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by Hoa Newens Acceptance and creation, the yin and yang of life. We cannot create without accepting first, For accepting rather than fighting the pain frees our energy to create a better future. We cannot accept without creating first, For creating hope and goodness in our heart helps us to accept the present suffering. Though, uncontrolled creation leads to impracticality, And impulsive acceptance leads to lethargy. How to achieve balance in this dance? Fortunately, a third party, consciousness always lives in the background, Dormant until awoken by the pain of excess, Or until activated by intent to become awareness. This is the human choice: either be woken up by painful excess, Or moderate unceasingly through God-given awareness. Awareness, when activated, Monitors the interaction between creating and accepting, By sowing the seed of creation within acceptance, And the seed of acceptance within creation, Constantly adjusting the back and forth to achieve harmony. Accept, knowing you can create a different situation, Create your deliverance, as you accept the suffering of the moment. To grow a bonsai, we meticulously shape and manicure the plant, While observing and respecting its whims and reaction. We intently listen to the plant and guide its growth, Constantly seeking harmony among heaven, earth, and human. Life is this constant and never-ending quest, In which the human soul determines its destiny by choosing and creating, While willingly accepting all forms of blessings bestowed by the supreme Grower. In this dance of life, let yin and yang take turn to play, Under the watchful eye of the supreme Grower, through awareness. As well when we train, let's take turn Receiving and sending energy, Never forgetting that the dance of life Is about balance. Hoa Newens February 14, 2023 [An ode to the bonsai grower of the Dojo]
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12/2/2022 0 Comments Gratitude and Loveby Hoa Newens What Is Gratitude When a person receives something of value from another, the recipient appreciates the gift and is thankful. A young man was in need of money for the down payment on his first home and his parents extended an interest-free loan to him; he was grateful for the favor. In this example, the feeling of gratefulness was derived from the perception of added value, or net benefit that the young man received. Would he have the same feeling if the parental loan carried the same requirements and terms as available at local banks? As another example, when our family has food to eat at dinner time while the homeless population around us must beg for it from local food banks, we feel fortunate and grateful for the food. In a different scenario, we have the same food at dinner time, except that we live in an upscale neighborhood on the coast, with not a single homeless person in sight, and instead Michelin-starred restaurants abound around us, serving much better fare than what we have on the table. In this classier environment, would we have the same feeling of gratefulness? Generally, when we perceive that we have received, or have access to, something of value in time of need, we feel grateful. This feeling depends on our perception of the value of the gift and is relative. Consecutive storms dumped much needed rainfall on California arid soil; farmers are grateful, construction workers probably not. Gratitude seems to be a relative feeling that changes according to circumstances and perception. Our mind has been trained, as part of our education process, to constantly compare. In the context of our discussion, it automatically compares our present situation with a similar past situation or a current alternative. As a result, if it perceives that we are better off beyond our personal effort, such as when we have benefitted from the hand of Providence, we feel grateful. Now let us consider another type of gratitude that is rather independent of our circumstances and arises spontaneously from the depths of our being. As I was hiking the Bright Angel trail of the majestic Grand Canyon, during a pause to catch my breath, I experienced a momentary sense of gratefulness. I appreciated the fact that I was alive right then and there and wanted to thank the Lord for granting me this opportunity to be in this world. It was a fleeting sentiment that arose from the depths of my being and emerged spontaneously in a moment of no thoughts. It felt like my soul was experiencing a state of wholeness during the period that my consciousness was wholly absorbed in the task at hand, which was hiking up the steep trail then catching my breath, and now is rejoicing. The funny thing was that I did not recognize that sentiment as gratitude until later, after returning to the lodge. At the time on the trail, it was simply a feeling of lightness and full appreciation of life. Back at the lodge, when my mind reviewed and relived that feeling, it recognized it as gratitude. Gratitude turns out to be a longing for that moment of oneness just lost. It is something that I feel following a full engagement in the present. During the engagement, I am fulfilled, I have everything that I need, I do not hanker for anything. There is no sense of past, so I have no regret for having lost anything. There is no sense of future, so I have no longing for anything. I am drowned in the immensity of the moment, and I do not even feel gratitude. I do not have to be amidst majestic nature to experience gratitude. I experience it every time following a good workout in class as I get in my car to drive home; I am thankful for having a dojo with spirited students training in it. When the mind stops its chatter, the soul emerges and takes in the marvels of Nature that we call life. I feel gratitude mostly when my mind returns to reflect on the preceding moment of fullness and acknowledges that I had received everything that I needed and was totally fulfilled, and I wanted to offer thanks to the Creator for granting me this gift. In this sense, gratitude is a reckoning by the mind of an earlier mind-free engagement. Gratitude is a feeling that results from a conscious act. The true benefit to us conscious beings is the state of total presence that precedes and gives rises to gratitude. This is not to say that we should ignore the feeling of gratitude; we should acknowledge this feeling because it points us to the state of being that we long for and it reinforces our indebtedness, our connection to our Creator. However, we cannot practice gratitude; it happens to us, and we should remain alert and allow it to bubble up. What we can practice is being mindful in our daily life, and this practice will lead us to gratitude. Gratitude Generates Beneficence When we feel gratitude, we acknowledge receipt of a favor from the universe. We open and lower ourselves (as in a bow) to receive. This act of humility facilitates future incidence of gratitude. In the long run repeated instances of gratitude promote the downflow of the beneficial energy from Providence, and it responds by filling the vacuum that we create, sending beneficence our way. Gratitude and Love In the state of being that leads to gratitude, I feel complete and filled with life energy. I note that if my mind does not interfere, this life energy fills me up and naturally bounces off me to reach other beings around me, helping me appreciate who they truly are, in their entirety, with no judgment or labeling. This reflection of the life energy off me toward another being, we call it love. True gratitude generates love. When my consciousness turns inward, it feels gratitude and humility; when it turns outward it feels love and benevolence. Thus, gratitude and love are often mentioned together as the two fundamentally wholesome human feelings. Divine energy descends on earth and bounces into human beings and off them to generate gratitude and love. This is the resonance of divine energy on earth. Hoa Newens December 2, 2022 10/5/2022 0 Comments Trainingby Hoa Newenss One of the vows that a student in our dojo makes when entering the uchideshi training program is: “My daily life is my practice”. Upon completion of the program this vow is released as “My daily life has been my practice”. Everything that happened in every moment during the committed period was part of their training. Though the vow is released at the end of the program, typically lasting one year, the uchideshi generally maintains the same attitude toward training for a while, possibly through their life. Many of them have probably discovered life’s meaning in the act of training. In this essay we examine what is meant by training, what the purpose of it is, and when the training ends. What is training? O Sensei Morihei Ueshiba has this to say about training: “Progress comes to those who train and train. Reliance on secret techniques gets you nowhere.”, The Art of Peace, John Stevens (2010) Shambhala Publications In the act of training, we are re-ordering our life in such a way that we find a new meaning in every moment. Training is not normal nor natural, because it involves doing things that we do not normally do or naturally do. For example, in breath training, we seize control of the autonomic breathing function of the body and modify it to achieve a particular purpose, such as slowing the breath, breathing through the mouth rather than nose, or holding the breath longer than normal. In Aikido, we train by not just repeating the movement that an instructor shows, but we dissect the techniques into segments to understand how they relate with each other; we slow down the movement to take note of how the body feels; we pause at various check points to allow our body to absorb the energy of each move; etc. There is mental work too: we listen to comments by instructors and try to apply them; we read what others have to say; and we ponder on the essence of the techniques. Repeated execution of the movement alone is hardly training. Going to classes only is barely training. Attempting to replicate O Sensei’s movements and techniques is as bad as doing randori and jyu-waza for training. To really train we must take control of the training process and engage the totality of our being - body, mind and consciousness – and make the act of training very personal. The purpose of training Why are we training? We train to get to some place other than where we are, that provides more meaning in our life than the present. The urge to train arises from a want of satisfaction. In other words, we feel that there is something missing in our life, and we hope that by re-ordering our life activities in a certain way, that is, training, we will fill this deficiency. O Sensei explained that “The purpose of training is to tighten up the slack, toughen the body, and polish the spirit.” I understand it this way: our energies are chaotic and need to be re-ordered so that we can tighten up the slack and gain cohesion. Our body is not fully utilized and needs to be conditioned and toughened up. Our spirit is tainted with impurities and needs to be polished up to regain its pristine state. Body tempering, energetic cohesion and union with the primal spirit are indeed major stages of martial arts training. Training is a path that takes us from one state to another state: we let go of the present state and move into another state. The deeper we engage into this path, the less clear it becomes since it involves the inner workings of the human being; therefore, it is helpful to point out signposts along the way for students undertaking this journey. For this purpose, we describe below the eight rings of martial arts training along a continuum that takes the beginning student all the way to the ultimate destination. Eight rings of martial art training Martial training progresses through eight stages which bring the trainee closer to the ultimate state. It is helpful to view these stages as coils of an upward conical spiral that leads to a summit. We divide the spiral into sections labeled as “rings” for ease of reference; they are, from base to summit:
We view these stages as coils of a spiral because they are really one continuous journey represented by a single curved line that leads inward and upward to the center point at the top. At any point along the upward climb, should one choose to remain at that level, then one would circle below the destination and never reach it. A commitment to martial arts training gets us on the first ring, and we start climbing. The initial momentum gets us to a certain point up the slope then the commitment begins to wane and must be reaffirmed continuously for us to move forward and up. The climb is not arduous, but the effort is cumulative and must be continuous and steadfast. This commitment is a decision that must be made at the outset so that the trainee would not lose steam halfway up. Below we share our personal experience and understanding of this journey. Again, we note that the term “ring” as used in this essay refers to a section of a continuous conic spiral. Ring No. 1 - Strength This first ring of training focuses on building a physical body and a mental fortitude that constitute the vehicle with which we undertake the journey. For martial purpose, true strength consists of three components: suppleness, cohesion, and grounding. We explain these elements below. Suppleness/looseness. The human body is designed for mobility and all parts move together in a constant symphony of motion since birth. As our mind grows, it devises increasing complex labor-saving schemes which gradually reduce our physical activities and hence, our mobility. Machines are doing our labor and our bodies are becoming stiffer and weaker. Furthermore, the mind engages in activities that result in unbalanced energy flows (such as emotions) and eventual blockages. These blockages in turn cause further energetic stagnation and stress within the soft tissue, fragmenting the fascial network. We need to restore mobility of individual components to fully utilize the body through regular stretching and deep relaxation practices that include tendons and ligaments stretching and energy dissolving. Cohesion. If left on their own, movements of the body parts that are not part of the autonomic nervous system are naturally chaotic. However, within the body, these movements occur within a matrix of crisscrossing tissue (fascia) that connects the parts and can be trained to coordinate the individual movements to achieve a common goal. Ordering will bring effectiveness. A good way to train for cohesion is to focus on performing deliberately one simple movement at a time to the best of our ability. The earlier-mentioned practices of energy dissolving also liberate fascial tissue from energetic snags and thus enhance cohesion within the framework. Grounding. A force is only as strong as the base from which it was launched. When we push a heavy object and the ground beneath our feet shifts, or the knee joints or ankle joints give out, we will hardly be able to move the object. We need a firm base from which to launch any movement; stance training helps us acquire this solidity. We discussed this subject in more detail in another writing Stances in Martial Arts. Undertaking a training program to build up the strength of the body as explained above requires courage to start, and determination and discipline to see it through successfully. Many exercise programs lead to failure for lack of these mental components. Conversely, completing such a program helps one to build mental strength as well as physical strength. In all worthy training programs, trainees begin with basic training lasting one to two years to prepare the body for the rigors of more advanced training. This is the foundation of any serious physical training program. Advancing to the next stage before the body has acquired the necessary strength will severely hamper our progress due to an overtaxed body and high risk of injury, not unlike a short circuit resulting from putting a high load electrical current through a low resistance path. For example, in Aikido training, subjecting a 4th kyuu student to the tanren practice of nonstop one thousand suburi strikes, or asking them to work on jyu-waza, would only serve to hurt and discourage such student. Unfortunately, it is my observation that in general, Aikido teachers and schools do not offer an adequate basic training program, paying lip service to such basics as stretching, footwork, stances, ukemi, etc. These teachers tend to go directly to complex or flowing techniques in classes. Here lies the reason for our creation of the Kihon Kuren (Basic Training) that is part of the Aikido Foundations Course to get back to basics, while also sowing the seeds for higher training. In traditional martial arts curriculum, within the content of basic training are embedded seeds for more advanced training that will be developed in the advanced stages to take the students beyond the basics, to the ultimate spiritual goals of these arts. These seeds include elements such as central axis, energy centers, dynamic tension, breath work and ki flows. These advanced elements are kept at the nominal level in the basic training and are cultivated as needed in the upper levels. Ring No. 2 - Skills Once the body has attained the necessary strength to endure higher level training, we can put it through the pace with tanren practices to forge martial skills. At this stage, the training focus is on learning the techniques in the repertoire of the martial art with the goal of executing them effectively and efficiently. We are essentially creating the correct vessels (forms and movements) to prepare for insertion of contents in the next level. At this stage, training consists of numerous repetitions of the forms, both in solo and partner practice format. To achieve proficiency, students should proceed incrementally through these progressive levels:
