Aikido Yuishinkai Canberra/Personal Safety Self-Defence/Kenjutsu in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory | Martial arts school

Aikido Yuishinkai Canberra/Personal Safety Self-Defence/Kenjutsu

Locality: Canberra, Australian Capital Territory

Phone: +61 412 413 366

Address: Hovea St in O'Connor; & Cnr Gawler and Melbourne in Deakin; & Coyne ST scout hall in Chisholm 2604 Canberra, ACT, Australia

Website: http://canberraaikido.com.au

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25.01.2022 A message from Warren re the Qeanbeyan seminar in May. Note the early bird date and the payment method This is a reminder that the seminar is getting closer and that the early-bird rate closes on the 1st march. A reminder that the seminar details are as follows:... Dates: 2-3 May Session Times: 9am-12midday and 2pm-5pm, both days Cost before 1/3/20: $125 (You must use the discount coupon with the code AUTUMN2020) Cost from 1/3/20: $150 Register and pay by clicking on this link. https://www.bushinkan.com.au/regional-seminar If you are coming from a distance and intend to book accommodation you need to get in ASAP as there's not much left in the motels across the road from the dojo. If you have trouble getting a motel give me a call. Regards Warren Mob: 0409 321 213

25.01.2022 First class back on the mat! Such a pleasure to see everyone and get back into it. Looking forward to getting the Thursday class back up, and to seeing our other excellent adult class members! NB - Wed and Sun classes all "go", and holiday programs for 5-8s and Teens are confirmed.

24.01.2022 We're back! Re-opening approved by ACT! Adult training may restart next week in some locations, but hall/facility arrangements are still being finalised so stay tuned.

23.01.2022 "When the ability of one’s opponent is superior this is not possible. This is a key point in practice. Waza (natural movement) are expressed according to one’s ...level and their substance (techniques) is manifested differently each time. This is because what one naturally possesses (one’s ability as brought out through repeated practice) is expressed through certain relations (forms). Ability is Substance of Technique.......... For example, suppose we have an expensive, well-crafted fountain pen. No matter how well it is made, its final value depends on the person using it. Someone with poor handwriting cannot write well even when using a good pen. A skilled calligrapher, however, can write beautifully even when using an inexpensive pen. It is not that the pen he uses is good, but rather that the writer’s ability as a result of his long experience is excellent. One’s ability itself is the substance of the technique. Only those who possess ability can make good use of a well-crafted pen. If we fail to understand this, we will begin to attach excessive importance to techniques (waza) considering them to be secret which is tantamount to our believing that an expensive fountain pen enables us to write skillfully. It is important that we understand that techniques are tools for us to feel something. This something is one’s feeling of satisfaction derived when he is able to freely express his natural ability through his body in the form of technique." Yoshio Kuroiwa Shihan

22.01.2022 Reminder - The Aikido Holiday Program for Kids and Teens (see post below) is scheduled for January 12/13/14. Turn the TV off, turn the Playstation off, get your guys along! Its great fun and excellent learning.

22.01.2022 Well the seminar with the Chief Instructor went really well, and the Teens from the AikiKids classes did exceptionally well. Lots of thanks to everyone for coming along and putting the hard work in. Peter laid out refinements that advanced our understanding of what he had already shown us and they were really interesting. Thanks Peter, appreciate it. In a seminar Peter only has time to show a theme/principle/idea then limited application of it. Starting this week we will look at the material again and find a variety of applications for the ideas the seminar contained. This can sometimes mean clearly identifying and using the core idea, but allowing the exact performance to vary a little as circumstances change. It'll be fun! See you there.

