aikido in nature march - august 2010 - aikido in chicago · pdf fileaikido and nature. just as...

If your opponent strikes with fire, counter with water, becoming complete-ly fluid and free-flowing. Water, by its nature, never collides with or breaks against anything. On the contrary, it swallows up any attack harmlessly.

-O’Sensei

Dear Readers and Fellow Aikidoka,

The theme for this edition of the AWA newsletter is one that I have been looking forward to for many months. It brings together and explores the relationship between two of my greatest passions: aikido and nature. Just as I suspected, I am not the only one in the AWA or in the aikido world at large that feels the connec-tion between these two subjects. It is no wonder, really, since O’Sensei himself spent a great deal of time training outdoors, worshiping in places of natural beauty, and communing with na-ture as a farmer and homesteader. Many of his teachings and poems clearly link the natural world and the practice of aikido. Particularly appropriate for this edition is the following...

“Those who practice the Art of Peace must protect the domain of Mother Nature, the divine reflection of creation, and keep it lovely and fresh. Warriorship gives birth to natural beauty. The subtle techniques of a warrior arise as naturally as the appear-ance of spring, summer, autumn and winter. Warriorship is none other than the vitality that sustains all life.”

In this teaching, not only does the founder link the practice of aikido with nature, but he calls upon us, as practitioners, to em-brace a very specific role as protectors. For teachings such as these, we owe him a great deal of gratitude. They open our eyes to the universe of which we are an integral part. Perhaps it is time to take that gratitude one step further and embrace our role as protectors of Mother Nature, our sustainer and fundamental inspiration for the art that we love so dearly.

In this edition, we profile Mountain Spirit Aikido of Helena, Mon-tana, and its dojo cho, Roque Wardell Sensei. Wardell Sensei shares his real-world experience of aikido out in the wilderness, and his perspective as an “Aikido Cowboy.” His wisdom requires a sky as big as Montana’s to contain, and it is born from true encounters (many of which were matters of life and death) that few of us can even imagine.

Alison sat down with Technical Committee member and Dojo Cho, James Jones Sensei during Gyokushinkan’s seminar in Fort Smith, Arkansas, this January. He talks about his aiki path from start to present and provides great insight into the importance of adaptability in the practice of aikido and in the pursuit of knowledge.

I had a wonderful time reading the articles contributed for this edition. As always, I am honored to share with you the efforts of your fellow aikidoka. I am sure you will enjoy them as much as I did. I am certain that you, too, will be inspired by their insights and find that your practice of aikido benefits from contemplating their perspectives.

Always, in aiki,John Hannon, Editor, Nidan

Photo: Shinjuku Gardens, Tokyo by Greg Null

A I K I D O I N N AT U R E Newsletter March - August 2010

NEWSLETTER March - August 2010

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

New Year Greeting by Sato Sensei......................................3

Nature in Aikido by Alison Lincoln.......................................4

Aikido in Nature by Don Allen............................................4

Shodan Essay: What Is Aikido? by James Lee.....................5

Sandan Esay: Aikido Becoming Philosophy by Bob Hoff...6

Nidan Essay: Aikido History & Future by Mike Hutchinson..7

Shodan Essay: What Is Aikido? by Michelle Perreault.......8

Aikido and Natural Law by John Hannon.......................9

A Profile of Mountain Spring Aikido by Ben Brouwer........10

The Experience of Aikido in Nature by Wardell Sensei.....11

Aikido, Medicine, and Balance by Buck Bania................13

On the Road with AWA by DeGraff Sensei......................13

Interview of Jones Sensei by Alison Lincoln....................15

Seminar Review: Gyokushinkan by Michael Merritt........17

AWA Photos taken by Greg Null and AWA members......18

Ai- Ki- D’Oh! comic strip by Knipping Sensei....................18

AWA Calendar ...............................................................21

Newsletter Production Team

John Hannon, Editor, Shugyo Center, Sebastapol, CA

[email protected] to make submissions for consideration.

Alison Lincoln, Design Director, Jikishinkan, Brooklyn, NY

[email protected] to make submissions for consideration.

Kristin Sumner, Editor, Kiku Matsu, Chicago, IL

Greg Null, Main Photographer, Gyokushinkan, Fort Smith, AR

Guest Photographers: James Jones Sensei, Gyokushinkan AR,

Kellie and Owen LaFave, KOL Images, Helena, MT

The Universal Ki says RECYCLEAll contents within: © 2010 Aikido World Alliance

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Welcome to our newest AWA Dojos!

Mission Aikido, CA/ Dale Eisenberg Sensei

Galveston Aikikai, TX/ Brice Biggerstaff Sensei

Mableton Aikikai, GA/ Nestor Rodriguez Sensei

Aikido Of Northern New Mexico/ Jerome Buenviaje Sensei

Wadokan Dojo, Gydnia, Poland/ Tomasz Tyszka Sensei

RECENT DAN PROMOTIONS

Yondan:

Laura DeGraff Sensei - Kiku Matsu Dojo, IL

Stewart Johnson Sensei - Jikishinkan Dojo, NY

Sandan:

Jason Goldstein - Yanagi Dojo, CT

Jonathan Knipping Sensei- Kiku Matsu Dojo, IL

Mario Acuna Sensei - Zanshin Dojo, PR

Isaias Tirado-Flores - New York Aikido Alliance, NY

Josh Paul - Jikishinkan Dojo, NY

Justin Putman - Kiku Matsu Dojo, IL

Nidan:

Michael Embrey - Kiku Matsu, IL /Jikishinkan Dojo, NY

Jim Fluit - Senshinkan Dojo, MI

Michael Hutchinson - Bushinkan Dojo, PA

Jim Reid - Wadokan Dojo, TX

Evan Van Dyke - Kiku Matsu Dojo, IL

Melvin Otero Rodriguez Sensei - Caguas Dojo, PR

John Hannon - Shugyo Center, CA

Kimberly Chin - Kiku Matsu Dojo, IL

Andrzej Potrykus - Wadokan Dojo, Poland

Shodan:

Erin Campbell - Memphis Aikikai, TN

James Lee - Aikido Of Rossmoor, CA

Keith Washington - Kyushinkan Dojo, GA

Vivian Workman - Kushinkan Dojo, IL

Matija Grabnar - Kiku Matsu Dojo, IL

James Trimmier - Aikido Of Morgantown, WV

Krzysztof Swieczko - Wadokan Dojo, Poland

Tomasz Urmanin - Wadokan Dojo, Poland


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2010 New Year GreetingBy Sato Sensei, AWA Chief Instructor, RokudanKiku Matsu, AWA Headquarters, Chicago, IL

It is another New Year for us to make resolutions, goals, and dreams. How exciting it is to make them happen as time moves on. It takes committed effort and work to see them through so one feels triumph at their completion. I am sure that one of those resolutions for all of us is to improve in our aikido in whatever manner, shape, or form that we feel we can. Your aikido resolu-tion may be to improve your technique, to gain more under-standing of O’Sensei’s philosophy or to learn the weapons forms inside and out.

