I teach physical alignment of the two centres at the base level to develop a feeling of heart connection between the two. It’s even more important that the uke attempts to maintain such a connection, as it is in this …
“My feeling is that aikido, and by extension martial arts in general, offers a form of “love.” There is a film of Takuma Hisa taken at the Asahi News dojo back in 1935. He is reading from the Domon, which …
The essence and principles of the sword create the art of Aikido. It’s not the physical lifting and falling of the sword, but the body movement principles that are intrinsic to the functioning of speceific techniques. This principle relates to …
The only way to become what you need to be is to let go of what you think you are. I teach Aikido. It is what I do, not what I am. It’s not an identity to which I can …
This is the essence of understanding ai-nuke. There is nothing but this and sacrifice. “Some aikido teachers talk a lot about non- violence, but fail to understand this truth. A pacifist is not really a pacifist if he is unable …
The person that creates the conflict is responsible for resolving the conflict. This is ukemi, this is the ultimate lesson in Aikido. Yoshio Kuroiwa Shihan Uke Central To Practice Yin practice is the expression of “shackled” form. Thus, it is …
“It’s simple; think nothing, do nothing. When I move with intuition I am formless; when I have no form, there is nothing in this world that can oppose me.” Issai Chozan
Musubi means to tie together, to “knit” to lock. In my practice, Musubi starts with the line of attack, it eventually ends up at the solar plexus/heart region. When the old masters(Shioda, Shirata, Sunadomari etc) said to give up the …
I have always taught the body of Aikido as having two dimensions, rising and falling. This can be elusive and is far more complex than just a strong powerful base and grounding and a relaxed upper. One of my favourite …
So, the tanden ball. The sphere that moves the structure. Sensei has been teaching tanden ball for 20 years as a fundamental in Yuishinkai Aikido. Fundamental means that senior instructors must know and teach this principle as the art they …
Kiichi-Hogans secrets of technique When opposition comes, connect with it at once. When it leaves, send it on its way. If there is resistance, harmonise with it immediately. 5 plus 5 is 10 2 plus 8 is 10 1 plus …
A lot is said about spirals in Aikido, but how to create spirals in the structure starts with our relationship to the ground, and our feet. Imagine a long balloon for making a balloon dog, to manipulate this balloon needs …
“The key element in this worldview is musubi, which means something like “connection” or “unity.” In classical Japanese texts like the Kojiki and the Nihonshoki, the word musubi is written using a pair of characters meaning “generation/birth” and “spirit/soul.” The …
Tactile awareness means the ability to have a conversation with your partner through the point of contact. Feeling intent through our ability to release our strength and align the structure with our centre of gravity. Subtle changes in energy send …
“In Aikido, before one’s opponent comes, one absorbs the intentions of his spirit/mind into oneself to control it freely. That is to say, the workings of a spiritual gravity(inryoku no tanren) makes progress. One sees the world all at once. …
It is impossible to acquire experience through theory. An experiential art cannot become an intellectual philosophy without the tempering created through physical intuitive interactions. In aikido, these interactions comprise a conversation between an “attacker” and a “defender”. Just as much …
Kan no me and the power of true observation is the pillar of kenjutsu and Yuishinkai aikido.I have lost count of the amount of times I have heard sensei say “look, don’t see”.Why does he say this.Kan in Japanese is …
It was sometime between 2005-6 that I started to have a deeper look at the idea of centre attack and control. I read quite a bit on WingChung at the inspiration of a friend that had been studying it for …
I’m In this world of entitlement and I have lost count of how many students have lost sight of the way. Budo is a tradition with a long and sometimes disturbing history. The culmination of which was world war 2. …
I was training/teaching up north on the weekend and we were exploring advanced aikido principle. I say advanced but really a very basic concept. To be in the here and now both physically and mentally. We say we are, but …
The techniques of Aikido change constantly; every encounter is unique, and the appropriate response should emerge naturally. Today’s techniques will be different tomorrow. Do not get caught up with the form and appearance of a challenge. Aikido has no form …
Why is it, according to just about all his students, when O’Sensei saw training where uke resisted the technique of nage the founder would fly into a rage and scream “that’s not aikido”? Why did kenjutsu shimizu say that, although …
Please have a listen to Peter Kelly’s aikido interview with ABC Hobart – click here – it starts just before the 7 minute mark.
“Move the totality of the consciousness along the orbital path, finish in hanmi” “Aikido is not about changing the other, but about changing the self” “When the attacker comes they do not exist, and I do not exist” Morihei Ueshiba …
Occupy the space in which the attackers intent lies Lees meer »
If you do this……. No matter how good the sensei is, if the person who is attacking is not honest, it is difficult to handle the situation as freely as he would like. If you are honest and give your …
When we walk into a dojo for the first time, we should be taught that we are studying a kata. When we learn to roll and fall, this should not be called ukemi, it should just be called rolling and …
Kata is the vessel that holds the principles. Technique is a way to move to express these principles, it is not a way to fight, the techniques are just expressed movement in a select moment. Training the heart is utmost …
One of the instructors commented the other day that the comments I have posted online were different to the common rhetoric that occupies the Internet forums. I agreed. There are many reasons for this, firstly Aikido is not technique. See …
I quite often find myself in deep contemplation regarding Sensei’s teachings. About the essence of the study of Budo, but more importantly, the essence of the study of Yuishinkai. I have decided I hate the word Aikido attached to what …
Yesterday I was re-reading the founders book that was written as a technical guide. I haven’t actually had this book in my possession for many years as it was on loan. Anyway I was just thinking about 2003. This should …
This paradox of training in Aikido is a difficult one. Over the years I have met all types of people that train for many different types of reasons. Health, spirituality, martial prowess or just to attempt to find that thing …
I was discussing today with another instructor about an old video that I had posted regarding ukemi. He commented that he had never heard anyone explain what I was demonstrating in the way that I explained it. I get this …
O-sensei was often angry during his class, saying, “Don’t be contrived.” When we practice the same technique repeatedly and get used to it, we often anticipate the opponents’ moves and block or avoid the technique unnaturally, even unconsciously. He called …
Aikido has nothing to do with the techniques and forms Lees meer »
Mind isn’t the use of “jedi” tricks. Mind is increasing understanding through bringing totality of awareness into each and every part of every movement at all times. In Aikido, nage is the study of the self. How the body moves …
Ueshiba sensei said, “Aikido is 95% perspiration and 5% philosophy.” By saying that, I have said everything.” (A. NOCQUET) It has happened to the art that I love. I suppose that it has happened for quite a while now, but …
Where’s the Dog, Ma? A way to fix the current Aiki Crisis Lees meer »
There are very deep philosophical principles hidden in the art of Aikido. These principles aren’t discovered by the Ancient Greek version of philosophical debate, but rather discovered in the forging of the physical body, through hard work and tenacity. Anyone …
I have been away with the kids up the north east and have had far too much time on my hands walking on beaches thinking about Aikido, and more importantly, thinking about my role and the future of the art. …
“To become poisoned by secret teachings is something that occurs in Aikido as well. Instead of looking at their feet (“The feet reveal the secrets of the universe.”Morihei Ueshiba), people look up and imitate sophisticated movements in a pretentious, empty …
Chasing and chasing technical efficiency will lead you to great disappointment. The art of aikido is about the self, about how we change who we think we are into who we can be. If you understand basic principles you realise …
Chasing technical efficiency will lead to great disappointment Lees meer »