21.01.2022 Saito Sensei demonstrating atemi

21.01.2022 https://kogenbudo.org/great-aikido-aikido-greats/

21.01.2022 Hi All, Peter has sent this regarding Maruyama Sensei coming to Australia in 2020. Please note that you must register online via this link http://www.aikidoyuishinkaiaustralia.com.au/2017-seminar-r/ and that you need to pay in full by April 30. Additionally, your membership renewal on 1st January will be essential to covering up-front costs.The seminar will be at Peter's new dojo, which is outside Hobart, and ways and means for transport will be worked out (I imagine most w...ill find accommodation in Hobart, but there is also accommodation near the dojo). As always, this will be an awesome seminar! "Maruyama 2020. Aikido Yuishinkai are delighted to announce the return of Koretoshi Maruyama to Australia in October 2020. Maruyama Sensei, direct student of Morihei Ueshiba OSensei for 13 years, former president of Ki no Kenkyukai and Founder of Aikido Yuishinkai will teach at the Tasmania Police Academy Multi purpose Hall hall from October 2nd to October 4th. This invitation is to anyone that has an interest in the art of Aikido that would like to learn from a direct student, to be able to touch the hand of a man who touched the hand of THE man is becoming increasingly rare as the passage of time slowly takes these masters from us. Do not miss this opportunity. International guests are welcome. Cost ; $480 Venue : Tasmania police academy, 151 South Arm Road, Rokeby Tasmania. Due to costs associated with venue hire, low Australian Dollar and high cost of business class flights, all attendees must have their mat fee PAID IN FULL BY APRIL 30, 2020. Times for the seminar will be posted shortly, but at the moment expect a Friday evening class plus two classes each Saturday and Sunday. I can also teach additional classes on other nights before and after at no additional cost if there is enough interest. Please note that the police academy is not in the city, and transport options will be looked at once numbers are confirmed."

20.01.2022 Remind you of a seminar or two?

20.01.2022 This is a minor update to the Level One document describing the hidden-in-plain-sight Aikido that Aikido Yuishinkai teaches. The update is mostly to align it with the upcoming Level Two document structure.

19.01.2022 This is how Maruyama Sensei sees Aikido. I am mind itself #10 Maruyama Koretoshi, the Founder of Aikido Yuishinkai I have been thinking about aikido as a martial art....Continue reading

