The Art of Aiki

Gracias a DCS por haber compartido el enlace a la revista Black Belt online. Están todos los números desde Enero de 1962 hasta Diciembre del 2004.

Attacks can come in many different forms, and from many different directions. Moreover, an attack must necessarily carry with it a quantity of energy, and this force will be characterized by any of a number of classifiable qualities.

The following is a brief compendium of the variety of attack characteristics, each designated by a descriptive title. After the explanatory paragraph, suggestions on appropriate aiki response strategies are given.

Ballistic

A freight train is coming straight toward you. It has a lot of inertia, and carries a lot of energy. If you're on the track in front of it, you're a target. This is the kind of thing you might expect from a drunk in a bar who decides to suddenly vent all of their anger at you.

Resolution: Get off the track and let it go by. You may decide to reroute the tracks or jump on board to direct the train, but the first priority is to get out of the way. Trying to stop it or reason with it will just get you run over.

Heat Seeking

Similar to the Ballistic attack, only this one is intelligent. Usually its trajectory carries less energy, but this means less inertia so it can turn and follow you wherever you move. And it typically carries an explosive warhead. Here we are talking about a mugger or rapist. Or in daily life, this could be an adversarial coworker who is plainly out to destroy you.

Resolution: Running and trying to dodge endlessly only drains your energy and plays into the heat seeker's strength. Stand still and calm (stay cool) and let it come to you. Step aside at the last instant and redirect the energy away from yourself or other innocents. Find a way to route the energy into the ground (any larger system that can fade the heat).

Covert Operative

While smiling to your face, the subversive will stab you in the back. This usually entails a circular direction attack. Any time you feel off balance around someone, but you don't know why, there's a good chance you are involved with a subversive.

Resolution: Know yourself. Make sure you aren.t just being paranoid or insecure. Make sure criticisms directed or implied your way aren.t justified. Then try to expose the true nature of the attack so that it can be dealt with more openly. Example: "Marge, that's quite an outfit. I bet you saved a lot of money when you bought that... "You recognize the veiled insult and force Marge to be more honest or to back off: "I'm not sure what you're saying, Marge. Do you really like my outfit or are you just calling me cheap?"

Mosquitoes

Although there is very little energy in the attacks, they are very annoying and distracting nonetheless. In combat, the assailant is delivering a series of feints and jabs. In daily life, these are all the petty concerns that cumulatively can sap your strength.

Resolution: Realize the actual threat is minor. Don't spend more energy on something than it's worth. Swat them where you can but keep your mind focused on more serious concerns.

Anchor

Anything that spends its energy to limit your freedom is an anchor. In combat, you are being restrained by an aggressor. An overly possessive parent or lover is a more mundane example.

Resolution: Keep your mind free. Struggling against the anchor weakens you and strengthens the anchor's hold. Relax and wait for an opening, realizing that you are taking the energy that it requires to maintain its hold.

Mine Field

Here, you get sucker-punched for no good reason. You innocently complement someone and they explode in your face.

Resolution: Learn to tread lightly, but still with confidence. Balance proper distance with intimacy, using the distance for safety (of both parties), and using intimacy for better knowing and understanding. Never get too close to someone without really understanding the area of involvement.

Leech

They lock onto you and won't let go. Unlike the anchor, they don't care about limiting your freedom as long as they can hold on and suck you 'till you're dry. They'll keep you on phone for hours, they'll take all your time, drain your resources, and then imply that however much you do isn't enough.

Resolution: Be generous but know your limits. It isn't their fault they keep taking if you keep giving. But if they take beyond your willingness (and ability) to give, treat them as you would a real leech: make a clean and careful cut with a razor blade. If it's large enough, then it's no longer a leech, it's a vampire. Time to sharpen that wooden stake.

Now, these are only some of the most basic forms that attack energy can assume. We can expect to encounter other forms, but they will probably be combinations of the above categories. For example, Ballistic + Mosquito = The Boxer; Mosquito + Anchor = The Wrestler. A Heat Seeker + Mine Field = Someone I Really Don't Want to Meet! It's useful to play with combinations of two and three basic attributes to see how they might add up, and then identify people or situations in our lives that fit the description. We also need to realize that attacks come in the form of people, situations, and our own emotions and desires. Attacks are rarely evil. They seem that way because of their potential for harm. Learning to deal with attacks as simple forces of nature allows us to maintain balance and respond in a rational manner.

In aikido, it is a foregone conclusion that we seek to avoid escalating the conflict, and hopefully the justification for that is self-evident. Where we add our own energy into the situation, it is usually to redirect it or transform it. One of nice things about energy, as opposed to matter, is that it is easily transmutable. Aikido strategy is optimized for handling attacks by transmuting them into more manageable form.

For example, if you are attacked by a mugger who is alternating Mosquito and Heat Seeker attack styles, you will have a problem if you stand there and spar with them. You are playing the game that they expect, and you are definitely escalating the conflict. By keeping ma-ai (proper distance), they will have to choose between letting you go or turning their attack ballistic. Once ballistic, you may then respond with any of the standard aiki-waza. I've seen too many aikido students get frustrated when they try to execute a kokyunage in a sparring type of encounter. They need to learn the patience and the skills necessary to draw their opponent into giving a more committed attack that is suitable for standard aiki defenses.

