Gaia: Aikido Alive London

Winter Retreat February 2010

http://universalaikidojo.gaia.com — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 15:50:40 GMT

Planned Winter Retreat February 2010
7 days in Rishikesh, India.
Meditation, Yoga and Aikido.
Discovering the Spiritual Dimension to our Selves.
Time to Contemplate the Big Questions together
with others on a Journey of a Lifetime.

31 Kumi Jo

http://universalaikidojo.gaia.com — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 10:02:02 GMT

And this one is from one of this years very unusual winter days.

Ki Musubi no Tachi

http://universalaikidojo.gaia.com — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 09:55:39 GMT

Enjoy our videos from Aikido Alive London. This one we filmed last fall on Hampstead Heath in north London, UK.

Awase by Lewis Bernaldo de Quiros

http://universalaikidojo.gaia.com — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 10:08:51 GMT

Yes I agree that 'kata' training the way we practice is about developing non-resistant relationship both as nage (not resisting but blending with the attack) and as uke (not resisting but blending with the technique) and in that sense the training is an 'agreement' that allows us to deepen and develop in to the principles.
But if nage is able top absorb the attack but uke becomes stiff and defensive in response to the technique, the technique will still 'work' but uke will be unable tp absorb and take the ukemi (ie receive) and will be injured though his own resistance (should nage choose to follow through with connecting to uke's center, which in practice he should not!).

So the training format requires understanding. When a technique 'doesn't work' is it because?

1. It is simply being executed poorly
2. Uke in 'knowing what the agreed technique' is has blocked it in some way (consciously or unconsciously)
3. Both of the above

In practice in the format that we use, the more common problem is that the techniques are being execute poorly in terms of appropriate connection and angles, yet uke falls anyway, even into the dan ranks!
What I teach my seniors (dans only) is that they should take the ukemi from a technique if it is minimally effective only, (but they should never block a technique!). With beginners (for a long time) the techniques do not work and seniors must 'guide' the junior nage into the correct technical relationship though his ukemi. This is why traditionally in many martial arts schools in Japan the uke is always the senior. The more senior the practitioners are, the less they should 'forgive' each other - without going into competing testing or blocking in any way. In this way we can actually get real feedback about what is relationally appropriate and what not. As Peter Ralston put it - our practice needs to be based on BRUTAL HONESTY.

This is why the martial aspect (Budo) needs to remain at the center of the practice: what functionally works and what does not. If we lose sight of this, Aikido becomes something else. Valid in another way perhaps but as far as developing REAL 'grace under pressure' or an authentic 'non-resistant relationship' in the face of conflict and determined opposition, of little use in my opinion.

If spiritual inquiry is about THE TRUTH and Aikido is a practice in line with spiritual inquiry then the practice should give me real feedback and reflection as to what is actually the case and not lead me into fantasy realms where my ability and understanding are vaguely related to what is actually relationally the case.

For me, cooperation in practice means that uke is committed and real in both his attack and response. And for this he needs to be supple and responsive so in this I am in full agreement with you.
But his responsiveness needs to be real, or at least have an orientation towards being real - and this is the real hard part (or rather, challenging part) to develop in Aikido: the embodiment of appropriate non resistant responsiveness (ukemi).

Lewis Bernaldo de Quiros

Winter Retreat in Thailand Feb. 2009

http://universalaikidojo.gaia.com — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 18:43:15 GMT

Dear all, This is the first notice of our planned 7 day winter Aikido retreat/holiday in February 2009. On the beach on the beautiful coconut island of Koh Samui in Thailand. We plan to have a morning and evening schedule of Aikido, Yoga and Meditation, while the day will be free to enjoy the leisures and activities of this beautiful island; scuba diving, snorkeling, waterfalls, inland hikes, motor bike rental, great food, dancing and relaxing, white sandy beaches. The price will be self-cost. Count on a minimum of a £500.00 flight to Bangkok. The connecting domestic flight to Koh Samui is around £150.00. There is an option to travel by coach or train to southern Thailand and then catch the ferry across to the island. I will give further details about accomodation later but that will be much more affordable. Would you be interested? Think it over, speak to your loved ones, and get back to me.

Onegaishimasu, Bjorn Saw Aikido Alive London

Re: Teachings of O Sensei

http://prinzecharmin.gaia.com — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 17:34:22 GMT

Oh, thanks so much for the link provided. I shall check it out and keep you updated later. Thanks again for all your kind efforts.