19.01.2022 Shirata Rinjiro Sensei

18.01.2022 Perhaps in our Aikido training we are searching for something we dont yet understand. If we train ourselves in a particular way we can arrive at some profound ...realisations, about ourselves, about others and about the very nature of the universe. What we seek cannot be intellectualised, it must be realised. Do not seek to be like the men of old, instead, seek what they sought. Harigaya Sekiun created the term Ai-nuke to describe his condition attained through sword. It is the world of ABSOLUTE PEACE THAT TRANSCENDS WINNING AND LOSING. It is a different dimension from aiuchi. WE SHOULD CONSIDER IT A CRUCIAL TREASURE LEFT BY A MAN OF ANCIENT TIMES.you must transcend dualism and enter into the realm of Ai-nuke. But there is a problem. It is no good just to INTELLECTUALISE the concept of Ai-nuke. This is a very important point. If you do not have the background and strength of aiuchi, you cannot enter the realm of Ai-nuke...if you have not mastered aiuchi, it is impossible to learn Ai-nuke Omori Roshi Kotodama is mistakenly thought to be sounds, but in Aikido, kotodama is yamabiko no michi (the way of the mountain echo), it is the resonance of ki that precedes the emergence of sound. Subtle changes in these echoes become the mysteries of all creation. When two forms of Ki combine it becomes kokyu. Shirata Rinjiro The aikido which I am doing now is a path that builds people A WAY OF FORGING AND TEMPERING THE BODY AND SPIRIT (this is TANREN). It is not a way that injures others, nor is it one that wields against them the evil sword of death. I humbly ask that you, too, give deep thought to these considerations. The training in Aiki concerns itself most with the practicing of KI-GATA(the forms and movement of Ki) and the method of perfecting them. The most important element in true Ki-gata is the quality of shinken shobu(quite literally a fight to the death with real swords - it implies a certain seriousness of your attitude whilst training). In budo there is no so called Shiai or competitive matches of the type seen in sports. If we were to have matches, in true Budo they must become life and death situations. OSensei Would you say that O-Sensei had changed during the war years? Yes. His thinking about Budo had changed radically. And the way he related to people also changed. His fierce gaze had become more tender. One felt more like getting closer to him. It was as you see in photos taken in his old age. His eyes were still strict, but they were no longer so scary. After the war, O-Senseis thinking about waza also changed enormously. Before the war, the purpose of waza had been to kill the attacker. And we had practiced like that. After the war, he urged us not to attack opponents or to think of beating them up. If you do that, he said, it will be the same as before. I have changed how we do everything. O-Sensei told us that we must give our opponents joy. To do this, he said, we must become capable of immediately sensing their ki. And, to do this, we must unify ourselves, we must unify our words, our body, and our mind. We must become one with the workings of all things in the universe with Kami and the forces of Nature. We must bring all three things words, body, and mind into harmony with the workings of the universe. If you do that, O-Sensei said, true Budo will be born. The Budo of destroying others will become transformed into the Budo of offering joy and compassion to others. After the war, did O-Sensei also change how he taught? The method of practice was the opposite of what it had been. We no longer attacked. We looked at our partners ki in order to see the whole of them. From the top of their head to the tips of their toes. Not just external appearances. We needed to become able to absorb our partners minds. Training this way was more difficult. We couldnt wait for a partner to attack. We had to have the ability to instantly perceive the partners suki (openings) and intent to attack.Where will they strike? How will they move? We had to train to cultivate these sensing abilities in ourselves. Now all the techniques I teach are those of the postwar period. They are the true waza of O-Senseis Aikido. If we look at our partners, our hearts will be taken by them. Never look in their eyes. If we look in our partners eyes, our minds will be snatched away by their eyes. If we look at our opponents weapon, our ki will be stolen by that weapon. So, we must not stare at our partners. If we are always one with the universe, one with great nature, there is no space for the opponent to attack. When opponents do try to attack, we must not rely on form alone, but spontaneously create technique. In the old days, when the opponent attacked, we parried the blow and drove forward. After the war, things changed. The instant the opponent raised his arm to strike, even as he was raising his arm, we were already changing position. We had to act quickly. To do it well, we had to become one with nature and move without thinking. Another aspect of postwar Aikido was O-Senseis even greater emphasis on shinji for spiritual purification at the beginning of every practice session. Hed always begin with purification. Mitchio Hikitsuchi interview on Aikido Journal The basis of aikido is kokyu power. The term kokyu power existed before the word aikido began to be used. Therefore, unless you are able to employ your own kokyu power completely, and demonstrate, explain and teach it clearly, it is nothing but a mysterious term. I wrote a book entitled, The Spirit of Aikido: Kokyu Power after having been persuaded that it was this that was the true kokyu power. Kokyu is the source of the life of all things. However, no one breathes in and out consciously. If you breathe consciously, it is because your life is in danger. Kokyu power is created when infinite matter emerges through ones body. Therefore, you must have a mind which accepts infinite matter. You must not let your opponent enter there [in your mind]. Since it is the immense power of kokyu, which gives life to all things in Nature, and is manifest through ones body. You must not entertain selfish desires. Moreover, you should not have an egoistic attachment where you try to defeat your opponent. Kokyu power cannot emerge without a pure mind. Ones techniques cannot improve unless the world of spirit likewise grows. If you acquire true kokyu power, your opponent who attacks with an evil heart seeking to defeat you will lead himself to destruction. It is possible to reach that point. That was what Morihei Ueshiba Sensei taught. We have to understand this and make it a reality...By transmitting only unchanged form, you are led in a direction which is contrary to Senseis thought. Your techniques become one if you study the spiritual aspect of Morihei Ueshiba Sensei. You have to continually overcome barriers. Aiki is a matter of you becoming one with others. You have to create techniques which unite you and your opponent. If you are not able to achieve this, you should not use the expression Aiki is love, in an ideologically sense. This is something you can achieve through your body, and you should not think that spiritual matters are separate. Kanshu Sunadomari "When I thought of my ability to see the technical level of my opponent before the engagement, I realised that it had absolutely nothing to do with the opponents skillfulness or unskillfulness, and that it was I which was creating "skillfulness" and "unskillfulness" in the opponent. If there is "I" then there is "opponent", and if there is no "I" then there is no "opponent". If one truly comprehends this principle, there will not even be the slightest discrimination between "skilful" and "unskilful", "strong" and "weak", "big" and "small"..... Tesshu Yamaoka If you want to obtain the secrets of such wonderful techniques, drill yourself, harden yourself, undergo severe training, abandon body and mind; follow this course for years and you will naturally reach the profoundest levels. Tesshu Yamaoka "It's simple; think nothing, do nothing. When I move with intuition I am formless; when I have no form, there is nothing in this world that can oppose me." Issai Chozan