Concurrently, the student should continue practicing the Kihon Kunren of the earlier Ring No. 1, which should gradually absorb the higher technical skills and acquire a new quality. The absorption of the new technical skills is tantamount to addition of fertilizer to nourish the higher-level seeds contained in the Kihon Kunren. Ring No. 3 – Power Skills first, then power. That is the only way to ensure safety in the use of power. Train with dummy or non-lethal weapons first before handling the real ones. Power here refers to the ability to gather a large amount of energy to generate a significant force, or to deliver a larger than normal impact, at will. At this training stage we put contents into the vessels that we created in the earlier ring; now we infuse the forms with energy. The overriding principle is that skills must precede power: the wiring must be strong and capable to receive the power that runs through the system. The Power stage includes three abilities: gather, flow and deliver energy. Gather. To gather we must be open, relaxed and centered, just like a funnel is wide open, has smooth surface and has a drain at the lowest point in the center. The low center point draws any content toward it. The three corresponding requisite skills are humility, deep relaxation and awareness of center. Acquisition of these skills is a major part of the Power training stage. Flow. The collected energy must flow, or it will create pathogenic conditions. Channeling movements toward a single purpose increases the chance of accomplishing the purpose but does not provide the control necessary to regulate the impact, that is the amount of energy being transferred. Flow, for our purpose here, refers to the ability to affect the intensity of the movement (the amplitude of the energetic wave) to achieve a desired level of impact. At the practical level, flow refers to the ability to alternately contract and relax muscles and tissues sequentially to create and propagate energy, similar to how food is moved down the esophagus. This ability requires the ability to consciously change the state (contraction or relaxation) of muscles and tissues at will and to the full extent. A good practice for flow is simply to perform movements slowly, with minimum power, and with full awareness, such as in doing a Taichi form. It is appropriate to note here that in Aikido, the emphasis on the slow and precise kihon waza results in improved control of the movement and subsequently, better flow than the flowing training in yawarakai or ki no nagare waza. Deliver. To deliver power to a specific point on our body and transmit it to another entity/body, we need to summon the energy from our reserve or other sources, conduct it through channels in the body, condense it at the delivery point then discharge it on the other entity. This is essentially the process of fajin in internal martial arts. It is useful to note that our bodily functions include natural examples of this process, such as, coughing, sneezing, sexual orgasm. The most difficult part of the process described above is the control of the discharge at the end. The average person has no or little control of the three bodily functions mentioned above. There are a number of practices that allow one to improve this control. First, is awareness of the build-up of energy as it gathers steam: this awareness allows one to depressurize this energy and annul the movement. Second, total presence at the moment of discharge allows one to become aware of this exact point; this awareness of the endpoint puts pressure on our consciousness to dissolve the buildup of energy more effectively. This is probably similar to the pressure an airline pilot feels when aware of the mountain towering over the end of the runway. In addition, this awareness of the endpoint allows one to avoid self-injury by inadvertently suppressing the energy after it has built up rather than at the outset. Effective delivery of power thus hinges on the degree of awareness of our internal energetic flows. In Aikido training, we mobilize power by engaging in tanren, special exercises designed to concentrate and channel our energies and consciousness. When doing tanren, we work on all three facets of gathering, flowing and delivering; however, it is important to remember the principles discussed above, and not dive into the tanren with full force. Tanren focuses consciousness, ki, and breath and intensifies the potential impact of these elements. Examples include regular body tempering such as tanren-uchi (suburi strikes) after every classs; doing a hundred ukemi rolls after class; etc. Tanren is not always about doing something more; it includes refraining from certain activities, such as avoiding food that may affect our health and hinder our training; or refraining from certain behaviors. Tanren also includes adopting a regimented lifestyle, such as taking cold shower in the morning, doing meditation early in the morning, etc. Ring No. 4 – Mastery To be in total control of oneself, our awareness must reach and wrap around the boundaries of this self. If we view our self as including the physical body, the mind and the energies that move through them, then we must be fully aware of the extent, the states and the changes of these components. This is no small feat, since the average person is barely aware of what constitutes his body, let alone the mind and energies. To begin the road to mastery, a martial artist must first take control of his training, rather than merely signing up at a school and following the standard training program, or just going to class. The student of mastery should sincerely assess himself, that is, his aspirations, weaknesses and strengths, then set training goals to remedy the weaknesses and capitalize on the strengths. From these goals, design a personal training program that includes daily practice. To put it in a different way, training is now becoming a shugyo (修行) or sadhana; it is the beginning of spiritual practices. The road to mastery inevitably leads one on an inward journey. Deep into the mastery stage, there is a point where the martial artist realizes that he has to gradually forsake the outer aspects of forms, skills and power in order to proceed inward. During this stage of training, it is natural for the adept trainee to feel a strong urge to unload knowledge and skills to others in order to get a sense of satisfaction from her training. It is because the knowledge and skills are cumulative energies that are in constant flux in the universe, belonging to none but available to everyone who sincerely seek them. This may be the opportune time to begin teaching. Up to this point in the climb up the rings, we engaged mostly body, energy and consciousness, whereas our heart has had little involvement. In fact, we can successfully go through the mastery stage and become an invincible warrior who keeps knocking down opponents to garner trophy after trophy. No moral compass is required to reach mastery. Mastery allows us to express who we are deep inside masterfully, while doing evil or good. Martial artists who reach this stage will act out their hearts through their martial arts. Those who believe in dominance will be able to dominate. Those who choose to go beyond will begin an inward and transformative journey in earnest. Only those whose who can transcend power and mastery and aspire toward a spiritual goal will go on and change their inner nature. It is our observation that not many martial artists are willing to let go of the achievements that they have worked so hard for. Only those who understand that the ultimate goal of martial arts is not to vanquish but to protect will be willing to let go and transcend; the rest will go on and relish their invincibility. Mastery is the stage where many martial artists are stuck at, because going further involves the annihilation of individual ego and merging with a larger consciousness; and not many masters’ egos are willing to self-destruct. As we climb up the spiral structure, the lower rings become irrelevant and are distractions that need to be offloaded, so that one can concentrate on the arduous training at hand, especially after the fourth ring, when the path leads inward into the invisible realm of training. For a small percentage of masters who have dedicated their lives to teaching the art, it may be necessary to maintain the rings below for purpose of guiding students; these are the bodhisattvas of the martial arts. In my journey up the rings, this is all I can share with some clarity. The path ahead is still long and arduous, and a bit hazy. Though I have yet to walk it, extensive experience in the past five and a half decades helps me form a faint vision of what lies in front. I share this vision below, with no certitude of its realization. I also lean on O Sensei’s words to point the way. Ring No. 5 – Grace From this ring on up, the martial artist turns the training focus inward and begins an alchemistic transformation. Unfortunately, O Sensei did not leave us specific instructions or concrete techniques to follow for this inner work. We can only glean some information from his various lectures, which are often obscure due to numerous references to mythic deities and exotic concepts. To our knowledge, there is no extant curriculum covering this phase of training. Therefore, training now becomes a personal quest. In our case, we carried our training momentum forward using O Sensei’s words as beacons and using tools from the Taoist internal energy teachings. The result of continued training at the Mastery level leads to a full awareness of the Self and all its bodies, namely, physical, energetical and mental. The training objective at this stage is to harmonize these various elements within the Self so that they function as an integral whole. The result is that the self becomes transparent and wholesome, with no internal conflict. Integration brings about efficiency and a sense of ease. Integration within manifests as grace without. Training consists of mostly internal energy work. Here are O Sensei’s words on harmony: We must no longer conduct wars. Fighting will destroy us. Consensus is the key. No harmony means no true strength. If you do not attain true harmony, all your training will be to no avail. (p 23) The Secret Teachings of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba, Kodansha International 2007. Your mind should be in harmony with the functioning of the universe; your body should be in tune with the movement of the universe; body and mind should be bound as one, unified with the activity of the universe. Morihei Ueshiba, O Sensei Ring No. 6 – Harmony As training continues, harmony within will gradually spread outward and bring about harmony without, in the surrounding environment. The Self grows to encompass all things and beings around the trainee, spreading harmony and peace near and far. Training becomes less physical and consists of advanced internal energy work and meditative practices. O Sensei exhorted us this way: Start with self-improvement, then put one’s household in order. After that, work to improve conditions in one’s nation and strive to establish harmony throughout the world. (p 24) The Secret Teachings of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba, Kodansha International 2007. This is an advanced state which allows the adept trainee to affect others’ state of being, hence teach, by merely being present. Ring No. 7 – Love Continued work on polishing one’s spirit together with the expanded sense of harmony created in the previous ring will bring about the realization that one’s basic nature is the same as that of other sentient beings. This compassion is likely the love that O Sensei referred to when he said that Budo is love. All living beings originate from and are manifested by love. Aikido is the purest expression of that love. It is a means to bring all people of this world together. In order to bring people together, to unite human beings with the divine, to co-evolve, we need to tap into the unlimited creative power of existence. “Bu” helps us do this. (p. 30) The Secret Teachings of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba, Kodansha International 2007. Mankind's role is to fulfill his heaven-sent purpose through a sincere heart that is in harmony with all creation and loves all things. Morihei Ueshiba From here on, the training vehicle is no longer the body, or its proximal energies; it is our consciousness that is training, which now involves mostly meditative practices aimed at letting go (detachment). Training becomes more of a perspective about life, based on the soft factors discussed further below. Ring No. 8 - Oneness O Sensei often referred to standing on the floating bridge of heaven. Below is an excerpt from The Heart of Aikido – The philosophy of Takemusu Aiki, by Morihei Ueshiba, 2013 edition by Kodansha USA I trained in all kinds of martial art styles, but all of them were based on systems created by human beings, and thus provided me with no answers. Then where did I find the answers? Within myself! I was enlightened to this within. How is this enlightenment to be achieved? Stand on the Floating Bridge of Heaven (p. 81) When you stand on the Floating Bridge of Heaven, place yourself right in the middle, neither stretching toward heaven nor leaning toward earth. Feel the presence of the divine, focus on the source of creation, and progress. If you don’t you will sever your ties to heaven and earth and between yourself and the universe. Stand on the Floating Bridge of Heaven to absorb the spiritual energy of the universe. Stand right in the center of creation. (p. 80) The only training that I can discern at this level is developing the awareness to stand right in the middle of the Floating Bridge of Heaven, touching heaven and earth simultaneously. The Floating Bridge of Heaven [Ame no Ukihashi] is the bridge that connects heaven and earth. As recorded in the Kojiki, the ancient Japanese chronicle, deities stood on this bridge to create the world. O Sensei’s instructions, as I understand them, are for human beings to stand firmly grounded on earth while also being connected to heaven, as these entities are our parents, and fulfill our purpose with their support. This is the