We are all very vulnerable beings. By understanding ourselves and the nature of things that can harm us, we may begin to develop the ability to recognize adverse situations that have been made familiar through training and discipline. Hopefully we can then create a set of tools which are simple yet effective in transforming our world into one which is increasingly less hostile toward us. This means we must first have a willingness to let go of our own hostilities and accept the changes to our own nature that are necessary for genuine living.

-- Ross Robertson

Lamentablemente, para muchos (como los cortos de vista del aikiflorum), esto no es Aikido, sino alguna forma de Jujutsu o de "Aikijutsu". Pobrecicos. De verdad que no saben de lo que hablan...

Siempre nos quedará ese 1% de gente que practica Aikido, y no esa cosa que llaman Aikido™.

[17/11/08] Actualización: Añado otro vídeo de Takeno Sensei. ¡Impresionante!

Acabo de leer la entrevista que Sisko Morera hace en El Budoka a Peter Shaphiro y es para quedarse con la boca abierta. El señor Shaphiro dice cosas como estas:

—"O Sensei usaba Bo en su videos y fotos..."

—"Saito Sensei no entendía nada de Bukiwaza..."

—"O Sensei le había prohibido enseñar armas..."

—"Cuando murió O Sensei, Saito Sensei empezó a enseñar Jo y Ken..."

—"Sus armas, Saitoken y Saitojo, son su propia invención..."

—"O Sensei no soportaba que Saito Sensei enseñase ni Ken ni Jo porque porque él realmente no entendía lo suficiente como para enseñarlos..."

Este señor es de la cuerda de Hikitsuchi Michio, Gerard Blaize, el matrimonio Morera y demás seres mintientes. Lo que dice en la entrevista debería avergonzar no sólo a todos sus estudiantes, sino a cualquiera de la línea de Hikitsuchi. Pero no se les cae la cara de vergüenza.

Y la señora Morera se queda tan tranquila, al ver de esta manera "confirmada" sus tonterías del Masakatsu Bojutsu. Y el señor Gutierrez Navarro tan tranquilo cuando se dicen barbaridades, estulticias y gilipolleces de semejante calibre en su foro. Porque son sus amigos.

Desde luego anormales y sectarios los hay en todas partes. Sean tercer dan, sexto o decimoquinto...

Luca Idolazzi Sensei from the Taki no Kan sent the following note to e-budo.com:

Yesterday Tezuka Akira sensei passed away. He was one of the faithful uchi deshi of Mochizuki Minoru sensei and practised with energy at the old Yoseikan Dojo in Shizuoka. He strongly believed in Budo and tradition and preserved them through the years with his everyday practise. He continued Master Mochizuki's work in Shizuoka Yoseikan dojo with the Budo Seifukai. He left a big gap in Yoseikan tradition.

Desde 2005 los alumnos del Sugino Dojo, dirigidos por Sugino Yukihiro Sensei, acuden a las demostraciones en el templo Meiji bajo el nombre Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu, cuyo soke es Iizasa Yasusada Sensei. El otro grupo demostrando Katori Shinto Ryu es el de Kyoso Shigetoshi Sensei, el hijo de Otake Risuke Shihan. Es la única ryuha que ha mantenido dos grupos demostrando en este evento desde 2005.

Durante el naorai tras las demostraciones del 3 de noviembre de 2008, se pidió a los representantes de las ryuha presentes que se levantaran y dijeran unas palabras. Cuando le llegó el turno Iizasa Yasusada Sensei se levantó y lo mismo hicieron los miembros del Sugino Dojo. Iizasa Sensei entronces se identificó como el Soke de la Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu y, dirigiéndose a los mienbros del Sugino Dojo dijo claramente: "Estos son miembros del Sugino Dojo, dojo afiliado a la Katori Shinto Ryu".

Esta declaración no se hizo en privado. Había al menos otras 60 personas en la sala, todos ellos Soke, Shihan o practicantes de sus respectivas koryu, que escucharon estas palabras.

[Fuente: Ron Beaubien]

Citando a Stanley Pranin en el foro de Aikidojournal:

I am going from memory on this. I believe it was the late 1980s that Morihiro Saito Sensei had an informal meeting with the VIPs of the Yoshinkan Aikido Hombu Dojo. As Shioda Sensei was advancing in age they were trying to work out the issue of succession.

Saito Sensei was very flattered that they would consider asking him to succeed Shioda Sensei but declined saying that his position as the Dojo-cho of the Iwama Dojo and guardian of the Aiki Shrine did not permit him to leave the Aikikai.

I have this recorded on audio tape and will one day transcribe it.

I heard the story several times from Saito Sensei directly.

Que, traducido al Román Paladín significa:

Esto lo digo de memoria. Creo que fue a finales de los 80 cuando Morihiro Saito Sensei tuvo una reunión informal con los VIPs del Hombu Dojo del Aikido Yoshinkan. Como Shioda Sensei estaba haciéndose mayor, estaban intentando resolver el asunto de la sucesión.

Saito Sensei se mostró muy halagado de que le hubieran considerado para suceder a Shioda Sensei, pero rechazó diciendo que su posición como Dojo-cho del Iwama Dojo y guardián del tempo Aiki no le permitía abandonar el Aikikai.

Tengo todo esto grabado en una cinta de audio y algún día lo transcribiré.