While we are working at these resolutions, we should try to re-member O’Sensei’s dream that aikido become the bridge be-tween all of human kind and the universe. In all things natural there is a connection that feeds off and gives back to the daily cycle of the universe and existence. We are a part of that cycle of connection, communication, and movement. Nothing is so independent that it can go through life alone and without help in some manner or form. Unfortunately, amid the many digital and ready-made things available to us, we sometimes forget our part in that interdependence. We just go buy it, log on to it, flip a switch, or drive a car miles across the state in a day without a

thought or a sense of connection to where it came from, where it leads us to, or how much it affects others in the world.

Taking the time to look deeper into those connections may re-veal more about us, as humans, and show how we are part of the larger cycle of life. By doing so we may then see how tiny a part of it we are, yet how big an impact our actions have on the rest of the integrated parts of the life cycle called the universe. It is mind boggling when one follows the trail of a finished product back to its original and natural state. It is that process that we take for granted, but it has so much importance for us to enjoy everyday modern life.

It is this lack of communi-cation that I think O’Sensei wanted us all to under-stand and not lose sight of. Though we may not talk to, see, or touch someone, we have access to their spirit through every one of the products we use daily. Through our aikido training, we can get back in touch with all that is natural and begin to enjoy these connections. We can learn how to become human on a deeper level than just saying, “Hey how ya doin’,’ then moving on without really hearing or caring what the other person’s response is. Aikido helps us strive to maintain a sensitivity to each other, which is easily lost in the concrete jungles we call our home.

Aikido can be the way to help us recapture and keep what is uniquely human—the empathy and compassion for all sentient beings. So, in the spirit and year of the Tiger, I ask you all to enjoy the natural wonders of the world we live in, see how they are so connected, and take leadership in keeping conscious of your ac-tions. Then, we can naturally enjoy our common path in life.

Through our aikido training,

we can get back in touch with

all that is natural and begin

to enjoy these connections.

We can learn how to become

human on a deeper level.


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Aikido in Natureby Don Allen, Fifth KyuYanagi Dojo, Norwalk, CT

My first thought on this topic was: what in nature is not aikido? After much thought and meditation I come up with the same answer every time: nothing. When I gaze upon the sky, I see the fluid movement Sensei is always imploring me to emulate. I can’t go to the beach and watch the waves without thinking that they must be what inspired the ki exercise funakogi undo. I believe this is why O’Sensei’s practice of misogi often took place under a waterfall. He understood on a very deep level the intercon-nectedness of all things.

As a Reiki Master (Usui Shiki Ryoho) stumbling along a path of Reiki Jin Kei Do, I spend a great deal of time in nature. Recently, I watched a hawk dive and in a flash, grasp a mouse and return to flight. I was struck by the purity of the exchange between two beings on a spiritual level, on a level of aiki. Seeing nature as it is, there was no violence in what could seem to be a very violent act. The hawk does what he does very naturally, without ego or malice, and the mouse’s death provides for the continuance of the hawk’s life. There are more mice than hawks, so there is balance.

In aikido, sometimes we keep our balance and other times we give it to our partner. Our practice, to the untrained observer, could seem a violent act or exchange. We see it as a blessing of sorts because we have taken time to understand a basic tenant of aikido, the compassionate return to balance.

If observed with an open mind, we can see aikido all around us in nature. Aikido is a living, breathing thing; it gains great life force when we come together in the spirit of helping each other train. Everything in nature is a living breathing thing in the spirit of aiki (yes, even the rocks). Look at the limb of a huge tree and see your unbend-able arm. Feel the breeze on your face and know that is the same as your breath in kokyu technique. See a beautiful flower and remember that extra care you take with a brand new kohai. Look at two or three puppies playing together and think about the fun you had at a seminar with all your friends. (continued)

Nature in Aikidoby Alison Lincoln, First KyuJikishinkan, Brooklyn, NY

O’Sensei was a man rooted in nature, often enlightening his students by using metaphors, like, “Consider the ebb and flow of the tide. When waves come to strike the shore, they crest and fall, creating a sound. Your breath should follow the same pattern, absorbing the entire universe in your belly with each inhalation.”

At the seminar in Connecticut last fall, Noble Sensei called on my ukemi for a kokyunage technique. As I lunged forward to grab Sensei’s wrist, I was sucked into a tidal wave! I extended my reach, and thoughts slipped away. I became part of the wave, gliding forward and finally catching hold, only to tumble out, and wash up ten feet away from where I started. The technique was powerful, clean, smooth, and natural.

Some techniques later, Noble Sensei paused the training to shed light on details of a certain iriminage throw. He described how, if uke’s balance is properly controlled, a forceful throw may not be necessary. He referenced a falling leaf; a leaf depends on the balance of a tree, hanging on through spring and summer, until autumn. With a small breeze and simple gravity, the leaf then falls naturally, without force, as uke does at the end of the technique, when balance is fully taken.

Later in the weekend, the class worked on jo awase. In pairs, uke and nage moved back and forth, seamlessly changing roles, without pause. To maintain fluidity, Noble Sensei suggested that everyone temporarily disregard imperfections made in our strikes and blocks, so as not to get caught up in self-judgment. We kept the flow going. For ten minutes we practiced this paired tech-nique, falling in synch with each other more and more as time went on. Somewhere in the middle, a balance was obtained.

Uke and nage became one entity, one breath, one mind.

These experiences occur when uke and nage properly mesh. When we listen, these lessons of a tumbling wave, a falling leaf, and a unified breath lead to one much larger—the con-nection of all things, through natural balance and energy flow. Aikido, as an art form, is about harmony.


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As a beginner, I didn’t appreciate the significance of control in aikido, beyond the necessity of not injuring fellow students. As I matured in aikido, I recognized that the virtue of “control” that one exhibits in aikido applies also to being in con-trol of one’s composure, and of taking control of extenuating circumstances. It is more a frame of mind that should rightly be applied to all aspects of one’s life—the practice of aikido is but one of these aspects.

