26th Feb 2012
What is Shugyo? – Adam Shumski
What is Shugyo?
Shugyo is often translated as “study” in the English language. However its roots as well as its branches extend much farther than the translation suggests. In the context of Aikido, Shugyo refers to the unceasing exercise of one’s mind, body, and spirit whether through intense physical training, or sustaining an Aiki-like mentality even when not actively practicing. I have implemented Shugyo in a myriad of ways in my life, most notably in my interactions with other people, the manner in which I play music, and my outlook on life. The term Shugyo heavily implies the adaptation of Aikido as a lifestyle, and as an art that should be practiced with diligence on and off the mat, encompassing one’s whole being.
Whenever I communicate with someone, I am a conduit for Shugyo. I make sure to truly listen to what is being said, and express my own thoughts and feelings in a similar fashion, being receptive to other’s opinions and blending with other’s ideas. The concept of extending ki and the importance of making a crisp, strong kiai from my center while in the dojo can be heard when I speak everywhere. For me, my communication is my Shugyo.
Next year I will be attending college as a music major to study in my other passion in life – jazz. In music, one must learn how to play as a group, listen, interpret and share ideas intelligently, and the importance of being part of a whole must be understood. Being able to “blend” with other musicians is paramount, and the ever changing landscape of jazz, filled with improvisation and surprises, calls for appropriate and delicate responses from everyone involved. This concept arises clearly while on the mat, when a technique musts be adapted to fit a specific situation. For me, whenever I play jazz, that is my Shugyo.
Inside the dojo, I make sure to have a relaxed, focused mindset that is always located in the here-and-now, and this attitude transfers directly outside of the dojo, where I make sure to always “live in the present, launch myself on every wave, and find my eternity in each moment” as Henry David Thoreau puts it. While practicing in class, I always treat each technique and each attack as a real encounter, and to do that, I have to forget about the past, and silence my anticipations of the future. This concept is single handedly responsible for my entire outlook on life, and it stems from my life in Aikido. For me, my life is my Shugyo.
Shugyo is an art form in itself. To practice rigorously while in the dojo is one thing, but to continually practice Aikido throughout everyday life is an entirely different principle. Shugyo has manifested itself in various forms of my being, from how I relate to others, how I articulate myself musically, to even my values and view on my own life. Shugyo is an integral part of Aikido, and without it, Aikido would devolve from an art to a defense system – from a way of life to merely a hobby. For me, Shugyo is vital.
- Adam Shumski