He oído esta historia varias veces directamente de Saito Sensei.

Casi nada! Cada uno es libre de llegar a sus propias conslusiones; a mí, por lo pronto, me refuerza la teoría de que no son Aikidos tan distintos, el de Iwama y el de la preguerra.

Un poco de cultura sobre energía interna y su aplicación a las artes marciales, por Mike Sigman.

Internal Strength magazine offers commentary and instructive articles which are related to those martial arts using "internal strength". Efforts will be made to insure that viewpoints reflect knowledge and experience in the substance of martial arts, not personal interpretation, experiments, or theory. In short, we will try to publish honest, helpful information for fellow enthusiasts. We solicit knowledgeable articles and comment from our readers, who we hope will share their knowledge and enthusiasm in the same spirit that we do in this magazine.

In the May 2006 issue of Black Belt there was an interesting article and interview about Kondo Sensei. There's a box on p.88 with the following quote:

Art of Deception

Tokimune Takeda included in his lessons Aiki Kempo, the Kendo Kata, Ono Ha Itto Ryu and other techniques that had no relationship to Daito Ryu Jujutsu in order to avoid teaching Daito Ryu techniques. With something that is as basic as the Ikkajo series, he would modify the techniques so most students would never understand them. When he taught Ono Ha Itto Ryu —which involves cutting from a middle position to a high position and cutting through the person's entire body by putting all the power into the tip of the sword— he would explain it differently from Daito Ryu techniques. I had a question about this difference, and until that point, no one had asked him, I said, "Sensei, the things you are saying about the sword and Daito Ryu techniques are different."

He was waiting for someone to question him. Tokimune would teach each person based on the level of the questions he asked. I learned at a higher level because of the questions I always asked. As a result of questioning him, he awarded me a kyoju dairi teaching certification in 1974, when I was 29.

The Daitokan Dojo in Hokkaido would hold a yearly training event for all Daito Ryu Dojo in Japan. I would teach one group, and Tokimune would teach the other. The night before, I would ask him if I could teach the correct way of doing the techniques instead of not letting them know the right way. Tokimune would say, "No, teach it so they will not know or understand the right way of the techniques."

— Katsuyuki Kondo

Un bonito vídeo mostrando el Aikibudo de Floquet Sensei, un arte heredera directa del Yoseikan de Minoru Mochizuki. Se pueden ver tanto técnicas de manos vacías (nótense los sutemi marca de la casa y su clara herencia del Daito Ryu) como técnicas de armas de la Yoseikan Shinto Ryu, la interpretación de Mochizuki de la Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu.

Un excelente vídeo que da una bastante buena idea general del arte de Mochizuki Sensei, décimo dan Meijin.

Para no olvidar quienes somos. Un video de recuerdo de los alumnos de casi una decada del que hoy es el grupo Nihon Kobudo Aragón.

El profesor Peter Goldsbury nos ofrece una serie de columnas sobre tres aspectos muy importantes del Aikido -la transmisión, la herencia y la emulación- en Aikiweb. Estos son los enlaces a los originales en inglés:

• Transmission, Inheritance, Emulation (I).
• Transmission, Inheritance, Emulation (II).
• Transmission, Inheritance, Emulation (III).
• Transmission, Inheritance, Emulation (IV).
• Transmission, Inheritance, Emulation (V).
• Transmission, Inheritance, Emulation (VI).
  Interlude I: The General Impact of the Pacific War (World War II) on Aikido.
• Transmission, Inheritance, Emulation (VII).
  Interlude II: Budo and Bushido, Kami and Kokutai: Aikido, Religion & Nationalism.
• Transmission, Inheritance, Emulation (VIII).
  Interlude III: Deguchi, Ueshiba and Omoto. Part 1: The First Suppression.
• Transmission, Inheritance, Emulation (IX).
  Interlude III: Deguchi, Ueshiba and Omoto. Part 2: The Second Suppression.
• Transmission, Inheritance, Emulation (X).
  Interlude IV: Iemoto and Iwama.
• Transmission, Inheritance, Emulation (XI).
  Interlude V: The Danger of Words or, The Elephant in the Dojo: Distinguishing the Jumbo from the Mumbo. Part 1: Morihei Ueshiba's Elephant.
• Transmission, Inheritance, Emulation (XII).
  Interlude V: The Danger of Words or, The Elephant in the Dojo: Distinguishing the Jumbo from the Mumbo. Part 2: Ueshiba's Elephant and the Rest of the Herd.
• Transmission, Inheritance, Emulation (XIII).
  Interlude VI: The Question of Kotodama. Part 1: Preliminaries. Kukai (Kobo Daishi) and the Man'yoshu.
• Transmission, Inheritance, Emulation (XIV).
  Interlude VI: The Question of Kotodama. Part 2: Kotodama becomes Japanese. From Motoori Norinaga to World War II.
• Transmission, Inheritance, Emulation (XV).
  Interlude VI: The Question of Kotodama. Part 3: Postwar Resurrection. Back to Morihei Ueshiba's Elephant.
• Transmission, Inheritance, Emulation (XVI).
  Interlude VII: Hidden in Plain Sight. Tracing the Roots of Ueshiba Morihei's Power by Ellis Amdur. A Review Essay. Part 1: Chinese Influence and the Beginnings of Daito Ryu.
• Transmission, Inheritance, Emulation (XVII).
  Interlude VII: Hidden in Plain Sight. Tracing the Roots of Ueshiba Morihei's Power by Ellis Amdur. A Review Essay. Part 2: Takeda Sokaku in his Historical & Cultural Context.

