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by Hoa Newens We exercise for various reasons, e.g. to gain health, to recover from an injury, to sculpt our physique, to hone sports or martial skills, to get peace of mind, etc. The forms and contents of exercises depend on the end-goals. Walking for physical therapy is different from walking to reach a destination. Not all exercises are conducive to health, many exercises present health risks. In this essay I share my personal experience related to recovering from injury, and regaining health and performance. First, I’ll clarify what I mean by health. In my view, health is the ability to live life fully. This succinct definition belies the complexity of the state of health and its three aspects (physical, mental and spiritual), though it is sufficient for the purpose of this essay. Living life fully does not refer to just the engagement in physical activities of life but rather the total experience of life circumstances by our consciousness. It is a holistic view of health which includes things not commonly regarded as conducive to health, such as physical handicap, illness, mental hardship, etc. to my mind, living a full life does not necessarily imply longevity or happiness. In what follows, readers will note that I see injuries and other life grievances as opportunities for understanding health and living a full life, and other similar contradictions. As such, another definition might be, health is the ability to accept life as it is and remain fully engaged in it. During my seven decades, I have had my fair share of illnesses and injuries, from navigating the bumpy roads of life as well as martial arts training. Given my single-minded pursuit of the martial arts, the recovery time from these incidents represented setbacks at the time of occurrence. I often attempted to get promptly back on my feet, with self-care and minimal reliance on drugs and medical intervention. As a result, many earlier attempts of recovery turned out to be failures, causing more hurt. However, I persevered in my search for an optimal path to health. I had a deep belief that, if God gave us a body and a mind as sophisticated as the human mind-body, there ought to be maintenance and repair instructions that are accessible to us somewhere. I persisted in self-healing effort, observing and searching Nature and ancient traditions, and occasionally stumbled on the path to health on my own. I recorded these successes in notes. Over the long run, despite the arduous switchbacks, I am indebted to these trials and tribulations for my discovery of principles of exercising for health. I share them here in the hope that they might be useful to other seekers of health. The following information is derived from my personal notes on various injuries and recovery therefrom. The principles that I describe are not scientific propositions but are merely discoveries resulting from my heuristic approach to health. I am the only one who can attest to them; therefore, readers should view this information with a healthy dose of skepticism. Principles of Exercises for Health and Performance Whether recovering from injuries or exercising for health or to improve performance, my personal experience and observations of the past five decades support the following principles. Principle No. 1 – Move naturally, slowly, and consciously Each of these four elements deserves our attention: move – naturally – slowly - consciously. We must keep moving, for movement is life. Even during sleep, the body parts continue ticking. An organism that ceases to move will shrink and die. It is important to remind ourselves to move especially in those times when we would rather not. Inertia is essentially resistance to change, and change is life. If we want to be fully alive, we must keep moving. We should move according to the way the body is designed, that is, naturally. For example, we should use the joints in accordance with their natural articulation; use the large muscles for stances, and the smaller muscles for outreach; use the knees as transfer joints, not weight-bearing, etc. If a movement hurts or does not feel right, we should not engage in it. When we move slowly, we are more aware of the motion. Specifically, we become aware of the body’s natural warning signs of impending danger: pain; unstable balance; change in pressure or tension. Such awareness allows us to make timely adjustments and reduces the chance of injury. Furthermore, as we slow down, we engage our consciousness and improve physical performance in three ways. Firstly, we become more aware of the individual muscles, sinews and joints that are involved, and if we repeat the movement sufficiently, these awakened parts of our body increasingly participate in the movement; at the same time, the parts that moved but were not needed will gradually drop off; the combined result renders the movement smoother and more efficient. Relevant movements include external as well as internal movements, such as the up and down movement of the diaphragm during breathing; or the tension in a muscle being stretched; or the pressure on heels and the balls of the feet during walking. The more we learn to feel these movements the more we can discern the various stages of the movements and have control over them. Secondly, as we slow down and remain alert, we become more relaxed and give in to the effect of gravity, allowing each part of our body to sink and “hang” from the body core. The result is a feeling of additional resistance that must be overcome to complete each movement. When we “push” against this resistance in the direction of our intended movement, we extend our energy in that direction. For example, when my body is soft and relaxed, body mass sinks and the body feels heavier; to deliver a forward punch I need to overcome this downward pull. This is a form of ki extension practice that helps us to focus and move the ki. In this way we learn how to pack more energy behind each movement. Thirdly, as a corollary of the ki extension, especially when training with a partner or with other mode of resistance, the slow motion allows us to identify the most effective among the various alignments of body parts and joints. In this way we constantly adjust and realign, and eventually integrate the separate movements. The resulting unity of movement improves effectiveness. As physical performance improves as a result of the three mechanisms described above, our movement becomes more effective and efficient, and beyond improving our athleticism, the saving in energy adds to our reserve for combatting pathogenic intruders, as noted in Principle No. 6 below. My experience recovering from various injuries in past years has validated this Principle No. 1 – Move Naturally, Slowly and Consciously. My self-therapy often consisted of repeating slowly and consciously the movements that caused pain, in the natural way that the body moves. It was noteworthy that, as I moved to face the pain in full consciousness it gradually receded and became tolerable. It felt as if the tissues surrounding the injured area were relaxing and the pressure that brought pain was being toned down. The injured tissues were likely jammed together and, in addition to the immediate healing effect of inflammation, my consciousness shining through them had helped them unbind from each other and move freely again. In the long run, I also found that the continuous slow movement of walking, qigong and tai chi also helped to control and reduce chronic inflammation (which sets in with age). As I wrote up to here, I noted that this approach is not dissimilar from the homeopathic principle of “like cures like”, in the sense of healing by repeating the movement that originally caused the pain. Furthermore, again borrowing from homeopathic medicine, the curing medicine should be very dilute, in the sense that the healing movement should be substantially toned down. At the energetic level, when we focus the yi (mind-intent) we give direction to the qi; when the qi moves it pulls along the muscles and tissues, which in turn push the fluids and the dissolved nutrients and healing cells therein. The nutrients and healing cells hasten the healing process. A movement is the aggregate result of many body-parts breathing and moving in sync, as in a cogwheel system. When paying attention, we focus our consciousness on these parts, and it feels like this beam of conscious energy awakens the latent potential of the body parts and entices them to join the synchrony of the motion. The closer we pay attention to the details of the movement, the more we improve the synchrony, and the more the perceived pain relief.  Calligraphy by Thich Nhat Hanh. Illustration by Marisol Ortega Principle No. 2 - Get all body parts moving, under the control of a center The body is composed of hundreds of parts made of tissues and bones that are all connected and are able to support each other through the articulation points. When our intent activates one part it triggers a serial activation that pulls all other connected parts into the action. The increased participation augments concordance and builds synergy. To get the body more internally connected, we need to rally all moving parts under the direction of a leader, in this case the central axis or the lower dan dien (the energetic center located in the middle of the abdomen that controls energies related to our physical existence). There are specific practices within qigong and tai chi, and to some extent aikido, which help one achieve such internal connection of the body. The gist of these methods consists of building awareness of the central axis, strengthening the vertical alignment of the body around this axis, achieving softness and looseness of body tissues (state of sung) and propagating movement from and to the axis. An integrated body is conducive to health in many ways. For example, the therapy to recover from an injury consists of isolated movements to achieve a specific effect. In addition to these isolated movements, I found that when the entire body is brought to bear in the healing of one part it musters up a more formidable arsenal of tools and energies that hasten the healing process without drugs or topical ointment. Another way to enunciate this principle is: “Get the whole to care for the parts”. In addition, when an integrated body moves, all parts move in sync in accordance with the pre-determined connections; no part is left behind, such as when spinning, the whole leg, including foot, ankle, and knee, moves in one piece, preventing unnecessary sprain. The whole protects the parts. Principle No. 3 - Work on stability first, then mobility Most athletic endeavors are built around the premise that the human body was designed to move, that is, cover ground. Hence, many practices are based on horizontal movements. It is a correct premise; however, it stems from a more fundamental premise: the human body was designed to stand erect. An erect stance optimizes our alignment with the natural energy flows of the universe: gravity which pulls us toward the earth center, and the magnetism of the sun and planets which draws upward in the opposite direction. In the plant kingdom, this is known as geotropism, the phenomenon that tells the plant in which direction to grow: down toward the center of the earth and upward toward the sunlight. Sentient beings generally grow according to this principle. Therefore, it makes sense for human beings to reinforce our connections to the life-giving energies of the earth and the sun as an assurance for survival and health, before engaging in other activities on the surface of the earth. Vertical grounding first, before horizontal traveling. For this purpose, stance practice, such as the horse stance should be our daily staple exercise. As well, postural awareness should be our constant companion during the day. When the roots are deep and the trunk is strong, then we can more effectively launch into movements in the horizontal plane. Stand firm and erect, then move. Principle No. 4 –Balance work and rest Work is when our energies are concentrated on a purpose. Rest is when our energies are allowed to disperse unrestrained. Any practice is work; it is a channeling of energies aimed at a target. Play, when unburdened by rules, is an example of rest; it is when our energies are released from any frame or grid and are allowed to roam freely. This is when congestion can be alleviated. Newton's First Law of Motion states that when an object is in motion it tends to remain in motion until an outside force comes into play and reduces the motion. Conversely, when the object is at rest, it will remain at rest until an imbalance forces it to move (aka Law of Inertia). This is what happens to us when we are either working or resting: we tend to remain too long in a state (work or rest) until an imbalance strikes us. Conscious beings have the ability to overcome these two natural laws, by exercising their yi (intent). Therefore, we should remember to balance work and rest before we reach the point of imbalance. For example, as we learn of a new exercise during physical therapy, we tend to overdo it with the misplaced belief that more will hasten the healing. Such excess often brings about negative results; we need to stop when it is time to stop. We need to stick to the prescribed and proven measured steps. An underlying fact is that the object of “work” often needs time to cure, refresh or take roots while we are at “rest”; the visible action triggers a series of sub-processes that may not be tangible but need to play out fully before the desired end-result is achieved. For example, I frequently find that self-massage of a sprained elbow takes time to yield relief, and that once a day treatment works better than two or three times in the same day; the “off” time is as necessary for healing as the “on” time. Similarly, the full benefit of stretching is reaped only when we alternate equally between tensing and relaxing. For example, to do the Kegel exercise correctly, we need to squeeze the pelvic floor for a few seconds then let it relax completely for the same time interval. Principle No. 5 - Exercise every day Only when we exercise every day, can we ensure that there is a balance between work and rest as explained above, as well as the effectiveness of the exercise. If we don’t do it every day, we will tend to do too much at one time, with declining marginal effectiveness. The best way to reap the benefits of exercises is to integrate them into our daily routine, just like brushing teeth or eating meals. Here is a possible schedule: 15 minutes of breathing upon waking up, 15 minutes of walking after lunch and 15 minutes of meditative practice before bedtime. Build this schedule as a habit first then it will turn automatically into a life routine. For further discussion, see my essay on Daily Training. What is important is to establish the daily rhythm, whereas the content of the routine may be modified periodically. A caution is warranted: as we adopt exercise routines, our mind tends to relax its focus and let go of conscious effort, thus negating the effect of Principle No. 1. All serious athletes and martial artists must beware of this risk of losing the keen beginner’s mind. Principle No. 6 – Save energy We exercise because we desire change. Personal change, including healing and performance improvement, is effected by the judicious combination of three ingredients: 1) right amount of energy; 2) an ordering (direction); and 3) a target. Of these, teachers and specialists can help with the ordering and the targeting, but no one can help us with the energy factor. If we cannot muster sufficient energy to undertake an exercise program, no coach, teacher, healer, or medical provider can help us reach our exercise goals. Therefore, we must be extremely discerning in deciding how to spend our energy and we should be constantly looking for ways to enhance our energetic reserves. When exercising for health we want to use our energy sparingly, activating only the necessary muscles and leveraging the force of gravity and other forces available to us. This generally means keeping the body relaxed and upright and keeping the movement as vertical as possible. To leverage the forces of others we use the movement principles inherent in such arts as Judo, Aikido and Tai Chi: receive the force into our center then apply it in a new direction. “A force of four ounces deflects a thousand pounds” (四两拨千斤) is a well-known tai chi adage that refers to the leveraging concept. The risk of injury and illness increases with age, as our energetic reserves dwindle down. It is crucial that we learn strategies to save and replenish these reserves. These strategies may include dietary awareness and discipline, breathing practices, minding emotions, qigong practices, stretching routine, among many others. Of these, the strategy of minding emotions is hidden in plain sight and yet the most accessible to everyone and the most powerful. Daily life brings many surprises to us, and it is fine to get excited about them; however, we need to be aware that any excitement or emotion, be it joy, grief, depression, arousal, anger, is an expenditure of precious energy. Let’s get excited about life but let’s also rein in our emotions within reason to prevent overspill of energy. Along these lines, martial artists need to be aware that kiai (気合), kime (決め) and fajin (發勁) are created by intense tension followed by an explosive release of energy at the decisive moment, and results in a loss of this energy, unless it is transferred to an object or a person. Such techniques should be practiced sparingly and not be used as display of power; they should be reserved for demos and similar events. For example, fajin at the end of a ken/bo/jo strike causes the weapon to vibrate momentarily and reveals the power delivered by the strike. Another example is the kime displayed in a karate kata, especially in a tournament; the power of each strike is revealed by the vibration at the end point of each move. The vibration is a release of energy that goes into the ether. Wise practitioners save these actions for special moments. In addition, certain bodily functions such as sneezing, coughing and sexual ejaculation count among potential energy drains, hence should be controlled to the extent possible. Five Easy Exercises for Health Based on my experience these five exercises are safe and salutary and can be effortlessly incorporated into our daily routine: 1. Standing still (stance practice) 2. Dissolving energy blockages 3. Deep breathing 4. Stretching 5. Walking The six principles described above can be easily applied to these exercises. Exercising for health is not that complicated; beyond self-discipline and keen awareness, it doesn’t take much work to stay healthy. Additionally, these principles are extremely useful for someone who is engaged in the internal martial arts, in which a strong and healthy body is a pre-requisite. As I understand them, these exercise principles are so fundamental to human life, that I can’t imagine being healthy, that is, living life fully, without adhering to them. Hoa Newens June 5, 2024