Another revealing difference between aikido and my other mar-tial arts experience is emphasis on developing a strong commu-nity among all its practitioners. As a beginner, I was reluctant to attend after-practice gatherings—I was there just for the martial arts training. Eventually, I came to appreciate the community in aikido as one of the most important parts of the experience. Aikido is the people and the collective knowledge and energy that they bring.

Aikido, beyond being a martial art and a means of self-defense, is the integration of the positive virtues of its practice into one’s life. “Aiki,” or harmonizing, becomes manifest in many ways be-yond the physical practice of the art. “Do,” is the way of life that develops along the journey.

(continuation) I remember the joy I felt watching two friends receive their shodan. That is the “Nature” of all things. There was har-mony in that moment.

O’Sensei said, “Everything in heaven and earth breathes. Breath is the thread that ties creation together.” Nature has four ele-ments: earth, wind, fire, and water. These are the essence of all things. The four directions orient us on this earth. Is it a coinci-dence that O’Sensei said that shihonage (four direction throw) is the first “pillar of aikido?” Probably not.

You are nature and you are aikido, there is no separation. And all of you are a gift to me. Domo arigato gozai mashita. Yuwaka Niye.

What is Aikido?Shodan Essayby James Lee, ShodanAikido of Rossmoor, Irvine, CA

What aikido is, to me, is a way of life characterized in each prac-titioner by the integration of the root principles of blending and harmony. It is not only the practice of the martial art, but also to the journey of life in general.

My first impression on the way of aikido came from my first visit to what became my home dojo. I was immediately struck by the difference in teaching method in aikido versus other martial arts. I was very impressed by the genuine friendliness and willingness of all the students to help each other. The senseis were very car-ing individuals who sacrificed a great deal of personal time, and who are able to lay aside personal ego to help develop students. I noticed that my sensei was ever encouraging and always saw the full potential in every student, even when we couldn’t see it in ourselves.

This method of instruction and practice in aikido lends itself to helping each other. Everyone is alternately a teacher and a stu-dent, so we all benefit from the duel roles, until we see that learn-ing and teaching is all a continuum.

I came to recognize the beauty and great skill in taking ukemi, in absorbing techniques by falling and blending. Whereas my first instinct as a beginner was to want to perform the throw, I later came to appreciate the more hidden expression of skills in taking ukemi. Taking ukemi requires flexibility and appropriate recogni-tion and reaction to the throw, all useful skills for the nonphysical throws of everyday life situations.


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How Has Aikido Become Part of Your Philosophy?Sandan Essayby Bob Hoff, Sandan New York Aikido Alliance, Brooklyn, NY

This October will mark the 10th anniversary of my practice of aikido, and so contemplating the subject of this essay has been particularly timely. Following are some of those meditations.

Aesthetics: Aikido has, without question, helped to redefine and expand my conception of beauty, and I think I understand why budo could be understood to mean “martial art.” The more I train, the more aikido movements seem “perfect” to me—not in the limited sense of technique, but when viewed through the lens of aesthetics. Quite simply: watching and practicing aikido brings me great pleasure and joy. I observe, in aikido, the spirit of in-the-moment creativity, similar in ways to improvisation in music and other high forms of artistic or spiritual expression. I feel a very sincere sensory connection to the present through ai-kido. It enlivens and incites my senses like few other things in life, and has changed the way I perceive and interpret the world.

Epistemology: What can really be known? What can be learned or taught? Practicing aikido has consistently challenged my ideas on these fundamental philosophical questions. In a more limited sense, that of transmission of technique, aikido has helped me to be a better listener and communicator. I am a calmer and more patient person because of it, and more attuned to the learning styles of myself and others. I rejoice, rather than grumble, when I “don’t get” something, because being on the cusp of learning, of constructing a new understanding, of synthesis—this is one of the true joys of aikido practice. In another sense, there is clearly much that is not known, nor can be known, under the ordinary limits of human consciousness. Aikido has, in my life, helped to mitigate (tai sabaki/tai no henka) the unknowable, the existential crisis, the darker places of ego and uncertainty. This may be because, after all, knowing in aikido isn’t nearly as important as acting.

Logic: Learning aikido has strengthened my faith in the power of rational, inferential, and deductive thought and action. Especial-ly when struggling with a new movement or concept, I’ve found that relying on what “makes sense” has helped me tremendous-ly: “All aikido is based on just a handful of movements...” In this way, I see aikido as billiards (angular, circular, geometrical) or chess (virtually limitless in permutations but based on certain fundamental, immutable characteristics).

Metaphysics: When I think about how aikido has informed my ideas on this subject, I am mindful of the connection between its movements and movement observable in the natural world. It seems, at times, that aikido is a perfect metaphor for the uni-verse, its functioning and the fundamental nature of existence itself! The subtleties and nuances of the uke-nage transfer help illustrate this. The subtleties of ki help to demonstrate this. Ulti-mately, aikido has helped me see life itself as something much more multidimensional than previously understood. It has been a path to (at times but by no means always!) transcendence of the limits of dualistic or dialectical thinking, and to embrace a worldview that is less egocentric and more open-minded.

Ethics: Aikido has led me to think in new ways about what is to be considered “right” conduct, and to what extent these are uni-versal or more subjective principles. Certainly aikido has helped me see the value of reciprocal action, of measured responses to life’s challenges and suffering. Those kinds of responses emanate from a stable center and reflect calmness and sound judgment, and aikido teaches us this. In this light, we may enter quickly into an attack but no rashly or with malice. In addition, aikido has strengthened my instinctive belief in the values of empathy and compassion; community and friendship; integrity and responsi-bility. These are ethics that are at the heart of my aikido practice, and they are what keep me practicing. At its core, I am again mindful of the uke-nage exchange. Within an ethical context, maybe the translation of “ai” as love is most accurate. And still, for all its grounding in sound ethical principles and conduct, one can strike with thunder, or come in with a hard irimi and still see your friend pick himself off the mat smiling, and having the time of his life.