Re: Teachings of O Sensei

http://universalaikidojo.gaia.com — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 17:25:50 GMT

Hi Tony

Well, my style is usually called Iwama style, or Iwama Takemusu, because it's based on Morihiro Saito Sensei's teaching (read more about him on my official website: www.aikidoalive.co.uk) who lived and taught in the small village of Iwama (north-east of Tokyo). Saito was the personal attendant for the founder of Aikido (O Sensei) for 23 years and the inheritor of his dojo when he passed away in -69.

Just look for Iwama Aikido on the internet in your area. Let me know how it goes. Hope you'll find a good one.

Best of luck,
Bjorn

Re: Teachings of O Sensei

http://prinzecharmin.gaia.com — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 00:37:23 GMT

Yes. I don't know where to start. lol =]

Visit Aikido Alive London's website

http://universalaikidojo.gaia.com — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 22:30:20 GMT

You're welcome to the world of Aikido Alive London.
Check out the film clips, photos, and other information about our club and friends.

-Bjorn Saw

Re: Teachings of O Sensei

http://universalaikidojo.gaia.com — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 22:24:58 GMT

That sounds great. Will you be looking for an Aikido dojo?
-Bjorn

Re: Teachings of O Sensei

http://prinzecharmin.gaia.com — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 13:24:53 GMT

Ah, " enable you to grasp the divine wisdom and supreme consciousness ". I am glad I was now introduced to this. We definitely need "the creation of a world of beauty, grace, and elegance." And the mission " to make this world a better place, a world of joy." Thanks soo much! You've inspired me to try something new for a change!

The Evolution of Response by Miles Kessler

http://universalaikidojo.gaia.com — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 05:22:55 GMT

When we look at aikido put into an integral context, one of the perspectives we need to take is that of levels of consciousness. Admittedly, speaking about levels is a tough sell as it ranks into higher and lower which seems to go against Aikido's philosophy of harmony and oneness. However, I am convinced that opening up to this perspective gives us a valuable orientation that helps raise above and transform our lower tendencies, and then develop and actualize our higher potentials in the art.

Most people will accept the theory of evolution, that everything from organisms, to societies, to technologies, to organizations evolve. But when we apply evolution at the level of consciousness, that there are higher perspectives and lower perspectives, there are those who have a harder time accepting this.

The following is an attempt to look at this evolutionary trajectory as applied to our aikido practice. Specifically, I want to look at our primary field of practice in aikido, conflict and stress. And how we choose to respond.

To do this I will use a scale with 7 levels of response to stressful situations (these roughly correspond to the 7 chakras). These levels are loosely based on a teaching by Deepak Chopra in a workshop of his I attended. As he laid out the 7 levels I was struck at how accurately they corresponded to the development I see both in myself and in working with aikido students. In places I have elaborated on the original teaching to more accurately reflect what I see in aikido. I also added the "low-road/ high-road" distinctions to create a clear differentiation of what is "path" and "not path" in aikido. However, I must admit that this is still a work in progress for me and that a working understanding of the higher levels 6 and 7 is still evolving. So, here they are:

The 7 levels of response:

The Flight/ flight response
The Emotional reaction
Centered Awareness response
The Intuitive response
The Creative response
The Higher Guidance response
The Divine response

The Low Road - The first two levels of response are called the "low road" because they reflect our lower tendencies require no discipline on our part. We are all quite developed at these levels and they arise automatically in the face of conflict and stress. When we take the low road in responding to stress there is no transformation, nor resolution of conflict.

1. The Flight/ flight response

At this level of consciousness when faced with a stressful situation it is perceived as a danger and a threat to ones very survival. All responses are driven by the need to survive and the options to respond are very basic and limited. At this level of all responses are driven by FEAR. This is our basic survival "operating system" of which we are all hardwired. The world view is about survival, the values are win or lose, live or die. When we become stressed by something, we either fight it, or we run from it.

survive or die

What is aikido like at this level? Well, it's not really like aikido. There is no room for awareness of self, or other, and no room for harmony. Fear is the primary and effective motivator here. Simply survive, or die. Admittedly, aikido techniques can be applied at this level but almost certainly they will be void of any aikido principles.