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Sandan Essay by Joseph Galamba  In the writings of the founder, there are numerous cryptic references to the concept of “the void” or
“emptiness”. The fact that he placed great importance on these concepts is made apparent in the following doka: If you have not linked yourself to true emptiness, you will never understand the Art of Peace Clearly, understanding emptiness must be of paramount importance to the practice of Aikido. The problem for the practitioner is the vagueness of the word “emptiness”. Does it simply mean a state of mind where thoughts have stopped? Does it refer to the absence of matter or some existence before the birth of the universe? Is it a state of non-resistance against oncoming forces? Could it refer to the Taoist concept of Wuwei, like being an empty vessel for a universal force? Fortunately, the founder spoke on this topic several times and a look at the relevant quotes in the original Japanese helps clarify his meaning. The word rendered as “emptiness” in most English translations is kū (空) or shinkū (真空). The former is a technical term in Buddhism referring to either empty space (in Sanskrit: Akasha) or emptiness of self-nature (in Sanskrit: Sunyata)–in Japan usually specifically the theory of the lack of ontological independence of phenomena developed by the Indian philosopher Nagarjuna. The latter, shinkū, is perhaps most familiar to Japanese speakers as referring to a physical vacuum, but it is also a Buddhist term related to the concept of Sunyata. Therefore, we will exclude empty space from our analysis. The claim that the founder used Buddhist terminology may be surprising to Aikido practitioners familiar with the founder's frequent reference to Shinto gods and spiritual practices; however, Japanese spirituality is often eclectic and Ueshiba was no exception. While his Oomoto-kyo faith rightly receives the most attention, the founder spent his childhood in Wakayama Prefecture where Mt. Koya, the headquarters of the Shingon sect of Buddhism, is and frequently referred to Buddhist deities, Buddhas, and Bodhisattvas in nearly the same breath as Shinto gods. To this day in Iwama, practices remain that are almost certainly based on exposure to Shingon (1). (1) In the Aikido episode of National Geographic's Deadly Arts the kongo gassho particular to Shingon is visible and Buddhist mantra and sutra are heard. That his knowledge of Buddhism wasn't simply cultural and extended to the specifics of Buddhist spiritual cultivation is made clear in the following quotation: The only cure for materialism is the cleansing of the six senses. […] Polish the heart, free the six senses and let them function without obstruction, and your entire body and soul will glow. The six senses (六処) is a concept unique to Buddhism referring to the ordinary 5 sense organs and the mind (Sanskrit: manas). Purifying the six senses refers, among other things, to eradicating worldly desires and preventing the mind from reflexively attaching to stimuli through spiritual practice. How did the founder intend for the Aikido practitioner to engage in such purification and unify with emptiness? After all, unlike some martial arts Aikido does not have a formal meditation element, nor are religious rituals included in the technical curriculum. To understand this, we will briefly examine the doctrine and praxis of the Shingon sect. The Shingon sect is a form of tantric Buddhism brought to Japan by the monk Kūkai in the Heian period and adopted many of the prevalent doctrines of the time. New to the Shingon sect was the belief that the true nature of reality was personified in the form of a Buddha called Mahavariocana, the central figure of worship in Shingon, and especially the doctrine that despite being described as “he who realized emptiness” he existed in body, speech, and mind. In Shingon thought, while phenomena are empty of substantial existence, they are simultaneously manifestations of this ultimate reality that enables them to arise. The founder alludes to this concept in the following: Contemplate the workings of the world, listen to the words of the wise, and take all that is good as your own. […] Do not overlook the truth that is right before you […] Everything–even mountains, rivers, plants, and trees—should be your teacher. While it is not apparent in the English translation, “mountains, rivers, plants, and trees” is a phrase with a Buddhist connotation, not just a platitude referring to nature. It comes from the doctrine of the Tian'tai school (山川草木悉皆成仏) and means that all things have the root nature of enlightenment. Shingon further adopted the Huayan philosophy that all things having the same ultimate nature, the individual reflects the whole of the universe and the whole of the universe reflects the individual. This view was clearly held by Ueshiba, in one vivid lecture he says: The Great Emptiness was born from Kuu (Mu) in which everything exists and nothing exists at the same time. […] I had the experience of seeing my light body, which was once the body of Fudo Myo Ou2 carrying a great shining light of fire on its shoulders, and at another time I became the body of Kan Zeon Bosatsu3. I asked questions to myself and then understood. I have the universe inside me. Everything is in me. I am the Universe itself so there is no me. Moreover, since I am the Universe there is only me and no other. (2) Acala, the immovable wisdom king. A wrathful Buddhist deity important to the Shingon sect. (3) Avalokiteśvara, one of the central Bodhisattva of Japanese Buddhism. In the Heart Sutra he expounds the Buddhist theory of emptiness. In Shingon thought, emptiness is not simply a negation of ontological independence, rather it enables all phenomena. Most radically, it was considered possible for the practitioner to unify with it and experience it “in this very body” (即身成仏). To achieve this, Shingon introduced a new esoteric method of Buddhist practice. Most Buddhism involves a prescriptive correction of spiritual flaws through meditative practices. If somebody is hateful, they meditate on love and compassion. If one is attached to sensory pleasure, they meditate on impermanence or death. Sensory experience, thoughts, feelings, etc. are all meditated on in this fashion and the mind is picked apart systematically until the purified mind is meditated on directly. Shingon introduced the unique concept of embodying the state of enlightenment through rituals that included language, which Buddhism until then had largely considered nothing more than a cultural construction, and the physical body, generally considered impure. Practices in Shingon involve a form of ritual in which an enlightened being is manifested through prescribed postures, hand gestures, words/letters, images, and states of mind until the practitioner is indistinguishable from the being they are embodying (4). The founder alludes to this kind of direct embodiment as well: (4) According to Hakeda. The details of Shingon practices are closely held secrets to this day. Establish yourself as a living buddha image. We all should be transformed into goddesses of compassion or victorious buddhas. Spiritual transformation through bodily activity explains how Aikido could function as a form of spiritual cultivation. Though the practice of Aikido is in no way a derivative of the strictly guarded secret rituals of the Shingon sect, this does not preclude borrowing the idea of using physical activity as a vehicle for spiritual cultivation. Conversely, in this paradigm spiritual cultivation can enable a more perfect physical manifestation of the art as the body and mind are not distinct as alluded to in the founder's description of how it is spiritual activities give rise to techniques. It can be seen that the founder's concept of emptiness and spiritual cultivation was heavily influenced by the Shingon Buddhist sect he was exposed to as a child; however, it must be noted that his spiritual beliefs were eclectic and his conception of emptiness can be best understood as being in dialogue with and borrowing from Buddhist doctrines rather than formally adopting them. For example, in one instance he refers to the “ki of emptiness” as being “a material thing” (物) that is “heavy” distinct from “true emptiness” that permeates the universe, which is difficult to square with Buddhist doctrine about emptiness. Because of the omnist tendencies of the Oomoto religion, it is likely Ueshiba intended to conflate Buddhist, Shinto, Taoist, and other religious concepts: the description of “true emptiness” as the primordial force in the universe is not dissimilar to how Laozi describes the Dao or how Ueshiba describes the Shinto deity Ame-no-Minakanushi for example. Attempting to parse the founder's intention across diverse traditions is beyond the scope of this essay and the ability of the author; nonetheless, two conclusions about the founder's conception of emptiness can be drawn: First, the nature of emptiness is something affirmative that can be experienced directly and brings one into unity with the entire universe. Second, bodily actions and experiences can serve as the catalyst for gnosis, not only mental or intellectual practices, and therefore the practice of Aikido even without the study of religious doctrine is a perfectly valid way to pursue understanding of the founder's intention. Bibliography: “Aikido.” From: Deadly Arts. 2004. National Geographic. Cleary, Thomas. 1995. Entry Into the Inconceivable: An Introduction to Hua-yen Buddhism. University of Hawaii Press. “Daoism | Definition, Origin, Philosophy, Beliefs, & Facts.” 2024. Encyclopedia Britannica. May 9, 2024. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Daoism/Religious-goals-of-the-individual. “Frequently Asked Questions About Oomoto.” n.d. https://www.oomoto.or.jp/English/enFaq/indexfaq.html. Giebel, Rolf W., trans. 2005. The Vairocanābhisaṃbodhi Sutra. BDK America, Inc. Greenhalgh, Margaret. 2003. “Aikidō and Spirituality: Japanese Religious Influences in a Martial Art.” MA Thesis, Durham University. http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/4081. Krummel, John. 2014. “Kūkai’s Shingon: Embodiment of Emptiness.” In The Oxford Handbook of Japanese Philosophy. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199945726.001.0001. Kūkai. 1972. Kukai: Major Works Translated, With an Account of His Life and a Study of His Thought. Translated by Yoshito Hakeda. Columbia University Press. “Ōmotokyō | Encyclopedia.com.” n.d. https://www.encyclopedia.com/environment/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/ omotokyo. Siderits, Mark, and Shoryu Katsura. 2013. Nagarjuna’s Middle Way: Mulamadhyamakakarika. Simon and Schuster. “Takemusu Aiki–Lectures of Morihei Ueshiba, Founder of Aikido (1) – Aikido Journal.” 2005. April 7, 2005. https://aikidojournal.com/2005/04/07/takemusu-aiki-lectures-of-morihei-ueshiba-founder-of -aikido-1/. Ueshiba, Morihei, and John Stevens. 1992. The Art of Peace. Shambhala Publications. Ziporyn, Brook A. 2016. Emptiness and Omnipresence: An Essential Introduction to Tiantai Buddhism. Indiana University Press. 元山公寿. n.d. “弘法大師の空思想について.” 智山学報37. “合気道開祖の教え.” n.d. https://www.yachiyoaikikai.com/founder_teach/takemusu.html. 王頌. n.d. “浄源の『不真空論』に対する華厳的な捉え方-「不真空」と「真心」の解釈について印 度學佛教學研究51. “【第900回】空の気、真空の気とは.” n.d. https://sasaki-aiki.com/article/?v=900&c=1 5/14/2024 0 Comments Yondan Essay - Donny ShiuPractice Harmony the Aikido Way May 2024  Bushido means “Way of the Warrior” in Japanese, where Bushi translates to “warrior” and Do to road, path, or way, implying a way of life. Generally, it describes the codes, practices, philosophies, and principles of samurai culture. The Bushido code teaches respect, appreciation for life, mercy, benevolence, and leading by example. Subsequently, Budo was developed over hundreds of years from the teachings of Japanese Bushido philosophy. Budo means the martial way (of life).
In civil society, to learn, study, and practice the philosophies of Bushido and Budo can done through the practice of many art forms, like rock gardens, Japanese tea ceremony, flower arrangement, and martial arts. Regarding martial arts, there are numerous forms and styles one can learn and practice, from A to Z, each with its’ own emphases. Examples of the variety and evolution are Jujitsu to Judo, Kenjitsu to Kendo, Kyujutsu to Kyudo, and thanks to Morihei Ushiba, O’Sensei, we have Aikido, the Way of Spiritual Harmony. O’Sensei founded Aikido from his years of studying of various forms of martial arts and experiences together with his unique philosophical approach. It is a martial art system that focuses on throws, pins, and joint locks together with some striking techniques (e.g., atemi). It emphasizes protecting the opponent and promotes spiritual and social development. The practice of Aikido requires training of body and the training of the mind in harmony with fellow practitioners, nature, and spirit. The physical practice of Aikido in large part requires partners (uke and nage), not “opponents/combatants.” The students engage in training for mutual benefits. The training to be a good uke is equally important as to be a nage, in harmony. Although the techniques are rooted in combat and self-defense, they are taught and practiced with safety, etiquette, effort, respect, and self control in mind. The “attack” may be considered the first step in techniques of Aikido. In the dojo, the practitioner is presented with certain pre-arranged physical attacks (e.g., strikes, blows, grabs). Instead of a counter-attack (fight force with force), Aikido curriculum teaches one how to react and resolve such conflict harmoniously. “Attacks” could be extrapolated into challenges one is confronted in life, such as verbal attack, conflicts at work, or unanticipated negative events. Aikido teaches one to be prepared, alert, and vigilant. This means anticipate and engage early, instead of waiting for the “attack” to be upon us before reacting. It is situational awareness, which is very applicable to real life (in a dark alley or in the office). It could someone’s look (angry stare), posture (hands fisted), weapon in hand (e.g., jo, bokken) or a negative office memo. When an “attack” is imminent, take the initiative to engage, a.k.a. reach out or call out. Not necessary a fight or flight situation, but an opportunity to reach out to fact-finding, touch-base with that individual or group of individuals to see what his/her, their intent is. Anticipating or reaching out create time and distance for decision making for the next step, “to blend.” “Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood” -The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People- For example, reaching out to engage to the attacker early when he/she is raising the hand for an apparent downward strike. Fortunately, Aikido principles do allow for engaging attacks at varies stages: early, mid., or late phases (e.g., omote, ura, stepping in, back, side, etc.). For example, early so that you are not there for the attack or late to step-back to receive and redirect the force. Blending with the is the next essential Aikido principle after receiving or engaging an “attack.” Adapt to the incoming force vs. clashing rigidly or forcefully. To paraphrase one famous martial artist’s quote is to be like water making its way through cracks. Adjust to the object, and you shall find a way around or through it. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves. This does not mean passive or submissive to an attack, but rather combining in a similar way, where two things or ideas can both exist or can be combined without problems. When people begin to interact together genuinely, and they’re open to each other’s influence, they begin to gain new insight. The capability of inventing new approaches is increased exponentially because of the combine forces. This synergy is the outcome of genuine collaboration, where the whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts. In a martial way, if the “attacker” contributes one unit of force and the “receiver” contributes one unit of force, the combined force is two units, plus the forces of nature (i.e., gravity), where combined synergy becomes 1+1=3. The result is then ready to be redirect on the mat as throws, pins, and joint locks harmoniously, peacefully without harm to all. There is no clashing, no destruction, but just let the energy flow. All the forces are focused, including the mind and body. One should be present, in the moment! It is worth being reminded by Master Oogway’s from Kung Fu Panda, “yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present.” An Aikidoist remains calm, stays centered to blend with the attack. The next principle of Aikido is to redirect harnessed energy to a peaceful outcome, where everyone benefits without conflict or harm. To resolve an attack, Aikidoists apply techniques resulting in throws, pins and joint locks versus reacting with punches, kicks, or blows to destroy. Although it is not easy, but that is the desired goal of Aikido style of martial arts. The study and practice of Aikido requires hard work and practice to aim for resolving conflicts peacefully in the dojo and in life. This ideal is the Aikido way. This Do, way, or lifestyle worthy to pursuit and practice for one’s health (mind, body, and spirit), which would translate into a better society and world. With human conflicts throughout the world and history, we need more harmony and less using force to resolve issues. Practicing and applying Aikido principles of individual could be a good start. Conflicts, attacks, and stuff happens, but we cannot give up. It is said that practice makes perfect, but there is no such thing as perfection. Training and practice Aikido, just as in life, are attempts to improve to be a better martial arts and person: it is a journey and not the destination. Continuously training the body and mind ought to be a constant like a circle. A circle where a student starts as a beginner, gains skills, and eventually becomes a black belt. Then with many more years of training, the belt gradually fades, almost becoming white again. The journey starts with a beginner’s mind and goes full circle to return to the beginner’s mind. The Aikido is a guide towards peace, harmony employing mind, body and spirit. The Aiki-Do is a martial art, a way, a lifestyle, that flows harmoniously with various earthy forces. May the force/ki be with you! 5/13/2024 0 Comments Yondan Essay - Kathleen HolderMay 2024  Mind the (Temporal) Gap Some of the hardest lessons I've learned in Aikido — am still learning — are less about the techniques themselves and more about the means for getting better at doing them, mainly to slow down, move step by step in basic training or kihon waza, and to pause between steps. To be sure, many techniques have challenged me and still do. But to learn and refine technique, patience truly is a virtue. Like other skills, patience can learned, though it hasn't come easily to me. In practicing kumijo and kumitachi, for instance, a recurring instruction I hear is: "Two-second pause!" I'd like to say, when someone is swinging a big piece of wood at my head, that my instincts are to move fast and get out of the way. But as I look back on my aikido development, I am recognizing many other roots for my haste — none of which help me grow as an aikidoka or as a person. Beginner's (anxious) mind When I started an introductory Aikido course in 2006, I was excited to be a beginner: I was starting with a clean slate and no one would have expectations of me. Or so I initially thought. I wasn't long before I realized that at least one person had expectations of me — myself. Even though it had been eight years since I had done any martial arts, I realized that I harbored the notion that my previous experience in a Korean Karate style would give me an edge and that I would pick up Aikido quickly. That presumption was quickly dashed by my first attempts at learning to roll — I painfully pinned my left elbow with my own knee, thought to myself "I'm never doing that again!" and then promptly got up and did the same thing on my other side. Graduating after a couple months into the regular classes, I struggled to even observe the techniques that Sensei was demonstrating. I might notice what foot to move, but miss what the hands were doing — or vice versa. I felt so clumsy that I often felt sorry for my training partners. While their yodanja peers were gleefully throwing each other around the mat, my ukes had to slowly walk me through every movement. I often left the dojo close to tears, frustrated by my own ineptitude. I remain forever grateful to the generosity of sempai who helped me learn and encouraged me to keep coming back to class. Yet, as I gradually picked up the rough outlines of techniques, my tendency was to rush through them. Rather than slow down and try to replicate each step shown to me, like a connect-the-dots drawing, I'd move fast as if speed would hide the parts I was doing incorrectly. What was I afraid of — looking like a beginner? Thankfully, I had many sempai — some half my age — who continued to set a better example by patiently and repeatedly slowing down, moving stancet to stance, before smoothing out the motions of a technique. Certainly, there are other forms of practice that focus on movement, flexibility, distance and timing — yawarakai and ki no nagare — and there are times to move quickly. But as the saying goes, "Slow is smooth, smooth is fast." Or in the Latin words of Roman emperors, festina lente, "make haste slowly." These mantras become all the more pertinent to my training as I grow older. I need to slow down to learn to move more efficiently and to apply techniques more effectively. Stilling body and mind The classic book, Zen Flesh, Zen Bones, a collection of Zen Buddhist writings compiled by poet Paul Reps, opens with a story called "A Cup of Tea": Nan-on, a Japanese master during the Meiji era (1868-1912) received a university professor who came to inquire about Zen. Nan-in served tea. He poured his visitor's cup full and then kept on pouring. The professor watched the overflow until he no longer could restrain himself. "It is overfull. No more will go in!" "Like this cup," Nan-in said, "you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?" The tale (attributed by some scholars to Chinese masters centuries earlier) relates to the concept of Shoshin, or beginner's mind — letting go of assumptions and looking with a fresh eyes at what we are learning — as if, even if we've done it a thousand times, it was brand new. A paradox for sure — the more we learn, the more we have to let go in order to improve. Even as a beginner, I obviously still needed to shed a number of preconceptions about Aikido and about myself. As I continue to train, my own ego gets in my way. Still, when I'm giving my full attention in class, I am continually surprised by "light bulb" moments in — when suddenly I perceive the instructions as a completely new insight. In many cases, I'm sure it's not the first time I've been shown or told that same lesson; it's more that I'm ready to see or hear it. In a recent class, where we were practicing kumijo, Hoa Newens Shihan reminded me once again to pause for two seconds between steps. As he explained, the two-second pause allows the energy to settle in the body; It gives you time to absorb the movements, to check your balance, and the position of your body relative to your partner. In this class, in stilling my body and counting to myself "one-thousand-one, one-thousand-two," I also became more aware of the murmuring chatter going on in my own head (a jumble of negative self-talk, egotistical thoughts, anxious worries, etc., — none of which were helpful). Two seconds, while fleetingly brief, gave me time to also settle my mind and emotions. It became a moment of micro-meditation. Feel the mat under your feet. Connect with your center. Breathe. Let go. Be. By Dr. Paul Williams, PT, DPT It’s a double-edged sword to talk about internal training. Many martial artists find themselves at two ends of a spectrum. At one end, keyboard warriors accuse this practice as classic “bullshido” and dismissively point to videos of supposed martial art masters getting trounced by street fighters when their ki projection fails to thwart their attacker. At the other end, are those who see internal training as a mystical phenomenon that should be spoken of in metaphysical terms like Chi, Ki, or Prana. Some even claim to be the only progenitors of a secret internal training. According to them, no one should teach or talk about it other than those that have either used it in the streets or dedicated decades of their lives to its practice, perhaps in a remote cave somewhere. My personal journey in internal training began with two decades of back pain and a lot of failure with every somatic practice and therapy one could imagine. At the end of a long journey, I found no better modality in reconnecting my mind back to my body than internal training. Practices like Nei Gong in Tai Chi, Nairiki in Shindo Yoshin Ryu, and Hoa Newens Sensei’s Kihon Kunren for Aikido have given my life back to me. As a physical therapist, this has been a shocking and revealing discovery. One that I am still processing to this day. I had many questions as to why these practices worked and continue to do so where other methods like physical therapy and Yoga failed me. Why did they work for some people but not me? The answer likely lies in the way I practiced them rather than the modality itself. After researching fascia for this series, I found that internal training is any exercise or a series of exercises that will facilitate and develop improvements in fascia’s sensitivity and acuity for interoception, proprioception, and exteroception. If we have a practice that works on all three of these facets of the somatosensory system and its largest sensory organ, then I believe any somatic modality can have equal effects in healing and improved mobility. What is Interoception? “Interoception is an umbrella term for the phenomenological experience of what is going on in the body. This experience is constructed by the central nervous system, based on all available information and influenced by past experiences, as well as predictive guesses about possible future scenarios. [1]” –Robert Schleip As mentioned before in this series, there are more sensory nerve receptors in our fascia than in our muscle tissues or skin making it our richest sensory organ [2]. It also covers more real estate than our skin since it is found just under the skin and dives deep into our body’s connective tissues, viscera, and bone. Interoception is an umbrella term for experiencing and understanding what is going on inside the body which is brought to our awareness through unmyelinated free nerve endings sent from the viscera and intramuscular connective tissues to the insular cortex of the brain.  The anterior insular cortex (the emotional processing center of our brain) intimately connects sensations to our emotional state of mind and past experiences. It also greatly affects our autonomic system by triggering our amygdala. This system determines either our flight or fight reaction (sympathetic system) or our rest and digest response (parasympathetic system) [1]. The mid and posterior insular cortex is involved in bodily awareness and has a shared role in somatosensory processing [3].  Interoceptive signals from the body are linked with sensations like warmth, nausea, hunger, heartbeat, taste, pain, soreness, effort, sexual arousal, heaviness, and lightness. Internal training can increase our awareness of these sensations along with emotions like sadness, depression, anxiety, well-being, joy, and ease [1]. Unfortunately, past traumas that can cause stress, pain, and self-numbing behavior can bring about disruption or pathology of our interoception which can result in psychosomatic and somato-emotional disorders such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, alexithymia, and anorexia to name a few. Therefore, now that we know the interoceptive pathways it stands to reason and confirmed in recent research that internal training can have a positive impact on our psychophysiological health [4]. We just need to know how to access them which will be covered later. What is proprioception? Our experience of proprioception starts from nerve endings called mechanoreceptors found in our fascia, connective tissue, muscles, joints, bones, and skin. These receptors send signals to the primary somatosensory cortex of the brain after being stimulated by pressure from squeezing, stretching, or compressing [5]. These aspects of the brain regulate muscle tone, posture, and locomotion. Dysfunctions of proprioception can lead to chronic low back pain, ataxia, complex regional pain disorder, and attention deficit hyperactive disorder [4]. One of my favorite things to do when trying to understand how our neurophysiology works is to look at pathologies. The more extreme the better! In my research, there was none more severe and interesting than the case study of Ian Waterman. [6] At 19 years old, Ian worked as a butcher in England and sustained an infection from a laceration. After suffering from a fever, he began to lose all sensation in his body. In the hospital he couldn’t even feel the bed beneath him as if floating on a cloud. It is believed that he suffered an autoimmune response which destroyed all sensory nerves below his neck. He did not know where his body was in space consciously or unconsciously. Therefore, his proprioception ceased to exist. Of course, doctors believed he would spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair. But to their amazement, Ian was able to recover the functional use of his body through determination and mental imagery. It started with him imagining bringing himself upright in bed, and then moved on to planning each and every step with his gait. Depending heavily on his vision both inner and outer, Ian was able to regain a somewhat normal life. This case study highlights two important things: the essential nature of proprioception to everyday life (understanding where our body is in space), and the other is the significance of using mental imagery for internal training. The later I will go into greater detail when discussing internal training practices. What is Exteroception? Exteroception is described as the five senses of your somatosensory system such as seeing, hearing, tasting, and touching in relation to outside stimulus. This concept is not written much about in recent scientific literature related to fascia, but it is studied in older perception and psychophysics literature in relation to muscle. Therefore, exteroception is a very important aspect of fascia. Perhaps more so than muscle with what we now know about the number of free nerve endings found in fascia. Imagine yourself holding a bokken or sword. If you’re a new student, it may exteroceptively feel very foreign to you in your hands. If you have practiced for a few years, some of you may feel as though you can feel the weapon as an extension of yourself. The integration may be so strong that it feels like a part of your upper extremity. If you have practiced for many years, it may even feel like an extension of your center. This leveling up of integration and perception can be described as expropioception as coined by Lee in 1978 [7]. With years of practice of internal and external martial arts with a partner or a weapon, we become more sensitized to our own bodily state and that of the other through haptic feedback. For example, when performing Aikido techniques or in weapons training, I am getting feedback from my partner or the weight of the weapon via dynamic touch. This dynamic touch utilizes the tensile states of my fascia as the tissues and the mechanoreceptors in them undertake deformation during partner practices or weapons training. This biofeedback allows me to know where my partner or weapon are in space dynamically. Recap All three of these somatosensory systems represent different layers of internal training which ought to be focused on in any movement system whether it be Yoga, Aikido, or any other therapeutic modality. Without attention to these systems, the inherent health and martial benefits will not come to fruition. Great martial art teachers like Ellis Amdur Sensei and Hoa Newens Sensei have explained very clearly that Aikido training is missing an essential element which involves internal work. This kind of training however was not lost with Koryu martial arts such as Takamuraha Shindo Yoshin Ryu. A Japanese martial art heavily influenced by Chinese martial arts, TSYR has maintained an internal training program called Nairiki [8]. “Physiologists have only recently started to study internal tactile sensitivity or interoception (awareness of internal status of one's body) as