Peter Goldsbury (b. 28 April 1944). Aikido 6th dan Aikikai, Professor at Hiroshima University, teaching philosophy and comparative culture. B. in UK. Began aikido as a student and practiced at various dojo. Became a student of Mitsunari Kanai at the New England Aikikai in 1973. After moving back to the UK in 1975, trained in the Ryushinkan Dojo under Minoru Kanetsuka. Also trained with K Chiba on his frequent visits to the UK. Moved to Hiroshima, Japan, in 1980 and continued training with the resident Shihan, Mazakazu Kitahira, 7th dan Also trained regularly with Seigo Yamaguchi, Hiroshi Tada, Sadateru Arikawa and Masatake Fujita, both in Hiroshima and at the Aikikai Hombu. Was elected Chairman of the IAF in 1998. With two German colleagues, opened a small dojo in Higashi-Hiroshima City in 2001. Instructed at Aiki Expo 2002 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

NOTA (20/02/2009): Editado para añadir "Transmission, Inheritance, Emulation (XI)".

NOTA (20/03/2009): Editado para añadir "Transmission, Inheritance, Emulation (XII)".

NOTA (18/06/2009): Editado para añadir "Transmission, Inheritance, Emulation (XIII)".

NOTA (24/07/2009): Editado para añadir "Transmission, Inheritance, Emulation (XIV)".

NOTA (20/08/2009): Editado para añadir "Transmission, Inheritance, Emulation (XV)".

NOTA (16/12/2009): Editado para añadir "Transmission, Inheritance, Emulation (XVI)".

NOTA (16/02/2010): Editado para añadir "Transmission, Inheritance, Emulation (XVII)".

An examination of O'Sensei's Koshi Nage reveals a number of prominent, unique characteristics.

• O'Sensei aligns his feet on a line forming a right angle with the line connecting the feet of uke.
• O'Sensei draws uke across his hips, extending uke, rather than wrapping him in and around, bringing his hips into contact with uke's abdomen, and forming the signature cross (juji) with their bodies.
• O'Sensei positions his hips below uke's center of mass by slightly widening his stance, rather than maintaining his feet approximately a shoulder's width apart and bending his knees. It is important to remember O'Sensei was relatively short in stature, compared to his peers, and his approach would not require an extreme widening of his stance.
• O'Sensei maintains the extension, rotates his body, using his hips as a fulcrum, with his arms extended at nearly right angles to his torso to transfer the rotation, throwing uke with a seesawing motion.

Morihiro Saito Sensei reinforces these points when quoting the following instruction from O'Sensei regarding Koshi Nage, "Step forward and position your right foot between your partner's feet. Extend your left arm diagonally upward with feeling of pointing at the top corner of the wall and bring your partner's stomach onto the small of your back in such a way that your two bodies form a cross."

The overall effect of O'Sensei's technique is a hip throw exploiting the action of uke and gravity, resulting in little or no energy expenditure by nage. Saito Sensei confirms the minimal expenditure of energy by nage in the following comment, "The founder once said jokingly that there were no better techniques than Koshi Nage and that he never got tired even if he practiced them from morning to night."

Among the images used to identify the characteristics of O'Sensei's Koshi Nage were photographs of O'Sensei performing Koshi Nage found in the series of photographs known as the "Noma Dojo Techniques."

Is O'Sensei's Koshi Nage his creation or did O'Sensei assimilate the Koshi Nage from one of the predecessor arts he studied?

The complete original post by John Driscoll Sensei at: Of Oak Leaves, Blind Hogs, and an Acorn.

Shindo Yoshin ryu is a school of koryu jujutsu. It was founded late in the Edo Period by Katsunosuke Matsuoka, a Kuroda Clan retainer.

Matsuoka founded Shindo Yoshin ryu because he felt the contemporary jujutsu systems of the late Edo period had lost much of their military usefulness, evolving into systems driven more by individual challenge matches than effective military engagement. Matsuoka, embroiled in the political stresses of the late Edo Period, conceived Shindo Yoshin ryu as a true sogo bujutsu or comprehensive military science.

The school combines the jujutsu teachings of the Akiyama Yoshin Ryu lineage and Nakamura Yoshin Koryu lineage. Shindo Yoshin ryu was further influenced by the Jikishinkage ryu and Hokushin Itto ryu schools of kenjutsu. The Ohbata/Takamura branch which separated from the mainline in 1895, includes further influence from Matsuzaki Shinkage ryu. The two different Yoshin ryu jujutsu lineage’s reflected in our teachings were very prominent and influenced many other jujutsu styles as well as Kodokan Judo.

Only two legitimate branches of Shindo Yoshin ryu exist, the Shindo Yoshin ryu Domonkai under the direction of Dr. Ryozo Fujiwara in Tokyo and the Takamura ha Shindo Yoshin Kai here in the US.

Read the full article at: http://www.aikidojournal.com/article?articleID=702.

Los restos mortales de Mochizuki Sensei fueron trasladados a Japón el pasado abril y enterrados en el panteón familiar en su ciudad natal de Shizuoka el 25 de mayo de 2008, siguiendo los deseos del Maestro.