2. The Emotional reaction

Having developed the ability to overcome (or, more accurately, suppress) fear and control physically acting out of the fight/ flight response, one evolves to the level of emotional manipulation in response to stressful situations. In other words, using our emotions to get our way. At this level of consciousness we are identified with our emotions and we enter into an emotional drama as a response to survive. Four generalizations of the emotional drama are:

Nasty, or angry
Nice, or falsly cheerful
Stubborn, or indifferent
Playing the victim, or poor me

Whether active or passive in response to stressful situations, the emotional drama is the operating system at this level. Here the fight/ flight response is no longer socially acceptable and the emotional dramas become the reference in personal, professional and social relationships. They are very effective in getting our way in conflict.

The truth is that more often than not, these emotional responses to stress and conflict become our primary operating system against stress. When these tendencies sneek into our aikido training they set an emotional context that is highly manipulitive, inauthentic, and fragmented. The combination of aikido's techniques with the emotional dramas makes the context of the tranining very personal and the affect is often toxic.

These first two levels of responses are centered in the reptilian brain (300 million years old) and are deeply conditioned within our biological make up. We are hard wired to fear and go into emotional dramas. It should be self-evident here that these first two levels of response are not designed to resolve conflict, nor are they transformational. Rather, they are designed to protect, defend, control, manipulate and maintain the status quo. They are lower functions within us all that are pre-operational and pre-aikido ways of dealing with stress and conflict.

When these level of response are activited in our training, then aikido as a "high level discpline" gets reduced to low level, pre-aikido, low road tendencies.

How do we evolve?

Fear must be overcome. Emotions must be mastered. This is not by denying nor suppressing these tendencies, as they are us. Denial and suppression will only fragment parts of ourselves and push these tendencies into our shadow (only to come back and bite us in the ass when we're not looking). To transform these tendencies they must be accepted, worked through, and integrated into our sense of self. To transcend these tendencies there has to be awareness and there has to be choice. This is the first step on the path of the "high road", of aikido, or any awareness based discipline.

It begins with choice.

do you dare?

The High Road - The Choice Maker

The following levels of response are called the "high road" responses because they are the way that lead to higher responses and transformation of stress and conflict. By consciously choosing to go beyond our basic, yet lower, nature we actively step onto the "high road". This is the "do" (path) that all must walk in aiki-do. And it begins with waking up.

3. Centered Awareness response

This is the beginning of our path, and aikido practice begins with awareness training. It begins with ourselves. When we step on a "path", any "path", we are walking the path towards ourself.

What are characteristics of the "centered awareness response"?

When stress arises you have the ability to stay centered in yourself.
The flight/ flight may arise as a knee jerk reaction but does not overwhelm the centered awareness.
The emotional response arises but you have the ability to stay centered in your awareness.
The "capacity" of our awareness is greater than, and inclusive of our "low road" tendencies.
Fear is significantly reduced

Ways of developing Centered Awareness:

Establish a daily meditation.
Create in your life a controlled and quite environment, a "home base" of centered awareness. Ex.: the dojo, the yoga studio, quite time for contemplation and retrospection, communing with nature.
Feel the body, feel the breath (especially when stress arises).
Be aware of getting pulled into our "low road" tendencies.
Be like a "mirror", choicelessly reflecting on all that is arising.

When established in centered awareness our aikido takes on an impersonal quality. The identity shifts away from self and into awareness itself. Only to the extent that we can be aware of ourselves can we connect with another. All the higher stages on the path begin with ourself.

Zanshin (sustained awarness), shisei (posture), chushin (center), balance and relaxation are some principles developed at this level.

4. The Intuitive response

This is the beginning of our connection practice, the beginning of "awase" (harmony) in aikido. Being established in centered awareness one can then begin to connect with the other. Knowing oneself, one can then begin to know the other.

Ways the intuitive response manifests:

Not only am I centered in the body but I actually know what is going on.
The ability to know what the other is observing, feeling and needing.
Not only is one aware, but also aware of the context in which the situation arises.
Intuition is a form of intelligence. Not a rational intelligence, but rather contextual, holistic and relational. It does not have the win/lose orientation, nor does it rely on cause/ effect explanation.
One has the ability to both "be" and "be with". One is both deeply present and deeply connected.
Responses arise appropriately as a reflection of the others actions.
Fearlessly connecting with other.

How to access:

Create a grounded centered awareness.
Connect with other. Physically and non-physically, relationally, emotionally, energetically, contextually, and so on.
Fearless eye contact.
Scan and sense the needs of others and, or the environment.
Go beyond the content by sensing what is going on in the context.
When the intuitive solution arises, act.