an adjunct to proprioception (unconscious perception of movement and spatial orientation arising from internal stimuli detected by nerves within the body and semicircular canals of the inner ear) and nociception (response of sensory nervous systems response to harmful or potentially harmful stimuli). This nascent field of science is confirming the validity of the centuries old practice of nairiki [8].” -Tobin Threadgill Sensei I’m blown away at Threadgill Sensei’s apt description and scientific understanding of why the Nairiki benefits his students to be better at TSYR’s curriculum. I highly recommend his book, Shindo Yoshin Ryu / History and Technique, for anyone interested in this jujitsu’s history and method. Even if no internal secrets are given in the book, it’s a gem of information and some examples of Nairiki are provided. As a member of the Kai but only a beginner without rank, I won’t go into aspects of TSYR’s Nairiki. However, my practice in TSYR and my extensive experience in Tai Chi, Aikido, and Hoa Newens Sensei’s Kihon Kunren have revealed to me the obvious connection between them. In the next portion, we will focus on three internal training methods that I practice with more familiarity and how they include interoception, proprioception, and exteroception. Interoceptive Internal Training Methods “What I gained immediately from each day of standing was a concrete way to actually go inside myself and find out how my body and chi worked from the inside out. In the internal martial arts, all movement begins from deep inside the body and works outwards toward the skin. The object is to completely fuse the inside and outside [9].” - Bruce Frantzis “A connected body offers the advantages of being flexible and truly unified when required to move. The total amount of strength in a body is available for action at any time when this state is realized. Different muscles attempt to generate power independently of other supporting structures in an unconnected body. The most misunderstood of these structures is the muscle fasciae [8].” -Tobin Threadgill Sensei Simply put above, internal training involves mindfully and physically integrating parts of the body into a whole to use our structures and muscles in concert with each other. Interoceptive training involves consciously tapping into our body’s communication system, which involves our fascia, to use only the muscle required to move. Threadgill Sensei rightly points out this results in one being in a ready state for movement. “Standing meditation is the quickest and easiest way of mastering this vital internal aspect of Tai Chi. Nearly all the great Tai Chi masters acknowledge standing meditation as a major factor in their attainment of high levels of skill [10].” - Chia The most important aspect of interoceptive internal training in martial arts is developing a standing practice. I’m emphasizing standing because if you perform an internal practice lying down or seated in a chair, you won’t benefit from strengthening your lower extremities, nor will you realign your torso properly with gravity. Thus, you’ll lack the ability to use only the muscles needed for a balanced upright static posture that will eventually translate into more efficient, powerful, and dynamic movement. Below is a insightful illustration by Anthony Chung of the progressive stages of standing and their benefits in balance, strength, alignment, and chi flow.  The following is an example of standing interoceptive training called Releasing the Energy Gates of the Body as taught in Wu Tai Chi: [11]
“Qi is, quite simply, the translator of information between the mind and the body. It is the carrier of ‘data’ from the mind through into the physical tissues via the channel system and, in return, it draws information back from the body into the mind [12].” -Damo Mitchell Without getting into the weeds on what Qi or Ki are, I’d like to offer this simple yet elegant definition above by Damo Mitchell that doesn’t rely on any metaphysics or bro science. Qi can simply be described as not just energy but also as “conscious information” received from the body’s fascial system, often called the Huang in Chinese medicine. As we start to experience this dissolving, we are developing our Qi and our ability to listen into our bodies which is a concept in Nei Gong called Qi Ting [12]. “When you reach the level of ‘listening with your chi’, your awareness will begin to merge with the various flows and pulses of your energy system. It is at this stage that your mind will begin to fully merge and absorb itself into every little nook and cranny of the body. The more open the channels and the more active the Huang, the more space your awareness can reach into. It is here, at this stage, that your mind will begin to melt with your body and flow like a fluid through your entire bodily system.” [12] – Damo Mitchell  Listening and paying attention can potentially improve our brain’s map of our body as well [13]. Above is what’s called a cortical homunculus, which was originally a model of how our anatomy is represented in our primary somatosensory cortex of the brain. Specifically, the homunculus had a front and back area in the parietal lobes of the brain. The anterior precentral gyrus controls motor function and the posterior postcentral gyrus receives somatosensory information from the body. Now we know there is greater distribution of sensory and motor function in the brain that includes but not limited to the insular cortex [14]. As you can see above, the mouth, nose, and hands have more representation in our brain than the foot or trunk. Not all models are the same and thanks to neuroplasticity our synaptic real estate can increase our body’s topographical representation if we simply pay attention and listen to our inner and outer landscapes [15]. As we say in neuro rehab, the neurons that fire together wire together. “If a person sees something and wants to acquire or move toward the object of their intentions (be it concrete or mental) that person mobilizes the “I” (pronounced yee), and after an infinitesimal gap moves into action [9].” - Bruce Frantzis My patients that suffer from a stroke or brain injury often have damage to the neurons of their motor and somatosensory cortex. As a therapeutic modality, I use mental imagery along with constraint induced movement therapy methods to wire new neuronal connections together [16] [17]. For example, I was working with a woman in her 50’s that sustained severe left hemiparesis due to a stroke. I restricted use of her intact side and had her use her intention, otherwise known in Tai Chi as “Yi” or “I”, to move her left paralytic hand by imagining that it was moving to her will to pick up an object. Miraculously, weeks after the stroke her fingers twitched and began to flex and extend. This improvement continued as we used less imagination and more intention and feeling into her arm with wrist movement, rotation of the forearm, and eventually some functional use of her upper extremity. Yi is an incredibly powerful tool in our internal training. The necessity to move her left arm created the intention needed to stimulate neuroplastic changes in the brain and restore function where there was none. Understanding the fascia as a communication network is vital to interoceptive internal training. There is a rich internal landscape available to us if we train our brain to listen daily. However, fascia’s innate ability to communicate our inner world to us has been greatly abandoned in our society because we’ve lost our ability to listen and utilize our intent properly. Who can blame us?! We live in a sick culture. With social media’s 24/7 entertainment at our fingertips, its propensity to divide us, and the collective trauma of having gone through a global pandemic, it is no surprise that we have seen a sizable uptick in mental illness. Thankfully, these practices have survived for thousands of years and can greatly help us with symptoms of interoceptive dysfunction as mentioned before. “Inner dissolving is the major meditation access point for resolving emotional difficulties, such as unworkable attitudes, dysfunction, temporary or lifelong negative patterns, or lack of perseverance when confronted with situations that are hard to handle emotionally.” [9] – Bruce Frantzis Studies have shown that internal training methods like Mindful Awareness in Body-oriented Therapy that works on interoceptive awareness have been found to be incredibly favorable in improving bodily dissociation, PTSD symptoms, sexual difficulties, drug use disorders, emotional regulation, and pain management [17]. In addition, Tai Chi and Qigong used as an intervention in studies have been found to improve stress management, increase self-efficacy, renew social skills, strengthen sensory acuity, support mood regulation, decrease depression and anxiety [18]. All these benefits are a result of interoception’s role in internal training and capacity to affect our biopsychosocial lives in a positive way. However, internal training can potentially have negative effects as well. “This is not to say that regaining interoception isn't potentially upsetting. What happens when a newly accessed feeling in your chest is experienced as rage, or fear, or anxiety?” [19] – Dr. Kolk Before starting any internal training, one should be aware of potential pitfalls. In Dr. Bessel A. van der Kolk’s book, The Body Keeps the Score, he discusses a study on the efficacy of Yoga in improving interoception and its benefits for victims of trauma [19]. However, there can be some unintended consequences. In the first Yoga study he conducted, only 50% of the subjects completed the course. According to the patients that left, they discovered that they had found the program to be too intense. In other words, their interoceptive input had been so dulled by substance abuse or blocked completely via disassociation that using a practice like Yoga caused intense panic or even flashbacks of their past traumas. As a result, they decided in the next study to go much slower. This approach led to only one out of thirty-four participants dropping out. For this reason, I would recommend finding a qualified internal teacher if you desire to improve your martial ability or just become more connected in mind, body, and spirit. Furthermore, before starting an internal practice, it may be a good idea to understand where your interoceptive acuity lies on a spectrum and perhaps seek out your mental health provider to identify any triggers that can potentially arise in internal training. If you’d like to test your own interoceptive ability, then follow these steps created by neuroscientist Hugh Critchley [6]. All you have to do is follow your own heartbeat. Critchley found that if subjects could accurately feel and count their heart rate, then they could also score higher on other interoception tests.
Proprioceptive Internal Training Methods “It is the architecture of fascial connective tissue in relation to the muscular tissue components and skeletal elements that plays a major role in the coding of the proprioceptive information that is provided.” [5]- Jaap van der Wal If the prerequisite for interoceptive internal training is stillness, then the obvious requirement for proprioceptive internal training would be movement. To be more specific, it would be movement with intention and focus solely on one’s body and structure. This would involve solo training methods like Yoga, Nairiki, Tai Chi, Qi Gong, or the Kihon Kunren. At the beginning of the Kihon Kunren, interoceptive training would fall into the category of feeling inward into the body with a Nei Gong practice involving inner dissolving. Proprioceptive internal training of the Kihon Kunren encompasses the rest of the solo exercises where one moves through the sequence of waking up the central axis, connecting the central axis to the limbs, and then utilizing aikido movements via stances and transitions through several stages.  Above we see the Kihon Kunren’s solo practice of transitioning from a static stance to dynamic movement. In transition from picture 1 to 2, I am rotating my central axis and stretching out my arm from a hamni (half body) position to a hitoemi (single body) position for several repetitions. This static practice allows one to feel how the central axis is the prime mover of their extremities. The transition from 2 to 3 involves springing forward from hitoemi and rotating from left stance to right hamni. As you can see, in picture 3 I’ve stepped forward and turned with my left arm inwardly pushing my left hand into my opposite shoulder as I would for iriminage. Performing this technique alone allows for one to feel their body in terms of proper body mechanics and balance without the disruption of a partner. This makes it purely a proprioceptive training method. I am feeling the extension originate from my central axis, opening to extend out into the extremities, and then closing to return back to the central axis again. “This was considered to be a secret technique to escape from multiple attackers. The other name for this is Yamabiko-no Michi, the path of an echo. As you extend your Ki, the Ki of your opponent will return to you like an echo. However, you do not receive your opponent's Ki, because you have instantly moved past him to his rear.” [20]- Saito Morihiro  This opening and closing movement is rarely seen or understood in aikido but was a staple movement by O-Sensei and Saito Sensei for techniques that involve irimi (entering). If one pays close attention to video of their movements, they can see this extension outward before entering and transitioning between hitoemi and hamni. Exteroceptive Internal Training Methods  Exteroceptive internal training will always involve biofeedback from an outside stimulus. In martial arts, it is typically in the form of partnered kata, push hands, sparring, or weapons work. In the example above, I am responding to my uke’s shomenuchi (overhead strike) attack. I need to respond to timing, distance, and his weight as I blend with his attack and push his neck toward my shoulder. This haptic feedback from my partner requires constant adjustments internally. To maintain balance, I use the learned interoceptive understanding of where my center of balance has shifted inside my body and the amalgamation of my statesthesia (joint position sense) and kinaesthesia (dynamic movement sense) which make up that state of my proprioception. All of this has been developed and refined in the solo practices of the Kihon Kunren and now integrated into taijitsu. I have written about how constructive resistance training can improve muscle and tendon strength and the same goes for fascia as mentioned in part two of this series. The goal of internal work is to integrate the sum of all parts of the body into a whole. However, without pressure testing or resistance training how can one truly know their body is integrated? This leads me to the practice of katai (hard) training. Without it, we have no means of understanding how to use the body in an efficient way against outside forces. This is especially true in Aikido. “If uke trains in the spirit of koryu, providing the information through his or her movement to make nage stronger, then the powerful grab that I described earlier in regards to the Sagawa and Iwama dojos should not merely be a lockdown of muscle. One is not “soft”, in the usual sense; rather, one uses a kind of relaxation that allows one to be “connected”, using one's entire body as a single integrated, flexible unit, no matter what position or posture one may be in. A skillful uke should use his/her own body to gauge if the incoming feedback of nage is on point or not- within the aiki paradigm [21].” -Ellis Amdur As mentioned by Amdur Sensei, ukemi (receiving a technique) in katai training must have a certain softness or relaxed quality [21]. Absent of this, our fascia cannot properly communicate to our mind the adjustments needed in the face of receiving a technique. This concept is mentioned ad nauseam in Taoist martial arts like Tai Chi. For example, when presented with yang energy from an opponent, one must absorb into yin. One must also find the balance between these energies within themselves as uke. That way one always has the option of reversal, kaeshiwaza. An option not available if uke throws themselves or is too rigid in their attack. “Ukemi includes a sophisticated training of the body, so that force can be channeled within it. Kaeshiwaza is not simply the ability to position oneself at the best angle to neutralize the attack of nage. One changes the angles within one’s body and further, strengthens one’s body and trains one’s nervous system in particular ways, so that one can direct incoming force and leverage with a combination of body and will. All of this requires specialized practice [21].” -Elllis Amdur Kaeshiwaza training, according to Amdur Sensei, is the highest form of ukemi [21]. It requires one to stay with the technique all the way to the end without jumping ahead. Although not well understood or practiced as much in the Aikido world today, this exteroceptive approach to internal training is incredibly important. It develops sensitivity, strength, pliability, grounding, and an internal awareness as to where one's center of balance is located all times. This is a prerequisite for being able to reverse a technique at any moment. 1st Bokken Suburi  “They all stated Saito was adamant that O-Sensei said everything one needed for developing aiki is in the suburi, which one should practice daily.” [22] -John Driscoll