La ceremonia, a la que atendieron familiares y estudiantes, fue seguida de la ceremonia ritual por el quinto aniversario del fallecimiento del Maestro en el Hotel Nakajimaya en Shizuoka.

Aquí podemos ver un vídeo de John Stevens Sensei mostrando el kotodama asociado al Aikido. El vídeo fue grabado durante el Classical Aikido Shugyo anual en Maastricht en 2006.

Es una de esas raras ocasiones en las la mayoría de nosotros puede ver este tipo de práctica.

Publicado originalmente en e-budo.

Gentlemen,

Please excuse my delay in replying to the thread that was on this forum. I was heavily tasked in Japan and behind on a number of things when I returned CONUS on Sunday.

It appears that my view of martial arts is from a very different perspective than some on this forum. I study Samurai bujutsu as an art of war. Training in the sword is the foundation of this training and I train with the sword, with the full intention of prevailing in an edged weapon engagement. This is a classical perspective. As kenjutsu is the omote so then is jujutsu the ura. As this is the case all empty hand and small weapon techniques are done exactly the same way as the kenjutsu. Striking, locking, throwing, even strangulation techniques come directly from kenjutsu and this is easily recognized when observing the technique. I do not believe, and have not seen demonstrated by anyone, that it is possible to study Samurai bujutsu from a different perspective and fully understand and make practically functional the Samurai military arts that they evolved over centuries.

The mindset of martial arts in Japan has changed a great deal from those of their Samurai ancestors. This change in mindset and technique is readily visible, with a few notable exceptions, in modern Japanese dojo. This change of mindset and technique is even expressed in the Japanese constitution.

Mars was the God of war. The Martial Arts were originally arts of War. This is not the case in 99% of what is now called "Martial arts". War is about killing people and breaking things, art is the ability to do this to your opponent without having them do that to you. We use the broad term Martial arts for a number of different practices that have some relationship to what were once arts studied for War. Self Defense, sport based competition, controlled environment sport fighting (UFC etc.), exercise and esoteric practice all make up what we call Martial Arts today. These are obviously very different practices and take a different set of skills and mindset. There is some crossover however none of these are arts of War.

Most martial arts still have some method for gaining actual physical competency. This involves some physical contesting at the very least. To think that you could challenge or disparage someone's art or ability and then become self-righteous about proving your ability in some form or another is a relatively recent phenomenon and has gained a large following on the internet. For lack of a better term when referring to those who study what we call Japanese Sword Arts we could deem these Cyber Samurai. They are willing to engage in words written in cyber space but not willing to prove any real knowledge and ability. In martial arts ability is knowledge. If you can't do it you don't know it. This is not the Debate Team at your local high school.

Mars was the God of war. The Martial Arts were originally arts of War. This is not the case in 99% of what is now called "Martial arts". War is about killing people and breaking things, art is the ability to do this to your opponent without having them do that to you.

I notice that there is a bit of a following from what we call Brazilian Jujutsu on this forum. I have known the Gracie's since the 1980's when no one knew who they were. Rorion Gracie's method of convincing people that his art worked was to get on the mat and go at it. There was a bit of pain involved and depending upon your self-view perhaps some embarrassment. However if you really want to know what you can do you have to do it. In the early days there where any number of dojo encounters of various degrees of force applied as there is only one way to truly prove your art and ability. I cannot count the number of times over my almost 5 decades in the Marital Arts where I have proved my ability or at times was shown that perhaps there was more for me to learn. These lessons given or learned came with some degree or another of physical pain and sometimes injury. I do not understand the current mindset that when a person would be asked to prove their ability by some method or another when calling someone's honor into question they respond with indignation and avoid any real demonstration of their ability. Perhaps it is that if you do not have honor, and therefore the potential for shame, that you just don't understand that you are a Cyber Samurai. Your ability to post, quote, or feel self righteous gives you the feeling that you have a "right" to express your opinion with no consequence. This of course removes the foundations of courtesy and respect. It becomes about how you “feel”.

When the real world hits you the training and mindset that you get in your dojo and the internet will not have prepared you for how fast and ugly things can go sideways. When you are in a dark alley late at night, and you feel the bite and burn of sharp steel on your body you realize that you could die in this place it had better fire your blood as the sharp piece of steel in your hand, and it's immediate and violent use, may be the only thing that gets you home. This is not your warm fuzzy dojo, or in a protected and controlled environment like UFC. There will be no tapping out here and right and wrong will be very clearly defined.

In the Western world especially there are a majority of people who are protected by our Samurai, those who serve. These warriors still have the need to study arts of War. I am honored to work with a number of our Special Operations units in just this type of endeavor. The responsibility that comes with teaching men of this caliber, ability, and mission is immense. People may live or die with what you teach them. If you have seen men die violently. If you have buried fallen comrades, if you have delivered the message of their death to their loved ones after they have been killed in combat action, and had to tell them how the Secretary of the Army wishes to express his regrets, you know what an enormous responsibility this teaching is. Nothing in your life is so satisfying as having someone that you trained return from battle and tell you that something that you taught them saved their life or the life of one of their comrades in arms. I have sons, I know the look on a parents face when they are told, by me, that their son will not be returning to them. I do not want someone to have to tell the wife, or parents of someone I trained about the Secretary of the Army's regrets.

