The
Bu of Budo Must Be Made One with the Universe
All techniques, every one, must be in line with the Truth of the Universe.
Technique which is not will surely rebound and cause the destruction of
one's body. Any martial activity which is not tied to the universe in
harmony is not to be called the Bu of Takemusu. Bu which is so tied to
the universe is graced with the love that binds human beings together
and so it may be called the Bu of Takemusu, (that is, the martial art
which generates martial virtue).
The
Things of Heaven and Earth are of the Same Root
This echo of the universe in which the myriad things of the heavens and the earth find their life follows the path of never-ending fostering and evolution by becoming the mainstay of the moral governance of the space within the universe. This it does through unification with the echo of the five body parts. For us it is to utilise Masakatsu, Agatsu and Katsuhayabi, to store up in our one point (lower abdomen) with fate of Heaven and to become one with the Universal. Thus we foster spirit inside and outside of the universe and like the echo of the body extablish a purified link up which flows without interruption or interference. We realise the single origin of ourselves and the world of the Universal and plumb the depths of their common root. Then with no misunderstanding of the center of the universe or of Masakatsu, Agatsu and Katsuhayabi, we may walk the Path which produces spirit through the power of the breathing of the "Ah" and "Uh" of the Bu of Takemusu.
-- Extracted from "The Aikido" newsletter, Vol. 19 No. 4, 1982
Characteristics of Aikido techniques
The goal of Aikido training is not perfection of a step or skill, but of becmoing one with nature. And it ist his aspect which is appealing to Westerners, especially to those who have an interest in Zen. Aikido, sometimes called "moving Zen", provides guidelines for improving the human spirit, and the fact that it is now spreading throughout the world may well be because people are starting to seek, through martial arts, not physical strength but strength of character, or harmony between their spirit and mankind.
Through the practice of Aikido, one's character is developed so that one becomes "tough" inside in such a way that this strength is expressed softly in movement. This is exactly like nature: Nature's movements are efficient, rational, and soft, but the center is immovable, firm, and stable. This can be said for Space and Earth - they all have a hard core - and must be true for human beings. These cores should become as one, so that the culmination of nature can be expressed.
Maintaining this firm, stable center, Aikido movement, with its emphasis on spherical rotation, is characterised by flowing, almost dancelike, circular motions (pivoting, entering, circling) that are used to overcome and control the strength of the opponent. The principle of spherical rotation makes it possible to defend one's self from an opponent of superior size, strength, and experience.
Although Aikido movements are as soft, rational, and smooth as nature, by applying a bit of force, it can become "tough" and devastating. The soft or gentle quality of Aikido makes it appealing to men and women (regardless of age) and children. It not only offers spiritual development, but also provides excercise and teaches proper etiquette and behaviour.
At the heart of Aikido is the Oriental concept of the universal creative principle, Ki. Aikido ("the way of harmony with Ki") seeks to achieve the total unification of this universal Ki with the Ki (life force or breath) of the individual self.
-- Taken from the 1990 Aikido World
Headquarters Guidebook
Our Chief Instructor Philip Lee Sensei shares his thoughts on Aikido
Aikido is a non-competitive and non-aggressive martial art which is not considered a sport. The philosophy of Aikido is to promote harmony within mankind: it helps in the purification and understanding of oneself and forges one’s mind and body with spiritual development through daily training. Aikido has no confrontation and is a superb form of self-defense martial art, being able to control and blend with on-coming forces in a relaxed and graceful manner.
I like to stress on Attitude and Avoiding injury in training.
Attitude, ego and pride are the main obstacles in the progress path of Aikido. Be humble and help the weaker students whenever possible, do not abuse your position or seniority to show how tough you are, or deliberately test others. These are all wrong and bad attitudes which may lead to disharmony and injuries.
It is everyone’s responsibility to avoid unnecessary injuries in the dojo. The real skill in Aikido is to be able to blend and harmonise with your opponent’s line of attack, immobilizing and unbalancing your uke (attacker).
In applying locks (techniques), you should be able to feel or tell immediately how far you can go or apply sufficient pressure to control without injuring or hurting your uke and you should control within the limit. The severe pain only comes on if the uke struggles or try to test the credibility of your lock.
In projection or throw techniques, always go easy with the final extension. Do not overdo or extend too violently as the uke has already been unbalanced, so do allow your uke to have the time to take ukemi properly.
In conclusion:
Exercise more care with your partner or uke as he/she is helping you to understand and refine the techniques. It is your duty to take care of of your uke to ensure their safety and not injuring them. No doubt training methods are easier to adjust than attitude, but it is not impossible to change your attitude either.
We at Shinju-kai should always foster a high level of skill and understanding in Aikido, and at the same time, minimising injuries to make our training more enjoyable for everyone. Most importantly, make it A WAY OF LIFE!