This quote was in reference to discussions with those closest to Saito Sensei regarding the topic of internal training. After many years of practicing Aiki-Ken, I can see the wisdom in this statement. In weapons training we are working with a more consistent form of biofeedback. Our partner can change the direction, resistance, and intensity of the attack but with suburi training we are working with relatively constant variables. The only thing we must contend with is the weight of the weapon and its leverage away from our central axis. This forges our body’s ability to deal with the perturbations of the strike and strengthens our central axis to maintain equilibrium. The most difficult phase of the first bokken suburi is not the strike itself but ending the strike with proper structure. In Aiki-Ken, one must be able to stop the bokken parallel to the ground by anchoring our central axis into the ground and rolling in our wrists (shiburi) creating a door stop for our weapon. Most beginners will look like picture 4b due to their lack of exteroceptive acuity and structural integrity. After years of diligent practice, we should look more like picture 4a. Conclusion As mentioned before, my internal training journey began after more than 20 years of lower back pain. Studies have shown that people with chronic low back pain have a disruptive body image with decreased tactile and proprioceptive acuity in their lower back [23]. As shown in fMRI research, chronic pain and cortical reorganization in the somatosensory and insular cortex contributed to me feeling more pain and have less understanding as to where my back was in space [24] [13]. I believe that if it wasn’t for Nei Gong’s interoceptive internal training and its effects on interoceptive acuity then I would still be in constant pain. Anecdotally, there have been others in our Tai Chi class that have benefited from such practice. Given the success of recent research with modern approaches in interoceptive training, I would love to see some research on the efficacy of this ancient modality since it was so vital to my recovery. There has been much debate on the future of Aikido. Where should it go? Does the training need an overhaul? Of what use is it to society? As mentioned before, there are a myriad of problems other than back pain that arise when we are not interoceptively and proprioceptively connected to our bodies. I believe that Aikido has something special to offer the world if more focus is placed on interoceptive internal training. It has the potential to be a complete health system needed desperately for a very sick society. One that benefits all health aspects of life such as: mental health, physical fitness, spiritual well-being, and a healthy social life. Yet, Aikido needs a guiding light for this internal practice. One that is tailor made for its movements and unique stances. Many have gone outside of Aikido as I have to acquire that missing link via Tai Chi, Koryu, or Yoga. Up till now, that outsourcing was necessary but no longer. After several decades of Tai Chi and over fifty years of Aikido practice and teaching, Hoa Newens Shihan has made the principles found in most internal training methods accessible in his Kihon Kunren. At the first part of his series, standing Nei Gong is utilized to awaken interoceptive awareness back into our body before any movement is initiated. As the training progresses, each static exercise advances proprioceptively from the central axis to the extremities, and then finally away from static toward dynamic movement involving techniques found in Aikido. After the solo work, we can apply exteroceptive training in our partnered Aikido practice of weapons and taijitsu. This structured approach assures the implementation of all aspects of internal training for improved health and well-being which includes fascia’s somatosensory system. Bibliography [1] J. C. a. H. J. Robert Schleip, "Interoception: A New Correlate for Intricate Connections Between Fascial Receptors, Emotion, and Self-Awareness," in Fascia: The Tensional Network of the Human Body, London, Elsevier, 2022, pp. 169-178. [2] R. Schleip, "Fascia as an Organ of Communication," in Fascia: The Tensional Network of the Human Body, London, Elsevier, 2022, pp. 156-159. [3] N. Gogolla, "The insular cortex," Current Biology, vol. 27, no. 12, pp. pp.R580-R586., 2017. [4] R. S. Carla Stecco, "Fascia as Sensory Organ," in Fascia: In Sport and Movement, London, Handspring Publishing, 2021, pp. 169-179. [5] J. v. d. Wal, "Proprioception," in Fascia: The Tensional Network of the Human Body, London, Elsevier, 2022, pp. 160-168. [6] D. Lesondak, Fascia: What It Is and Why It Matters, London: Handspring, 2023. [7] C. C. P. a. a. C. C. a. M. T. Turvey, " Exteroception and exproprioception by dynamic touch are different functions of the inertia tensor," Perception & Psychophysics, pp. 1191-1202, 1996. [8] T. T. a. S. Ohgami, Shindo Yoshin Ryu: History and Technique, Evergreen: New Willow Press, 2019. [9] B. Frantzis, The Power of Internal Martial Arts and Chi: Combat and Energy Secrets of Ba Gua, Tai Chi, and Hsing-I, Fair fax: Energy Arts Inc., 2007. [10] M. C. a. J. Li, The Inner Structure of Tai Chi, Huntington: Healing Toa Books, 1996. [11] B. Frantzis, Opening the Energy Gates of your Body: Qigong for Lifelong Health, Fairfax: Energy Arts, Inc., 2006. [12] D. Mitchell, A Comprehensive Guide to Daoist Nei Gong, London: Singning Dragon, 2018. [13] M. G. Lotze M, "Role of distorted body image in pain," Curr Rheumatol Rep, vol. 9, p. 488–496, 2007. [14] Y. L. S. A. Noam Saadon-Grosman, "The ‘creatures’ of the human cortical somatosensory system," Brain Communications, vol. 2, no. 1, 2020. [15] C. P. A. F. L. CE ́ LIA RUFFINO, " NEURAL PLASTICITY DURING MOTOR LEARNING WITH MOTOR IMAGERY PRACTICE: REVIEW AND PERSPECTIVES," Neuroscience, no. 341, pp. 61-78, 2017. [16] M. K. P. Y. L. P. R. C. K. C. P. Adeline Y. Kho, "Meta-analysis on the effect of mental imagery on motor recovery of the hemiplegic upper extremity function," Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, vol. 61, no. 2, pp. 38-48, 2014. [17] C. Price. [Online]. Available: https://www.cmbaware.org/publications/. [18] J. S. M. C. P. M. J. C. C. B. L. Z. P. Albert Yeung M.D. Sc.D., "Qigong and Tai-Chi for Mood Regulation," Focus: The Journal for Life Long Learning in Psychiatry, pp. 40-47 https://focus.psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.focus.20170042, 2018. [19] M. Bessel van der Kolk, The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma, New York : Penguin Group, 2014. [20] M. Saito, Traditional Aikido Vol 1. Basic Techniques, Tokyo: Minato Research and Publishing Company , 1973. [21] E. Amdur, Hidden in Plain Sight, Edgeworks Books, 2000. [22] E. Amdur, 2012. [Online]. Available: https://aikidojournal.com/2012/10/19/a-consideration-of-aikido-practice-within-the-context-of-internal-training-by-ellis-amdur/. [23] G. L. Moseley, "I can’t find it! Distorted body image and tactile dysfunction in patients with chronic back pain," Pain, no. 140, pp. 239-243, 2008. [24] Z. L. C. R. Y. H. L. H. M. A. Hu L, "A. The primary somatosensory cortex and the insula contribute differently to the processing of transient and sustained nociceptive and non-nociceptive somatosensory inputs.," Human Brain Mapping, no. 36, p. 4346–4360, 2015.  無敵 Muteki, Lessons from Japan The word “muteki” in Japanese means, “no enemy”. It is comprised of two kanji characters: “mu” for emptiness or nothing, and “teki”, for enemy. The term is usually used to describe someone so strong they have no enemies; they are invincible, unrivaled. In the context of Aikido, the concept of muteki relates instead to how we approach our partners and practice. We have no enemies in Aikido. Our partner is not our enemy. I am not your enemy. You are not my enemy. A few years ago when I was on an extended trip to Japan, my training partner at Hombu dojo one morning explained to me the concept of “muteki”, or “no enemy". Now in his 70s, Hiyashi-san first came to Hombu dojo as a teenager, where he saw O’Sensei. He only took a few classes, and didn’t return to training until years later, and has been training there ever since. Hiyashi-san instructed me with three points to consider when practicing Aikido: 1) Muteki. Your partner is not your opponent. Invite them in. 2) Make your mind big - big and open so that it expands outwards. 3) Be like water, flowing. Hiyashi-san was not the only training partner to coach me with these points. Practically every Japanese person I trained with on the far side of the mat* at Hombu, repeated some version of the same messages, to the point that I was beginning to wonder, “Am I really that combative, closed-minded, or hard?” Every dojo, every teacher, has their own approach or interpretation of Aikido. I think it’s important when visiting a dojo to quickly take in feedback and make adjustments to one’s training, not only as a sign of respect to the teachers and senpai, but because we may actually learn something useful and valuable. Over several weeks of training at Hombu I focused on these ideas and found that I was better able to connect with my ukes, and my training became softer and more sensitive. Since that trip to Japan I’ve given more thought to the lessons Hiyashi-san was trying to impress upon me. Your partner is not your opponent. Invite them in. When we first learn Aikido techniques, we learn the mechanics of the techniques. The Uke attacks and the Nage throws the Uke. As nage we place our body in certain positions and move in certain ways to redirect uke’s body and energy. The more skillful we become at Aikido technique, the stronger attack we can handle. From a purely mechanical perspective, our partners can certainly feel like opponents, or “enemy”. They’re attacking us! Our brains amygdala often automatically trigger responses of resistance and fear. We fall into the old paradigm of dominate or be dominated. Our goal in Aikido is to transcend our fear reflexes, to expand our awareness, and to connect. We do Aikido to dissolve what separates us, to shatter what keeps us small. When we train, rather than aggressively or fearfully responding to attacks, invite them in. Connect with ukes before they even move to attack. Hiyashi-san said to me, “I am not your enemy. There is no enemy in Aikido.” Ryuji Sawa Sensei, at his dojo in Setagaya, made a point of telling me directly, “Don’t grab your uke. Grabbing only encourages the uke to resist. Grabbing is fighting. Aikido is NOT fighting. NO fighting.” O’Sensei uchi-deshi Terry Dobson Sensei, in a class a week before he passed away, instructed us, “Don’t DO things to your partner. Stop trying to impose your will on your partner.” These teachers were all saying versions of the same thing, muteki. Once we understand the concept of muteki intellectually, how do we translate it into our physical training? To that end I have found Hiyashi-san’s second and third points to be helpful visualizations during practice. Make your mind big and open, so that it expands outwards. When one is learning Aikido, it’s easy to focus your mind on the point of conflict. For example, in Tai No Henko, when your partner is grabbing your wrist, naturally your focus of attention will be on this point of conflict. But the the more you focus your attention on the point of conflict, the more you resist, and the more you create resistance in your partner. When you expand your awareness, “make your mind big and open”, something magical occurs. Your hardness dissolves, conflict becomes insignificant, and there is now a true opportunity to connect with your partner. When you consciously expand your mind in your own body, you can connect with your central axis, your dantien, and your ki. When you expand your mind to include your partner, a humbling and a letting go of ego can occur, as you connect with the universe that exists in your partner. A synergy of purpose can occur when you expand your mind to include the center and ki of your partner. When you expand your mind to encompass the dojo and everyone in it, not only is training safer because you are more aware of those around you, but there is a further letting go of that which differentiates self, and a deeper connection with all beings. Be like water, flowing. When I did masters swimming years ago my coach instructed me to be like a fish—don’t fight the water when you swim, blend with it, relax into it. If you ever watch exceptional swimmers they practically glide through the water, like fish. In Aikido being like water means to relax and flow. Use only the muscles necessary for the movement you are making. Let ki flow through you like water. To water in a stream, a boulder is not an enemy, it is just something around which to flow. Think of the Aikido techniques as containers, or structures, through which your ki can flow. The more you relax the easier it is for your ki to move through you. The Aikido interpretation of muteki is, of course, not limited to Aikido. Where else in our lives have we mentally constructed enemies? Where else are we hardening, resisting, “othering”? In these places can we connect, soften, let go, or broaden our awareness? Aikido is a path of personal development, so how do we translate our Aikido practice to our daily interaction with the world? To what antagonists can we now realize, "You are not my enemy"? --------------------------------- *If you are unfamiliar, the far side of the mat is typically where the older people at Hombu train. These are people who have been doing Aikido for 30 years, who are more careful with their bodies, who are there almost every day, some of whom take hours by train just to come to the dojo.  Ai (Harmony/Balance) Ki (Energy/Life) Do (Way/Path) Aikido was created by Morihei Ueshiba, also known as O’Sensei, a Japanese martial artist, in the early 20th century. Born on December 14, 1883, in Tanabe, Japan, Ueshiba began studying martial arts at a young age, training in various styles, including jujutsu and kenjutsu. The development of Aikido was influenced by Ueshiba’s martial arts background, as well as his spiritual and philosophical beliefs. Ueshiba was deeply influenced by the Omoto-kyo religion, a new religious movement in Japan that incorporated Shinto beliefs and emphasized the pursuit of harmony and enlightenment. In the 1920s and 1930s, Ueshiba continued to refine his martial arts skills and began to formulate his own martial art, which he initially called “Aiki Budo.” The term “Aiki” refers to the principle of blending with and redirecting an opponent’s force rather than opposing it directly. Ueshiba aimed to create a martial art that was not focused on defeating an opponent but rather on neutralizing aggression while protecting both the defender and the attacker from harm. As Ueshiba’s martial art evolved, he changed the name to Aikido in the post-World War II era. “Aikido” can be translated as “the way of harmony with the spirit” or “the way of unifying life energy.” The name reflects the central philosophy of Aikido, which emphasizes blending with and redirecting an opponent’s energy in a harmonious and non-destructive way. Morihei Ueshiba continued to teach and develop Aikido until his death on April 26, 1969. Today, Aikido is practiced worldwide and has various styles and interpretations, but the core principles of harmonizing with an opponent’s energy remain central to its philosophy. I started my martial art training in France with Karate Shotokan method back in the early 70s when I was 18 years old. I was young, in great shape, no pain whatsoever, and felt invincible, as I am sure was the case for many of us at that age. I obtained my brown belt before coming to the United States in 1977. After my arrival I tried to find a martial art dojo first for Karate but unfortunately I could not find what I was really looking for because I was primarily focused on the “Budo” spirit found in many martial art sports. What is Budo. “Budo” is a Japanese term that translates to “martial way” or “martial path.” It encompasses the philosophy and ethical code associated with traditional Japanese martial arts. Budo goes beyond mere physical techniques and emphasizes the development of one’s character, moral virtues, and a holistic approach to personal growth. The concept of Budo incorporates values such as respect, humility, discipline, and self-control. Practitioners are not only focused on improving their physical skills but also on cultivating a strong and virtuous character. The ultimate goal of Budo is not just to prevail in combat or training but also to achieve a harmonious balance of the mind, body, and spirit. These skills were very much the focus of O’Sensei hence Aikido. Various martial arts disciplines, such as Judo, Kendo, Karate, Aikido, incorporate Budo principles into their training methodologies. These arts often have a strong emphasis on Dojo etiquette, and a code of conduct on or off the matt that extends beyond the training and into everyday life. In Budo, the idea is to develop not just effective martial techniques but also to become a better, more balanced individual. It’s important to note that while Budo is deeply rooted in Japanese martial