17.01.2022 My Space, is Kiriotoshi. The principles of Kiriotoshi that apply to Aikido are as follows. Ikkyo has the feeling of Tagaru, this is thread or rope being spun ...onto a wheel. In sword work this happens both in the hands and in the body. The hands return and extend to create the small circle, the elbows extend out to create space for the sword to fall and the breath orbits the body in the same direction as the hands rotate, this is the larger circle, the mind also makes the rotation rotating the universe, these three combined create the feeling that we call ikkyo. Vertical destabilisation of the structure happens through the upward movement of the string as it goes up the wheel, if there are two opposing wheels, the sensation of rising up the back of one creates the feeling of pulling the feet forward and out from under the other. This motion calls the feet of the attacker forward whilst simultaneously arresting the moment of the upper body. The two vertical tubes that form the trunk of the body also rotate outwards in opposing directions, opening the front of the body and closing the back. This movement spirals the trunk, creating a tangent to the oncoming force line of the attacker. The circuit is never complete, it moves continuously, like a ball rolling down a hill, this life is a never ending omnipresent cycle hidden behind the structure of the technique. *************** Sensei, how do you teach beginners? First of all, one of the aspects of aikido techniques is the flow. I begin showing how to move ones body. Body movements are not for the purpose of attacking ones opponent, but rather in order to absorb him. When your opponent strikes, you always invite him, encouraging him to strike. Ueshiba Sensei said to give the opponent what he wants. When he wants to strike, let him strike, when he wants to grab, let him grab; in other words, it is a matter of satisfying his wish. Then, when he strikes, position yourself properly and bring him under control. At that point, you create a technique. For this reason, I first teach my students how to move their bodies. There is a way to move your body with respect to your partner, and the next thing is to let him grab your hand. It is dangerous to do techniques while your fingers are grabbed, and so we use the method of grabbing the wrist. When we extend our hand, we can protect our bodies completely using this hand. In the past, we used the tenkan-body turning method in order to move our bodies. But to my way of thinking, this is meaningless. Even though this may be acceptable as a training method, it is meaningless in this age of speed. It wont work to use the methods of the past in this age of boxing and kick boxing. You must study what kinds of changes must be made. I had a long time to study these changes. At first, I rolled my wrist over the top or I used my elbow. I used several ways. But now, I seize my partner at the exact moment he grabs. Thats the point Ive reached. In terms of body movement, it is enough to avoid the opponents strike. It is not necessary to move the attacking hand. When my partner grabs, he himself ends up being grabbed. When my partner touches me, I move to the inside faster than him. Your own feeling must flow at this point. Your power will pour forth just at the time you extend your ki naturally. The power has already gone there when you extend your ki to encourage his attack. I leave everything to this power. We become as one body when I suddenly stop the flow of my power and have completely entered to the inside of my partner. However, it is not merely a matter of the two of us being close together, but rather, I become the center, and after I have moved in close to him, I can cause my partner to move freely. Ueshiba Sensei often said, It is a matter of who is the faster. I used to think superficially of speed, which involved collisions when I was still immature. But I understood that it was not at all the case when I discovered kokyu power. As soon as he grabs me, I enter to his inside. I become the center and become as one with my partner, and am completely bound up with him. When this happens, techniques freely emerge. You must not act using unnecessary power. You rely on the point of contact with your partner. If you do this, other kinds of power are naturally eliminated. It is a matter of feeling. It is not a matter of the mechanics of the technique. Kanshu Sunadomari

