Aikido World

APPLICATION OF AIKIDO

Aikido consists of more than just throwing and pinning techniques: it is also a philosophy and a way of life. We study Aikido in its physical form at the dojo and on the mats, but the real value of Aikido is in its application to life.

The goals of Aikido include making harmony, resolving conflict, and applying oneself totally to each moment of life. These principles have profound applications outside the dojo.

To make harmony involves adjusting oneself to see the point of view of the other person. When the other person’s goals are understood, it becomes possible to resolve disagreements by discovering the similarities between both points of view. Then a new and different approach can be created which will satisfy both people. This is often described in business terms as “thinking outside the box”. Or sometimes this is called “a compromise”. Instead of arguing about who gets to choose the dinner restaurant, two people can agree on a third criterion–such as which restaurant is close nearby.

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“Why Study Martial Arts? A true martial artist does not train only to defeat others. He trains also to defeat the enemies inside himself, the enemies we all have. He trains to forge his life into something beautiful, something helpful to the world. He wishes not to draw a sword, but to put it away - once and for all.

He can do this because, through his training, peace is not just a word or an idea to him. Strength, bravery, compassion: these are not just words to him. They are things he has embodied. They are what he has become.”

-Fumio Toyoda Shihan

Kihon waza are not only techniques for beginners. In Japanese kihon means “original foundation”. These techniques are the foundation for all other aikido techniques.

Kihon, the original foundation, consists of physical, mental, coordination and waza training.

Everyone can benefit from kihon physical training. Your size, sex or current health does not matter, physical training will improve your health and well being.

Your total commitment to training, will develop a mental attitude that will benefit you in all phases of your life. Even if you do not know what aikido is, with complete mental commitment and the help of your sensei, you will experience the principles of aikido. You will see improvement in your awareness, concentration, and relaxation that will benefit you not only in your aikido, but also in your daily life.

Kihon waza are the foundation of all of the aikido techniques you will ever learn. With this foundation you will be able to learn advanced techniques (oyo waza) and be able to increase the depth of your understanding of aikido. you must practice kihon waza daily to be able to develop and improve your aikido. Kihon waza is like breakfast, it give you the nourishment to start the day.

Kihon waza is the fundamental structure of aikido. It is like the operating system in a computer, Windows 98. The computer is useless without an operating system. Also, with a strong fundamental structure or operating system you can “upgrade” to more advanced principles or techniques in the future.

Daily kihon waza practice will produce strong, clear, dynamic aikido that will continue to improve and benefit you physically and mentally in all phases of your life. for isn’t aikido life training?

*Copyright 1999 Chushinkan Dojo, “Hikari”, Vol. 2, Issue 2, June, 1999. All rights reserved.

I still don’t know what Aikido is
by Arthur Gutnov

Aikido is the man on the bus
It’s his passive aggressive complexion
It’s the risk in his eye
The clenched fist and heavy breathing
It’s the crank in his breast pocket
And the bible in his bag
It’s you seeing the bible in his bag
Aikido is the man on the bus when you’re on the train.

It’s 20/20 transcendental vision
It’s hindsight and foresight and anti-tunnel vision
It’s knowing
It’s knowing by feeling
And feeling everything before doing anything
And fitting the world in a moment
It’s the choices you make
It’s picking a yonkyo at its prime
And plucking it only when it’s ripe
And soft and tender as the afflicted wrist will be.

It’s choking with disregard
But disregarding with compassion
Because sometimes it’s good to feel unsafe
It’s forgetting about your homework
At the peak of your break fall
And forgetting you’re alive on impact
It’s knowing what alive feels like

It’s endorphins pumping when you cant move
It’s you moving when you shouldn’t
In ways you shouldn’t
It’s taking three more steps where others would kneel
It’s 501 when 500 would suffice
It’s diligence and madness become one
It’s working to hold the intangible
And always having something to work on
Because Aikido is the limit
And I am the polynomial that just can’t reach
But Aikido is trying

Aikido is balance
Its finding life lessons cleaning mirrors
Its gods become men and men become nothing
Before becoming themselves
Sankyo is a reflection of you
Nikkyo is you
Kokyunage is as cognitive as it is motor
And generically speaking mind is body
And mind is Aikido
But body is its tool for expression
And Aikido is the man on the bus
But more importantly
Aikido is the man on the bus
When there is no bus.

Arthur Gutnov is a 3rd kyu and kenshusei student at Tenshinkan Dojo in Chicago, IL    

Memories of the 2007 AAA/AAI Japan Trip
by Jordan McClure

Trip pictures available at http://ninjaplatypus.com/photos/travel/Japan2007/

Prologue

The Land of the Rising Sun

I’d heard Japan called that all my life, but never really thought about it or knew why. My first morning in Tokyo, the origin was painfully apparent. By 5:30 am, the sun was already bright and high in the sky, shining right in my window. I’d arrived the night before, experiencing a culture shock unlike anywhere else in my travels. Unbeknownst to me, the express train from Narita airport dropped me off at world’s busiest train station at one of its busiest times. Shinjuku Station is used by 3.3 million people every day. That’s more than the entire city of Chicago.

I’d failed to meet up with my sensei and the rest of my group at the airport, and my cell phone wasn’t working, so I was on my own, with just a hotel name and a small map that didn’t list the hotel. As you might imagine, the world’s busiest train station is not a small place. In fact, the small blue rectangle for Shinjuku Station has more than 200 exits. Donning my giant backpack, I flowed through the swarm of people toward one of the main doors.

Walking through the doors, I left reality and stepped into a science fiction movie. I was in a plaza, packed solid with teenagers and college-aged kids as far as the eye could see in any direction. Off in the distance, the dusk sky glowed with the neon lights that perpetually light Tokyo’s night sky. The kids were well-dressed, just starting their Saturday night out on the town, hanging out in the plaza and talking with their friends. Nobody was moving. I asked a few people where my hotel was and they pointed directions. Miraculously, I was in the right place; the Shinjuku Prince hotel was visible in front of me, about a half mile in the distance. Way off to the left, I finally spotted a single-file line of people winding their way through the stationary crowd. I merged in, quickly flowing down the small incline to the Shinjuku Prince hotel.
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