In aikido when we relate to other from this level it is impersonal, honest and direct. In our training there is a cooperation and an understanding of where to meet in ability. The "awase" becomes more refined at this level and it manifests in smooth and functional techniques. This is the beginning of our "jiyu-waza" training. We begin to develop a spontaneous fluency of the body of techniques, and there is a clear and inclusive application of the principles of the aikido relationship.

Ki musubi (energetic connection), awase (blending), maai (combative distance), and metsuki (visual contact) are some principles to establish at this level.

5. The Creative response

At the level of the creative response "systems intelligence" comes into consciousness. One has the ability to take multiple perspectives and increasingly see complexity. Responses at this level are radically impersonal and are informed by the "intelligence of the system".

multiple perspectives

Ways to develop the creative response:

It is necessary to have a vision for a desired outcome.
Open to all perspectives as channels of information.
Increase the ability to drop into no-mind, or Being.
Holding the vision intuitively tap into the context.
Embrace uncertainty. Accept that you don't know what the outcome will be, or when it will come.
Trust in the process and let go of the need to control.
Make yourself available for insight to arise out of the context.
When the creative response arises put it into practice immediately.
Recognize we a are part of a larger system in stress. We are an integral part of the stress allows us to become an integral part of the solution.

multiple solutions

At this level in aikido one is highly integrated in mind/ body, and form/ priciple. Being grounded in self/ other awareness and having reached technical profeciency, the principles of aikido have come more fully on-line. Conflict is understood as the "system in stress" and solutions unfold as a process that is informed by the intellegence of the system. Knowing that we are a part of a larger system gives us the ability to align with its intellegence and gain the information necessary to bring balance to the system.

At this level of development on is established in "muga, mushin" (no self, no mind). The principle of "takemusu aiki" awakens and one's aikido becomes a spontaneous and creative expression of harmony in relationship.
6) The higher guidance response (Sages and Seers)

This is the ability to tap into the "archetypal energies"
When the archetypal energies come on-line synchronicity orchestrates through you.
The visionary leader
The archetypal/ mythical leader
Absence of selfish motivation
Represents the highest aspirations of the collective consciousness

When operating at the 6th level:

One understands non-locality (emptiness).
One understands the role of critical mass of consciousness.

emptiness is form, form is emptiness

Seers and sages understand this at a deep level.

7) The Divine response

The internal reference point is universal
Transformation of the personal self into the universal Self
"uchu soku ware, ware soku uchu" / "I am the universe, the universe is I" - O Sensei
Ability to see the universal in the particular, and the particular in the universal
Being-in-Love

*Without practice 99% of the time people will follow the first 2 types of responses. 1% of the time they will have the capacity to be grounded in the higher responses. To evolve, we must practice.

Miles Kessler

Bukiwaza by Lewis Bernaldo de Quiros

http://universalaikidojo.gaia.com — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 05:07:05 GMT

BUKIWAZA.

Levels of practice and their rationale.

Three fundamental levels of practice:
1. Basic (kihon), step by step. Balancing movement with stillness. Clarity
and precision of form , distance and timing (maai). Uncovering the
Principles behind the Techniques.
2. Semi-flowing. Integration and joining of the basic steps in a flexible
way. Engaging the Principles. Working with obstacles.
3. Flowing (ki no nagare). While retaining the Œheaviness¹ and clarity of
the previous levels. Expressing the Principles through the techniques.
Emphasis more on Œfeeling¹ than form.

Each of the above levels are in turn flexible in that they can be broken
down and put together in different ways according to individual and group
didactic requirements.

Level 1 remains the primary and most important level. It is at this level
that the lack of body-mind integration and habitual patterns of misuse and
tension can be engaged and brought into conscious awareness.

Aikido dynamics are based on natural movements and at the basic level the
work is twofold: learning the myriad forms and techniques of the Aikido
repertoire and unlearning patterns of dysfunctional misuse on both the
mental and physical levels which stand in the way of the free execution of
those forms. To the degree that we remain unaware of this second
Œunlearning¹ aspect of training will the techniques stubbornly resist our
efforts at improving their quality beyond a certain point (the Œplateau¹ or
the Œwall¹). They will simply and faithfully reflect the fact that Œwe do as
we are¹.

The more flowing levels should emerge from a maturing of the training at the
first level. So while we should not reach beyond our level prematurely
neither should we ignore the direction the practice takes and it¹s larger
perspective. Otherwise the danger is of becoming confined to the basic level
thinking that is all there is ( a common misapprehension among aikidoka¹s
superficially acquainted with Saito Sensei¹s Aikido) and what should serve
as a basis and solid foundation for further growth and expansion becomes a
restriction and confinement. At this point the basics no longer serve as a
platform for developing freedom of responsiveness but have become practices
which reinforce defensiveness and reactivity. This is a common problem and
represents an incomplete understanding of the progressional levels of the
practice and of the purpose of basic training itself.