17.01.2022 How to Avoid Dying While Doing Atemi There are fatal errors being made by many (most?) Aikidoka whilst doing atemi and whilst doing Aiki Ken and Aiki Jo. Note t...hat there is no real difference between empty-hand atemi and Jo and Ken strikes and thrusts. They physically work much the same way, the same principles underlie them, and your body performs the same internal/Aiki/Misogi structures (open, close, weight transfer, HEM, spiral, footwork etc etc). This is why Aikido comes from the sword, its not because the techniques are all derived from sword techniques, as only a few Aikido techniques specifically relate to sword ones Ikkyo, Kotegaishi, Shihonage among them. The most obvious error being made is perhaps best explained via sword. Im picturing one of several videos Ive seen of O Sensei doing sword work uke lifts the sword into dai jodan and charges in with Shomenuchi, O Sensei slips outside a little, turns inwards (spiral anybody?) and thrusts the bokken into ukes front quarter one-handed, laughing. I dont know of course, but I imagine him laughing because uke wasnt defeated, he committed suicide. When you lift a sword from the chudan/seigan/gedan position to jodan/dai jodan/hasso you are removing your protection the threat from the tip is what is keeping your opponent away. If you now step towards your opponent with the sword up, even though it is threatening a cut, your opponent will stab or cut you before you can cut because you are now within range and their movement is smaller and faster. Here is the answer Ki Ken Tai Ichi. Ki first, sword next, body last. Your cut must fly before you take the last step/move into their range, and your body follows the blade in, foot and sword making contact at the same time. George Silver wrote a manual on English swordsmanship in the 1500s, he put it this way you must force your opponent to deal with the threat from your cut or thrust racing towards them before you dare to put your body within their range. So Ki is just in front of the blade, and your body follows the blade in. How do you do it? Basic version - you use the Moonshadow and T-Step principles to move in; just outside Maai your lats fire and hips pivot and the cut flies forward, then as your front foot big toe pulls your knee and pelvis forward and weight transfers to the front foot you then swing your rear leg through to make contact and grip and move to 60:40 weight as the cut or thrust makes contact (you could also concentrate your weight by bringing the back foot to the front one in T-Step with a down/ERF). Now you are protected by your own cut; you arent invulnerable, a good opponent has several options, but you havent committed suicide from ignorance of how things actually work. There is no difference when doing Tsuki, Shomenuchi, Yokomenuchi, Empi etc. when doing Aikido technique. None. Scenario #1 using Munetsuki. Uke moves in, then lunges towards Nage with body and pelvis and feet and Tsuki moving all at the same time. Nage either (a) does My Space inside the Munetsuki and counterattacks with a Tsuki to the face or the ribs, or with the knuckles to the throat, or fingers to the eyes, or elbow to the midsection or jaw, or, (b) does the same thing with My Space to the outside of the strike by Uke. This is exactly the scenario I described above where O Sensei dealt with the bokken Shomenuchi, and, unfortunately, this is how most Aikidoka attack. Scenario #2 using Munetsuki The same scenario, but this time Uke understands Moonshadow , weight transfer and Big Toe. Uke moves in using Moonshadow and T-Step; at Maai Uke slips the foot forward with Moonshadow keeping the weight on the non-moving leg, pulls the front big toe bringing the knee and pelvis forward, does weight transfer to the front foot (now inside maai), swings the back leg through, grips with the new front big toe and pulls the knee, pelvis and Tsuki forward all at the same time. Nage either (a) does My Space inside the Munetsuki and counterattacks with a Tsuki to the face or the ribs, or with the knuckles to the throat, or fingers to the eyes, or elbow to the midsection or jaw, or, (b) does the same thing with My Space to the outside of the strike by Uke. Uke has repeated the mistake made in the Scenario #1, of bringing their body into range without threatening Nage, who is therefore free to do what they want to Uke. Note that the Moonshadow without the Tsuki now also exposes the knee and foot to attack. Scenario #3 using Munetsuki In this scenario Uke additionally understands Ki Ken Tai Ichi. Uke moves in using Moonshadow and T-Step; at Maai Uke slips the foot forward with Moonshadow keeping the weight on the non-moving leg, pulls the front big toe bringing the knee and pelvis forward, does weight transfer to the front foot (now inside maai), triggers their lats, pivots the hip forward, launches the Tsuki, swings the back leg through, grips with the new front big toe then pulls the knee and pelvis forward. Nage is forced to move and/or parry to avoid being struck, which allows Uke to track with the centreline, and strike or grab again. Note that Uke started the Tsuki before moving into range, and did not move weight or the pelvis forward until after the Tsuki was on its way. The body follows the strike. And yes, getting the timing of when to follow the strike is tricky and takes a lot of work. In the next post Ill discuss how to physically do Munetsuki, Yokomenuchi and Shomenuchi in basic and more realistic modes.