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Aikido History and FutureNidan Essayby Michael Hutchinson, NidanBushinkan Aikido, Royersford, PA

When I first looked into writing this essay, I had trouble deciding where to begin. I blame most of that on the Internet. Just go to any search engine and type in “aikido history” and you will see what I mean! The amount of information is overwhelming. One thing I found very interesting is the number of styles of aikido that have evolved over the years. Also interesting is the fact that each of these styles has, for the most part, maintained the core concept of aikido, which is peaceful conflict resolution. They just go about it in a slightly different way. Some place emphasis on the forcefulness of the response to a particular attack, others use more aggressive striking (atemi) techniques, some incorporate competitions, and most incorporate each of these to one degree or another. I believe that we can all learn from these various styles. There is no one perfect response to an aggressor. If we can add techniques and scenarios to our training that help pre-pare us for life’s challenges, we should do it. In the end, this will help the art to prosper.

The story of aikido begins with its founder, Morihei Ueshiba (O’Sensei), born in Japan on December 14th , 1883. Growing up, O’Sensei studied a variety of martial arts, including judo, kenjutsu (the art of traditional Japanese swordsmanship), and various forms of jujitsu. He eventually became very proficient in a form of jujitsu known as Daito-ryu jujitsu. He came to this art upon meeting Takedo Sokaku Sensei around 1915. He main-tained his relationship with Takeda until about 1937. During this period, O’Sensei began seeking greater spiritual meaning to his life. His physical training was simply not fulfilling enough to him. In and about 1920, he began to be greatly influenced by Onisaburo Deguchi, the spiritual leader of the religion called Omoto-kyo. Over the course of his relationship with Takeda, as both teacher and student, O’Sensei would begin to combine his spiritual training with his martial training.

Early on in O’Sensei’s development of aikido he incorporated a more linear approach to technique along with numerous forms of atemi. As O’Sensei moved forward and became more influ-enced by his spiritual lessons, he began to refine his teaching by placing less emphasis on striking and linear techniques. More emphasis would be placed on circular movement and greater emphasis on redirecting an attacker’s energy in a way that would peacefully subdue aggression. Eventually, he would take these techniques and his work in other martial arts and combine them into one martial art he called aikido. Exactly when O’Sensei

started using the name aikido is unknown, but in 1942, the Greater Japan Martial Virtue Society officially recognized it. In 1931, to further advance the study of his new art, O’ Sensei es-tablished the first formal dojo under the name Kobukan in Tokyo, Japan. After WWII the dojo became known as Hombu Dojo. It was torn down and rebuilt in 1967, and reopened in 1968 as Aikikai Hombu Dojo. Today, it is still an active dojo, and it is also the umbrella organization for numerous international aikido so-cieties, including, of course, our AWA.

O’Sensei continued teaching aikido until his death in 1969. Along the way, he taught many students who went on to become great teachers in their own right. One student of particular inter-est to the AWA is Koichi Tohei. In 1940, at the age of 19, Koichi Tohei began training under O’Sensei. In 1953 he was sent to Ha-waii to introduce aikido to the United States. In 1969, O’Sensei promoted Tohei to 10th dan. Tohei was the chief instructor of Hombu Dojo at this time. However, during this time as chief in-structor, he began to place greater emphasis on the principles of ki in aikido. He wanted to use practical exercises that would test ki. This conflicted with the current thinking at that Aikikai Hombu dojo. So, in 1971, Tohei Sensei decided to define a new style of aikido, which he called Ki No Kenkyukai. He would then go on to develop his own umbrella organization know as Shin Shin Toitsu Aikido. Tohei Sensei would retain his chief instructor title at Hombu until his official split in 1974.

During his tenure at Hombu, Tohei Shihan taught many no-table students, including Fumio Toyoda Shihan. At the age of ten, Toyoda began training under Tohei. He would train under Tohei for twenty-seven years. In 1984, a disagreement between the two caused Toyoda to depart from Tohei’s organization. He started his own organization known as the Aikido Association of America (AAA). (continued)


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(Continuation)

This organization grew quickly, thanks, in part, to his tireless work. He would eventually establish a sister organization for do-jos outside the U.S. known as the Aikido Association Interna-tional (AAI). In 1994, he rejoined with the Aikikai Hombu Dojo. He died suddenly on July 4th 2001 as a result of complications from a bacterial infection. He was 53.

Toyoda Shihan worked tirelessly to develop a method of teach-ing aikido. He believed that O’Sensei’s aikido was an art worth maintaining and improving. This is not to say that he expected rigid conformance in the implementation of technique, but rather a systematic way of teaching others how to teach aikido. He also believed in keeping the attacks realistic, to maintain the sharp-ness and clarity of the art. He would say that aikido is a defensive art, so without a good offense, we cannot have a good defense. Lastly, he encouraged his students to visit other instructors and take seminars. He believed that you can learn from many instruc-tors, and ultimately you will develop your own interpretations and expression of aikido.

Today, Toyoda Shihans’s principles are a vital part of the AWA. Developing unified teaching methods, keeping attacks realistic, and learning from others are principles that, if truly practiced, will ensure the longevity of aikido. As aikido practitioners, we were all drawn to the art for one reason or another. For me it was seeing my first live aikido demonstration. The ease with which the sensei threw the uke totally hooked me. So of all the principles, I believe strongly in keeping our attacks realistic. I also believe we should expose ourselves to other styles and embrace them in our own way. To continually keep the art fresh and to encourage new students to embrace aikido, we need to always look for new ideas. As Toyoda Shihan noted, in time we will interpret what we learn from others in a way that suits our own style. I believe if we promote these principles along with the core principle of peaceful conflict resolution, aikido will continue to grow stronger as time passes.

What is Aikido? Shodan Essay by Michelle Perreault, Shodan Jikishinkan, Brooklyn, NY

As an early kyu rank student, I remember sitting in a class when our Sensei asked “What is aikido?” One of the second kyu stu-dents was called upon to answer and replied “I am still figuring it out, Sensei.” At that time I remember thinking, “What does he mean that he is still ‘figuring it out’?” Since then, and over the past six years that I have been training, I have come up with numerous “definitions” of what aikido is. I have been in multiple situations where I thought, “That is aikido.” However, the longer I train, the more I understand how much greater it is than the physical techniques we learn at the dojo. Aikido is often referred to as “The Way of Harmony.” Most recently, I am thinking of aikido as a guide that can teach us how to find our own way of harmony. The practice of aikido teaches us to “go with the flow,” both physically and mentally, and blend with oncoming energy, rather than confront it. It challenges us to be completely relaxed, and to be present and grounded, so that we are ready for whatever life throws at us. I have realized that, if I apply these principles to my thoughts and actions, I can learn from aikido in many different circumstances, and with each one my under-standing of it grows.