Having said that, it should be made clear that basic or kihon training,
whether for beginners or senior practitioners, constitutes the main
practice. It is the foundation for all other training and the ground to
which we return to work on weaknesses when uncovered on other levels. But it
is the understanding or Œoperational framework¹ within which we practice
which will determine whether those basics serve us or not in developing the
ability to respond freely without becoming trapped by positions (both
physical and mental).

The common tendency to identify and invest our sense of self with Œwhat we
can do¹ seriously hampers our ability to grow beyond and challenge those
positions. The great Tai Chi master Cheng Man Ching put it succintly as
follows. One¹s attitude in approaching the Art should ideally be one of
Œinvesting in loss¹.

This understanding of levels (and how they can be used) is a key feature of
the Aikido that Saito Morihiro Sensei transmitted from O Sensei in his
teaching and runs as a common thread through the whole system, from bukiwaza
to bukidori to taijutsu. Please refer to Volume 5 of Saito Sensei¹s
Traditional Aikido series for more insight into this.

Bukiwaza and it¹s place in Aikido.

At the present time, the question of weapons and it¹s place in Aikido is
divided mainly among three groups: those who claim that weapons are not
important, those who have incorporated weapon systems from other traditional
weapon schools into Aikido and the weapon system handed down from O Sensei
to Saito Sensei (itself a system rooted in older traditional systems and
transformed by O Sensei in the light of his understanding of Budo). O
Sensei was apparently cautious in both teaching his weapon system and in
giving permission to instructors in teaching it themselves. Saito sensei
studied with him for over 24 years and to my knowledge was the only
recognized successor to this particular body of knowledge. Many of O
Sensei¹s other students were already well conversant (if not already
masters) with other weapon systems and later when becoming teachers in their
own right readily incorporated this background into their own understanding
and teaching of Aikido. From what I have seen, this has become the dominant
weapons influence in the Aikido world today: the result being in fact a
hybrid system consisting on the one hand of Aikido taijutsu and on the
other, Iaido, Kenjutsu and Jodo techniques incorporated and themselves
modified by the movements and principles of the empty handed side of the
art. The value of such an Œincorporation¹ is certainly debateable and can be
argued either way. It is however beyond argument that the original spirit
behind these arts is fundamentally different from Aikido. Iado is the Art of
Killing Œthrough unsheathing the sword¹ and Kenjutsu is the Art of Killing
Œwith the unsheathed sword¹. Aikido is fundamentally not about defeating or
killing the other but about reconciliation and neutralization of conflict.
OSensei also made this patently clear through the writings and poems he left
behind. It is this going beyond the dichotomies of either winning or losing,
killing or being killed which sets Aikido apart as a unique Martial Art and
makes it particularly relevant (to my mind) in today's world where when we
face conflict (of any kind) we must ask ourselves whether our usual
strategies and Œsolutions¹ are not themselves part of the problem. Violence
begets violence and what we resist tends to persist.

I make this distinction as to the Spirit of traditional weapon systems with
full respect for those Arts. I think that Iado is one of the most
aesthetically beautiful martial Arts I have ever seen. My question is as to
the compatibility of Spirit or Intention behind the these arts with the
spirit of Aiki.

The issue then is what the relationship is between empty handed techniques
and weapons and how the latter can enhance the former (and vice versa).
Sensei called this relationship and understanding Riai and emhasised that it
was fundamental in understanding his Aikido. Within the Aikido that Saito
Sensei taught, my understanding is that weapon training is at the root of
empty handed forms in the following principal aspects:

1. Basic footwork, hipwork and handwork. General body dynamics (tai
sabaki).
2. The dynamics of distance and timing (maai), the rythms of blending
(awase).
3. Zanshin. The broadening of attention and presence beyond the apparent
limits of the engagement with another (or others).

These three areas can be seen to relate to work (awase) with one¹s self (1),
with the other (2) and beyond to include the space or environment Œholding¹
the event (3). All three need to be in balance. Balance is a prerequisite
for being centered and functioning from center.