arts traditions, similar philosophies are present in martial arts from other cultures as well. The emphasis on personal development, discipline, and ethical conduct is a common thread in many traditional martial arts around the world. I arrived in Davis in the early 80’s and started Aikido with A.I.D at the age of 50, which is rather late and challenging. On December 7, 2013, I obtained my Shodan rank followed by Nidan on May 25, 2017 and Sandan on December 16, 2023. During that period I experienced many various pains and aches some due to the natural part and signs of aging particularly in the joints area and others because of accidents. However, I ignored the small ones because of my love of Aikido and the important connections it gives me to be on the matt training with my fellow Ukes and Senpais. Some of the various meanings of body pain. Stimulus: Pain often begins with a noxious stimulus, such as physical injury, inflammation, or tissue damage. Nociceptors, specialized nerve endings in the body, detect these stimuli. Transmission: Once nociceptors detect a harmful stimulus, they send electrical signals to the spinal cord through nerve fibers. These signals travel up the spinal cord to the brain. Processing in the Brain: The brain receives and processes these signals in various regions, including the thalamus and the somatosensory cortex. The brain interprets the signals and produces the sensation of pain. Perception: The perception of pain is influenced by various factors, including emotional state, past experiences, cultural background, and individual pain thresholds. This is why different people can perceive the same stimulus differently. Joint pain: Also known as arthralgia, can occur for various reasons and in different parts of the body. It is often a symptom rather than a condition on its own. Here are some common causes of joint pain: Inflammation: Inflammatory conditions such as arthritis (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis) can cause pain in the joints. Inflammation can lead to swelling, stiffness, and discomfort. Injury: Trauma or injury to a joint, such as sprains or strains, can cause pain. This can result from accidents, overuse, or repetitive stress on the joint. Infection: Joint pain can also be a result of infections, such as bacterial or viral infections affecting the joints. Autoimmune Diseases: Conditions where the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues, like in rheumatoid arthritis, can lead to joint pain. Degenerative Changes: As people age, the cartilage in joints may wear down, leading to conditions like osteoarthritis, which can cause pain and stiffness. Other Medical Conditions: Various other medical conditions, such as gout or lupus, can also contribute to joint pain. It’s important to note that any serious pain should be evaluated by a healthcare professional to determine the underlying cause and appropriate treatment. Treatment may involve medications, physical therapy, lifestyle changes, or, in some cases, surgical intervention. My Aikido journey to Sandan. During my Aikido training from age 50 to 70, I experienced most if not many of these different pains and aches and I ignored them because I assumed they were temporary. My belief was that as long as I kept my body moving and in shape these pains will go away. That was my mistake to assume they will. The one thing I totally underestimated was the age factor. After over twenty years of martial practice, I now realize that my journey was with a great level of physical challenges to say the least. My disregard for the minor and debilitating pains I experienced was my responsibility and I should have listen to my body more closely. However, I do not regret one second of all my years of Aikido training with the “Aikido Institute of Davis”. Frankly, Aikido is perfect for me because it can be done at any age any anyone young or old. I could not find a better practice and dojo than the one I am currently training with including all the wonderful members from Sensei to Senpais, and Kohais. All of you are part of my Aikido family. My final thoughts, personal views, and recommendations. A. Always listen to your body and take any serious pain seriously on and off the matt. B. Be mindful towards your physical limitations for any techniques or sports your body is not ready to do that could worsen the pain. C. Care for your body and rest if necessary regardless of how much time one may have to stay off the matt. It is your body, you only have one, and no one else knows it better than yourself. D. Defensive techniques such as those we carefully practice in Aikido are good for the body and for the mind and I encourage anyone to give it a try by signing up for the new four classes introductory course starting in March 2024. I would like to thank my Aikido family for your generous love, friendship, training, and being part of my Aikido journey. Guy Michelier 12/2023 12/23/2023 0 Comments Hannah Miller - Nidan Essay 12/17/2023 If I had to pick a theme for my Aikido journey thus far it would be “taking up space”. Take up space. Be loud. Extend. I have been challenged to grow in these areas over and over again during my time practicing aikido. It is something that I am still working on and, in fact, was reminded of just the other day! Lately though, I have also started to explore what it means to take up space without overusing physical strength. While I have only just begun to pay attention to this, there are two techniques that I have been focusing on recently; a finishing bokken strike and morotedori kokyuho. Both of these simultaneously require strength, relaxation and extension. There is a moment at the end of every kumitachi where the defender ultimately gains the upper hand and delivers a decisive blow to the attacker. I have been working on my execution of this final strike. In addition to landing the bokken closer to your partner’s wrist than usual, to show that you have “cut” it, this move also usually involves striking down with more force and a loud kiai for a strong finish. While extending outwards, it is also necessary to extend downwards (which is something that I struggle with). I suppose that this is the same skill that allows one to hit a tanren without their bokken bouncing back up. Then, in addition to all of this, you must complete this powerful move while remaining relaxed. This seems to be a bit easier when striking air with a bokken or jo because you have the benefit of gravity, a heavy wooden weapon and no resistance. But during a partner practice, I find it more difficult to take the strength out of my forearms when pressing against my partner’s weapon. In the same way, morotedori kokyuho also requires both extension and relaxation. Since beginning the aikido foundations course this past November, I have been focusing on this technique in particular. There are two points where I have noticed a pronounced need for relaxation with extension. The first is when, after being grabbed, the nage sinks down and turns to face in the same direction as the uke, raising their arms above their head. If an uke is holding firmly, it can be especially difficult to do so without relying on your own strength. Conversely, if an uke is holding lightly, it can be easy to overpower them without performing the technique properly. In order to overcome this problem, I have been practicing relaxing, letting go of my strength and sinking down into the mat, in a similar manner to the course breathing exercises. The result is that my uke suddenly becomes much lighter and easier to move. However in doing so, I have found that I overcompensate and lose the extension in my arms. I must now learn how to drop in a relaxed manner while simultaneously remaining strong and continuing to extend. This is proving to be no small feat. After accomplishing this first part of the technique, the nage must use relaxation and extension for a second time. They need to relax their arms and turn their hips to throw while also maintaining their extension for a strong finish. If your partner takes ukemi in an active way they will absorb your technique and sink down to receive it. There is then a need to extend through this resistance in order to continue the motion. However, extending and yet releasing the strength in my arms is something that I have found extremely challenging. If my uke is very strong it is especially hard to accomplish this without relying on my muscles. As I continue on in Aikido I will keep exploring what it means to “take up space”. I will also persist in learning to balance my physical strength with remaining relaxed and maintaining my extension. Though I have only described my experience with two techniques in this essay, I am aware that virtually all of aikido relies on this skill. I am excited to begin paying attention to how it can be applied in other contexts! 12/9/2023 0 Comments Daily Trainingby Hoa Newens Learning and Training When we learn, we acquire a new understanding or new skill. We essentially take something desirable from outside and bring it inside to make it ours. It is a two-part process: in the first part, we scan and assess the desirability of the object of learning; in the second part, we make it ours. We’ll call the first part understanding, the second part training. The main subject of this essay is the training part. Learning does not occur until we train. In understanding, we open ourselves to receive and explore new concepts, new ways of doing things and home in on those which may benefit our life. In training, we take these new desirable things and work on them to make them part of our life. In understanding we open ourselves to change; in training, we reinforce the change so that it lasts and eventually becomes a part of us. Understanding without training may provide a temporary boost but will not make our life better in the long run. Conversely, training in the same things all the time without understanding their true nature locks out opportunities for improvement. Understanding and training form a constant cycle of learning: understand what we want, train for it, continue to understand its changing nature, train for the new change, etc. In the balance of this essay, we discuss learning and training in martial arts, and we may occasionally use these two concepts interchangeably. Attending Classes When we come to class, an instructor shows us how to move or do certain things in a way that is new or not yet natural to us. Then, within the time frame of the class, we mimic the instructor’s actions or movements using our body and mind, and repeat many times. In most Aikido schools, the opportunity to learn the specific movements ends with each class and may occasionally repeat at the discretion of the instructors. Unless the instructors follow a structured curriculum and track class topics to ensure cyclical occurrence, students will miss optimal reinforcement of the new things that they were exposed to. Therefore, serious students should take responsibility for their own training and create their personal training schedule to reinforce the new items at their own pace, until the new material has been assimilated. For example, the last time we worked on the jo suburi in detail in class was probably a few weeks ago; if a student was exposed to it for the first time then, and they have not practiced it on their own since that class, they most likely have forgotten most of it by now. If they had practiced it regularly on their own, then at the next time we work on the suburi they can benefit from the clarifications and corrections, otherwise they would have to start from scratch. We expand our understanding in classes, but we train on our own. Attending classes gets us on the path; we must walk it to get to the destination. Why Daily? All natural phenomena on earth follow a cycle due to planetary revolution and rotation within our solar system. Human life is one of the natural phenomena and is governed by the natural cycles, with activities appropriate for each part of a cycle. We go to sleep at night and become active when day comes; we slowdown in winter and pick up in the spring. All basic life functions follow natural cycles. There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance . . . Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 NIV, (Third century B.C.) Each human being is born under the influence of certain planetary arrangement and is subject to a unique destiny determined by the interaction of these planets at specific points of their cycles. According to cosmologies, both in the West [horoscope based on the Zodiac signs and constellations] and East [divination based on the hexagrams of the I Ching, (Book of Changes)] there is a best time for every human action. In addition to the effect of cycles in Nature, living things follow a natural rhythm of expansion and stillness within themselves. Empty the mind to the utmost extent. Maintain quiescence with the whole being. The ten thousand things are growing with one impulse, Yet I can discern their cyclic return. Luxuriant indeed are the growing things; Yet each again will return to the root. Returning to the root means quiescence; Quiescence means renewal of life; Renewal of life means in tune with the Immutable. Tao The Ching, Ch 16, by Lao Tzu (translation by Henry Wei, 1982) A day in a human life is one cycle in this universal cogwheel system. All sentient beings, including human beings, are subject to circadian rhythms which allow the organisms to anticipate the changes in the environment and adapt their biological processes to derive the most benefits from these changes. When daylight comes it’s time to wake and move; when light goes out, it’s time to slow down and rest. This coordination with the environment occurs throughout the entire organism, down to the cellular level. Human beings have different lifestyle involving different activities. There is an optimum time for an individual to engage in each activity: a good time to feed the mind, a good time to engage in physical exercises, a good time to practice breathing and energy work and a good time to meditate. There is a best time in a cycle for each physiological function of an organism. If we don’t make use of these optimal times, we miss opportunities to ride the natural flow of the universe. Each of us should find the optimal time slot for training and not let it go to waste. The sun rises and sets every day. If we are to be in sync with the universal rhythm, we should train every day.  O Sensei training in the woods. The Benefits of Daily Training In our busy modern lifestyle in which multi-tasking appears to be the norm, flexibility equips us to deal with unforeseen changes. An activity that can be accomplished through its smallest denominator affords us that needed flexibility: a little bit every day goes a long way. Additionally, when we train daily, we allow yesterday’s layer to cure overnight before we add a new layer on top. Piling on too many layers at one time does not allow sufficient time for curing. With this incremental approach, we minimize the chance of error and injury. This breathing room is especially important when we do deep work with body tissues, such as stretching for flexibility, or qigong work. Many types of training are exploratory, such as in qigong or neigong work. Proceeding in small steps makes the student aware of changes that may not be congruent with the mind or body and thus be potentially harmful and allows him to stop timely. Thanks to this safety margin, mental barriers are lowered, and the practice is less stressful. In addition, daily training has a similar compounding effect to daily accrual of interest rate. Each day we train, we add to the capital within ourselves, which will make better use of tomorrow’s training. In this way, the capital grows exponentially over time. Deep and lasting change happens slowly. Yukiyoshi Sagawa Sensei, Soke of Daito-Ryu, admonished students as follows on training (Transparent Power: A Secret Teaching Revealed, by Tatsuo Kimura, MAAT Press, 2017): You must train your body every day for decades; you must perpetually condition your body, or you will not really get what this is all about. It is only through relentless practice and analysis of your moves that your technique will come to radiate from your body. Even if you manage to train intensively every day while trying different approaches, it will take at least 20 years before your body has been conditioned enough. The Challenge of Daily Training When we learn something, we project our awareness toward it and wraps around it to explore its nature; if we find it beneficial, we attempt to replicate it inside our mind or our body to make it ours. In the beginning there is a certain excitement that is caused by new stimuli to the mind – the mind being a small part of our awareness that has self-organized into a coherent entity with multiple functions, one of them being storage of past experience. That excitement drives and focuses our energy and keeps us on point. As time goes on, unless new details emerge from the object of learning, the mind’s interest in it wanes since a large part of that object has become “past experience” within the mind. We no longer have the beginner’s mind. The energy slackens and the awareness subsides. Smart instructors will recognize this inflexion point and highlight new details related to