Some personal experiences where I thought I felt or saw aikido include being thrown across the room in practice in such a way that it seemed completely natural, or those few times in class when my uke seemed to easily go just where I wanted them to. Watching some big guys (who, on the street, could be taken for football players), blend with their attackers in such a way that they moved like graceful ballerinas as they executed a power-ful throw. And off the mat, seeing leaves hang off a tree and, although there is nothing “organized” about their arrangement, they seem to hang in a perfect balance. (continued)


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(Continuation)

For a while, hanging in my studio I had this excerpt from one of author Salman Rushdie’s books, Haroun and the Sea of Stories. One day I read it and realized that it communicated an idea that seemed, to me, very similar to my idea and experience of aikido, put into words more beautifully than I can:

“He looked into the water and saw it was made up of a thousand thousand thousand and one different currents, each one a differ-ent color, weaving in and out of one another like a liquid tapestry of breathtaking complexity; and (the Water Geanie) explained that these were The Streams of Story, that each strand repre-sented and contained a single tale. Different parts of the Ocean contained different sorts of stories, and as all the stories that had ever been told and many that were still in the process of being invented could be found here, the Ocean of Streams of Story was, in fact, the biggest library in the universe. And because the stories were held here in fluid form, they retained the ability to change, to become new versions of themselves, to join up with other stories and so become yet other stories...”

To me, this quote illustrates the idea that there are many “sto-ries,” or experiences, in which we can realize aikido, and that it is all of them, in part or whole, individually or combined, that lead us to find our own way of harmony. I am grateful for the insights I have gained from my aikido experience, so far. I am looking for-ward to more “stories,” how my definition of aikido will evolve, and where my path will lead.

Aikido and Natural Lawby John Hannon, NidanDojo Cho, Shugyo Center, Sebastopol, CA

By similar means, my experience in both aikido and the wilder-ness have taught me an important fact about nature—it is ev-erywhere. The same forces are at work the world over. As hard as many may try, our dependence on nature cannot be denied. Fighting nature’s elements is the number one killer in survival situations, and is the primary reason for the current environmen-tal crisis that we find ourselves in.

In a survival situation, it is not simply the elements that kill us, but the literal and metaphoric walls that have over-sheltered us and diminished our understanding of them. For instance, it is not only the lack of a roof to keep rain off that is the problem. It is also that a roof kept us from going out into the rain to understand it on an intimate level. In this manner, our respect for the elements

has been converted into fear, and our fear paralyzes us in times that require action. Fear makes us choose the ignorance of our delusions, such as hiding under a roof, over the awareness of reality. Nature is our primary teacher and our primary provider. Once this is understood, survival changes from a fight against nature, to an acceptance of one’s place within it. At the moment of this acceptance, the lesson of how to sustain life is learned. Ideally, struggle has little to do with survival, just as it has no place in aikido.

Aikido is the method by which we awaken our natural aware-ness. We use aikido to break through the paralysis of our fears and to build confidence and respect within. We use aikido to forge and maintain relationships with each other and our sur-roundings. We are taught that struggle, during a technique, is a lesson in how to apply aiki principles, such as relaxation. Aikido teaches us to break down our craving to resist. We move, at first, with fits and starts, but quickly begin to understand how it feels to move in aiki—in harmony with nature.

As we deepen our training, we discover that aikido is many things beyond simply a martial practice. Simply read a few dan essays, and it is not hard to see that, above all, aikido is a process of discovering one’s own nature. I believe that this process of discovery is directly linked to understanding and developing an awareness of one’s connection to nature. One cannot truly know themselves without becoming aware of the forces that act upon them. This connection to nature does not necessarily require training outside beneath the sky and among the trees (as beauti-ful and valuable this emersion may be) for nature and natural law to permeate and rule all aspects of the physical world. (continued)


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(Continuation)

Both science and art rely on nature for the fundamental mate-rial and subject matter of their study and product. Science, at it’s core, is the study of nature, exploring and manipulating its forces. The artist witnesses nature and is affected by its aesthetic and by his or her relation to it. Even the way light from a flores-cent bulb falls upon a rusting piece of steel can be inspirational. As fabricated and unnatural as this still life may be, it is a product of, and subject to, the laws of nature. One may approach aikido training as an artist, concerned more for the beauty of the prac-tice, or as a scientist, focused on the practical aspects of the art, but transcending this art-science duality is nature.

The practice of aikido, by any approach, is a process of witness-ing and surrendering to nature. Through this process, we discover that the most efficient and powerful movements are the products of moving in harmony with the natural laws that manifest in each situation. This is experienced in the moments when it seems like the less we do the more effective our techniques become. It is experienced when we discover that our stamina develops less as a condition of the amount of physical effort that we can sustain over time, but more as a factor of how efficient we can be in our movements and how long we can maintain a natural and relaxed breath rhythm. We realize, through dedicated practice, that our technique is not developed by amassing strength, but by developing awareness, by being able to perceive the forces of nature and to be able to join with them.

A Profile of Mountain Spirit Aikidoby Ben Brouwer, fourth kyuMountain Spirit Aikido, Helena, MT

If you’re looking for the Mountain Spirit Aikido dojo in Helena, Montana, you’ll go upstairs and pass a dusty woodworking shop, a karate dojo lively with eager young students, and ballet and tap studios with booming soundtracks. When I moved to Hel-ena three years ago and navigated my way through the maze of this old but vibrant industrial building, I found a community of people eager to welcome me to their aikido practice.

Roque Wardell Sensei was quick to greet me at the door. He is the unflagging anchor of the institution through the inevitable ebb and flow of students. Roque is the tender caretaker of the dojo, but with gnarled hands, a distorted spine and an occa-sional limp, it might seem contradictory to describe Roque as a “tender caretaker” of anything; there’s no question that this

man has lived through a rough life. However, the weapons rack and shomen reflect Roque’s capable skills as a carpenter. The modest space is tidy but obviously well loved and lived in; there is a sense of com-munity that permeates the dojo. Roque is quick to complement the developing ability of a new student and manages to integrate students across skill level and generational gaps. This creates a supportive, noncompetitive atmosphere in which young, experi-enced students show adults the ropes, and where adults can also serve as role models for the younger students.

The windows of the dojo face north and east across a wide valley to pine covered hills cut by the meandering Missouri River. Hel-ena is on the east side of the Continental Divide—the drier side of this stretch of the Rocky Mountains. Roque’s character is a reflection of the surrounding hills and mountains, and he brings the stories of those mountains to class. As a working cowboy and construction contractor for much of his adult life, Roque is famil-iar with hard physical labor and long hours in bitter weather.