Some of the advantages of weapon training over taijutsu:

1. Body work as a solo practice (suburi and kata).
2. Self control. There is no armor in Aikido. In advanced blending
practices, attention, precision and control are therefore strongly
emphasised. The strict observance of ettiquette is both neccessary for
reasons of safety and for the training of attention (Sensei once commented
that Œa polite person is an attentive person¹). Being attentive to the
relational process as it unfolds (Presence), is a central (if not THE
central) aspect of Aikido practice.
3. Intensity (of intention) and extension (of feeling).

Takemusu Aiki Bukiwaza, basic overall structure.

Ken.

1. Suburi (7 basic suburi; happo giri)
2. Awase (migi/hidari: non-contact; go/shichi: contact).
3. Kata (5 kumitachi; ki musubi no tachi).

Jo.

1. Suburi (20 jo suburi, happo tsuki)
Kata (31 jo no kata; 13 jo no kata)
2. Awase (against tsuki; yokomen, etc)
3. Kumijo.
31 kumijo
10 kumijo.
13 no awase.

Ken & Jo.
7 ken tai jo.

(Note: For a clear, detailed and comprehensive account of Saito Sensei¹s
weapon curriculum please refer to Ethan Weisgard¹s two volume set,
Bukiwaza).

The weapon system basically can thus be understood on three levels. The
first level is the level of suburi and kata. At this level we work without a
partner on integrating and unifying our body dynamic and joining with the
weapon, making it an extension of our feeling. This is the
first level of Œblending¹ with the ground, with ourselves (on all levels)
and with the weapon.

The second level is beginning to work on blending with another through
simple Œone (or two) step meetings¹. This level is very flexible and
although there are a few sequences which have become almost as Œfixed¹ as
the kata, it is a wide area of practice open to experimentation and
improvisation. From what Saito Sensei told me, the majority of the blending
exercises O Sensei would engage in were on this level of Œsimple¹ awase.

Level three. Complex blending through the extended sequences of the
kumitachi and kumijo. This level builds naturally upon the previous two and
is far more demanding in terms of technical skill and mental/energetic
stamina. The different katas and their partner sequences explore specific
Œproblems¹ or challenges of maai, intention and blending. The variations are
further extensions of this level and again are flexible. Sensei repeatedly
stated that the variations of the kumitachi for instance were given as
examples and that trainees should explore the possibilities of the advanced
forms by devising their own. This is obviously an advanced level of
practice.

Overall what can be appreciated is a gradated system of training and
progressive development which beautifully complements and enhances the
taijutsu aspect of the art when used with understanding. It is a wonderful
balance of clarity, precision and flexibility.

Lewis Bernaldo de Quiros.
The Netherlands. Mid-winter of 2005.

Teachings of O Sensei, part 2

http://universalaikidojo.gaia.com — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 15:10:32 GMT

On aiki no kurai

"O Sensei once said to me,

"Saotome, if you wish to understand aiki no kurai, study the world of nature. Think of how an eagle, flying high in the sky, is able to catch fish which swim beneath the water's surface. From the shore, where we must stand, the current of the ocean distorts our view; yet from high aloft the eagle sees the fish, indeed, the shadows of the fish, as if they were reflectedin a mirror. The eagle plucks the fish from the water as easily as we might pick up a stone on an open plain. Likewise, the eagle cannot match the swift-footed rabbit on the ground, but from the sky he easily follows the rabbit's course. Aiki no kurai is not only a teaching of the martial arts, but a lesson of nature itself. Nature is also our dojo. The intricate variations of the seasons, the beauty of the flowers in the field are our teachers, and they lead us to the highest consciousness of aiki. Any serious student of Aikido must observe the phenomena of the universe in motion to find the meaning of their study. As you come to understand these phenomena, you must apply your understanding to your practice of budo. This is my teaching.