timing, angles, hand and feet placement, etc. Sometimes they even modify the object of learning to stir up interest. In a personal daily training program, we would have to dig for this newness ourselves, such as by drilling down into the minutia of movement, understanding relationships (riai), plumbing the essence of movement, exploring variations, etc. We have to do everything within our means to keep our consciousness homed in on the object of learning, always remembering that learning occurs only when consciousness is present. Mindless repetition won’t do. Daily Training Plan We can learn the horse stance in one class but to get the benefit of this stance we need to make time and go through the effort of practicing it every day for several months. Gichin Funakoshi of Karatedo laid down six rules for training in his book Karatedo My Way of Life, Kodansha International 1975, the first one being: You must be deadly serious in training. . . Your opponent must always be present in your mind, where you sit, stand, walk or raise your arm. As with any serious goal we must have a plan for it to happen; we must at least create a favorable environment for daily training. Such plan should include these four aspects: § Personal health - Training takes energy; we should plan our daily life to save energy for this purpose: get enough sleep; consume nutritious foods; reduce stressful activities. § Priority – If we truly believe in the benefit of daily training, we must reprioritize daily activities and carve out time for personal practice on our daily schedule. § Commitment – Successful training hinges on sustained repetition over a long period. Periodic outburst of training are not effective, daily doses of short sessions are. At the outset of new learning, we must decide on a period to commit to training, e.g., I will work on the jo suburi every morning before breakfast for the next twelve months. § Support – We can add synergy to our daily practice and increase the chance of success by joining a group of like-minded individuals doing the same thing, e.g., the Jo Suburi zoom group. We should also solicit support from those living around us, family and friend circles: ask for their patience while insisting on our training priority. In your training, do not be in a hurry, for it takes a minimum of ten years to master the basics and advance to the first rung. Never think of yourself as an all-knowing, perfected master; you must continue to train daily with your friends and students and progress together in the Art of Peace. Morihei Ueshiba, by John Stevens (2010). “The Art of Peace”, p.158, Shambhala Publications What Should I Train For? Our personal training program is a mix that should be constantly adjusted. It should include these four components: § Personal practice for own growth – This includes items that I need to work on at this stage of my life and my level of training. § Practice for teaching others – If I am a teacher, I need to practice these items so that I can teach others, though I may not need them. § Research for improvement – I need to keep my mind open and look for better ways to learn and to practice and be ready to receive constructive feedback from all. § Constant adjustment of daily practice – Based on the feedback, including feedback from my own body, I need to adjust my practice so that it reflects my learning goal. I need to be mindful to adjust my training in the face of changes in external environment as well as my body conditions. As we untiringly train and search, our quest is registered in the quantum field of possibilities, and we will naturally draw favorable circumstances and guidance our way. A divine intelligence will trickle into our consciousness and guide us in our inner quest. With sincere effort, we will know what, and how, to train. The Training Mode The more we train the more we realize that the subject of training is not important. What is important is being in the training mode. One of the four vows that an uchideshi in our dojo makes is this: “My daily life is my practice.” The uchideshi lives and train in the dojo, hence every living moment is a training moment. They are on full training mode. To an uchideshi, anything that they encounter is part of their training. One important practical benefit is that when we are on the training mode, we treat an event that would be regarded as hardship by others as just another challenge to be overcome for training purpose. Others would call this positive thinking, we call it training. The training mode is characterized by three core attributes: 1. Constant focus on a life goal (ikigai) 2. Commitment to a self-improvement program (kaizen) 3. Openness to new opportunities (kenkyo) Continue training until training becomes normal living. In this kind of lifestyle, we are constantly moving ourselves toward our life goal through a balance between commitment to a program and openness to all opportunities for changes, that is a balance between concentration and relaxation. When we are constantly in the training mode, we are continuously striving to be the change that we want, in each moment. We are being our best in each moment, nothing else seems to matter. There comes a time when we realize that what we train for is no longer important; what is important is “training”. In other words, what really matters is that we are fully engaged with life. We should train until it is no longer a “training”, and all we do is live fully. Change of State As we undertake a daily training program, there are times when our body and mind will attempt to back off and hook on to any excuse for not training: it has been a long tough day in the office; I am traveling; I don’t feel so well and should rest before I get sick; I completed a 100-day training streak and I deserve a break today; etc. Despite these complaints, if we forge ahead with determination and conviction in our daily training, we effectively abandon our current state of being and jump to a different state. This is a small jump, more like switching mood, but it is a good practice jump. A more pronounced change can happen when we operate under elevated emotions, such as in a group healing session or during an arduous training camp. Most of times, we are motivated into action by either fear of suffering, or expectation of reward. We get up every day and go to work, fearing the potential loss of employment and income, or expecting recognition or reward by our superior. We don’t cause harm to people, fearing the law of retribution. We go to class, expecting to obtain useful information or recognition of excellent performance by the teacher. We worship fearing ostracization by family or friends. However, there may be times when we act just for the sake of the action, perhaps because we feel in tune with life or are in love. The normal motivators are absent. We make a conscious decision and act, with no strings attached. When we practice doing wholeheartedly what we don’t care about, in the long run we forge willpower that gradually removes any fear of what life can throw at us. When we act without fear and expectation of result, we are engaged in what Taoists call wu wei (non-doing). The continued practice of wu wei leads to the key to true change in the universe. To create real change, we need to move from our normal emotionally laden dimension world into an impersonal dimension often referred to as the quantum field, create the blueprint of the change there, and let it manifest in our world. It happens almost instantly. This is a difficult jump but not impossible. Sometime extreme hardship in life causes a wedge that takes us into a flight to this field. We can train ourselves to make this jump, instead of waiting for life to force it on us; we do it through the act of daily training. The crucial criterion for moving from our normal daily state to the quantum dimension is stillness; we must strip ourselves off any mental or emotional disturbances. We need to “just be” or “just do”. In the beginning, just do is easier. Like, just train, for no reason and with no emotion. Let’s be clear: this jump is a change of state of being. It is a total change of context, making us feel like we moved to a different life dimension. We effectively forsake the present canvas on which our life is drawn and use a new blank canvas to create anew. Practicing the ability to transport the self from one state of being to another state is the most practical benefit of engaging in a daily training program; however, this should not be our motivation. The Echo of Training As we continue our learning and training experience for many years, it will seem like the topic no longer matters, rather, what we enjoy the most is the learning of, or training for, new things, irrespective of what they are. This constant thirst for learning is a state of being that recognizes the insignificance of human existence within the vast universe of divine creation. This is when we discover true humility; we feel like a baby playing in an enormous cosmic playground and continually discovering exciting things about life. Then one day, suddenly the question arises within us: who is learning?  Each time we learn something, our consciousness shoots toward the object and wraps around it to get a sense of its form and substance and pulls that sensation into the self. When we train, this back and forth happens regularly. Each time the ball of consciousness bounces back from the object of learning it not only brings a unique sensation back to the mind but also taps a piece of our inner self and wakes it up. This constant reflection transforms the object of learning into a mirror for the self to look into in order to ascertain its nature. It is a process for our self to recognize itself. More training means more echoing that leads to better knowledge of self. Through this echoing with life, we gradually put the pieces together and begin to discover who we are. Hoa Newens December 9, 2023 10/3/2023 8 Comments Aikido Training Needs an Overhaulby Hoa Newens Overview of the Issue If the purpose of training in Aikido is to lead to a deep understanding of the essence of the martial art created by its Founder, Morihei Ueshiba, then mainstream Aikido training needs an overhaul. After having invested decades in this art, we have become increasingly aware of major deficiencies in our mode of training, which we describe below, together with the correcting measures that we have adopted. Since the Founder’s passing in 1969, there has been no outstanding exponents of this martial art who achieved his level of understanding and who can affirm: The Way is like the flow of blood within one’s body. One must not be separated from the divine mind in the slightest in order to act in accordance with divine will. If you stray even a fraction from the divine will, you will be off the path. Morihei Ueshiba, The Secret Teachings of Aikido, p 15, Kodansha International 2007. O Sensei expressed his enlightened state through amazing movements and forms, and esoteric lectures. However, he did not share his personal practices; and besides demonstrating his techniques, gave no clear instructions on how to walk the path. His students were left to fend for themselves and discover their own path. To be sure, O Sensei had exceptional disciples who went on to create training systems that shed much light on Aikido for the benefit of the world, namely, Rinjiro Shirata, Gozo Shioda, Koichi Tohei, Kisshomaru Ueshiba, Morihiro Saito, etc. Each of these teachers received a different scoop of O Sensei’s teachings and developed it into their own system. However, none of these is sufficiently comprehensive to lead a beginning student to O Sensei’s achievement. Fast forward to the present time and beside a collection of standard forms (the techniques of Aikido) we have as many different styles of Aikido as there are teachers, with most of these focused on the standard techniques of Aikido. Compared to other more mature traditional martial arts, the present-day Aikido curriculum has the middle section, and is missing the beginning - conditioning and basics - and the tail-end - energetic and spiritual. Stated differently, we received some stems with flowers from O Sensei and tried to grow them, without minding the seeds, and ignoring the fruit. Many contemporary teachers have made laudable effort to fill the gaps by borrowing elements of other traditions such as Zen, Yoga, Taichi, Daoist chikung, Iaido, Kyudo, Jujutsu, etc. However, oftentimes these elements were imported wholesale into Aikido without the necessary paring and adjustments, resulting in the juxtaposition of incongruent practices with Aikido training, such as doing Yoga asanas or Taichi movements for warm-up in an Aikido class. Ideally, these complementary elements must be distilled into their essential parts before being grafted into the main stem of Aikido and allowed to sprout naturally within the Aikido environment. For example, breathing techniques in yogic pranayama come with Yoga accoutrements, namely terminology, concepts and practices that are intrinsic to this tradition that need to be trimmed down to just the bare essential elements before insertion into the Aikido curriculum. We have used this approach to distill and refine essential elements from the Daoist tradition, which we believe is closest to Shinto and Aikido; and from selected Chinese wu-shu traditions which we believe were the origins of Budo, to arrive at a comprehensive curriculum that we describe in the balance of this paper. The Current State of Aikido Training The present mode of training in most Aikido schools consists of class sessions at a dojo in which an instructor demonstrates a variety of techniques for students to copy and replicate several times with their training partners. Students first learn the general form of the techniques then gradually soak in the more intricate details and refine the movement as they advance. The aim is for students to become proficient in the standard techniques of Aikido, such as Ikkyo, Kotegaeshi, Iriminage, etc. Serious students attend classes regularly (three or four times a week) for several years and build a good repertoire of technical skills. Students are tested and ranked on how well they demonstrate the techniques contained in the curriculum. This type of training result in enhanced fitness, improved physical coordination and balance, kinetic awareness, and the acquisition of basic self-defense skills. These results surely improve students’ life yet will not lead to the heart of Aikido as conceived by the Founder. As the truly serious seekers dig deeper, they find no roadmap for the depth work, no traveled path that leads to the essence of Aikido. To make matters worse, many of the old arduous methods of training are being gradually diluted and lost. In the eighties at the Oakland Aikido Institute, before or after classes, students used to practice variations of rolls, continuous tobukemi, tanren-uchi, kokyu extension against each other’s arms, hitting the makiwara, ken and jo suburi, target practice with bokken and jo, etc. These informal training sessions sometimes ran for an entire hour after the formal class. This is a rare sight at dojos nowadays. The curriculum in most Aikido schools does not include methods that lead to an understanding of Aiki, the universal force oft referred to by O Sensei in his lectures, nor methods to reach the spiritual awareness that caused O Sensei to proclaim that we are one family and Aikido is love. These are two huge gaps in the present-day Aikido pedagogy, causing several derivative deficiencies in training and teaching that will be pointed out below. The Founder did not leave us any method, only various hints here and there in his abstruse speeches, and through his demonstrations. Each of his closest disciples received a different scoop of his vast experience, with none being able to transmit the total experience to their students. We realized these deficiencies several years ago and have used our experience in Aikido and internal martial arts as a springboard to research and experiment with ways to close these gaps and offer the following recommendations to Aikido exponents. Essential Components of Aikido Training Aikido is not just a collection of techniques. A well-rounded Aikido curriculum that leads to the Founder’s spiritual achievement must include the following essential components, many of which are missing in present day training. Essential components of an Aikido training program include: · Body conditioning (Tanren) · Code of conduct (Rei) · Basic drills and techniques (Kihon undo) · Energy work (Ki undo) · Breath practices (Kokyu undo) · Personal training program (Shugyo) · Study and research (Kenkyu) · Connection to the sources (Kishin) · Meditation (Chinkon) and prayer Body Conditioning In a typical contemporary Aikido class, the instructor may conduct some warm-up in the form of stretching or calisthenics in the first few minutes; many instructors ask students to do their own warm-up before class and focus instead on teaching the techniques. In more traditional martial arts, the beginning students are required to undergo a serious body conditioning program before being allowed to perform techniques. Horse stance, resistance training, joint strengthening exercises with various implements, even dojo chores, etc. These are tanren (forging) practices that can take different forms. Take a look at the Hojo undo (supplementary exercises) of Goju-ryu karate as explained by Morio Higaonna Sensei in this video (or use this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZG4SDf8NG8). One can find similar body conditioning in other well established traditional martial arts, e.g., Shaolin, on YouTube.  