At the end of each practice he gives us a chance to share aikido stories from our daily lives. It’s a rare day that Roque himself doesn’t share a story. One day he’ll describe how the movement awareness he has developed through aikido serves his work with horses. On another day he’ll show how aikido saved him from a two-story fall off scaffolding, or how a well practiced roll saved him from an upset bull, while the ATV he was riding on was smashed to pieces. Some days he brings stories of simply being out there in the wild, perched with his rifle on a horse, watching a herd of bull elk streaming through a meadow. Though I’ve recently had to leave Helena to start the next phase of my life with my fiancé in Missoula, Montana, I will undoubtedly carry with me the lessons and community of Mountain Spirit Aikido.


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The Experience of Aikido in Natureby Roque Wardell Sensei, Sandan, Dojo Cho, Mountain Spirit Aikido, Helena, MT

From the infinite to the finite, it begins with self-awareness. Ex-panding self-awareness with a positive ki flow (extension), through sharing, sacrifice, and service. This develops our consciousness, which leads to spiritual growth. All in nature are subject to rules, laws, and structure. Let’s call it “circle, triangle, square.” They are the constant. The rules of nature and the natural world are the wealth-spring from which I enjoy drawing my experiences. This is where I am at peace.

Life, however, as John Lennon said, “is what happens when you are making other plans.” The essence of life, as I experience it in the wilderness, seems more a game of “rock, paper, scissors”; circle turns to paper, triangle is scissors, and square to rock. Living with nature is never easy. It is hard work, dangerous, and always changing. It is best to be light on your feet and have good ukemi. Nature, like the battlefield, cares little for morality. Bombs or wolves don’t care about who’s right or wrong, and there is no score card when you’re in it. It’s about survival. Survival in the wilderness is all about adapting, blending, going with what you’re given, just like being a good uke. It is critical to be able to respond to dangerous situations, falls, or attacks from nature in forms of large animals, by getting off-line and having good ukemi. You cannot put yourself in harm’s way, test yourself by fire, and not get burned or injured.

In nature, no one receives special treatment, and victims don’t survive long. While experiencing a wolf pack assault on a cow-calf elk herd, it becomes apparent that there is no morality in

nature, and everyone’s role is filled. In nature, there are no ac-cidents and little time to get over it. If you have time enough to feel like the victim, then it’s time to get up, get moving, and leave the baggage. Healing, and the journey demands positive ki flow, getting back on the path and making the best of what you are given. This translates into good ukemi, good aikido.

In conclusion, I would like to share my thoughts on the Code of Bushido, and the Way of the Cowboy. The three “R’s” of an aikido cowboy are: Respect yourself, Respect others, and be Re-sponsible for your actions. This is the code that allows us to live in harmony with nature, this is the aikido way.

Hold your focus,midst smoke n’ mirrors

and hocus pocus!

Keep it light, wrong or right, it’s not the fight!

Go with what you know,

blend and flow, it’s not a show.

Try to blend,

keep it simple, from beginning to end!

(continued)


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(continuation)

My experiences in the woods:Bulls (bovine, bison, moose, elk): When an animal has a hump on it’s back, like the above listed, it is can-tankerous, easy to anger, and dangerous. They are best to leave alone during mating season. When in conflict, I find the jo, and a tsuki to the nose works best! A Yoko-menuchi to the side of a bull’s head only shortened my best jo and left me dancing!

Bears: Bears are like bad relatives, they show up smelly, un-announced, uninvited, and hungry. They are ill-tempered and ill-mannered. They usually eat everything, trash the place, and leave their mess. God knows, I dearly love them, but prefer to see them going away and downwind!

Elk: Elk are the most noble, glorious, and magnificent of all of God’s creatures. They are even better eatin’!

Horse: A horse knows what you know and what you don’t know, and sometimes they’ll help ya’!

Mule: A mule knows what you know and what you don’t know, and they’ll never help ya’!

Moose: A cow moose ran me up a tree for two weeks, one day! They are deceivingly fast and don’t like suprises.

Wolf: I once co-habitated with a timber wolf. He weighed 155 pounds and his head was a big as a basketball! After fourteen years, the only thing we ever worked out was, after I fed him or he dragged home a kill, I didn’t mess with his bowl, and he didn’t follow me to town. Breaking these rules meant immediate medical care!

(bovine, bison, moose, elk): When an


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Aikido, Medicine and Balanceby Buck Bania, first kyuMountain Spirit Aikido, Helena, MT

I am a second-year medical student at The Ohio State University College of Medicine and am practically up to my ears in dis-eases, diagnoses, and differentials. It is easy, in this controlled chaos of my medical education, to get lost amidst the mounds of information we have to absorb; as one doctor put it: “Drinking from a fire hose.” While I certainly hope that concept pulls for-ward an amusing image in your mind, I feel it is more important to understand the principle behind this idea: the potential for loss of balance.

Balance is of fundamental importance to medicine and of course integral to aikido. It is important to point out that I speak not of simple “one-foot-in-front-of-the-other” balance, but of balance of perspective. To be an effective medical student—and one day an effective doctor—your view of the world and your education must be in a state of harmony. To simply study all day without sur-facing to see the sunshine makes you a terrible student. To simply look at a disease and not a complete human being makes you a terrible doctor. And to practice nage-waza, but never ever do any ukemi-waza makes you a terrible aikidoka. This concept doesn’t stop simply with standing up and falling down: it relates to all aspects of the practice of medicine and the practice of aikido.

From the vantage point of someone training in aikido this may seem like a classic example of a “No duh” moment, and the same could be said for someone studying to be a medical pro-fessional. However, if you reflect upon your aikido practice, you may begin to notice times that you were not in balance: “He was not doing the proper ukemi for my technique” or “That’s not the way I like to do it, so I won’t bother learning it” or perhaps a

little more near and dear to my heart “I’m not doing as well as I want to, I must not be studying/practicing hard enough.” When I look at my own study of aikido and medicine, moments like these become all too apparent.

Therefore, we must remind ourselves in our times of imbalance that we cannot truly find success and achievement without ex-panding our perspectives beyond our own egos. In essence, to remember to stay centered and not lurch too far into any one mode of thinking: to not study so much you never see the sun, to not see just a disease, but also a human being and to not get caught by Sensei trying to skip out on ukemi. Develop your whole self, not just part of your self.