poem that O Sensei composed upon his realization of oneness: (p. 21) The Secret Teachings of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba, Kodansha International 2007. Then I felt I had a mission in life: How beautiful this form of heaven and earth created from the Source – we are all members of one family. Qualitative aspects of training Since we live in a physical world, the tool that we train with is mostly our physical body, with some help from the mind. We absorb new experiences as body sensations and extract lessons by interpreting these sensations. The clearer the sensations the clearer the lessons. In short, we train best when we live fully. There are certain behaviors that are conducive to effective training and a full life. They are the three qualitative ingredients of training. First is awareness. Often, the lesson is right where we are, or in front of us, and our blinders prevent us from absorbing it. If we do not pay attention, we miss the lesson or part of it. When our consciousness is unburdened and unclouded we become fully aware of the experience of the moment and soak it into our core. Second is humility, or openness. Ideally, we want to adopt the attitude that we can learn from anyone and any sentient being; that anything that happens to us contains a specific lesson; and that there is always a new lesson to learn, irrespective of our attainment. We must be willing to let go of a current state and have the courage to move into a new state. Third is perseverance. Life experience causes suffering when our ego resists it, and as a result, we often terminate or run away from the experience, denying ourselves the fruit of the training. The key to standing up again after the fall is to single-mindedly push through. Perseverance eventually leads to acceptance, and the lesson is learned. These three ingredients form the fuel that propels us upward the spiral structure. Awareness reveals to us where we stand and where we can potentially be. Humility helps us recognize our shortcomings and needs in relation to our potential. Perseverance helps to sustain our training effort to reach our potential. Conclusion All true uchideshis realize a most valuable lesson, and that is, the meaning of life lies in constantly training and learning. When we are in a training mode, we welcome everything that happens to us as part of our training. When we are not, we tend to be victims of anything that happens to us. Continuous training may not suit everyone’s lifestyle. However, if we do not train, the Almighty has ways to train us in his school of life. If we don’t take the initiative and assume the responsibility to train ourselves, life lessons shall be imposed on us. This is our choice and privilege as human beings. Yukiyoshi Sagawa Soke, Daito-ryu Aikijustsu, 1902-1998, has this to say about training: Intermittent training, no matter how intensive, is utterly useless. You must practice every day for your entire life. That, and only that, is true training, or shugyo. Hoa Newens October 6, 2022 7/27/2022 0 Comments Stances in Martial Artsby Hoa NewensIt is the nature of the human mind to seek, and get caught up in, stimuli of various sorts, especially visual stimuli. Stillness is never a favorite of the mind; movement is more entertaining. This is a primary reason for the neglect of postural training in martial arts; how exciting is standing still for thirty minutes every day compared to an intense workout? Well, it may not be exciting, but it is essential, in the sense that the practice of standing still leads to the essence of the martial arts, as we explain below. The Importance of Stances For our purpose in this essay, a stance is a body posture from which a movement is executed or through which internal energy work is carried out. At the most basic level, a stance is how a bipedal human being stacks up his body on the ground against gravity while conscious and not moving. The stance can be static when no visible movement is intended; or dynamic, when it is intended as a launchpad for movement. Martial arts are generally expressed as movements of the physical body. These movements are delivered from various stances which are characteristic of the martial arts. These stances are launching mechanisms for above-ground movements. They are the bases that mobilize energy then propel the body in various forms. They are magnets that funnel ground energy (the yin ki of the earth) and, at the same time the portals through which this ki is delivered above ground. There are three factors that affect the human stance: level of consciousness; energetic alignment; and functional alignment, as we explain below. How level of consciousness affects stance A primary factor affecting the human stance is the human consciousness. When a person is unconscious, the physical body gives in to gravity and is sprawled on the ground, as is the case of a knocked-out person or a heavily intoxicated individual. The gravitational pull of the planet on the body is not being challenged, and every part within the body sinks. The interaction among the parts to prepare for physical activity is non-existent: their effectiveness in coordinating with each other to create movement above ground is significantly constrained by gravity. In the daily cycle there is a time when consciousness needs to take a break and sink into the subconscious to allow the body to fall back into the womb of Mother Earth to rest and get reinvigorated, such as during sleep time. This is a natural cycle. However, during wake time, human activity requires body postures that resist gravity and effectively support the physical movements of normal daily life. Unfortunately, not many people pay attention to the principle that correct posture supports good movement. In the cosmology of many oriental traditions, human beings are the product of the union of heaven and earth, in which heavenly consciousness inhabits earth-made bodies. Thus, when the human consciousness is turned on, it has an innate propensity to reach back to its source in heavens, despite being held down by the mundane demands of the earthen body. Owing to their acute awareness of this innate need, the stance of highly conscious humans reflects this upward reach of their consciousness. Generally, the more fully conscious human beings want to interact intelligently with their environment through adopting an appropriate posture. Such posture should minimize the sprawling effect by aligning as many parts of his body as possible with gravity to gain more freedom of expression above ground. Thus, when the human being stands erect, he reduces his footprint, and hence the impact of gravity, to a minimum. Furthermore, as he rises, he forms a strong pillar, even if only five or six feet above ground, and obtains more independence and mobility for the most remote parts, that is, the upper torso, arms and head. These are the parts that are dedicated to interfacing with his environment and furthering his evolution. We can observe a similar effort from other species of sentient beings, such as trees: grounded at the bottom and growing at the top. In regard to the human body, the legs and hips are connected to the roots and serve as stabilizers, allowing the arms and upper torso the freedom to act as connectors that facilitate interaction with the surroundings. How energetic alignment affects stance The second factor that affects the stance is the degree of alignment with the force of gravity. Here the objects that are to be aligned are not just the physical body parts, but also the energy that flows through the body. To be more precise, alignment means not so much being placed on a straight line, but the placement that results in optimal flow of energy. The primary energy that humans work with is the gravitational pull of the earth; a human-directed force that is aligned with gravity will be stronger than otherwise. Therefore, in a perfect alignment, the body is stacked according to the gravity force vector, that is, vertically in such a way that the impact of gravity is minimized and the ki flow is optimized. To minimize the collapsing effect of gravity the body parts must reduce their horizontal footprint by rallying around the tallest possible vertical support, without affecting its stability. This vertical pillar is naturally located in the medial plane of the body due to its natural symmetry. It could be the spine since it is the most solid vertical structure of the body, but the spine is not aligned exactly with the two main portals through which the body exchanges ki energy with its environment. This is perhaps by divine design so that the human does not accidentally fry its nerve wiring within the spinal cord by accidentally allowing an overflow of ki from both portals. These two portals are the crown of the head (Bai Hui point) for yang ki from heavens and the perineum (Hui Yin point) for yin ki from earth. These two portals are situated on a central column of energy that includes three main energy centers called tan tien (field of elixir): the upper tan tien in the center of the head, the middle tan tien in the center of the chest, and the lower tan tien in the center of the lower abdomen. Energy within the body flows optimally when this central column is kept vertical. The stance that fosters optimal energy circulation is one that aligns the two portals and the three tan tien along a vertical axis, and that allows the rest of the body to hang from this central axis. How functional alignment affects stance The third factor that affects the stance is the internal placement of the body parts that allows them to support each other in their natural functioning. For example, they must not impact each other but rather allow each other breathing room, to facilitate the continuous exchange of gas, fluid and energy. Imagine the state of a garment folded and packed tightly in a suitcase versus the state of the same garment hanging from a clothe hanger in a spacious closet. The internal spacing is created by an internal suspension system created by the dual effect of top lifting and tail sinking, effected by extending the crown of the head gently up and extending the tail bone downward. This stretching is further enhanced by a similar dual extension of the central axis in opposite direction from the lower tan tien. Beside space consideration, the joints that connect the body parts must be used correctly to allow proper functioning. For example, the knees are transfer joints and must not be used in the same way as weight bearing joints like the ankles. The elbow joints work best when the arms gently stretch forward with the elbows down causing the scapulae to drop and maximize contact with the thoracic cage. The pelvic bowl should face the upper diaphragm to support the organs within the torso; this is often accomplished by gently tucking in the tail bone. The knees and feet should be pointing in the same direction to properly align the legs with the hips. A good stance should allow the body parts to perform their natural functions effectively. Types of Stances Beside the natural stance that is generally appropriate for daily life, there are a multitude of specific stances for different physical activities. These specific stances get the human body in the readiest state to engage in the activity. Ready, Set, Go! For discussion purposes, we discern two types of stances: static and dynamic. Static stances are those stances that are more focused on verticality and centering. They are appropriate for breathing practices, internal energy work and meditation practices. These include, among others, the natural stance, the wu-chi stance, the horse stance and various zhan zhuang stances, such as holding the ball. Dynamic stances are those that bring our body and its energies into focus to prepare for intense movement. They are used mostly in martial arts and sports; examples include the hanmi stance in Aikido, the sanchin stance in karate, the archer stance in taichi. In the balance of this essay, we examine the stances that are useful for Aikido training. The Natural Stance The natural stance is the stance with which we carry our body most of the time, as we go through our daily life. At the holistic level, natural stance, or shizentai (自然体), is the stance that allows a human being to feel the totality of himself as a natural element of Nature. This is the stance which allows human beings to get plugged into Mother Nature to get recharged. At the practical level, shizentai is at the same time a resting stance as well as a launching pad for any movement. For example, it is similar to the neutral stance that one begins and closes a tai chi form with, known as the wu chi stance. It is also a stance for basic standing meditation. Shizentai, however, is not just standing still; it is an alert and relaxed stillness in which our energies have returned to their respective tan tien, leaving consciousness to stand guard. At any moment, upon perceiving threat or an immediate need, the guard can instantly summon the totality of the body’s energies. All good martial artists should maintain shizentai through their waking time. Since humans are bipedal creatures, our locomotion is mostly done on two legs and feet, though in certain martial arts including Aikido, locomotion can also be accomplished on knees or through rolls. To simplify our discussion on stances we focus on motion with legs and feet. How to adopt shizentai? How to stand ready naturally? Shizentai incorporates three key attributes: verticality, relaxedness, and centeredness, which are explained further below. Verticality refers to the position of the central axis of the body, which is delineated, at minimum by four points: the center between the two feet, the perineum, the center of the lower abdomen, and the crown of the head. This also means a straight back with naturally curved spine, level hips and level shoulders. This vertical alignment supports a smooth flow of energy that constantly balances, channels, and recharges the body’s energies. Relaxed body means that no muscle needs to work extra to support the vertical stance. A relaxed body feels like “hanging” from the central axis, like a piece of cloth hanging on a vertical pole. All body components should be free of unnecessary tension and be free to move, while remaining connected to the central axis. In concrete terms, this relaxation is generally seen as a symmetric and balanced stance, with dropped shoulders, a sunk chest, feet flat on the ground and directly under the hips, arms hanging loosely, and a soft smile on the face. True relaxation occurs deep at the fascia level and requires sustained practice. Centered stance means that all parts are connected to the central axis and move in a coordinated manner under the control of the energy centers (tan tien) located on the central axis. Stated differently, when a movement is launched from this stance, energy is discharged from, and retrieved by, a center. The Importance of the Natural Stance As explained above, the natural stance is not that easy or natural for most people; it takes a fair amount of practice for most adults to regain this naturalness. A proper natural stance that possesses all three attributes serves as a most effective and efficient launching mechanism for physical movement. A launching mechanism is efficient when it transfers at least the totality of energy that it receives; it is effective when it transfers the energy to the desired target. In other words, the proper natural stance will allow one to throw a 300 pounds per square inch punch to the marked spot on the makiwara, at will, every time. From an energetic viewpoint, the natural stance allows the human being to plug into the energy sources of Mother Nature and recharge. With the proper alignment, internal relaxation and centering as described above, and when absolute stillness is present, that is, stillness in the mind, the breath and the body, the human body functions like a magnet that draws from earth’s energy and heaven’s energy. Therefore, in addition to being a platform for launching movements, the natural stance