The true beginning is at the end: it may happen that we read a book quickly and perhaps that we look through it rapidly to catch the ending, curious and willing to know how the story ends. This book instead must be read slowly and savoured. It is born from practice and from the experience of meditation and the reflection that accompanied it.
In his former book, Unification of mind-body and Ki Aikido (Genova, Erga edizioni, 1997), Giuseppe Ruglioni showed us the way that the discipline of Ki Aikido had developed from its origins up to the nineties; in this book he invites us to examine and verify today’s experiences; never separating hisToric philosophic ideas from those directly related to the practice and to the body discipline.
The first part of the volume starts, in fact, with an open debate on the relationship between mind and body. On the apparent contrast that philosophy and Western daily life have fixed between them for a long time, to which often there is a reply from the trainees of the oriental disciplines, who offer the opposite concept: the necessity to practice the unification of mind and body.
These are two ways of looking at a complex phenomenon that originates from the same root of conflict and contrast, typical of Western thinking and mentality. The most radical introduction of the entire discipline, is the research into the principle non conflict in relationships, and first of all, the conflict between the individuals’ mind and body.
The Correct mind is the one that does not stop in one place.
It is the mind that spreads all over the body and the self.
The Confused mind is the one that, thinking over something,
freezes in one place.
Takuan Soho’s words, quoted in these pages, clarify the sense of this relationship where it is stressed how the conflict and the contrast have originated. When the mind is confused and continuously takes shelter in one place it comes into opposition with the constant flow of life.
With this understanding Aikido then becomes a constant practice of life. We then see ourselves in our environment and this has a relation to the inner self. We can explore this inner and outer relation with the self and other through aikido. It starts from individual practice of the different ways that Aikido proposes, as Doshu Yoshigasaki has developed over these last years. The Kenko Taiso and Hitori Waza exercises are the necessary preparation to get ready for receiving the other, in the relationships that are created thanks to the other Kenkodo types and to Aikido, that, on the contrary, foresee the direct contact with another person. This is the difference between the Aikido of our school and the other martial arts: the ‘other’ is never conceived as an adversary to be defeated, but as an ‘otherness’ to understand.
From this point of view the techniques are never an end in themselves, but a means to realize ones position in the space and the relation with the person that occupies it with us. Therefore it is necessary to use correct breathing, which is basic to every Aikido technique and which is especially developed in the kokyu-ho techniques. The first action of life is breathing, and it is this one that casts us into space and into time: meditation and breathing are the fundamentals of the perception of space and time. That is to say of space/time, because this practice dissolves once again the instrumental opposition between these two categories, which we are used to living with, by conveying in the act of breathing a way of rhythmical scanning of the vital being and the perception of its position in the surrounding environment. In this way an ethic of responsibility is created, towards oneself and the others. The way to harmony and peace that Aikido shows, reveals this character ethic in the willingness to take care of oneself and of the other. And perhaps, it is for this reason that one could read the book also from the end, from those testimonies that stess, with the concretenesss of the various experiences (with children, in the cases of disability, in the entrepreneurial functions), the different ways with which Aikido expresses itself as the founder of Aikido, Ueshiba Morihei reminded us when he spoke of the thousands of ways in which the universe breathes.
1st International Seminar with Doshu in Budapest, 19.-21.01 2018
(c) Andras Vari
Disclaimer: the author is solely responsible for any factual errors in the text.
Over 50 participants from Hungary and from many different dojos from around Europe (Italy, Germany, Austria, Croatia, Slovenia, Sweden) attended the 1st Budapest Seminar with Doshu, organised in honour of the late Beppe sensei (Ki Dojo, Florence). The seminar was held in the Budai Judo Academy in Budapest.
The organisers hosted a magnificent dinner in the Buda hills in the atelier of a renowned sculptor on Saturday evening followed by a visit to Szechenyi thermal baths, the largest of its kind in Europe, on Sunday afternoon where it is possible to get lost (and find yourself) in a labyrinth of baths, pools and sauna of incredible variety.
A few ideas and themes from the seminar to consider:
The dojo is a place you should respect. It is not a place to look at others. Just like you should behave and dress appropriately in a church, you should put on your hakama before entering.
These days many people want to know everything. Yet in aikido if I know (what I’m going to do) then the attacker can also know. There is value in not knowing.
Either not knowing or being sceptical of something can be called “beginner’s mind” (shoshin). People who have been practising Aikido for many years can lose shoshin. This mind form is expressed in the body and can be observed.
On positive / negative
Aikido is a practice of being half a second in the future. To say “(live in the) now” is to already be in the past. To live in the past is potentially negative. To live and create in the (immediate) future is potentially positive. All other notions of positive and negative are dualistic and are based on point mathematics.
What is the difference between technology and technique?
Technology is that which is operated and conducted by machines, even if it is developed by people. A technique is a fixed form which is utilised to fulfill a specific task. Anything can be a technique. Mathematically, if everything can be a technique then there is no technique, and vice versa. In the loftiest sense then, there is no technique in Aikido. But in order to develop the ability to do something useful we must fix forms so as to imagine and practise what to do in specific situations. New meaning and forms are created when we conceive of multiple techniques together.
Tsuzukiwaza is an expression of continuity of technique by putting numerous techniques together. This is an example of transcending point mathematics (existence without form) to line mathematics (the expression of relationships).
