack and do the technique? Many people think there is no attack in Aikido, that Aikido is only defensive. That is not correct. Where did they hear that?

If you hold me, perhaps if you have a knife you can cut me. I would like to do ikkyo or kotegaeshi. If you had a knife and rather than hold my hand you cut off my hand, could I do shihonage? No I wouldn't be able to. Normally we think of katate tori shihonage with uke holding nage. But if uke were holding a knife and nage grabs uke's wrist to keep him from cutting, couldn't nage do shihonage?

For example one way to arrive at the position where nage is holding the wrist and applying the technique is to evoke an attack of shomen with awase, and then take the wrist and do the technique.

On awase and musubi:

Awase and musubi go together. Awase is like reaching for something, for example when you are reaching for a cup. Musubi is tasting what you taste when you drink what is in the cup, and then being able to say, “It’s tasty”.

O-Sensei said there were ichi no tachi, ni no tachi, san no tachi, yon no tachi, etc. ki musubi no tachi, Aiki Kempo. Who knows about these things? Sugano Sensei, Chiba Sensei? All of these other teachers were uchi deshi but who of those knows about these things. For example Sugano Sensei was teaching bokken, but does he know about ichi no tachi, ni no tachi etc.? Does he know about these things?

Many people call themselves uchi deshi of O-Sensei. But it is not so simple. There were uchi deshi in Iwama and in Tokyo. In Iwama and in Tokyo, it was different in each place. Chiba Sensei and I would go with O-Sensei to Iwama, so would we have learned the same thing even though we went to Iwama together? No. Does this mean that Chiba Sensei did not learn anything and only I learned something? I really don’t know.

Even though we were all taught the same, does that mean the other shihan did not learn and I was the only one that learned? I don’t know! Why O-Sensei didn’t insist on a particular curriculum I don’t know.

On kihon vs. gengi:

There is something called kihon. Who is saying this is kihon? O-Sensei said these are the principles, not basics. So somebody translated incorrectly. In Japanese it’s called gengi. Gengi and kihon are not the same thing. Gengi are the principles. Kihon are the basics.

It’s the same with bokken. Not kihon but gengi. Awase means if I can see it and grab it, i.e. the packet, that’s awase, and then if I stir the sugar into the coffee and taste it and I say “that’s tasty” that would be musubi.

On awase and musubi (act II):

You really understand these things already, but to make it more clear by example, when you first met Penny you were overtaken by her beauty and you said “oh she’s so beautiful” that was awase, and when you consummated the relationship that was musubi. Then you got married and you were so happy together, that also would be musubi. But sometimes you’re not too happy and you say “I want a divorce” -- that’s musubi too.

Right now we’re just talking about the principles, that’s awase, but when you really try to carry them out and see if they work that’s musubi. You can have a concept or an idea and you do nothing, nothing manifests, it’s just an idea. No one derives anything from it. Many people are interested only in learning the concepts of Aikido. But for how long have you kept the concepts only?

We use Aikido in daily life, and if you use those principles and everyone is happy that is awase and musubi. Many people focus on musubi but forget awase. Which is most important? Both.

Ki Musubi no tachi, awase no tachi, we didn’t know about these things in these terms for the longest time, the same as with the brain, we didn’t know these things. O-Sensei knew this for the longest time, about awase no tachi and musubi no tachi, but many Aikido practitioners still do not understand this.

If you make a knot in a napkin, the knot is musubi. When you bring the ends together its awase. When you cross them to make the knot and pull the ends to tighten the knot that is musubi. Awase is when you bring the ends together.

Awase is joining the tips of the napkin, the knot is musubi. When we make a knot it is musubi. If you use a sword technique to show this, it is musubi no tachi. If you and I join, and then we cross swords and mesh -- it is musubi.

Hayashi took what may seem to Westerner's as an insane approach to choosing the Dojo at which to study. He would walk into the Dojo and challenge the Sensei to a fight. This, of course, incensed any students present at the time and they would insist on a chance to teach the chap a lesson themselves before their beloved Sensei would reduce himself to accepting a challenge from an upstart.

This practice, some might say brave, others foolish, is actually a time honored tradition in Japanese and Okinawan cultures. It is known as Dojo Yaburi (challenge). While not practiced frequently these days, it was actually a common protocol when Hayashi was a young man. The way it worked was simple. The man that issued the challenge must first fight the lowest ranking man at the Dojo. If the challenger defeats the man then he is granted the right to fight the next lowest ranking man, and so on until the challenger is defeated or has himself defeated the Dojo's Senpai (number one student). Then and only then is he allowed to challenge the Sensei himself, but is usually given the right to choose time and place as a reward for his previous efforts.

Lo siguiente no es de mi cosecha, sino que lo he resacado de Aikidojournal y de E-Budo. Todo el mérito es de Josh Reyer y de Peter Goldsbury y yo me dedico sólo a recopilar. Ahí va:

Morihei Ueshiba tenía tres títulos: O'Sensei, Kaiso y Doshu.

O Sensei (大先生):

Realmente es sin apóstrofe, aunque nosotros estamos tan acostumbrados a ponerlo que nos resulta dificil omitirlo. El primer kanji se lee /oo/ y significa "gran". Los dos últimos ya sabemos que significan "maestro". Así pues, O Sensei sería "Gran Maestro".

O Sensei (翁先生):

Vemos que el primer kanji cambia, pero se lee igualmente /oo/. Sin embargo, éste es un prefijo que se aplica a gente mayor y respetada. Este O Sensei sería algo así como "Venerable Maestro".

Kaiso (開祖):

Literalmente "fundador". En la biografía de O Sensei escrita por su hijo Kisshomaru, éste se refiere a su padre contínuamente como "Aikido Kaiso", aunque también como "O Sensei" (de las dos maneras). Parece ser que ésta es la forma que más utilizan los japoneses para referirse a Ueshiba: Ueshiba Morihei Aikido Kaiso (植芝盛平合気道開祖).

Doshu (道主):

Significa "guardián de la Vía". El equivalente al título inglés de "Headmaster", o "maestro principal". Este título es hereditario en el Aikido, de manera que Morihei Ueshiba fue Doshu en su día como luego lo fue Kisshomaru y más tarde Moriteru. El sucesor ha sido llamado tradicionalmente Waka Sensei (若先生), literalmente "joven maestro". Como curiosidad, en otras escuelas en lugar de Doshu se emplea el término (más utilizado) de Soke (宗家).

Evidentemente el Fundador no es llamado Doshu desde que murió, ya que el título pasó a su hijo. Por lo tanto, hoy día, sólo nos quedan dos formas (tres en japonés, dependiendo de cómo se escriba) de llamarle: O Sensei y Kaiso.

¿Servirá todo esto para embrollarnos aun más?

Don't miss the chance to watch this video clip featuring Roland Hofman Sensei with U2 music!

Nice & Funy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIJMhlrpfC8

January 11th we had an interesting training. People from Iwama Ryu and from Yoseikan training together can only bring extra insight for all of us...

Yes, it sure was a very short training, as it was mostly improvised and we ran out of time very fast, but it's good for a start; we'll do that more often.

Anyway, Iwama Ryu Sensei, Arturo Navarro, showed us some ken and jo suburis and the Roku no Jo kata done in 6 movements, then in 5, in 4 and in 3 movements.

Then, Yoseikan Sensei, Miguel Ibañez, performed mukae kubi shime sutemi. It's a beautiful sutemi with a very straight entry, so a big "Woooooohhhhhhh!!" was heared at the end. Big surprising movement.

After that, we all gathered for the theoric class, as we call it, in the surrounding bars and pubs. That was great as well! And fun, of course!