On an occasion on which O Sensei lectured to a religious group. O Sensei said,

"The demonstration of Aikido that I just gave to you may have given you the impression of an old man playing with children. There is much truth in this impression. Unless you bring a sense of pleasure and of fun to your Aikido practice, the truth of Aikido is difficult to attain. I take great pleasure in my pursuit of the path of the gods. Aikido must be a dance of the gods. Remember the myth of "Ama no iwata biraki," the opening of the rock door of heaven. In this ancient story Amaterasu Omi Kami, the sun goddess, hid herself in a cave and sealed it with a door of stone, and the whole world became veiled in darkness. In order to bring light back to the world the other gods devised a plan. They staged a dancing drama in front of the door to Amaterasu's cave. As they danced and celebrated, the sounds of their laughter and enjoyment reached the goddess's ears, and she opened the door a tiny way, curious to see what revels were going on outside her cave. At that moment, Teji Kara no Mikoto, the god of incomparable strenght, pushed open the rock door and led Amaterasu back out into the world, and the world was once again filled with her light. This old story provides a lesson concerning the duty of budo. Just as the strong god brought Amateras's light back into the world, budoka must work to create a paradise on this earth, to bring light to the world's people. This is the true purpose of budo. Just as you, who follow the teachings of your religion, all pray for peace and human happiness, the Aikido of Ueshiba works for precisely the same goal. In the eyes of God all of humanity is one family.
"The young students who participated in this demonstration with me are shihan-dai. I send them to teach at universities and military academies. When they venture out on their own, they will become great teachers and aikidoka. Yet even then they will have far to go to master the real depths of their study. I myself am still a student of the way. The wisdom and the laws of God are immeasurable and unfathomably deep.
"You might ask what is the most important thing in Aikido training. It is to look at yourself, your innermost soul. The reality of your own life must surely lead you back to its origins, to the beginning of the universe. If you suceed in doing this, you will intuitively realize that your past, present and future, already integral parts of your being, are manifestations of the divine will and the love of God. Each of the individual cells of your body carries a map of the divine plan of creation. Because of this we can realize directly the great love of the creator. Universal consciousness is our birthright. We must go beyond all atagonism and disunity. This is what constitutes aiki no kurai.
"I would like to show you the kotodama of Aikido and the kagura mai, the dance of the gods as they stand on the floating bridge of heaven. It has been a long time since I performed this kagura mai. When performed with the spear, it symbolizes the working of the creative energy of the universe. It portrays the divine inspiration of the Kojiki, the legends of origin of Japanese mythology. It is the scientific laws of the universe represented through bu. The secret toward which this old man is training himself is the way to open the rock door that shuts the light away from the human mind. It is to change the world of war and ignorance into a world of divine light. It is to improve the spiritual quality of all human beings and to open their intuitive consciousness. This is the purpose of the original bu, which has been reborn as Aikido. That is why I call Aikido the budo of love. It is receiving the spirit of God.
"Neither budo nor religion seeks only individual salvation. Their higher mission is the search for peace and harmony for the whole human race. Reading prayers and scriptures does not suffice. We must express this consciousness through our actions. This is the spirit and the intent of budo. The path must be of universal love for all sentient beings. Science has already produced enough weapons to destroy the whole world, yet the science of the spirit is miserably underdeveloped. As a result uneasiness and fear are omnipresent in modern society. But aiki is also omnipresent, and it is eternal; it is the function of life energy itself. Aikido was born of a deep wish to realize the unity of humankind and to tap the power of the harmony of creation and the true nature of the human spirit.

Teachings of O Sensei

http://universalaikidojo.gaia.com — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 14:39:23 GMT

The Importance of Learning

"First you must gain insight into the natural world. You must learn to see the depths of its reality. If you glance casually over the things of this life, their real significance eludes you.
"I want my students to observe all of life's phenomena. This includes listening to people, taking what is valuable from what they do and say and making it your own. All of this is raw materal for your reflection and your inspiration. It can begin to open your soul. Paying attention to the realities of this world will lead you to fresh insights. If you make use of these insights in your daily life and contemplate the results, your life will become more orderly. Step by step you will raise your spiritual level. Preservering in this kind of honest and open-minded examination of yourself and the world will eventually enable you to grasp the divine wisdom and supreme consciousness that inhabit the material world. I want my students to accept life in all its forms as their teacher. If they succeed in doing this, they will grow in both depth and purity. The vital energy of nature is the greatest teacher of all.
"Examine the orderly cycles of the sun, moon, and stars, the gradual change of the seasons, the flow of a river through an open valley, or the graceful movement of water as it rushes between rocks. You can learn to see parallel movements within your own body as well. You will also gain knowledge and progress toward true understanding by reading ancient texts and studying the many wonderful interpretations of them by teachers past and present. You must then translate the insights that you gain into your daily life and practice them through the way of bu. As you experience things on an increasingly deeper level, you must continually reexamine the truth of your understanding of reality and nature. Both the written and the spoken word will help you toward this goal. it is the task of the budoka to make what he learns new and to make it an integral part of himself. The student of budo cannot afford to overlook the fine arts or the sciences. Knowledge surrounds us in an infinite variety of forms. Do not slight any of them or take any of them lightly.
"There is nothing in this world that cannot teach us. Some people, for example, will shy away from the teachings of religion. This is evidence that they have not grasped the deeper meanings of these teachings. Religious teachings contain much insight and wisdom. You must understand this and express your understanding through budo.
"In my younger days, I became a convert of a certain religion, and in one of its songs I discovered a phrase concerning "the plum flower that blossoms once in three spiritual worlds." First, the five petals of the plum blossom represent the five forms of universal energy: earth, water, fire, wind, and sky. If you think of the plum blossom in this way, you will discover in this phrase a lesson about the universe itself. You can see the plum blossom as an actual manifestation of the universal spirit. Also, in the way that the plum blossom opens once and never again you can see the reflection of the unique beginning of creation. Looked at differently, the opening of the plum blossom represents the opening of the rock door of heaven told of in Japanese mythology.
"This world is actually a complete manifestation of Heaven and Earth. We, as human beings created in the same divine, universal image, must make this earth into a truly heavenly place. We must complete and perfect human society. It is important that the people who train themselves in budo encompass the universe within themselves. The mission of Aikido is to achieve this harmony with the universe. To accomplish this must become your whole mind and heart."