What this means for me is that everything I do, know, study, and train for must be the best and most functional strategy, mindset, and technique that it can possibly be. Nothing can be 'made up", you have to know it will work and the best thing is to have personal knowledge that it will in fact work and work better than your enemies. To think that the vast storehouse of knowledge that our ancestors gained from warrior societies is no longer viable in modern combat is a big mistake. Samurai warrior culture has an enormous number of hidden treasures that are valuable in the modern warfare environment. I have gotten extremely positive AARs from my guys who have used this strategy and techniques in battle.

I have either a sword or a gun in my hand most days. My primary job is training and teaching Martial Arts. I use the knowledge and techniques that I have learned from classical Samurai bujutsu when teaching Close Quarters Battle. I have been extremely fortunate in having some exceptional teachers including Kuroda Tetsuzan, with whom I currently train, who is a truly phenomenal swordsman. If you want to know what Nami ryu is and what it's roots are you can go to my Nami ryu website and read about it. It is public knowledge and demonstrated in public forums many times every year. If you attend the Atlanta Blade show, or other demo's, you will be able to ask questions and see specific techniques or solutions. There is no false or hidden agenda and our dojo is always open. If you wish to visit and observe, you are welcome.

If anyone has specific questions please feel free to ask. I cannot or will not answer everything, specific units trained, or some of the things that I have done however most questions I will happily answer.

Much of this was composed in my mind late at night at the Sensoji after it was closed. I was sitting in the dark reflecting on many things including the contrast between this old temple and the surrounding city. It reflects in many ways the change and contrast in the Japanese mindset and martial arts as well. I have a great respect for the ancient ways and methods of the Samurai. They are however not at all common here even in dojo teaching JSA. There are some magnificent exceptions however in my experience they are not popular or common. My personal opinion is that the interest of gaijin has actually brought attention to some of these arts by the Japanese who are beginning to realize the value of some of their historical treasures.

Sincerely,

James Williams

Un vídeo muy dinámico de Satoru Tsuchiya (Aikido Tomiki) en el que se muestra la eficacia y contundencia de los estilos pre-guerra.

El documental "Budo" en el que Saito Sensei compara las técnicas de Iwama Ryu con las técnicas de O'Sensei.

Imágenes de Saito Sensei mostrando los 20 suburi de Jo durante un seminario.

Imágenes de un seminario de Saito Sensei realizado en Italia en el año 1985 junto a Tomita Sensei.

Nathan Scott, from Tsuki Kage Dojo, has compiled the teachings of O'Sensei that can be found in the literature (of special importance are the texts written by O'Sensei himself) and put them together in his website for us to enjoy... and for some to be annoyed.

The compilation can be found at http://www.tsuki-kage.com/ueshiba.html and contains quotes from "Budo Renshu" and "Budo" from O'Sensei, "Traditional Aikido" from Morihiro Saito, "Total Aikido" and "Aikido Shugyo" from Gozo Shioda, and "The Founder of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba" from Kisshomaru Ueshiba.

Ueshiba Morihei Sensei, founder of Aikido, has been often quoted and even more often written about by those that study Aikido. However, the choice of material quoted and discussed is almost exclusively in regards to his background or spiritual teachings. The following translations of his writings and lectures from the pre-WWII era are rarely acknowledged or discussed, and as such have been re-printed here to offer a bit of balance and perspective to those currently studying or researching Aikido.

Todo un documento histórico en el que se ve a Saito Sensei y Pat Hendriks demostrar el trabajo de Aikiken y Ken Jo no Riai (Ken tai Jo) antes de adoptar su forma definitiva.

El 12 de abril se celebrará en Zaragoza un entrenamiento conjunto organizado por el Departamento de Aikido de la Federación Española de Judo y Disciplinas Asociadas.

Han confirmado su presencia los siguientes Maestros:

• Gonzalo Carratalá - Valencia
• Miguel Ángel Monreal - Navarra
• Salvador Chaves - Barcelona
• Juan Carlos Santurde - Santander
• Juan Ramón Carmena - Madrid
• Iñaki Sánchez - Bilbao

Es un curso bastante interesante al que acudirán aikidokas de Barcelona, Bilbao, Madrid, Navarra, Santader, valencia, Zaragoza... y en el que se podrán ver diferentes formas de trabajo. Yo voy, ¿y tú?

Anonadado quédome viéndo a estos futuros Maestros de Aikido. Se puede ver Tai no Henko, Kokyu Nage, Irimi Nage, Ikkyo... ¡Qué santa paciencia la del Maestro!

En cuanto se tenga en pie meto a Juanya a clases, no vayan a ser estos canijos más que él (^_^).

Un vídeo interesante de un joven Minoru Mochizuki recién llegado a Europa.

Estamos de suerte. Acabo de leer en Aikido Journal que se acaba de lanzar una nueva edición de "Aikido: Its Heart & Appearance" del Maestro Saito.

El libro se puede pedir a través de Aikido Journal o de aikidostore.com en Suecia.