Why do we use the term “koteoroshi” (小手下ろし)? Koteoroshi undo starts with kotegaeshi (turning the hand) and then leads downwards. It is normal in Aikido and in all art that it takes at least 10 years to reach proficiency. Koteoroshi undo is an example of a form which takes 10 years of practise to understand. For example, it is useless to try to bend the wrist if the uke (or attacker) makes a strong fist. It is easy to resist. This is the meaning of koteoroshi.
Aikido in real life
In aikido in the dojo we make partner fall down to practise changing and leading partner’s mind. In aikido in real life it is neither necessary nor advisable to try throwing someone. This can potentially escalate conflict and lead to avoidable injury or worse. It is just enough to change mind. Therefore, it is just necessary to start a technique as you can never know what may happen. Of course it is not a guarantee that someone doesn’t fall or that the attack stops easily. To think of throwing, that is, to perceive or think of the end of a technique is point mathematics. Remember, there is no technique (fixed form) of life. It is more important to know how to start something and how a form can change. That is line mathematics. The alternative is to try to prepare for every possible eventuality in life with a corresponding technique which is firstly an impossibility and, analogous to painting by numbers, not especially interesting or conducive to futher development. “Ki no Kenkyukai” emphasises an ethos of research.
Wir laden herzlich ein im Jänner kostenlos am Aikido Unterricht teilzunehmen.
Anmeldung erwünscht / Registration requested:
kiundaikido@gmail.com / SMS: 06602390924
Ki-Aikido steht für die Erforschung der Selbsterkenntnis und des konfliktfreien Umfelds im alltäglichen Leben. Aikido ist Bewegung und gleichzeitig Ruhe. Es wird in Achtsamkeit für den Körper ausgeübt, entsprechend der natürlichen Bewegungsrichtungen. Der Standpunkt des Aikido als Lebenskunst wird anhand verschiedener schonender und gesunder Bewegungen, Übungen und Techniken, mit und ohne Partner, erlernt. Diese nicht-aggressive und facettenreiche Kunst kann in jedem Alter geübt werden. Sie können jederzeit anfangen.
Mo. 19.15-20.45, VS Felbigergasse 97, 1140
Di. 20.30.22.00, Diefenbachgasse 46, 1150 (Garuda Academy)
Fr. 08.15-09.30 (ab Jänner)
ab 14 Jahre
Yoga (Vinyasa Flow) für AnfängerInnen
Vinyasa (Flow) Yoga ist eine dynamische Form des Yoga, die Bewegung und das Atmen in Einklang bringt. Die Asanas fließen harmonisch zusammen und fördern den Körper und Geist heraus. Dennoch wird der Schwierigkeitsgrad nach der Gruppe gerichtet – vom langsamen und sanften Üben bis hin zu einem mit mehr Herausforderung und „flow“.
Der Unterricht richtet sich sowohl nach AnfängerInnen als auch fortgeschrittene (Unterrichtssprache: Englisch).
Wann: Mo. 18-19h, VS Felbigergasse 97, 1140
Kosten: 10-15€/h oder monatlich nach Absprache
Vom 1.-3. Dezember fand in Ljubljana, Slowenien mit Doshu das jährliche Seminar organisiert von Ki Aikido Narodni Dom statt. Doshu hält zweimal im Jahr in Ljubljana einen Lehrgang (und schon seit über 30 Jahren!).
Doshu entwickelt derzeit die Aikitaiso und Aikido-Techniken im “realen” Leben weiter. Es ist eine spannende neue Dimension zum normalen “Dojo-Aikido” und eine weitere Ebene auf der man üben kann. Auch diesmal haben Prüfungen stattgefunden: 2 Shodan und 2 Nidan Prüfungen wurden abgelegt, jeweils von 2 Mitgliedern aus den Dojos Ki Aikido Narodni Dom und Ki Aikido Wien. Einige Tsuzukiwazas aus den Prüfungen entnommen sind zur Veranschaulichung bereitgestellt. Die beiden Shodan- und Nidan-Prüfungen sind auch dank Michael Holm in voller Länge verfügbar.
Shodan besteht aus 7 Tsuzukiwaza und Sanningake (freier Angriff von drei Personen)
Tsuzukiwaza 11 (Katatedori irimi) or free*
Tsuzukiwaza 13 (Ryotemochi) or free*
Tsuzukiwaza 2 (Ushiro Katatedori) or free*
Tsuzukiwaza 8 (Yokomenuchi)
Tsuzukiwaza 21 (Tantodori 1)
Tsuzukiwaza 25 (Jo 1 & Bokken) – examinee uses Jo
Tsuzukiwaza 27 (Bokken 1, Happo Giri with partner)
Sanningake
Nidan besteht aus den folgenden 8 Tsuzukiwaza und Yoningake (freier Angriff von vier Personen)
Im normalen Training wird eher Kumiwaza trainiert, d.h. Techniken werden nach Wahl der/s LehrerIn mit einem Partner studiert. Die Form der Tsuzukiwaza hingegen wurde dazu entwickelt, so dass mehrere Techniken (in vorgegebener oder freier Form) hintereinander vorgeführt werden können. Dies ermöglicht es, die Beziehung von Techniken untereinander sowie ihre Bedeutung zu lernen. Man kann Gruppen von Techniken zusammenfassen, um auf diese Art zu üben. Das nennt man Tsuzukiwaza. Tsuzuki bedeutet “Kontinuität” und Waza bedeutet “Technik”. Techniken in einer Gruppe sollen eine harmonische Kontinuität erzeugen.