16.01.2022 Some time ago it was suggested that I go through my seminar and Japan training notes, which go back to 1988, and see what I can find. What I found was that over... that period of time the various shihans whose instruction I have been fortunate to experience had provided a pretty comprehensive outline of O Sensei's hidden-in-plain-sight Aikido in the form of oral teachings (kuden) - mostly one-liners, or 2-3 sentences at most. Have a look, you'll be very surprised I think. I've tried to put like with like so that similar kuden mutually illuminate each other. See more

16.01.2022 The next NSW/ACT regional seminar with Peter Kelly is on September Sat 21st and Sun 22nd. Class times are 9-12pm and 2-5pm both days. The seminar is being hoste...d by Qeanbeyan Dojo (Warren Shardlow 0409 321 213). The location is: Ukrainian Hall 19 Atkinson St Queanbeyan, NSW, 2620 The dojo is just off the roundabout, across from Hungry Jacks. There is street parking on the side road. For those who want to bring their own food, the hall has a kitchen with fridge and microwaves. Fees for the seminar are as follows: $125 early bird (before 1/8/19) $150 (from 1/8/19) Payment is via an online form and payment facility on the events page by going to: https://www.bushinkan.com.au/regional-seminar Its great to have Peter returning again and to have Qeanbeyan hosting us. Please book the seminar in your diary and family schedule, and please use the online facility to book and pay the registration fee. Of course all Yuishinkai Australia students are welcome to attend. It'll be the usual excellent Aikido adventure, and I look forward to seeing everyone there!!!

16.01.2022 We just finished a three-day holiday program for our AikiKids, mornings were the 5-8s and afternoons were the 9-Teens. What a great job they all did. It was hot and sticky and tiring but they paid attention and worked hard. About 1/3 of the participants were new to Aikido, but they displayed the same work effort and attitude as the more experienced students. I was very proud of them all, and very pleased by their achievements and outcomes. A big "well done!" to everyone who came along. And a big "thank you!" to the mums and dads who supported the program. I really enjoyed it, I hope they all did too, and as an extra bonus, if I had any Xmas kilos before the program they're long gone now...

16.01.2022 Just a reminder - training resumes Wed 15th at Deakin. We are at Deakin for all January classes. Most have already, but if you haven't please get your annual membership off to Peter. Let me know if you need the account details for him. I hope you and your families are all well and safe.

16.01.2022 This is an important extract from a very useful book that you need to read.

14.01.2022 Well, we just completed a 3 day AikiKids holiday program, 3 hours a morning for 5-8s and 4 hours in the afternoons for 9-Teens. What a great time! Everybody worked really hard. The program was designed to stretch mind and body, and everyone got tired, and "I can't fit any more into my head", but that was part of the point. Funny how when the games section started no-one was tired anymore... We got a term's worth of training out of those 3 days, and also showed ideas about Ai...kido and how it works, and parts of the Aikido repertoire they hadn't seen before, which was great fun. I really enjoyed seeing everyone again. and really enjoyed the enthusiasm and the work effort everyone showed. Many thanks to the attendees, and to the parents who supported them. Murray See more