Los contenidos son:

• Foreword by Morihiro Saito Shihan


• Training Method
  • Basic Information
    • Manners - Moving on knees - How to hold the sword - Uses of “sword-edge” of hand – Atemi
  • Basic Movements
    • Body turning - Posture and Hitoemi - Irimi
• Aiki Techniques
  • Aiki Fencing Art
    • Sword-swinging exercise - Suburi No.1- 7
    • Matching exercise – No. 1 - 7
  • Kokyu-ho
    • Standning – Against two-man attack – Sitting
• Holding techiques
  • Dai-Ikkyo
    • Suwari-waza Shomen-uchi omote-waza and ura-waza
    • Tachi-waza Shomen-uchi omote-waza and ura-waza
    • Ushiro Ryote-dori
    • Henka-waza
  • Dai-Nikyo
    • Shomen-uchi omote-waza and ura-waza
    • Mune-dori (1) and (2)
  • Dai-Sankyo
    • Shomen-uchi Omote-waza and Ura-waza
    • Henka-waza (1) and (2)
    • Tsuki Henka-waza
    • Tachi-dori
  • Dai-Yonkyo
    • Shomen-uchi Omote-waza and Ura-waza
    • Tachi-dori
  • Dai-Gokyo
    • Yokumen-uchi Omote-waza and Ura-waza
    • Henka-waza
• Throwing exercise
  • Shiho-nage
    • Principle of Ken
    • Katate-dori Ura-waza
  • Irimi-nage
    • Hanmi-Handachi
    • Shomen-uchi
    • Tachi-dori
    • Henka-waza
  • Kotegaeshi
    • Principle of Ken
    • Tachi-dori
    • Tsuki
    • Varied exercise No. 1 and No. 2
  • Koshi-nage
    • Mune-dori
    • Ushiro Mune-dori
    • Ushiro Mune-dori when pulled back
    • Ushiro Ryote-dori
  • Jyujigarami
    • Mune-dori
    • Ushiro Ryote-dori
  • Kaiten-nage
    • Inward
  • Tenchi-nage
• Flow of “Ki”
• Happo-giri

El curso impresionante. El trabajo de Kempo Fu Shih de Raúl Gutierrez fue de una velocidad, precisión y contundencia terribles. Aun no sé cómo se pueden dar tantos golpes en un sólo segundo. Se trabajó desde agarre de las solapas, desde jab y desde patada frontal.

Del Aikijujutsu Yoseikan Ha con que nos obsequió el Maestro Miranda quedarnos con el control y la precisión de las técnicas. Trabajamos desde Mune Dori (con algún detalle histórico siempre interesante) y desde Ushiro Ryote Dori en progresión; desde el Te Hodoki hasta Ashi Tatami, pasando por el omnipresente Yuki Chigae. No sé qué me duele más esta mañana, si el Kabe Kake o el Ashi Tatami... Me lo pensaré a lo largo tdel día.

Por la tarde Sergio Hernández nos hizo sudar de lo lindo con el Bo de la Yamanni Ryu. Y sí, el Bo era de 182cm de largo.

Y para finalizar Pau Ramón mostró parte de las técnicas de intervención con Yubi Bo. Dolorosisisisimas. Seguro que se me bloquearon varios chakras. Tengo todo el ki en los dedos de los pies y no me quiere subir. Técnicas "sencillas" que requieren mucha precisión (cómo no) y derriban al más pintado.

Dejo aquí el cartel del curso, calentito, calentito...

Es una gran oportunidad para trabajar con los Maestros, que os recomiendo no dejeis pasar.

A method to quiet and center one’s Spirit and to return one’s Heart to God.

1. Stand facing forward with both feet a shoulders width apart. Look down with hands in a prayer form with the fingers pointing down. While breathing in deeply and looking up, slowly raise the hands above the head so that the fingertips are pointing at Heaven. When looking down, feel that you are breathing in the Ki of the entire Earth, and as the hands begin to point upward, feel that you are breathing in the Ki of the Great Universe. As you breathe in the Ki of the Earth, feel it being drawn in through the nose and the mouth. For the upward breath, you must concentrate and imagine that you are breathing in the Ki of the Great Universe, taking it in through the medulla and passing it down the center of the backbone. Do this slowly twice.


2. SHINKOKYU: At the end of part 1, with the hands still over the head, slide the palm of the right hand down so that the fingertips are level with the first knuckles of the left, and clap the hands 4 times. Then slowly bring them down to a point just below the navel, with the fingers and palm of the left over the right, with the tips of the thumbs touching (as in zazen). Silently concentrate on the syllables I-KU-MU-SU-BI. Breathing out on I, in on KU, out on MU, in on SU and out on BI, letting the BI change naturally to I and continue the same pattern. When breathing out, imagine that your breath is extending out and becoming One with the Entire Universe. When breathing in, imagine that your breath is being drawn in to you from the Entire Universe. The eyes should be almost closed.


3. AME NO TORIFUNE: After clapping the hands 4 times, as in 2., step forward into a left hanmi and extend both arms, fists clenched as though clasping a pair of oars. With the KI-AI of E, rapidly draw the hands back, only as far as the hipbone. DO NOT LET THE HANDS GO BEHIND THE HIPBONE. Then with the KI-AI of HO, shoot the hands forward again. When drawing in the hands, imagine that you are grasping and drawing in the entire Earth to your Center, and when extending, you should feel that you are moving the entire Earth forward. The whole movement should be done rapidly as a unit as though it was a yari or bo tsuki.