The Purpose of Aikido

"I wonder if you grasp the real purpose of Aikido? It is not merely training yourself in the techniques of bujutsu. Its other purpose is the creation of a world of beauty, grace, and elegance. It is to make this world a better place, a world of joy. As I am always saying, God gave us this world, and the world is all one family. We have the continued privilege of enjoying its beauty and splendor. It is our obligation, as human beings, to establish a society that does justice to that beauty and splendor. Our goal in budo is not merely to protect ourselves. We must accept the gift of the divine love of God and constantly strive to honor that gift by nurturing the changes that will bring happiness to the world. If we truly honor the sacred heart of budo, we must work for peace, for a world without quarrels, without misery, without conflict. This is the real reason that we practice Aikido. Aikido is a way of making the universal principle clear. Its purpose is to create a reasonable and logical world. The society that harmoniously combines body and mind produces a world of unity. We ourselves must take the resposibility to realize the heart and mind of God.
"We cannot place exclusive importance on either the material or the spiritual world. In reality they are one and the same thing. The modern age has witnessed great progress in the physical sciences, but the science of the soul and spirit lags very far behind. The development of the spirit is not only a very important part of the true mission of science. It is the inescapable responsibility imposed on us by our very existence, an existence that comes from God and is therefore bound to his purpose. It is our duty as aikidoka to strive to understand that divine intelligence and employ that understanding in order to practice Aikido as the great and universal science of life that it is. All of us carry a piece of the purpose of God within us, and we must do our utmost to accomplish this purpose. We cannot allow ourselves to forget or ignore our divine and original ancestor. To accomplish the divine purpose is the reason that we are alive.
"In other words, we must never allow ourselves to forget the concept of chushin, our center. All things are controlled by the stability and the quality of their center, the place where their being is born. We may call this place the life force, or kannagara, the universal flow of divine consciousness. Whatever you wish to call it, it is the force that comes from our hara. The only "original" sin is to lose this connection with our origin and to be oblivious to the great gift of our life. To forget your true nature is the beginning of a greedy attachment to life, which is the beginning of sin. This is the root of all chaos in modern society. Our life, as human beings, is blessed even beyond that of other forms of life. If you do not acknowledge this, you force disorder and chaos upon nature. We must not forget our obligation as human beings. That obligation is to create the paradise that is this world's true form.
"Once we are truly aware of the universal plan and its divine purpose, we no longer have any real choice but to apprentice ourselves to the service of this most superb and sacred endaviour. This is the essence and heart of budo, and it is the principle aim of Aikido. When we become aware that our life is a gift from the divine consciousness of the infinite universe, we come to realize our true nature as children of God. We were born on this earth so that the great task of our creator might be fulfilled. To work for its accomplishment is our own greatest fulfillment as well.
"In Japan, the feeling of shame is regarded as a certain kind of sensitivity and, therefore, a virtue. How can we not feel shame if we ignore our divine nature and our true purpose in life? This is the origin of all shame. Real understanding of Aikido will only come about through daily purification (misogi) and through constantly striving for the creation of a better world. Where a center exists, it implies all that surrounds it.
"If our center is strong, however, the distinction between the center and its periphery disappears. We no longer see inside and outside as two entities but as parts of a whole. They serve the same function, and work for the same ultimate purpose. The infinite universe and the way of Aiki are the light that signals the dawn of the consciousness of human beings."