On the Road with AWAby DeGraff Sensei, Yondan, Technical Committee MemberKiku Matsu, AWA Headquarters, Chicago, IL

When I first heard the theme for this edition of the AWA newslet-ter I was completely perplexed trying to figure out how to make a column about the seminar circuit relate in any way to aikido and nature. Seminars and nature? Huh? As I thought about the topic several things came into my mind. Before every semi-nar I check the weather forecast for the destination. Somehow, the forecast has a way of setting my tone for the seminar. My first question is always practical; Will we be able to fly out on time? What will I need to pack? Something warm? Something waterproof? Shorts?! Beyond deciding what to pack, the forecast can affect my mood for the whole seminar. Sunny day equals sunny mood. I think most of us are affected, emotionally, by the weather, but isn’t it amazing that, once we get on the mat, the weather no longer matters? We just train. I was acutely aware of this at the seminar last December in Puerto Rico.

The AWA has a regularly scheduled annual seminar every De-cember in Puerto Rico. I’ve been going to this seminar since 2005, and I can assure you that the weather in Puerto Rico in December is always hot and humid and usually includes rain at some point. This past December the format of the seminar was changed and we turned it into the AWA Island Tour. We thought it would be fun to give some of the other dojo in Puerto Rico a chance to host a day and also give the attendees a chance to see a bit more of the island and visit the other AWA dojo that we have. (continued)


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(Continuation)

Our regular venue for the seminar has been a gymnasium in Bayamon. We have a nice, air-conditioned facility which we al-ways appreciate during those hot muggy trainings sessions (and by “we” I mean me.) If you’re not used to the climate in Puerto Rico, it can definitely throw you for a loop. This year was no exception. Each day of the seminar we traveled to a different dojo and enjoyed the hospitality and local fare of three different towns. Each day we trained and sweated together in a different dojo, none of which had air conditioning. Perhaps we need to rename this seminar Shochugeiko!

As I watched everyone dripping with perspiration and flagging from dehydration, I realized that as we train we accept the physi-cal conditions of the environment in much the same way we ac-cept the attack from the uke. We respond, redirect, take balance, slow down, speed up and basically blend with our uke. Training in unfamiliar physical environments, whether extreme heat or extreme cold, our focus includes blending with and accepting the conditions of the space. If it is too hot, we slow down, drink fluids, perhaps do more pinning. If it is extremely cold, maybe we speed up, do more rolling, try to create warmth in our bod-ies. Often, at crowded seminars we are cautioned to be aware of the space. Why should being aware of the heat and cold be any different?

Aikido is about blending, and not only with your uke, but also with your surroundings. None of us can control the weather,

just as none of us can ultimately control another human being. We try to work together. This attitude of cooperation and acceptance is what will give us the ability to survive both on and off the mat.

Stepping out of the San Juan airport into the warm tropical air is always a bit of a shock, but then I always take a moment to re-member the climate I left (Chicago in December) and I immediately relax and enjoy the first drops of sweat that drip down my forehead.

The December trip to Puerto Rico is one of the highlights of my yearly travels. The tropical warmth, friendly hospitality and the laid-back island atmosphere always rejuvenates me and comes as a much-needed break during winter in Chicago. I’m already looking forward to my return trip and my next sip of coquito!

Aikido is about blending, and

not only with your uke, but

also with your surroundings.


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Interview with Technical Committee Member James Jones SenseiYondan, Dojo Cho, Gyokushinkan, Fort Smith, ARInterviewed by Alison Lincoln

Sensei, when did you start your training?At the first part of the year of 1974, in a very hard-line style of karate, then I started my aikido training about 1988 or 1989.

And you started your aikido training in Fort Smith?I started my karate training in Fort Smith and started my aikido training in Russellville, Arkansas.

And how did you come across Toyoda Sensei?My original style was based on Toyoda Sensei’s teachings plus Ki Society principles. I realized after I had studied that system for a few years that I needed some deeper training so I started making phone calls and got lucky; one of the phone numbers that I called was the Japanese Cultural Center in Chicago. That was in 1991.

Late 1991 was probably the first time I talked to Toyoda Sen-sei. Then I went up to Chicago in June of 1992 to the national instructor’s seminar.

What was your impression of him?On first meeting him at the dojo, he was very friendly and very welcoming. Then, when I saw what he could do on the mat, I was dumbfounded. I had never seen anyone do aikido at that level. I was very impressed. His tai sabaki was smooth, and his throws were smooth, fast, and powerful.

Can you see that style in the AWA?Absolutely. In a lot of a ways, all of us are a product of his style of aikido. Of course, we are all individuals. Aikido is basically yourself, and we’re all different, but I see examples of Toyoda Sensei all the time, especially in Sato Sensei’s teaching.

What is your history with Sato Sensei, and how was it first meeting him?Actually, I met Sato Sensei in 1992 at the national instructor’s seminar. I can remember watching him do randori during the seminar. It was very, very impressive. He could move through all the people so effortlessly. At that time, my training level was pretty low. I had never been instructed on things like randori. All the higher dan ranks were there in Chicago. Their high level of training and discipline, and also the similarity they had to Toyoda Sensei, was all very impressive to me.

What was it like opening your own dojo?It wasn’t like I suddenly rented a building, opened the door, and started having classes. It was a long process. I didn’t realize I was opening my own dojo, it just sort of happened. It began with people knocking at my door after work and standing in my driveway wanting me to show them technique that I barely knew. These were people I trained with in karate. They had a curiosity. It got to be impractical for me to do that because there were too many people, too much of the time. We got to realize that we couldn’t work out in the driveway and on the grass anymore. We built our own mat system, which was horrible but adequate. After that, we had to move to the karate dojo on off-nights. Basically, I was studying karate three days a week, then driving two hours to Russellville, one way, one day a week to study aikido. Then I was spending one or two days a week going over aikido techniques here. It just kind of snowballed and pretty soon I was co-teaching karate and teaching aikido at the dojo.

Another thing that happened, about a year after I started training at the Japanese Cultural Center in Chicago: (continued)


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(Continuation) We lost our lease on the building and the dojo moved. I decided at that time to become independent, so I left. I said that I was going to go out on my own.

For a couple of weeks I didn’t have a building, I didn’t have a place to study. I trained in a church, where one of my friends and fellow karateka was the vicar. Then I found a building that was suitable, and shared that with a karate school. Eventually, I took control of the whole building and after that it was just aikido.