is used as a platform for recharging one’s batteries. A further important aspect of the natural stance, which is often overlooked, and which is derived from the recharging capability, is that this stance serves as the neutral stance that allows the results of activities to solidify and take effect. This is the “non-doing” phase that is necessary to balance every “doing” phase. All of our activities, be they physical, energetic or mental, set in motion various energetic flows that crisscross and combine to form new forms or structures within ourselves. These could be new movements that we are learning, new energy paths that we are trying to create within our body, or new concepts that we are trying to comprehend. The effect of each burst of activity must settle before the next effect can be built on it, in the same way as the freshly poured concrete must settle and cure to form a solid foundation before walls can be built atop. In the same vein, after we practice a new set of exercises, we must allow some time for the body to absorb the new movements and the energies to consolidate before we move on to the next set. This rule applies to a single movement as well as to a set of movements. For example, this is the reason for the two-second pause after each movement as we practice a new kumitachi or kumijo in Aikido; though it is not shizentai, the brief pause allows the new energy pattern to take hold and serves as a reference point as we subsequently repeat the movement. When the reference points are clearly marked and well established along the path of a movement, the entire movement becomes more refined, smooth, and solid. Within the context of internal energy work, each time we explore or learn a new movement, we must return to the wu chi stance at intervals to allow the new energy paths to cure. The wu chi stance is physically similar to the natural stance described above, with a few differences that must be observed as we learn the stance, the primary ones being the state of mental and energetic stillness: the mind must be quiet and not allowed to stir up thoughts; and the chi must be at rest at the tan tien. To an advanced practitioner of internal martial arts, the natural stance is the same as the wu chi stance. The best times to practice the natural stance is upon waking in the morning and prior to turning in at night. Stances in Aikido As they begin a training session, the partners bow to each other and shift from natural stance to the first movement to engage with each other, energetically and physically. The trainees must shift from a natural stance to a martial stance rapidly. The exact moment preceding the contact is the critical moment that affects the results of the engagement. In that moment the person who is more grounded and have more focused energy will have more control of what goes on during the engagement. Hence the importance of the martial stance and the ability to move into it efficiently. To move from the natural stance to a martial stance, we raise the internal alert and break the symmetry of the posture to channel our energies toward a target. The result is a more ready posture (ready, set) that prepare us for the imminent engagement (go). We examine below three such postures in Aikido. The hanmi stance The hanmi (半身, half-body) stance derives its name from the way only part of the body is aligned with the linear alignment of the feet. This stance is the basis for ken kamae, the basic sword stance used in Aiki Ken. This is a most oft-used stance during Aikido training. The purpose of the stance is to focus energy forward and downward, toward a specific target, generally being the central axis of your training partner. Aikido movements are powered by vertical flows of energy. In a vertical strike, the strength of the strike is proportional to the stability of the base, which in this case is a triangle, the most stable structure in the universe (the triangle is most discernible when the body is viewed from above). The hanmi stance is characterized by these attributes:
The hitoemi stance The hitoemi (一重身, single body) stance likely derives its name from the way the entire body is aligned in the direction of the feet, toward the target. The stance is the basis for tsuki kamae, the basic stance for Aiki Jo, and likely originates from stances used in training with the spear (yari). With this stance, when the jo is thrusted forward the whole body stands behind this motion. The stance supports forward penetration, such as tsuki, both in taijutsu and in bukiwaza; it is also often the very first movement that penetrates the opponent’s defense to initiate a technique. The key attributes of the stance are:
In Aikido practice, we use hitoemi body alignment for purpose of linear penetration, such as the tsuki punch, or the tsuki thrust with the ken or with the jo; and also, at the moment of initial contact with the training partner, that is, the first move of a technique. A key difference with the hanmi stance is the position of the hips and torso. In hanmi, the torso and hips are gently twisted upward due to the rear arm and hand extending circularly forward close to the front hand. In hitoemi, the rear arm and hand remain in the rear, allowing the torso and hips to align with the feet, almost resembling the stances used in kyudo or in naginatajutsu. The horse stance If there is a universal stance that applies to all martial arts, it would be the horse stance, a.k.a. kiba-dachi (騎馬立ち) or mabu (馬步). This stance reinforces the central axis by anchoring it to earth below and heaven above; it allows the trinity heaven-earth-human to align and function as one. Many martial stances are derived from the horse stance and practice of this stance strengthen all others. The horse stance has these principal characteristics:
This stance reinforces stability and is not geared for mobility, and therefore is not a ready stance that can be adopted prior to engagement, except for styles that emphasize strong base over movement. However, this stance may be used momentarily to anchor movement in the middle of a technique, such as during a wide tenkan turn in Aikido. Regular practice of the horse stance, e.g., two-minute sessions daily, will improve all other stances, irrespective of martial styles. Stance Training Though not the main subject of this essay, we want to point out that stance training is often overlooked due to its unexciting nature. Yet it is an integral part of all traditional martial arts, especially the internal arts. The most important benefit of postural training is that it results in more efficient and effective movement, through increased awareness and centering. A common practice is to stand still and do nothing but feel the body. As we focus on proprioception, we shine our awareness on all parts of the body and awaken them to potential movement, so that when we move these awakened parts are more likely to participate, resulting in smoother and more precise and effective movement. Furthermore, while keeping the body still and awake, we become alert to tiny parasite movements, and will be able to gradually eliminate them during more complex movements, resulting in increased efficiency. Also, as pointed out in all the stances described above, their practice brings forth the awareness of our centerline, and of how it connects to other parts of the body. As a result, when we move, we can choose to initiate the movement from this centerline and invoke the totality of the body for the purpose of the movement. Furthermore, when we originate the movement from the centerline it is possible to contain the movement and its ripple effect within the boundaries of the physical body, thus showing no externally visible movement, such as when practicing Zhan Zhuang for martial purposes. As we advance with this type of practice, we will be able to identify the true initiator of the movement, deep within the mind. But this is the subject of another discussion. All stance training programs are based on a regular practice schedule and a step-by-step process; this means one must go through a specific sequence of daily practice. This also means that one cannot skip a step nor skip a day. The sequence is generally as follows:
The result of this type of training is a body-mind unity that can ground solidly like a mountain, move swiftly like the wind, flow smoothly like a river, or pound furiously like crashing waves. In summary, the integrity and power of a movement depend on the quality of the connection of body parts with the source of energy that fuels the movement. This connection can be strengthened and polished through stance training. Stance training brings substance to movement and is the foundation of good martial arts, linking movements to their ultimate source, and should be part of the routine personal practice for all serious martial artists. Hoa Newens July 27, 2022 4/18/2022 0 Comments Ukemi’s ShadowBy Paul Williams It’s a wonderful thing to be back on the mat again attending seminars! Recently, I had my first official seminar since the pandemic turned endemic thanks to the incredible efficacy of the vaccines. Training in seminars again is an amazing thing for an aikidoka. For the last 2’ish years we’ve been restricted to Zoom classes, outdoor weapons training, or, if you were lucky, training with your tiny COVID pod in person. With the reality of more aikido seminars on our schedule, we need to realize we are going to train with different people from different styles on the mat. Meaning, we are going to experience ukemi on a spectrum that I think covers most ukemi. At one end of the spectrum, we have Aiki Accommodation Syndrome (AAS) and at the other end we will experience Hypervigilant Katai Syndrome (HKS). AAS is the form of ukemi on one extreme end of the ukemi spectrum that comes from a long history of aikido where uke over exaggerates nage’s effect on themselves. This term was coined originally by Ellis Amdur Sensei in his book “Dueling with O-Sensei” and was used to describe his experience with taking ukemi in Hombu dojo from Yamaguchi Sensei. “So what was it like, taking ukemi from this man? It was for me, exemplar of what I’ve called ‘aiki accommodation syndrome’. At the moment of contact, you were expected to relax, and then he’d throw you. You were not to clamp down and resist him (he could deal with it – but it angered him), and you definitely were not allowed to attempt to ground or in any way try to absorb or neutralize what he was doing to you.” (1) This was a very frustrating experience for him due to the fact he described his ukemi as not being a “dive bunny”. In other words, he did not leap, twist, or exaggerate for nage but was always there to give an honest attack where his own structure and intent were intact. He deftly covers the shadow of his style’s ukemi lineage in his book and describes what he feels are their common problems. HKS is a term I’m creating to describe the other end of the spectrum and one that I’m more familiar with personally. I come from an ukemi lineage that took katai (rigid) ukemi as the modus operandum. However, this became too rigid at times. So much so that Saito Sensei had to address this issue head on by posting the letter below in the Iwama dojo. HKS is essentially where uke has made the decision not to move unless they “feel” that nage is moving them. “What keeps this sensitive responsiveness from becoming a mere slavish flip – flopping at the whim of the thrower, something endemic in many, if not most ‘form based’ martial arts? Ukemi is, when done properly, always an implicit counter. The best ukemi puts the uke in the position to reverse the ‘attack’ of the nage.” (3) In other words, AAS as well as HKS do not provide one with the skills necessary for building up one’s body for qualities like balance, structure, and sensitivity needed to reverse techniques. For AAS, as said above they are in an almost constant state of kazushi. Flailing about for reasons they probably don’t understand themselves. Conversely, in HKS their resistance becomes a kind of competition as stated by Saito Morihiro Shihan. They adopt an attitude of immovability unless nage ‘properly’ takes their balance. This leads me to my recent experience that, honestly, flustered me at a recent seminar and took me a while to figure out after the fact. The technique was kata menuchi ikkyo. We were practicing it in its most basic form, this is where uke grabs the shoulder and nage initiates a low to high shomenuchi strike. This strike draws out uke to respond with a block and pushes back to regain control. Even though these two styles of ukemi couldn’t be more different from each other for obvious reasons, there are striking and damaging similarities between the two. One is that both promote poor structure for uke. For AAS, one does not learn how to absorb energy from nage but moves in collusion with them for the technique to work. They constantly kazushi (imbalance) themselves ahead of nage’s input thus cutting short the training necessary for nage to feel the technique all the way to the end. Consequently, this defeats one primary principle of ukemi which I believe is to build the body from the inside out. With HKS, we conversely see the opposite happening with the same result. Uke stays put, giving nage strong and grounded resistance even to the point where their own structure is compromised. I’m all too familiar with this since I committed this error for almost 20 years and it’s a common shadow of Iwama Ryu aikido. It creates an incredible amount of tension in one’s body thus reducing one’s ability for responsiveness, sensitivity, and ability to protect one’s body from injury. However, I still believe there is a time and place where katai ukemi can have great benefits as I explain in my previous article on constructive resistance. “Properly understood, ukemi is the mastery of force – the act of absorbing and redirecting energy, and even adding it to one’s own power and sending it back to the attacker.” (2) Amdur further states that your first goal in ukemi is to create a base for yourself through your attack. This is so one can understand and learn the aikido curriculum. After years of practice, one gains the sensitivity and responsiveness to then be able to reverse the technique. My uke had a classic case of HKS. They were not satisfied with my level of attack/blend and therefore stood their ground as I moved to the side allowing their blocking arm to drop down. However, they did not step forward to regain proper structure for the next move. Instead, they stood in the same stance but with the head forward beyond their base of support. This was the cause of my frustration which in turn prevented me from understanding their point of view when we later discussed our session after class. To them, it did not matter that they had poor structure. For with HKS, the first order principle is not to move unless moved. I defaulted (and sometimes still do) to HKS for years and it was starring me right in the face, but I couldn’t recognize it. “Why wouldn’t you want to have good structure?”, I asked. How soon I forgot! Only 6 years ago I picked up tai chi and followed that by initiating Takamuraha Shindo Yoshin Ryu. What I’ve learned most from them is that a strong base is most important above all. Therefore, this principle is dependently drilled into you ubiquitously from day one. This leads me to what lies in the middle of the spectrum and what I believe ought to be the first order principle in ukemi. As stated above by Ellis Amdur, one’s ukemi ought to be practiced in a manner where at any moment they can reverse a technique right up to the end. How can this be executed if one is either an immovable rock or a dive bunny? To be blunt, it can’t. In proper ukemi, one must constantly regain their balance to re-establish a solid base of support where the shoulders are supported by the hips and the hips are supported by the feet to create proper alignment and control of one’s body. This sounds simple enough but soon we are all going to be back on the mat again. Which means, we are all going to encounter either ends of this spectrum or somewhere in between with our ukes. The somewhere in between is where we can explore how light and how heavy we can be with nage whilst maintaining good structure without stopping the technique. This is where the real conversation between uke and nage can commence. Here we can truly explore the depths of our aikido. If we run into one of the polar extremes, I’m not saying we should stop our practice and correct our uke! What I am saying is that let’s recognize these forms of ukemi for what they are and understand that even though we may not agree with them, this is where our partner is on their path in aikido. Like me, one day they may change for a more structured and responsive ukemi that exists in the middle of the spectrum between these two syndromes. Correcting them will only solidify their approach. They need to feel this ukemi for themselves just as I did from my sensei Hoa Newens Shihan. Hopefully, when it is your turn to be uke try to be the change you want to see in our aikido world. In conclusion, knowing where one’s first order principles lie is the beginning of understanding and accepting uke for where they are in their aikido journey. Some say that aikido techniques are what divide us, but I disagree. I believe our approach to ukemi is what separates us most. We all have different first order principles when it comes to ukemi, but it is our responsibility to blend with our partner and maintain our own structure simultaneously. When we meet on the mat, I hope these first principles will allow all of us to approach closer to the middle of the spectrum and leave our dogma behind. Have fun training and hope to see you on the mat soon! Bibliography1. Amdur, Ellis. Dueling with O-Sensei. s.l. : Edgework Books, 2000. 