4. FURUTAMA NO GYO: Return feet to a position a shoulder width apart. Raise hands in a prayer form over the head, and bring straight down, or bring them down inscribing a circle to the point below the navel, hands clasped left over the right. When you are drawing them down, imagine that you are taking in the KI of the Great Universe and forming it into a ball between the clasped hands. Begin shaking them rapidly so that the entire body draws in and is filled with the KI of the Universe, which should collect in the abdomen and pour through the body, just as the blood streams through it. This exercise is done with the eyes closed and during this time, one should attempt to see a white crystal in the center of the forehead. Once fully seen, this crystal should naturally turn to red. Repeat the name of the Sun Goddess AMETERASU-O-MI-KAMI over and over rapidly.


5. Repeat AME NO TORIFUNE, from right hanmi.


6. Repeat FURUTAMA NO GYO, this time repeating the name OHARAIDO-NO-OKAMI (the Kami charged with the Purification of the Earth).


7. Repeat AME NO TORIFUNE, from left hanmi.


8. Repeat FURUTAMA NO GYO, this time repeating the name AME-NO-MINAKA-NUSHI-NO-OKAMI. This is the first Kami whose KOTOTAMA brought the entire universe into being. It means "The Divine August Being Who Stands At the Center of the Universe." This Kami is Pure Consciousness, Pure Act, and Pure Energy and has no form. One of the central aims of Aikido is to unite with this Kami. O’Sensei said that it is the SU point of Creation. In personal terms it is your spiritual and physical center located in the area just below the navel. This is the "golden cauldron where the red blood boils" and where the KOTOTAMA spiral forth. You should always be centered there during the practice of Aikido. (In view of recent discoveries in multfields that we live in muti- omnicentric Universes, each of us may indeed be this Kami. Now realize it.)


9. Repeat #1 and clap 4 times as in #2.


10. (Optional) Again standing with both feet at shoulders width apart, put your thumbs in your belt or obi and raising up on the bass of the feet, come down on the heels solidly, calling out loudly from the Hara:
    
    
    
    • IKUMUSUBI
    
    
    • TARUMUSUBI
    
    
    • TAMA TSUME MUSUBI
    
    
    • IKUTAMA
    
    
    • TARUTAMA
    
    
    • TARUTOMARI TAMA
    
    
    • (your own name) followed by TOKOTACHI NO MIKOTO
    
    

    This is to create the fact and the consciousness that your form and posture have become One with God, and you now take responsibility for being an active participant in Creation. Aikido is Kami Waza. It is a Divine practice transmitted to O’Sensei by the Kami. It’s central purpose is for the person to achieve a state of "KANNAGARA NO MICHI" where you unite with the Kami and act in perfect accord with the Will of the Universe at all times. KANNAGARA NO MICHI is the Divine Blood of the Universe spontaneously welling forth out of the Sacred Heart of the Cosmos. MICHI (which is discussed in the notes) is the Cosmic vitalizing continuum. It is the present biological link between individual man and the Cosmos, including the Kami. The first six chants are related to The Three Fundamental Principles of Aikido in a repeating 1,2,3 pattern and represent the Triangle, the Circle and the Square. (These will be discussed in future notes.) In the final chant above, you are elevating yourself to the level of a Kami. It activates the forces that will allow you to reach your goal. It was this final chant which so totally upset the Japanese students at the time that O’Sensei was forced to make it optional. I know of only two Shihon today who still teach it, even though it is central to this whole practice. It should also be remembered that the very word Kami is KOTOTAMA code for the Union of Fire and Water.



11. Again standing with both feet at shoulders width apart, raising up on the balls of the feet, clasp the hands over the head with the fingers interlocked, come down on the heels solidly, and bring the hands down to the point below the navel with a KI-AI using the KOTOTAMA "OOOOOOOO" (as in boot). This should come out like "OOOOOOUHT!" When the hands reach the point below the navel, the index fingers should point upwards from the clasped hands and the energy of the final portion of the KI-AI should shoot the hands above the head.


12. With the hands still over the head, slide the palm of the right hand down so that the fingertips are level with the first knuckles of the left, and clap the hands 4 times.


13. Bring the hands down with the left clasped over the right to the level of your heart forming a ball of energy, in which you place all of the Ki generated in this practice. Begin to move the hands in a circular motion first in one direction, then in the opposite direction. Gradually send the energy out in the four directions, increasing it to eventually encompass all directions.

SHINJI CHINDONKISHIN NO HO ideally should be practiced at sunrise (outdoors weather permitting). Ideally it would be performed after morning prayers and a breathing/KOTOTAMA practice of the 75 Aikido KOTOTAMA sounds. Each of the sections from Part 2 through and including Part 8 should be practiced until there is a sense of completion and a natural flow into the next section. This is then followed by the practice O’Sensei describes in the next paragraph. The total practice time for all of the sections would encompass an hour or more. This may be shortened to fifteen minutes or more for use before Aikido Keiko.

"Sit quietly in either seiza or zazen. Close your eyes and place your hands in the cosmic mudra. First contemplate the manifest realm for twenty minutes, i.e., how the world looks and feels. As you settle down, immerse yourself in the hidden and return to the Source of things, i.e. the Void, formless Center of Creation, Pure Consciousness etc. Remain at the Center as long as you can, working to increase the duration with each practice."

--- Translated by Ward Rafferty ©1997