Can you tell me how you came to the name Gyokushinkan?Sensei (Toyoda) gave me that name for the dojo in the spring of 1993. At that time, we had our first seminar. He sent one of his uchi deshi down here to do the seminar. I had been studying almost a year with Toyoda Sensei. It was an odd situation in that I had a dan rank in my previous style, but I had given up my rank and was a yellow belt. I was a dojo cho, and I was a yellow belt, and it was really odd. Toyoda Sensei sent down my dojo name with the deshi at that time. I wasn’t expecting that.

What does it mean?Gyokushinkan means “Golden Ball Mind.” It is based on a story about the lost ball of knowledge. A dragon is sent to retrieve it from the clouds. Toyoda Sensei’s impression of me was that I was looking for the same thing and that is why he gave the dojo that name.

What are some of the techniques that Gyokushinkan focuses on?It changes because the dojo changes, and I change, too. In the beginning, it was always test requirements, basic techniques, and kihon waza because that was what we had to focus on. But everything changes and is always in a state of flux. Now, my focus is on basically three things: more concern about my uke’s well being, more concern about the smoothness of technique, and more concern in dealing with the body as it ages. This is a matter of adapting in order to hold technique together.

Do you do a lot of weapons training in class?Yes, we do quite a bit of weapons work, actually—basic sub-uri, both static and dynamic, mostly. Technique-wise, I like to do kumi jo and kumi tachi, because of the intensity. I’ve always liked kumi jo and kumi tachi because that is very high-level weapons training and a little dangerous.

Does that have an effect on people’s aikido without weapons?Yes, it does. Everybody needs to experience weapons training to improve their empty-hand practice. I think that someone who wants to be a good aikidoka needs to prac-tice with weapons on a regular basis in order to feel comfortable with it. The roots of our movements in aikido involve weapons. It also provides a better understanding of technique without weap-ons. Kumi tachi and jo can be stressful. When you do something in your life that puts sudden stress on you, you need to be able to take care of the situation in a calm way. Whether you are involved in a car wreck or in dealing with someone at a high level of emotion, situations arise that require quick action, under stress. Some people are suited for this more than others, but they still need to practice. Weapons practice is part of our art, part of the experience. You should have a complete experience.

Do you have any goals that you would like to accomplish as a member of the technical committee?First of all, I never thought that I would be on the technical com-mittee. I’ve always viewed myself as a student. I have this mental picture of myself as a student left over from twenty years ago. I have always really loved the training. I never really wanted a po-sition of power, I just loved to train. But, if you train long enough you have to assume responsibility, because people will look up to you. It is a very honorable position.

My foremost goal on the test committee is to support Sato Sensei and the AWA as well as maintaining my dojo and training. I want to remain active and set a good example. I look at this as the one thing that I do in my life that helps other people in a positive way. The AWA has become my family. The seminars, aside from the training, are like a family reunion to me.

Gyokushinkan means “Golden Ball Mind.” It is based on a story about the lost ball of knowl-edge. A dragon is sent to retrieve it from the clouds.


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Seminar Review: Gyokushinkan, January of 2010by Michael Merritt, 6th kyuGyokushinkan, Fort Smith, AR

My son, Evan, and I were both pretty excited. The first seminar of the new year just happened to be held at our newly adopted dojo. We had only started training a few months earlier, and sud-denly we were going to be on the mat with Sato Sensei, as well as aikidoka from around the nation. Somewhat intimidating to think about, but exciting nevertheless.

Evan and I started aikido training together. He’s 12 and I’m...not. As a father, it hasn’t always been easy making the transition back and forth between nage, uke, and Dad, but it has been rewarding for us both.

We weren’t really sure what to expect, although we had pre-viously attended a iai/aikido seminar with Noble Sensei. How difficult would three days of aikido training be? Would we look foolish trying to keep up with all the dan ranks? Would Sato Sensei squash us like bugs?

As I’m sure most of you already know, we needn’t have worried in the slightest. I have never met a more unassuming gentle-man than Sato Sensei. More than once, he kindly corrected my clumsy technique without the slightest hint of irritation. He has a way of making you feel completely at ease. He seemed to take a genuine interest in Evan, which delighted my son to no end.

In fact, everyone present at the seminar was very patient and helpful. I have truly been amazed at the quality and character of the people I encounter who choose to make this art a consistent part of their lives. I found I gained perspec-tive, as well as experience, while working with different partners dur-ing the sessions.

The instruction Sensei presented was fascinating. My favorite aspect of the training was the way he would take a single technique and show you how to find it from a seemingly inexhaustible array of different body positions. You really feel as though you understand a technique better after a session like that.

I have a great deal of interest in weapons training as well, so I found the jo and bokken sessions equally absorbing. In par-ticular, I liked the way Sensei illustrated the connection between weapon and empty-hand technique.

During the seminar, Sensei always seemed to be right at your elbow if you had a question or were making a mistake. He also knew when to take it easy on us old guys, and include extra stretching or warm-up exercises (especially on Sunday morning!). He is a great teacher, and he makes it look effortless.

Toward the end of the seminar, I remember shaking Sato Sensei’s hand and thanking him for coming to our dojo. I told him it meant a great deal to my son and I, as it is often difficult for us to travel overnight away from our farm. He said, “The people can’t always come to me, so I come to the people.” A simple enough statement, but the personal commitment it implied left quite an impression on me.

The word “seminar” derives from the latin word “seminarium,” which means “seed plot.” Indeed, for my son and I, seminars like this are where the seeds of our aikido have been planted. I look forward to watching them grow in the coming years, and to attending more seminars like this one.

Hope to see you there!


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AWA LADIES, Yudanshakai, October 2009 AWA KANGEIKO 2010, Kiku Matsu Dojo, Chicago, IL

AWA TECHNICAL COMMITTEE, Yudanhakai, October 2009

YUDANSHAKAI, October 2009, Kyushinkan Dojo, Roswell, GA


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“Consider the ebb and flow of the tide. When waves come to strike the shore, they crest and fall, creating a sound. Your breath should follow the same

pattern, absorbing the entire universe in your belly with each inhalation.”

- Morihei Ueshiba Sensei

Founder of Aikido

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“Those who practice the Art of Peace must protect the domain of Mother Nature, the divine reflection of cre-ation, and keep it lovely and fresh. Warriorship gives birth to natural beauty. The subtle techniques of a warrior arise as naturally as the ap-pearance of spring, summer, autumn and winter. Warriorship is none other than the vitality that sustains all life.”

-Morihei Ueshiba SenseiFounder of Aikido

aikido in nature march - august 2010 - aikido in chicago · pdf fileaikido and nature. just as...

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