2. —. Hidden in Plain Sight. s.l. : Edgeworks Books, 2000. 3. —. Hidden in Plain Sight. s.l. : Edgework Books, 2000. 2/24/2022 3 Comments In Search of the Essence of Aikidoby Hoa Newens As we prepare to launch the Aikido Foundations Course, we gathered our thoughts below to clarify the reasons wherefore and need of such a course. WHY BOTHER WITH THE ESSENCE? Why spend effort looking for the essence? Isn’t it good enough to come to classes regularly and just train? It is indeed good to train regularly in classes; persistent effort inevitably leads to results. However, do we know what results to expect? Physical fitness, social interaction, self-defense, good feelings, spiritual experience are all valid goals that yield different results. Conscious decisions make a life, whereas unconscious action is merely existence. If we do not have a goal, we automatically assume the goal of the chief instructor at the dojo where we train. If this chief instructor is not aware of his/her goals in operating the dojo, then this person is not leading the students anywhere. At best, students may get some physical fitness, and learn a little about Japanese Budo and culture, and the school is a mix of gym and cultural club, not necessarily a place to train in the way, a true “dojo”. On the other hand, the chief instructor may have a specific goal, and we’d want to know what it is to determine compatibility with our own goal. If there is no match, we should continue our quest to find the right teacher. If there is a good match, we should forge on and find ways to support the teacher. A dojo (道場) is a place to practice the “Way”, that is, the “Do” of Ai-Ki-Do. Aikido is one of the martial arts in modern Japanese Budo; these martial arts guide people along a path to become better human beings. Even within this categorization, there is a wide range of possibilities for Aikido; witness the numerous styles that exist. Aikido is not just what is being taught at your dojo. It is beneficial for the average students to broaden their horizons by participating in a variety of seminars and recognize that there are as many styles of Aikido as there are teachers. Even within the same dojo that is affiliated with a particular lineage like ours, each instructor will express Aikido according to their personality, physique, and training background. If we do not clearly identify what we are aspiring to and only continue to do what’s done in classes and at seminars, our bodies may benefit from good exercises, our mind and spirit may be somewhat stimulated but in the long run, there is no clear progress along the path laid down by the Founder. It is a bit like going to the gun range and shooting a rifle just for the thrill of it, not minding where the bullets hit. It is okay to do Aikido just because the training makes us feels good, but that’s all we get, a short-lived warm feeling after class. In the long run though, all dedicated students will aspire to reach the level achieved by the Founder. They will want to merge with the art and become Aikido. A sincere quest will inevitably lead to the desire for the essence. THE TRUE NEED TO FIND THE ESSENCE A soul is born in the earthly realm to evolve. It wears the physical form and clothing of all sentient beings and evolves through friction against other sentient forms. When consciousness is present during the friction among these physical forms, the friction builds up the impetus to essentially send the consciousness to the next level of more refined energy. It is like an ant being trapped in a box and bumps into the box walls everywhere it turns; until its tiny consciousness notices that it can climb up the wall and get closer to deliverance. The same process takes place in martial arts training, especially in traditional martial arts that allow human beings to grow successively through the physical, mental, and spiritual planes. The crucial requirement for this growth is the will of the consciousness to return home. If the ant was not aware of what it wants (deliverance from the walls) and of its ability to move beyond horizontal, then it would spend the rest of its life at the bottom of the box. The longing of the soul within a human being to be whole manifests as a quest for deliverance, a search for the pure self. For a martial artist, this internal quest translates into dedication in training, for the martial artist knows that there is a better way of being. The dedicated martial artist jumps through the hurdles of the different states of being – physical, mental and spiritual, using his martial art to continually refine the consciousness. He resolutely seeks the path to the higher states until the soul is purged of earthly litter and finds itself in a pristine state. In this way the dedicated martial artist eventually discovers the true self through his quest for the essence of the martial art. FINDING THE ESSENCE OF AIKIDO O Sensei and each person who teaches Aikido naturally express the art through their own personality, individual physique and particular environment. Therefore, the art is necessarily colored by these unique circumstances that make up a person’s life. When it passes through the generations, the art increasingly acquires new layers of clothing, such that its appearance may become deceptive and misrepresent its soul. Then, how do we identify and reach for the true essence? Do we need to speak Japanese, learn Japanese customs, learn Daito-Ryu, learn Shinto religion, re-live O Sensei’s life experience? The short answer is no, we just need to study and engage in serious training where we are right now. More specifically, study the Founder’s messages and teachings, and train according to these teachings, or under the guidance of the Founder’s direct disciples who have been with him for a long time, such as Morihiro Saito Shihan. We and many others have been fortunate to have this opportunity, but not all will succeed. To reach the quintessence, one would have to overcome tough hurdles along the way. One major hurdle in studying O Sensei’s words is that they are replete with abstract notions and esoteric concepts. His lectures and teachings contain few practical instructions and are generally devoid of methods. Many of O Sensei’s direct students testify to this challenge. If one were to engage deeply in the study, it may devolve into an intellectual research project, which may yield interesting historical results and lead to an intellectual understanding of the origins of Aikido. However, this understanding is merely a mental image of its essence, not the real essence of Aikido. The second major hurdle is that, despite his effort to preserve the original teachings that he received directly from his teacher of 23 years, it is inevitable that Morihiro Saito Shihan (as well as other direct students of O Sensei) expressed his natural self through the art. He was not a mere copycat of his teacher but a top-level expert in his own right, hence the art that he taught was necessarily infused with his personal background. Even he changed his teachings from time to time in tandem with his own growth, creating amusing confusion among his students of different eras who clung to the forms of their times. This is what O Sensei had to say about Aiki techniques: (The Secret Teachings of Aikido, Kodansha International, 2007.) 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 is wrong to get caught up with forms. Therefore, to distill the essence of Aikido one would have to transcend the minutiae of techniques. This is not to say that we should not have basic and standard techniques of Aikido; it means that we should go beyond the details and forms, and discover principles and relationships. At the advanced level, while respecting and honoring our teachers, we should bypass their personalities and their environments and drive straight into the core of the art. Then, we slowly find our way out from that core and develop our own method to teach others. This path requires us to let go of what we learned from our teachers in order to get to the next level. It takes courage, energy, and trust in our higher self to make the jump. Lacking any of these three requisites, an otherwise dedicated teacher would languish in place while regurgitating the teachings of his/her teacher, which were a unique expression of that person, and the essence of the art will be forever out of reach. The only way we know how to find the inner treasure is to muster all the courage and energy at our disposal to let go of our crutches and forge on with confidence on our own path, doing our best to follow the enigmatic guidance of O Sensei’s words. It is critical that we believe in the benevolence of the Aiki gods and keep the internal flame alive as we trudge through new territories, with no assurance that our quest will be successful. As we venture into uncharted courses, we should take good notes, mark useful signposts and rechart the route for the sake of future generations. THE ESSENCE LIES IN THE SPIRIT Serious research on O Sensei’s life and the development of his martial art would reveal the fact that O Sensei was a religious man deeply involved in Omoto Kyo and devoted to Shinto practices. By all accounts, his meeting with the reverend Onisaburo Deguchi was transformative and he spent several years at the Omoto sect headquarters in Ayabe (near Kyoto). “Spirit First then Body Second” was a central teaching of Omoto which likely drove Ueshiba Sensei to take up various forms of shugyo (ascetic practices) that resulted in his enlightenment. The spiritual aspect of Aikido training is evident in all of O Sensei’s lectures and writings, though one would have to dive deep into philosophical concepts and religious studies to get a glimpse of his messages. In Aikido, we first purify our spirit; second, we must set aright our heart. When using the body we employ the material dimension but must never lose our focus on the spiritual. (The Secret Teachings of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba, Kodansha International, 2007) We found that the Nidai Doshu, Kisshomaru Ueshiba described the Founder’s ideas and ideals in more down to earth language that is easier to grasp by the average person. For this purpose, we show relevant excerpts below from The Spirit of Aikido (Aikido no Kokoro, by Kisshomaru Ueshiba, translated by Taitetsu Unno, published by Kodansha International, 1987) that underscore the importance of spiritual training in Aikido. The turning point came in 1924-25, . . . when challenged by a young naval officer in Ayabe, (O Sensei) experienced sumi-kiri, the clarity of mind and body that realized the oneness of the ki of the universe and the ki of self. He was in his early forties, and this became the foundations of his martial art. (P 98) In 1936 the Founder decided that time had come to make the distinction between the old martial arts and his own clear, because of the philosophical and spiritual emphasis he had incorporated in his own art. Feeling that the essence of his new art was different from the old tradition of martial arts, he abandoned the term bujutsu and renamed his art aiki-budo. (P 99) To fully appreciate the proclamation of the name aikido and understand some of the reasons behind it, including changes in the Founder’s thought, we must turn our attention to the establishment of the Aiki Shrine at Iwama in Ibaraki Prefecture, northeast of Tokyo. The idea of establishing a spiritual center for aikido came to the Founder around 1935. It was born from a deeply felt need to continue the quest for the truth of the universe through budo, and he wanted a special place for this purpose. (P 100) The Aiki Shrine was conceived to pay homage to the 43 gods who protect and give procreative power to aikido . . . The Founder strongly believed that his prowess in budo came not from himself but from the gods that protected him and nurtured his ability. (P 102) Aikido’s reputation and success today are due to the Founder’s decision to devote himself to a spiritual quest for the essence of martial arts in the hinterlands of Iwama. Master Ueshiba demonstrated by his own example that the prosperity of Aikido is not measured by the number of followers but by the depth and intensity of the personal quest for truth through training and practice. (P 104) There is nothing more desirable than growth and expansion, but if our eyes are attached only to surface events and we lose sight of the essence of the Way of Aikido, then – just as a spinning top loses its momentum, its balance and sooner or later falls – our Way will lose its vitality, become divided, and eventually disintegrate. (P. 105) Furthermore, in his book The Spirit of Aikido, (Kodansha, 2012), the Nidai Doshu explained the uniqueness of Aikido in these terms: Ultimately, Master Ueshiba concluded that the true spirit of Budo is not to be found in a competitive and combative atmosphere where brute strength dominates and victory at any cost is the paramount objective. He concluded that it is to be realized in the quest for perfection as a human being, both in mind and body, through cumulative training and practice with kindred spirits in the martial arts. . . His goal, deeply religious in nature, is summarized in a single statement: the unification of the fundamental creative principle, ki, permeating the universe, and the individual ki, inseparable from breath power, of each person. As can be seen from the Nidai Doshu’s wrtings above, O Sensei created his art of Aikido mostly as a spiritual practice, that is, a physical discipline that results in a spiritual enlightenment. He clearly intended that it not be a fighting art. O Sensei had a clear spiritual ideal that is the backbone of his art. However, he did not create a system to transmit it to others. Therefore, a large part of his legacy is constituted of techniques that he taught and his obscure speeches and poems on spiritual ideals. The physical movements certainly reflected the inner aspect of the art, however he left it to the beholders and his students to devise methods of their own to bridge the techniques with spiritual understanding. The Founder’s students took what they learned from him and created systems to fill the void in spiritual practice. His top student, Koichi Tohei Sensei, singled out the development and use of Ki as substantive content of Aikido teachings and established the Ki Society (Ki no Kenkyūkai) to further his work separately from the Hombu Dojo. Another senior disciple, Morihiro Saito Sensei, who declared himself a simple-minded farmer, chose to underemphasize the spiritual aspect (except for traditional Shinto rites) and focused instead on the organization of the technical curriculum, with special emphasis on Bukiwaza. Saito Sensei’s view was that we should follow O Sensei’s teachings closely and train diligently then we will find the right understanding. THE MISSING RUNG Traditional martial arts that have been passed down several generations have fully evolved and represent complete holistic arts that represent comprehensive ways of life, addressing all the needs – physical, mental, and spiritual – of human beings. Because of their nature, martial arts start from the physical and evolves through the mental to reach the spiritual aspect. This is a transmutation process that accelerates the evolution of denser energies into more refined states. These arts grow from the support of their natural milieu and often borrow from their socio-religious environment to shore up their core. For example, Shaolin Wushu of China evolved from a Buddhist temple setting and wears all the trademarks of such settings in their training methods. Similarly, Kobudo evolved from feudal Japan in which the samurai class dominated the martial scene, and thus display the hallmarks of such backdrops. On the other hand, Aikido is a relatively modern martial art born in early twentieth century from various forms of Bujutsu. The founder excelled in various forms of jujutsu and kenjutsu, namely Yagyu Ryu, Daito Ryu, Shinkage Ryu, and so on by his own account, but was also steeped in the Shinto religion and its cousin Omoto. It was these spiritual influences that provided the backbone of the art that Morihei Ueshiba founded, Aikido. As indicated above, because of the spiritual grounding, the Founder adamantly distinguished his art from other forms of Bujutsu and named it Aiki-budo, now Aikido. Here is his view: Up to now, old-time martial arts required years and years of practice before one could begin to understand the true purpose of budo. In contrast, the Aikido I have developed is a means to make this realization come quickly. That is the difference between old-style martial arts and Aikido. Those who are sensitive to the flow of energy, and in tune with their surroundings, are the ones that must take the lead by acting nobly and with determination. That is Aikido – to set a goal and to improve day by day. From The Heart of Aikido – The Philosophy of Takemusu Aiki, Kodansha USA, 2010 (p. 77). Unfortunately, though he taught and passed down the techniques of Aikido, he did not leave clear teachings of internal practices that could lead his students to spiritual realization. O Sensei maintained that Aikido is the study of the spirit, and often performed his spiritual practices on his own. He would lecture his disciples on various spiritual topics without much practical guidance. His close disciples were left with their own interpretation and understanding. Thus, the spiritual core of Aikido was not integrated into Aikido training at the time, and except for a few misogi (purification) and kokyu (breath) exercises, no standard spiritual practices exist in modern Aikido teachings. Aikido has yet to mature and needs to continue to evolve. In its present state, Aikido is missing a major rung on the ladder leading its physical techniques to the ultimate goal of unifying with the ki of the universe. Many of O Sensei’s disciples filled the gap with their own version of spiritual discipline, with the result that there are no standard spiritual practices in mainstream Aikido. As we have pointed out in a different writing (Is Aikido a Martial Art?) a true martial art serves the totality of the human being, physical, mental, and spiritual, and must include the potential to elevate the human spirit toward the divine spirit. On the bright side, we know that Aiki manifested on earth through O Sensei’s techniques, his oral teachings, and his life. Aiki has pervaded his entire being, so that we can find the complete Aiki within either the techniques, or the oral teachings, or the way he lived. The secret of Aiki is buried deep in the techniques; to find it we must dive unswervingly into training, using O Sensei’s oral teachings as guideposts. This means training wholeheartedly and continuously while constantly striving to understand and follow O Sensei’s teachings. This is an arduous task since there is no guidance beyond the techniques and a few purification exercises, and O Sensei’s recorded teachings are far from comprehensible. It is a huge jump from Aikido waza to spiritual enlightenment. Another approach is to glean from the methods of other well established and traditional martial arts with strong spiritual connections, such as the internal martial arts and internal energy arts of China. These are arts which have matured over hundreds of years of traditions and refinements. For this purpose, the countries, and cultures from where these arts originated are not relevant. Human beings are built from the same basic template everywhere on earth: a body with two arms, two legs, red blood, a brain, a heart, and God-given consciousness. All human beings have the same physical, energetic, and spiritual bodies; the differences among human beings owe to the different geographies and cultures and are only superficial. Therefore, the rules and methods for training to evolve the human potential are the same. We should learn from each other; there are only so many ways of moving efficiently, so many ways of calming the mind, so many ways of controlling our emotions, so many ways of finding our true inner self. We were fortunate to have had the opportunity to study and train in depth in the internal arts of Taichi (Wu Style) and Chikung for almost four decades while continuing our Aikido training. Thanks to this concurrent training of both the outer and the inner aspects of martial arts, we were able to develop a bridge linking the physical training of Aikido to what might be its spiritual goal of union of the individual ki with the universal ki This bridge consists of essential internal practices and behaviors that connect the physical techniques of Aikido with states of being which are compatible with spiritual understanding. We believe that these internal practices lead to the true essence of Aikido since they bring about the uniqueness of Aikido and are the vehicles to transport Aikido through the ages and across cultures and nations. HOW TO RECOGNIZE THE ESSENCE The essence of something is the absolute and indispensable minimum that defines its character, and that can be used to reproduce the totality of it. In our quest to identify and extract the essence of Aikido, we find three lenses and related inquiries that help us sort wheat from chaff:
We applied these lenses to sort through our own experience in multi-disciplinary martial arts during more than five decades and extracted the practices that revive the spiritual linkage of Aikido techniques and form the foundations from which Aikido can be transmitted through the ages and through the cultures. During our search we also noted that, though there are books that attempt to describe the essence of Aikido, no instruction program, training curriculum, or publications exist that guide the serious seeker to the realization of this essence. This lack was our motivation for developing a course that imparts this essence to qualified instructors for further sharing. THE FOUNDATIONS OF AIKIDO The foundations of Aikido rest on simple core practices that are infused with its essence and that lead to the acquisition of skills to impart the essence of Aikido to others in any environment and through times. These practices consist of four concentric elements: The Spirit of Ai This is the pervasive core that impregnates Aikido techniques with the Aiki spirit of harmony, and consists of meditation and purification practices that calm the mind and allow the inner self to emerge and meet with the universal spirit. Ki and Kokyu These are internal practices that connect breath, ki energy and the physical center and are the core practices of an internal martial art. The Martial Bu These are martial practices (tanren and shugyo) and codes of behavior that make Aikido a true Budo. The Techniques in Do These are the main techniques of Aikido which physically express the Aiki spirit. These include the basic Kamae; Tai Sabaki; Awase practices; core Taijutsu techniques; and core Bukiwaza techniques. Each of these four elements separately does not reflect Aikido but all four together make Aikido. A special note must be made here about the meaning of Ai Ki Do. In O Sensei’s recorded speeches, he often explained that Aiki came into being with this universe, referring to Aiki as the spirit of harmony that existed before everything else. It is not different from what the Taoists call the Tao. From this viewpoint, the name Aikido takes on a meaning slightly different from the standard translation of The Way to Harmonize with Ki: Aiki Do should be understood as the Way of Aiki, in other words, it is the manifestation of the primal spirit of harmony in the universe. When we look at Aikido in this light, we realize that the emphasis should be on Aiki, the spirit of harmony. From this vantage, we can see that the popular view of Aikido has been overly focused on the manifestation, that is, the Do part, the techniques; whereas the true essence, which lies in Aiki, has been overlooked. Therefore, any real effort to strengthen Aikido must correct this deficiency and restore the focus on Aiki. That is the primary purpose of the Aikido Foundations Course. Hoa Newens February 24, 2022 by Hoa Newens
In the early eighties, the students at the Aikido Institute of Oakland (California) organized multiple fund-raising events to acquire a calligraphy of the kanji 勝速日 (katsu-haya-hi), authored by O Sensei. This calligraphy is displayed as part of the dojo shomen as an exhortation to all students. The more complete phrase is: 正勝 吾勝 勝速日 masakatsu agatsu katsuhayabi All serious students of Aikido will have studied at some point in their training career the words of O Sensei. They would have identified certain common themes, among them, the concept expressed by Masakatsu agatsu katsuhayabi, which can be simply translated as “The correct victory is to overcome the self, in this instant”. As to the deeper meaning of it, several interpretations exist; I offer my humble understanding below. O Sensei often used this phrase in his lectures to describe the principle of Aikido that allows us to become one with the universe. Considering that it was a refrain in his talks and that he authored many calligraphic versions, it must have been a key element of his martial art. He stated that “This supreme principle is symbolized by the Shinto deity Masakatsu katsuhaya hi ame oshihomi no mikoto.” [The Secret Teachings of Aikido, Kodansha 2007, as translated by John Stevens. All subsequent quotes from O Sensei come from this source.] In ancient cultures throughout the world, every important aspect of life is overseen and represented by a divine authority, so it was with Japan through the Shinto religion. In the harsh living conditions of the rugged terrain of medieval Japan people lived at the mercy of Mother Nature and her whims, and naturally worshipped a host of deities and sought their help. Shinto places strong emphasis in purity and in living in harmony with nature, so it is no wonder that self-purification has its place in the Shinto’s hall of divinity. O Sensei explained: Misogi equals budo. . . Purify yourself, purify the world. Our work is like a lotus rising from the mire. . . In order to protect nature, we must cleanse ourselves of defilements. We must not be willful and selfish. As with most oriental languages and concepts, their meanings are derived from contextual information. Focusing on the literal meaning alone often results in incongruencies and confusion. Below is an excerpt of O Sensei’s talk that provides relevant context for the subject phrase: Aiki is activated by the resonance of the spirit of the universe’s grand design. Utilize the cosmic resonance to generate unlimited power, to discern the universe, to return to the heart of the universe, to become the universe. . . The cosmic resonance of the spirit of the universe enables you to unify mind and body. By extension, that spirit can bring the hearts of all people of the world together. . . In order to master utilizing the cosmic resonance of the spirit of the universe, you need to set aright your own heart and to establish your true self. For this purpose, we have the misogi techniques of Aikido. Misogi techniques forge the great spirit of love, protect the divine principles, and give purpose to your life. Masakatsu agatsu katsuhayabi is the form we must assume. It reveals the inner principles of this great and beautifully functioning universe. That is because all things originate from one source. Perceive the true nature of the universe, incorporate it within you, make it your base, and open your eyes – that is the grand purpose of the practice of Aikido. You may have to read this passage more than once. The meaning of it is backward and can be summarized as follows. The ultimate purpose of Aikido training is to become one with the universe through self-purification using the method embodied in the phrase Masakatsu agatsu katsuhayabi. Such self-purification allows us to tune into the cosmic resonance of the spirit of the universe, which brings us to mind-body oneness and ultimately oneness with the universe, since all things originate from one source. Though it is not our purpose here to discuss the cosmic resonance of the spirit of the universe, it would be helpful for our understanding of this passage to hold the image of the heavenly spirit descending on earth and creating life as we know it. Thus, life is viewed as the echo of the descending heavenly spirit bouncing back from earth. From this contextual background we can infer that Masakatsu agatsu katsuhayabi is the form of training that we must undertake in Aikido to purify ourselves and become one with the universe. It is not so much an esoteric concept, but rather a formula to guide our training. Instead of analyzing the literal meaning of the kanji, which is: “correct – victory – self – victory – victory – soon – day”, we should examine the practical ramifications of this phrase using the other requisite contextual element, namely training experience. True understanding will not be achieved until we have sufficiently trained our bodies and ingrained therein the Aiki principles. These seeds will be nurtured by the ki of the body and gradually germinate upward through the different layers of our being and finally deliver spiritual blooms that will reveal the secrets of the universe, as O Sensei stated. Based on our five and a half decades of training we arrived at the following principles that we hope will help elucidate further the concept of Masakatsu agatsu katsuhayabi. The reader may get a modicum of guidance from this explanation; however, there is nothing that can take the place of diligent mat training in accordance with these principles on the path to understanding Masakatsu. Start from the physical forms, move on to the energetic contents, then explore the intangible essence. O Sensei admonished us thus: The Way cannot be expressed in words or theories but must be found in the resonance that sustains existence. The purpose of Budo training is to purify the self The object of Aikido training is not out there but within us. We are not trying to vanquish an evil outside of us. It is our own self that needs to be worked on. The point is not to take another person down. It is not to win a contest. It is not even to apply a technique on an uke. The point is to use our interaction with another person, an object (a jo, bokken, tanren tire, makiwara, etc.) or other training implements to gather feedback on ourselves. Send a message and receive what comes back. Use the counterparty as sounding boards to find out about the self in us, and what it is made of. Sort of testing our mettle. Over time, numerous trials and errors will lead us to find our center and our training partner’s center. For practice, the first order of training is to work directly on our own body using simple tools and exercises to strengthen the basic structure. The initial personal focus prepares us for the next level in which we take on more variables and interact with other persons. After obtaining a wide range of feedback from interpersonal contacts, we finally circle back to the personal focus and jump to the deeper level of mind practices. At this level too, we should strengthen the basics first before delving in more complex practices. The list below illustrates the order of training. Solo practices