O Sensei performing Tanren uchi Training in an authentic martial art requires that the body be properly conditioned to address these five aspects of movements: 1. Stability. The body must be well anchored as a platform to deliver force. In this respect, stance training, including postural alignment, is of utmost importance. The horse-riding stance, the hanmi stance and the hitoemi stance and other footwork should be part of preparatory exercises. This emphasis is sorely missing in contemporary Aikido. 2. Centering. Integrating all parts of the body in any movement through connection with our center is another key principle. Exercises to create and reinforce awareness of the body centerline are crucial. They should be part of Tai Sabaki, Ken Sabaki and Jo Sabaki in Aikido training. 3. Mobility. Moving the body efficiently (with the least expenditure of energy) and effectively (to achieve proper awase) is essential. This quality is acquired through Tai Sabaki work, in which essential segments of oft-used movements are repeated endlessly until they are wired into the body. Tai Sabaki should follow warm-ups and be an integral part of all classes, as well as be a key component of the serious student’s personal daily practice. 4. Flexibility. Flexibility increases the range of movement around joints and improves any movement art. A daily regimen of stretching, both external (lengthening of tissues) and internal (loosening of soft tissues), is a requisite in an Aikido training program. It should be noted that stretching to improve flexibility is not the same as warming up for a work-out and should be done outside of regular classes, e.g., as part of a personal training program. 5. Connection and integration. This aspect of training is often overlooked in mainstream Aikido. This is the aspect of training that helps the different parts of the body to connect with each other through a central axis, thus allowing the body to function as one unit. Practices include stance training (e.g., pole standing), moving the central axis with footwork, rolling practice. Rolling practice (often referred to as ukemi) is a powerful body integrator, besides being a superlative kokyu extension exercise. Code of Conduct At the heart of a true martial art lies a rigorous code of conduct that defines and governs one’s interaction with others and one’s environment. Strict adherence to such a code provides the martial adept with the inner strength to plumb the depths of the martial art and face life and death with equanimity. Without this strength of character, the martial artist can only scan the superficial layers. Unfortunately, proper etiquette (bowing, deference to seniors, dress code, decorum, etc.,) is disappearing quickly in many martial art circles, including Aikido dojos. We decry this deficit for it is the reason for the popular decline of Aikido and Budo in general. For Aikido to prosper, rei must be restored. Each dojo should establish and enforce a code of conduct based on these three pillars of martial excellence: awareness, humility, and perseverance. This is not an easy task given that societal trends are going in the opposite direction: chaotic liberalism and supreme materialism are turning heretofore fundamental human values into irrelevance. Basic Drills and Techniques This is the domain of current Aikido training, though it is fraught with incorrect focus. Many advanced Aikido students train with the goal of building up their repertoire of complex techniques, thus aiming at the many rather than the depth of few and straying from the return to essence. There are certain basic exercises (kihon undo) that do not fall in the body conditioning mentioned above and are not complete techniques in themselves; however, they form the core from which techniques are developed. These are: · Ukemi rolls · Shikko (knee walk) · Ashi sabaki (foot work) · Tai sabaki · Ken and Jo sabaki These practices guide the growth of the conditioned body into full-fledged techniques; they are like the stakes that support and guide the growth of young plants. They should be part of the Aikido curriculum and included in regular classes and daily practice.  O Sensei performing sayu undo as part of Tai Sabaki After having tempered their body, students gradually learn the core techniques and their variations, continuing with increasing complex techniques. As they progress to higher level, around sandan and yondan, they should refocus on technical details and learn to dig for the essence of each technique. For example, work on the intricate details of Ikkyo and understand the essence of this technique: how does the central axis initiate and control the entire technique? What does it feel like when performing Ikkyo or when receiving the technique? Does uke feel like being swept up by a strong wave? The student must put heart and soul into practice until there is a clear bodily feel for this technique. Each core technique has a signature feeling or sensation that is stored in the body and recalled any time one needs to execute the technique. Students must work hard to discover this signature feeling, rather than entertain themselves with a variety of forms. Here are some methods to drill into the depth of a technique and extract its essence: · Slow down the execution of the technique. · Request uke to provide resistance to test the movement. · Break the technique into key component moves and rehearse each of them separately. · Focus the training on the core techniques and repeat their kihon form numerous times. Energy Work To truly understand Aiki and facilitate its manifestation in our body, we need to understand and improve the functioning of our energetic system. It is a tenet of a traditional martial art that anyone who wants to achieve excellence in the art must turn inward to find the path thereto. This is the domain of internal energy work (chi kung), from which we borrow key concepts for the purpose of this paper. There are three centers (tanden, or dantien) that control the flows of energy in the body: one in head, one in the chest, and one in abdomen; all three aligned vertically in the central axis of the body. The strengthening and realization of these centers, specially the one in the abdomen, are prerequisites for the integration of the body as one unit and for the integration of the body and the mind. Though it is obvious that O Sensei has reached beyond this level of integration, the standard Aikido curriculum does not contain the theory nor the practice that would allow students to achieve the above-mentioned unity. They need to keep an open mind, go beyond the standard Aikido curriculum, and dig into the ancient energy practices of the internal martial arts, borrowing from such tradition as Taoit neigong. Breath Practices Kokyu means breath and is a concept often used in Aikido. Kokyu ho is the method of the breath and kokyu nage is a breath throw. However, students find scant explanation about breath and a dearth of instructions about breathing practice. Instructors often repeat breathing movements from their teachers or borrow from other sources without understanding the underlying theory.  O Sensei performing Kokyu undo O Sensei considered that Aikido practice is essentially a purification process (misogi), in which breathing figures prominently, as he explained below. “All things of heaven and earth have breath – the thread of life that ties everything together. The act of breathing connects with all the elements of heaven and earth. . . The resonance of one’s breath, originating from deep within our spirit, animates all things. Breath is the subtle thread that binds us to the universe. This pristine fountain of existence is where our breath and actions originate, and we must utilize it to purify this world of maliciousness.” . . . “The act of breathing, regardless of whether you are conscious of it or not, naturally ties you to the universe; if you advance in training, you can sense your breath spiraling to all corners of the universe. Breathe that universe back inside you. That is the first step in developing breath techniques. Breathe like this and your spirit will become truly calm and settled. This is the initial step in developing aiki techniques. In time, aiki techniques can – indeed must – be performed with no premeditation.” Morihei Ueshiba, The Secret Teachings of Aikido, p 64-66, Kodansha International 2007. O Sensei’s instructions on breathing practices are not specific but are generally consistent with Shinto misogi rites and similar to Taoist practices, which emphasizes natural flow, engagement with Heaven and Earth, and merging with energy and consciousness. Breathing exercises should be a regular part of class practice as well as personal practice. Personal Training Program Students attend classes at school to receive new knowledge and do homework to reinforce and absorb this knowledge. Upon joining a dojo an enthusiastic beginning student may rehearse at home the moves that he learned in classes. Over time the excitement cools down and the student feels that class attendance is enough training. This is often the trend unless the teacher continuously emphasized the need for personal practice beyond class. Two problems arise. First, class instruction is generally aimed at the needs of a generic middle-of-the-pack student in the class, and not the specific needs of individual students. Therefore, a beginning or an advanced student’s training needs are not addressed by simply attending classes. Second, in class students are exposed to new details of techniques and have limited time and opportunity to reinforce this new material; the only way to get this new stuff ingrained in oneself is to practice it outside of formal class, either after class or at home. Many students attend classes and seminars given by outstanding teachers, even going to Japan to learn from such; however, they do not engage in a personal training program to reinforce what they learn, and as a result, their exposure to the outstanding teachers has limited effect. All serious students of Aikido, including instructors of all ranks, should engage in shugyo (ascetic path) and commit to a daily training program that is commensurate with their level. Study and Research Rehearsing what we learn in class is a sure way of inculcating new material into our mind and body. However, we must remember that it is only one tiny strand of life, among the zillions of other strands in the vast tapestry of life. Therefore, we must always remain open to new experiences; this is the gist of life, absorbing new experiences. There are numerous other experiences beside those that we had with our teachers that are worth exploring. As rational beings we use our mind to explore new territories before allowing the body to step into them. Life is movement; to be in sync with this movement, our mind should be constantly awake and scanning the unknown for new possibilities, so that when life throws a curved ball at us, we have ways to receive and engage with it.  O Sensei studying books The higher the skill in martial arts, the more the risk of narrow mindedness. I have trained for over five decades, I am an expert, why bother with other ways and methods? This attitude leads to dogmatism and stunted growth. If martial arts are our lifelong pursuit, we must be aware of this risk and constantly cultivate humility while continuously studying and researching new ideas and concepts. An additional risk lies in the fact that most traditional martial arts originated from matured societies which are steeped in culture and traditions. As we pointed out earlier, this is an excellent milieu to build great skills and get grounded, but it is also a trap for intransigeance, e.g., this method has been passed down for several generations and it works, why look for something else? If our teachers hail from this environment, we are at risk of getting out of sync with life, which constantly evolves. "We must always change, renew, rejuvenate ourselves; otherwise, we harden", counseled the German poet and playwright Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Connection to the Sources This is the ultimate phase in the physical training of martial arts and is referred to as Takemusu Aiki in Aikido. It is the natural result of all the training aspects mentioned above up to this point. We mention this phase here to complete the picture, but also to warn students that, though this is the ultimate goal, they should not keep it in mind as a training goal; it would be as bad as focusing our training on randori. Doing so would cause the ego to interfere and hamper the training: let it happen naturally in due time. Meditation and Prayer If Aikido is to lead us to union with the spirit deep within us, our practice must include a process for us to shed the mundane detritus that have been piled on us through our unconscious doings. Meditation is the process which helps us to rid this rubbish off us and allows the light deep within us to emerge and rejoin the universal consciousness (Kishin, return to the source]. An authentic martial art system that aspires toward spiritual enlightenment has meditative practices that guide students. Within Aikido, it is recorded that O Sensei often immersed himself in meditation (Chinkon) and prayer for hours on his own; however, besides his talks, he did not leave instructions for his students.  O Sensei praying We found that Zen meditation and Taoist meditation practices are most congruent with Aikido principles; students should choose one of these paths and deepen their training or refer to our guidelines on meditation. How to Incorporate New Elements into Aikido Training Aikido is a relatively modern martial art with room for evolution and refinement. We refine the art by paring it down to the essential components and adding new elements in a deliberate manner. We have discussed at length how to discover its essence in prior papers, for example In Search of the Essence of Aikido. Here we examine the process of adding new elements. We can say that we have successfully added new elements and enriched Aikido when these elements are effectively integrated with Aikido practice: their underlying principles are consistent with Aikido principles, and they flow seamlessly with Aikido practice. We describe below the process that we have personally used. When we encounter an element that seems to be useful for Aikido training, rather than adopting it right away in its current form, we should engage in its practice in its native environment. For example, you were impressed by the presence of mind exhibited by an Iaido expert during a demonstration. Instead of adding sword drawing in your Aiki Ken classes; or copying the rituals (the composure, the posture, the bow, etc.) into your Aikido classes; you should enroll in an Iaido school and train in this art for several years until you have grasped its essence. There will be a time when during Aikido training you suddenly realize that a particular aspect or movement feels the same as an element of Iaido. Not until then can you attempt to extract the relevant portion of its essence and transplant it into Aikido training. Just like with any transplant, you should gently guide its growth in the new environment by making the necessary adjustments then allow it to mature with time. Eventually, the transplanted elements will integrate with Aikido practice and take roots in Aikido principles. The process will take a few decades of relentless correction and adjustment and will contribute to the natural evolution of Aikido training. We believe that it is the same process that O Sensei went through to create Aikido from his experience in various martial arts. Conclusion Passing on what we learned from our teachers to the next generation is a commendable deed, as long as we are transmitting the seed and not the outer layers or the skin. The seed is what perpetuates the art; we ought to let go of the body and the skin. The latter are merely protective layers that reflect the climate and conditions of a certain time and locale in the past and must now be regrown to adapt to the present surrounding conditions. In Aikido, the techniques are constantly changing, for change and adaptability are part of the essence of Aikido. I am always training and studying in that spirit, constantly altering the techniques according to the circumstances. . . . Aikido has no forms. It has no forms because it is a study of the spirit. It is wrong to get caught up with forms. Doing so will make you unable to respond with proper finesse. Morihei Ueshiba, The Secret Teachings of Aikido, p 15, Kodansha International 2007. We must use the knowledge and experience that we received from our teachers as a springboard to chart an evolutionary path for Aikido and carry its essence into the future, lest the art devolves into irrelevance and dies from stagnancy. We must strengthen and give direction to our training, pierce the outer form to find the precious inner core and discover the proper way to preserve it. Hoa Newens October 3, 2023 |