The true self within us is pure and fragile and is protected by several energetic shells enveloping it. The key to opening the doors on these shells is to cleanse each layer thoroughly; once cleaned, the layer can be moved to the side to create an opening to reach the next inner layer. It is like going through many sliding doors in a castle before entering the inner quarters where the lord sits. The self that must be purified is our mind The mind directs the development of the body: every decision of the mind results in an effect on the body. What to eat or drink, how much to exercise, how much to cater to the body’s wants, how we respond to impulses, how to hold the body in movement, etc. These are all mental choices. The ordinary mind is ruled by our ego, which is a fragment of consciousness that has detached from the mother source by grabbing on to hooks of this world and now has become a conscious unit. Since it came from a larger whole it always longs for security and for wholeness. For this purpose, it grows by grabbing onto more things of this world. This growth is necessary for our survival and safety, up to a certain point. When unbridled, the mind leads us into various entanglements with the world, which take us further from the spirit. The more outward the mind manifests the more it gets us tangled up and attached to worldly things, creating karmic bonds that defile its original purity. To reconnect with pure spirit, we need to shake off this mundane detritus from the original mind. We must erase the karma and purify the mind. This is the intent of our training; we do not train our mind in order to make the body stronger so that we gain more control of our external world. Rather, we train our body to cleanse our mind. During mat training, mind activity such as judgment should be kept to the minimum, or even shut off if safe. The mind must be rid of impurities to return to the heart of the universe Our mind originated from the universal consciousness; it became a “mind” of its own when it separated from the mother consciousness by being “born” into the physical world and grabbing on to the mundane things of the world. The more it grows the more entrenched it gets and it becomes stuck like a fly is caught on a spider web. To extricate itself the mind-fly must dissolve the silk fibers trapping it in place one by one; it must undo its own doing. Once the mind burns the chains and lets go of the worldly attachments such as greed and pride it can free itself and begin the journey home. Letting go gets us home, whereas acquiring more stuff weighs us down and shackles our energies. Therefore, a simple lifestyle and an orderly environment are most helpful to our training. Drop the illusion of the mind at once to achieve liberation To be able to let go the mind must realize that its worldly possessions are its own creations and have no substance. They are like a story in a movie that can be turned off instantly by switching off the projector. We all know that it is not easy to turn off a movie when the mind is fully engaged in it; but when it is off, we often relish the realization that it was just a movie. To achieve liberation all it takes is the realization that this world is an illusion created by our mind. This realization can occur in this instant. It works similarly to door locks that are based on magnets; when you scan your key card and demagnetize the lock the door instantly opens. Although the opening happens instantly, we have to work hard to create the key card that causes all the rubbish to drop off our mind and release the unpolluted consciousness within. In training, we must use tanren (spirit forging) practices, or engage in shugyo (ascetic practices) and build the discipline and courage that are needed to effect letting go. The body serves the mind, and the mind serves the spirit The key tools that we have been provided with to liberate ourselves are our body and the mind-to-be consciousness that came with it. They both had a strong connection to the universal consciousness at our birth. The body was to be used as a projection of the mind into the world, and the mind was to help keep the body in shape and in contact with the mother ship. The mind was to listen to the voice of the universal spirit and direct the body. The body serves the mind and the mind serves the spirit. Not the other way around. We should periodically examine our lifestyle and training to ensure that this living order is maintained. We are given a body so that it can be controlled by the mind and steered toward the salvation of our soul. We would go against Nature’s law if we were to let the body dictate its ways and have our mind cater to the needs of the five senses. Similarly, if we were to let the egoistic mind usurp spiritual power, it would appropriate all resources at its disposal to aggrandize itself while denying the existence of the spirit. It is unfortunate that most modern societies in our world do not presently reflect the principles explained above. The primacy of consciousness is being buried under misguided scientific institutions that are dominated by mind logic and dedicated to pampering the senses and growing egos. Our socio-political systems are becoming slaves to egos and are operating in ignorance of the laws of Nature. Even religious institutions and systems are altering their teachings and practices to aggrandize their flocks and power. This is a crucial time to heed O Sensei’s exhortation: Masakatsu Agatsu Katsuhayabi. In Budo the true work is to overcome the self; make it happen! by Hoa Newens In an interaction with another sentient being, how we treat each other is of the utmost importance. Even if we are about to take each other’s life there is a proper way to do it. In a duel to the death, warriors of old would state each other’s names and the reason for the fight. Other unspoken rules include respecting your opponent by doing one’s best during the match and not pulling punches, leaving an honorable way out for a desperate opponent, honoring the opponent’s last wishes, and taking proper care of the dead body. Nowadays, we see this stuff only in movies and other fictional accounts. History tells that warriors of old understood well that the meaning of life is anchored in proper interaction with fellow human beings. The code of behavior is paramount in a warrior’s training. Only half-baked warriors would focus exclusively on technical excellence and only assassins would concentrate on killing methods. The Joy of Training Recall your most recent interaction with a training partner on the mat. Were you fully engaged and focused during the entire interaction? Afterwards, was the engagement fulfilling? In my experience, most serious Aikido encounters are fulfilling, and most participants part ways with feelings of buoyant lightness, inner satisfaction, and aliveness. How do we ensure that it always ends up this way or better? Let’s ponder briefly about the purpose of our training, whether it be in Aikido or similar arts. Why do we come to the dojo and train? Perhaps, to get physically fit; to gain self-defense skills; to learn mind-body coordination; to experience the power of ki; or to immerse oneself in Budo and its soul-enthralling aspects. Any or all of these could be our motivators; however, I suspect that a sense of inner satisfaction is at their core and is what makes us return often to the training hall. Aikido keiko makes us feel good. A need that lies deep within our being is fulfilled every time we return from class. After your next class or seminar, sit down quietly, close your eyes, and note what you feel; allow it to bubble up and let it linger on. Relish on feeling the afterglow inside you. This simple introspection, when repeated regularly, will allow the sense of inner fulfillment to expand and take roots. It is like a small light from your depths has been switched on by the training and you are allowing it to shine on and grow, shily at first but firmly. What is most important during this time of looking in is to not give in to any form of thinking. Do not let the mind grab on anything that might have happened during the training. Indulge only in the present feelings. There are two possible sources for this post training ecstasy. The first comes from the enhanced circulation of energy within the body resulting from the opening and closing of the joints and energy gates when Aikido techniques are done correctly. The heightened ki flow makes us feel more alive. The second is the result of our consciousness being stoked up by its interaction with our training partners’ consciousness, especially if this interaction was sincere and harmonious. This is not unlike the joy that we feel upon reuniting with close family after a long absence. Fragments of consciousness always long for wholeness. The Conditions for Fulfillment At this point, it may be appropriate to elucidate the meaning of fulfillment. In the most general sense, a fulfillment is the completion of something that is wanting to be completed. In terms of our human life, we came to this world for a purpose, and fulfillment is the achievement of this purpose. Another way to look at it is that we were born as potentialities, and fulfillment is the realization of these potentialities. From a cosmic vantage, fulfillment is the reunion of things that were originally together but were separated. Concurrently with my birth, my destiny was predetermined in the celestial records; when I finally meet my destiny in this world, I am (my destiny is) fulfilled. Back on the mat, my training partner and I are two fragments of the same consciousness that were separated at birth but are continually longing for each other subconsciously. So, when we are able to reconnect, albeit briefly, on the mat through doing Aikido, we experience a sense of fulfillment. There are certain factors that facilitate the inner fulfillment and others that hinder it, as we explain below. As we enter the dojo, change into our keiko gi, bow to the shomen, greet the sensei and other classmates, we begin a process of unraveling that helps us unload extraneous materials that have attached to our being during our preceding interaction with the mundane world outside. We need to unload this mundane dust to preserve the sanctity of the dojo as the place where we practice The Way. For this purpose, the rituals and etiquette just before class must be maintained. Rei must be vigilantly observed, and students must take the appropriate time and care to follow the rules. Entering the dojo in a rush, greeting loudly without the proper bows, or not acknowledging the sempai’s and sensei’s presence, etc. are acts that take away the sanctity of the dojo and do not help in the self-purification process that is a prerequisite for fulfilling training. As we bow to the shomen and begin class, our consciousness has been cleansed from some of the crud that was stuck on us, and now should be turned fully on and sharply focused on rei. Everything that happens on the mat between the bow-in and the bow-out should be crystal clear to our consciousness, allowing it to capture in high definition the interaction between training partners, students and sensei. When we train with our partners, we sincerely dedicate our energy to the betterment of both of us. This mindset is the most crucial factor that determines the harmonious outcome of the training and the resulting sense of fulfillment. If there is any attempt to separate from, stand out from, or dominate, our partners, negative results are certain. Recall the last time you trained with someone who showed little interest in being your uke, perhaps twisting your wrist vigorously in Nikyo then slacking off when it is their turn to receive the technique. Or recall the time when your uchitachi was clearly trying to smother you with their most ferocious strikes just to assert superior strength during kumitachi practice. To dedicate our energy to the betterment of both of us, means that we must be fully alert and focused and giving our partner as much of our energy as it is safe for them at their level, while keeping an unalloyed connection with them throughout the entire engagement. We push each other to our respective safe limits. Implicit in this transaction are the essential elements of mutual respect and trust: each person has to believe that he/she can learn something from the training partner; and the partners are placing all their cards on the table and baring their souls and bodies, trusting that the other will do the right thing for their mutual benefits and not harm each other. This is truly the gist of Aikido training. If any of the training partners has a mind of discord or dominion, it will surely contaminate the interaction and their energies will repel each other, resulting in separation rather than synergy. The aftermath of training may be cordial but not pleasant or fulfilling. Awase Leads to Fulfillment True awase is a conscious connection of one center to another, which can be hindered by either a misdirection of the consciousness, or shields raised by egos. The consciousness may be misdirected by straying from the true purpose of Aikido training, such as when it is focused solely on a superficial aspect, say fighting effectiveness. This technique won’t “work” unless I move faster than he does, place these atemi here, lock his arms this way and shove his head to the ground swiftly. This concern for “effectiveness”, though justified for a fighting art, will direct our consciousness toward controlling our partner’s body, a one-way only communication, and away from their total being. The totality of the person includes not just the body, but the mind, the ki energy and most importantly the consciousness. In a normal healthy person, these elements are concentrated in energy centers that are aligned along the central axis of the body. To reach our partner’s center of consciousness we need to keep ours focused on feeling the partner’s totality during the entire interaction and keep other variables constant by drilling the same exact movement over and over. Yes, it is boring; but that’s good because that’s when the mind gives up and let our intention (focused consciousness) shine through, from center to center. Recall the time when you and your lover were fully absorbed in each other, perhaps just sitting at the beach and holding hands; were you not so engrossed in oneness, with no words nor thoughts? The second type of barrier to center-to-center connection occurs when one or both partners put up shields to protect themselves when trust is absent in the interaction. This may happen naturally in seminars where people from different dojos and styles meet and train together for the first time and where the general atmosphere may be more competitive than cooperative. The reluctance to put our body in vulnerable positions hampers our response and interferes with the flow of techniques. Trust is the absence of barriers between two human beings; they accept each other as they are and allow their deeper selves to reach out and connect. Therefore, the more we open ourselves to our partners’ energy while remaining centered and the more focused energy we send their way the more fruitful the engagement, and fulfillment is the inevitable result.
Whatever each of us does to find our center outside of mat training will help us connect better with our uke on the mat. When we are centered, we have no vulnerability to be afraid of, and we open up more. This is where stance training and meditation can help immensely. A second-best alternative is to work diligently on suburi and kata in an unhurried manner, with full awareness of our central axis. Students who are firmly grounded in suburi and kata always have strong taijutsu techniques and remain centered during awase. When we practice awase on the mat we desire to give up one’s individuality and attempt to merge with the other. This is the true meaning of Ai in Aikido. Aiki training is the manifestation of the soul’s struggle to regain oneness in a world of duality. Each soul wants to break out of the shackles of duality and embrace each other on the mat. If you want to call it love, you’d also be correct, because in the higher sense, true love is the struggle of two to become one, especially when the two were previously one. Since our implicit purpose in Aiki training is to “come together”, it follows that how we treat each other is of paramount importance. In the dojo, respect and trust are the lubricants of this reconciliation, whereas competition and egocentric thinking are the monkey wrenches. When we focus our training on how we treat each other on the mat, the meaning of these oft-quoted words of O Sensei will finally sink in: “Aiki is not a technique to fight with or defeat an enemy. It is the way to reconcile the world and make human beings one family”. 6/15/2021 0 Comments Breathing Life into the Breathby Hoa Newens Proper breathing can significantly improve physical health as well as performance in sports and martial arts. Within the martial arts that encompass spiritual paths such as Aikido and Tai Chi, breathing takes on a special role which goes beyond the health aspect and deeper into the energetic and psychic realms. In these arts, breathing is an exchange of both information and energy between an organism and its environment which allows them to communicate with, and support, each other, thrive and co-exist harmoniously. With this context in mind, we explain below the relevant principles for breathing that help us achieve this symbiotic harmony and offer a simple yet effective breath practice. Principle No. 1 - The breath connects consciousness with energy, and energy with the body. This is a fundamental principle of energy (qi) work: the intent (i.e., focused consciousness) directs the qi and the qi moves the body. There is no need to understand the concept of qi in order to apply this principle, since our daily life and vernacular are replete with reference to the connection between breath and energy. Everyone understands the meaning of “breathe new life into a project” or “she lives and breathes Aikido”. The breath is one way for us to affect our energy, therefore, let’s take every opportunity to strengthen this connection so that we can have some degree of control over our energy. For this purpose, it is helpful to practice extending qi out on the exhale and drawing qi in on the inhale when you train in Aikido or Tai Chi. This connection works in the opposite direction as well: we can use the body to effect a particular breath that in turn engages and affects consciousness. For example, when our mind is overwhelmed by stimuli, such as after a long day of meetings at work, we can practice a rhythmic movement (or just walk) slowly while keeping the breath even and smooth in order to calm the mind. Similarly, in many qigong exercises, we use the breath to guide the qi flow, e.g., draw qi in as we breathe in and extend qi out as we breathe out. In Budo as well as in qigong, qi and breath are often intertwined, such as in the concept of Kokyū (呼吸, breath). In Aikido we use Kokyū to move the qi and generate power for such techniques as Kokyūnage. With regular practice over time, we will be able to drop the mediation of the breath and move the qi directly at will. Principle No. 2 – The breath is delicate: we should breathe naturally and practice softly. By natural, we mean compatible with normal daily life, as well as in accordance with the laws of Nature. The breath is our continuous partner for the duration of our human life; it should be in harmony with our activities. In other words, we need to breathe the way we want to live. If my regular job requires frequent aerobic activities, I need to be able to change breathing pace quickly. If I spend a lot of time under water, I need the ability to hold my breath for long duration. A particular body physique is compatible with a particular way of breathing; if your body can take only shallow breaths, do no force deep breath. However, if we need to change the way we breathe, we’ll have to “practice” breathing, which means consciously change our breath, then it is no longer natural for the duration of the practice. The breath is a very delicate and crucial physiological function which affects body metabolism, among other things. Together with an organ known as the Triple Warmer in Traditional Chinese Medicine, the breath affects internal pressure and maintains a subtle equilibrium in the body, known as homeostasis. Therefore, any breath practice should be done gingerly. The breath is second only to the mind, in terms of our ability (or difficulty) to control it and produce desired outcomes. We have to handle it as a delicate and complex being, in a gentle manner, if we are going to achieve long term benefits. If we try to take frequent deep and forceful breaths to increase lung capacity for example, we may not achieve the desired results due to the change in balance of gas composition. In this case, we may unintentionally reduce the level of carbon dioxide in the breath, which in turn results in lesser level of oxygen being released to the cells, thus garnering the opposite of what was intended. Therefore, we must practice softly, cajoling the breath gently and aiming for incremental changes. In the lingo of qi gong, we must use the water method, rather than the fire method. The fire method must only be undertaken under the tutelage of an expert teacher. Principle No. 3 – The entire being should be breathing, deeply and quietly. As pointed out above, breath is a natural phenomenon of life. All sentient beings breathe to live, including the largest one in our world, our planet Earth. If as human beings, we are to live in harmony with other sentient beings, our breath must be symbiotically synchronized to that of the mother being, planet Earth. At the individual level, the movement of the mind, heart, body, and breath should occur together in sync. With respect to the body, the act of breathing is a series of compression and expansion that are accomplished best by the synergistic coordination of body, mind, and spirit. The body should be relaxed and remain elastic to allow optimal participation by all body parts that can move. As soon as we shine our consciousness on specific parts of the body, they are energized and become alive, or they wake up if they have been dormant. Thanks to the interconnection provided by the fascial matrix, the body fluids, as well as the crisscrossing qi meridians, these awakened parts join the symphony of the breath that started in the abdomen. Breathing from the abdomen is commonly known as deep breathing. However, the deep breathing that we need goes beyond the walls of the abdomen into the fascial tissues and the cellular environment. The rhythm of opening and closing should penetrate the deepest nooks and crannies of the physical body: this is how the breath frees up the tissue layers and unifies the body, keeping the whole and the parts alive and healthy. In addition, the mind and the heart should be quiet so that not to interfere with the rhythm; a thought or an emotion is a wave that may disturb the rhythm of the breath unless it is intentionally synchronized with the breath to achieve a specific objective. In this regard, the best way to re-train our breath is during a meditative state, when the mental and emotional variables are under control. When the breath has penetrated deeply in the innermost cavities of the body, it will become smooth and quiet, and barely perceptible. From this point on, the yogic and Taoist traditions teach that the breath begins to merge with the qi and the adept lives in a superconscious state independent of physical ties to the world. No alarm needed; we are still quite a way. Principle No. 4 – Breath is life: keep it continuous, smooth, and slow. During our lifetime, the breath never stops; when it does, life stops. Breath is a sign of life because it signifies movement of energy. It is a rhythmic movement that creates the basic rhythm of life. When it stops, movement ceases, energy freezes and life is on hold. So, unless we want to stop living, we should not stop breathing. Occasionally we may need to recalibrate our life rhythm, then stopping the breath momentarily to engage in a new rhythm may be warranted (just like changing driving gear by passing through neutral), such as taking a deep breath, then pausing a few seconds to focus the mind before launching into a downhill slope. In certain advanced breath practices, such as in the yogic or qigong traditions, the breath may need to be suspended at certain intervals to achieve specific physiological or mental changes for purposes of correcting an existing imbalance. However, the practice of holding the breath should be undertaken only under expert supervision since it carries high risk of unintended consequences. Principle No. 5 – As we listen to the breath, we understand life. When we shine our consciousness onto the breath, one cycle after another, over a long time, we gradually become tuned in with its rhythm, the rhythm of our life: the rise and fall; the in and out; the ebb and flow; the opening and closing. Then, as we go through life experience with our awareness turned on, a spontaneous phenomenon occurs: our consciousness discerns a rhythm in life events which is not unlike that of our breath. Then suddenly, one perceives the circularity of life as illustrated by the Tai Chi symbol of the intertwining Yin and Yang elements. This wisdom takes place without us trying to learn or understand anything, merely being the result of pairing consciousness with the breath. Thus, in the awareness of breath, we understand life. A Simple Breathing Practice A “practice” is not natural, because it needs a goal, it requires managing time, and it needs to be sustained. We noted that, when we have an imbalance, we have to “practice” or “train” to restore balance. For purpose of training a delicate creature such as the breath, we need to modify our training approach by allowing spontaneity and playfulness; the Taoists would call this the non-doing of breath training. Below, we describe such a modified approach to breath training that leads to a desirable state of balance. This is a simple and safe breathing practice:
That’s all that’s needed. In the beginning you may need to restructure your life and commit to a disciplined schedule of practice. With time, ease off the schedule. When you remember, drop the breath in the lower abdomen and become aware of the movement of the breath. Feel the breath in the front and the back, below and above, and on the sides of the abdomen. A complementary practice is a regular stretching routine that engages the total body. Refer to the ten guiding principles of stretching for further details (https://aikidodavis.com/blog/stretching-for-health-and-beyond). As the body softens up because of the gentle stretching, you will feel that more parts of the body around the abdomen are participating in the breath movement, and that the breath is spreading slowly to a larger area of the torso, noticeably upward. Throughout this activity, stay relaxed, enjoy each moment, and feel what goes on. Over time, depending on your nature, you will feel the urge to be with your breath more often. When it happens, do spend more time with it until you feel your entire body breathing, including the extremities, palms of hands and soles of feet. From here on, take clues from your breath and it will take you on a journey of profound internal change toward harmony, while at the same time making you feel more alive. 5/25/2021 0 Comments How to Practice Suburiby Hoa Newens. [This essay was originally published on December 2, 2011 in newsletter format; then included in the compilation titled "Aikido Discoveries" published in 2015. It is re-posted here due to its special relevance to solo training during pandemic times.] Suburi (素振り, is a Japanese term which refers to the repetitive practice swings in sports (golf) or strikes in martial arts (kendo). In my earlier writings I have established the fact that regular practice of suburi strengthens basic skills in Aikido. Now I will explain how to practice suburi correctly. Since suburi is part of Aikido bukiwaza (weapon techniques), let us first review the various levels of bukiwaza to put suburi practice in perspective. There are generally four levels of bukiwaza training. At the beginning level, the student’s main goal is to learn the physical form, including how to hold the weapon so that it becomes an extension of the body and how the different parts of the body move in relation to each other to optimize alignment. At this level, Suburi practice is the focus of training. The correct way to practice is at low speed, with no power and with emphasis on the general accuracy of the form. Next, at the intermediate level, the student’s learning goal is to make the movement more effective by injecting some speed and power and adding target practice. For this purpose the student practices at moderate speed, and learns how to move from the hips and use kokyu (breath power; focused extension of ki). A partner will serve as the target, sometime stationary, sometime moving; thus, timing and alignment with target become important aspects of practice at this stage. Suburi practice is still a mainstay. At the advanced level of bukiwaza, the student further refines the form to capture the energetic footprint and begins to use intent to direct the form. To these ends the practice should be at slow speed with meticulous attention to the detail of the form and to the direction of energy. Suburi practice is still done regularly in the background. The practice also includes resistance training to elicit the use of intent in creating and directing the ki (life force). In paired practice, the focus is on receiving the uke’s (training partner) energy and neutralizing it. Ultimately, after decades of assiduous practice, the student will reach a point at which handling the weapon feels like handling a bar of energy and much of the practice can be done at the mental-feeling level, with or without an uke, including suburi. Suburi is a core practice throughout these four levels, with special emphasis on the first two levels. I elaborate below on suburi practice at the advanced level of bukiwaza. Advanced Suburi Practice Five phases of movement can be discerned in any suburi: beginning stance; collecting; discharging; grounding; and ending stance. 1 - Beginning stance. We often refer to this stance as kamae (stance). This is an important and integral part of the suburi which is often neglected. In the beginning stance one should check the proper horizontal alignment of body and weapon, and the vertical alignment of the body with the centerline. The centerline is the line that goes from the center point between the two feet, through the tanden (center of energy in the abdomen) and the crown of the head. After this check, one should hold the stance for about five seconds, in full alertness, and feel the readiness to move in any direction, at any speed and power. This state of mind is called zanshin. This should be done with minimum tension. One should imagine being like a cat ready to jump on its prey or an eagle poised to fight with a cobra. 2 - Collecting. In this phase the body gathers energy by either opening (stretching) or closing (compressing) the joints. For example, in katate toma uchi (the 12th jo suburi) this is done by drawing the jo with the right hand a few inches past the left ear while the left hand is keeping the other end of the jo in front. The feeling is similar to that of pulling a bow. In a different example, the collecting phase occurs in the compression of the hips when one prepares for a tsuki (straight forward thrust) with a ken. This is similar to crouching to prepare for a jump. To optimize this phase, it is important to position the body parts to create maximum tension (through either extension or compression) while aiming at the target, and while retaining the integrity of body. In katate toma uchi, this means keeping the left side of the body anchored in the front while pulling the right side to the rear to create tension. It is important to not overdo this movement because one could lose focus of the target in the front, or impair balance or centerline. It should be noted that maximum leverage is achieved when the right hand is holding the jo at the tip and is positioned no further than five or six inches behind the head.
During the drawing of the jo, one should feel the tension as if pulling on a string of a bow. Although there is no physical resistance other than the elasticity of the tendons and ligaments the student should feel the mental exertion during the move. This is the secret to using intent to gather the ki. 3 - Discharging. In this phase the body releases the tension/energy that was collected earlier to propel the weapon toward the target. Here it is important to make sure that the weapon path is continually aimed at the target and that the body is continually supporting the weapon. In suburi practice, although there is no impact, one should time the release such that the payload is preserved during motion and maximum energy is released at the notional impact point. To this end the weapon should be aligned such that the released energy is delivered to the target with minimum leakage. In katate toma uchi, this means not releasing the jo too early so that some of the energy is dispersed toward the right, while the target is located in the front. During the forward move, the student should feel as if hitting a target at every point along the way, similar to hitting a series of standing targets in one move. In other words, although the physical resistance may not exist, the student should feel the exertion as if moving against strong headwinds. This is how we use intent to extend ki. The extension of energy should be sustained beyond the point of impact, real or imagined. That is, although the impact may cause the weapon to deviate from its course, stop or break, the energy should continue to penetrate the target, guided by the intent of the student. This is a crucial understanding for effective suburi practice: the extension of ki continues although the weapon has physically stopped. 4 - Grounding or return. This is an important phase that is often glossed over. After the discharge, the weapon needs to be brought back under the control of the user and recharged. This is accomplished by retrieving any residual energy after the impact and bringing it to the centerline to ground it so that it helps to reinforce the stance instead of destabilizing it. In most instances, this grounding is physically effected by bringing the centerline back to the center of the stance and by either slightly sinking the hips or tilting the forward hips downward. This grounding begins at the feet, is reinforced at the hips then spreads through the arms and hands, which bring the weapon to a halt. If grounding does not occur, physical balance will be upset by the momentum of the discharge. In katate toma uchi, immediately after the jo hits the target (imagined or real), close the forward joints (right shoulder, arm and hip) and sink the hips slightly and restore the centerline immediately (do not let the front foot be weighted) to absorb the returning energy and direct it downward into the ground. This should feel like the jo is attached to the centerline via a retractable cord; the cord pulls the weapon back and stores the potential energy for the next extension. 5 - Ending stance. At the end of the return movement the student should maintain the ending posture for about five seconds, in a state of zanshin, to allow the excess energy to completely drain downward. At the end of this phase the student should feel ready to move again, in any direction. Those are the five phases of a suburi movement that allows the student to put into practice the four principles of bukiwaza – which are stated below for reference. Bukiwaza principles: No. 1 – Hold the weapon as if it is an extension of the body No. 2 – Align the body with the weapon and the target No. 3 – Move from the hips, that is, generate motion from center No. 4 – Use intent to extend ki through the weapon and through the target The approach explained above is effective irrespective of the type of weapon. It works even without the weapon, since the weapon is regarded only as an extension of the body. The hand can be the weapon, as in karate. It is in fact how kata (pre-arranged forms) should be performed. I suspect that it will work for sports too to a large extent. The practice described in this essay is an advanced practice that is appropriate for students ranked nidan (black belt 2nd degree) and above or those who have practiced bukiwaza for at least seven years. Advanced students who drill at this level of detail will be able to transcend the form and realize the essence of suburi practice. They will then understand that continuous suburi practice is an essential condition for the refinement of Aikido training. Hoa Newens December 2, 2011 |
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