13.01.2022 From the horses mouth, Yamada Shihan....... I also have to face up to the challenges of such problems.... Aikido is complex in its depth and understanding comes... from, according to Maruyama sensei, and O’Sensei(read all his lecture notes in English) tanren, Shugyo (arduous continuous physical training)and Misogi (ukemi to undergo purification) - these are the common themes mentioned repeatedly in these lectures and supported by Maruyama Sensei’s personal knowledge of the man, accumulated over his 13 years as his student. When someone, loosely, - is given license to open a dojo below 3rd Dan, they are still very much at the beginning of a journey. There are usually rules and stipulations attached by sensei or other senior instructors in the organisation that - if said person understands honour, should be strictly adhered to. Usually this has to do with some kind if mentoring program. You are not an Aikido instructor, you are an Aikido propagator, you have been given position to assist in dissemination of the art, you are at the first step - the true meaning of shodan. Don’t assume to understand, don’t have prejudices and preconceived notions of what Aikido is, be humble and respect the wisdom of seniors, train hard and grow into the art. You don’t have the understanding that comes from the forging process (tanren) to question meanings and innuendo. You need to follow the prescribed stipulations attached to you being able to run a dojo. If you find yourself making excuses to avoid fulfilling those stipulations, you are already failing to understand what it takes to be an instructor, the first of which is GREAT SACRIFICE. ****Sacrifice of time, of money of your ideologies - if you fail at these simple tasks, a long hard look in the mirror needs to happen, as the reason for running a dojo can’t be attached to personal gain or ego driven servitude. Being a sensei is an honour, it’s what you grow to learn to do, not who you are. ***It can never become an identity that your ego develops to hide perceived life failures and character flaws. ***You are not sensei - it’s a role fulfilled in humility and sacrifice, it’s not a prize or tag to hang on a wall, or a title to exploit for personal gain. Aikido has always been about loosing daily, not gaining daily.***** Maruyama sensei told me the day he turned up to the Aikikai in 1953 the only people on the mat were Yamada sensei and the founders son. He has unique insight in that he was one of the original students sent to propogate the art on behalf of the founder. After such a long career, he has some regrets about the way it was propogated -for commercial viability, especially to do with junior instructors running dojo, that has lead to a decline in actual talent, and an increase in false wisdom not born of the founders tenets as listed above. There are now large collectives of these instructors banding together around the world to reject, collectively the founders tenants and form a new utopian ideal based on misinformed and misinterpreted aikido teachings. In this modern internet age, there is power in large numbers of apparent well intended individuals, no matter how misguided they are, their numbers give them the power to self validate. It takes wisdom born of the founders tenets to see through such illusions. One of the main precepts from the ancient text of Ki-ichi Hogan is Learn to discern that which is hidden. Or, learn to see through the illusion...... Yuishinkai suffered from the same issues over the last 20 years as it spread, for exactly the same reasons. I have a personal example. I taught a seminar about 10-12 years ago at a dojo in Australia. At the time I was a 5th dan, I was Sensei’s main uke at seminars, and according to sensei, his number one student. The dojo I visited was run by a collective of junior instructors and the senior one of this group had just been promoted to shodan two weeks before my seminar. I had taught all the first day and was a little frustrated with a lack of understanding the basic principles I was attempting to teach. I had a restless night trying to fathom in my head why. I began teaching the next day, and suddenly had an epiphany. They couldn’t tenkan. I stopped the class immediately and informed all present that we couldn’t proceed until they had learnt this basic movement correctly, and there frustration at not being able to understand stemmed from a simple issue. They couldn’t tenkan. Anyway I taught the remainder of the day and left. After my departure the two week old shodan instructor lost his cool and started throwing things around the change room. When questioned on his angered outburst he replied can’t tenkan - who the F*#K does he think he is telling my students they can’t tenkan ......... A 5th dan, senior instructor should always be able to point out such basic issues. A new shodan instructor should be able to receive such instruction with humility and a renewed vigour to correct such a basic movement. Senior instructors don’t say such things out of malicious intent, they say these things because they care about their students, and because they are charged with maintaining a standard in the art expected by the master. This is important, understanding this is important, living this is important. Yamada interview excerpts : Yes but sometimes students break away from the school and just want to go their own way and just want to teach. Yes, that’s true. If something becomes popular there is always a down side to the development. Aikido is very individual, very free, very personal. Everybody can practice aikido, and there are as many points of view as there are practitioners. That is good about aikido. But it’s also a problem. Because there is no specific way to describe aikido, some people create their own style (I hate that word). For example, some people don’t focus on the physical aspect of practice. Maybe they are lazy or don’t have any physical skills they still can practice. And he or she can be a teacher, too! And some people might like this person as a teacher. What can I do? In aikido anyone could open a dojo. In judo if you are weak, you don’t get students. It is obvious who is good, who is bad, because it is a sport. In aikido you have so many ways to look at it that telling the difference between good and bad is a problem. So everything that is good about aikido, unique and different from other martial arts is at the same time a problem. It is a very touchy subject. You can ask me more questions about it next time, Peter The system is just one of the problems, but another is people’s aggressive mentality? Yes, I didn’t want to get into this, but I will. This kind of mentality is characteristic of insecure persons. They use aikido as a tool to get a better position in society. Unfortunately, most of these people don’t practice hard on the mat. And unfortunately, because of the nature of aikido I discussed earlier, they can even teach others. Very unfortunate. As I said before, what is good about aikido is also the problem of aikido. I don’t call aikido ‘budo’ anymore because what makes Aikido so popular is its flexibility, lack of competition, no physical requirements. Anybody can practice. That is a good part of aikido. I’m always happy to see people who have a physical problem that would prevent them from practicing other martial arts enjoying themselves with aikido. That is the beauty of Aikido. If Aikido were pure budo, it wouldn’t be so popular. But unfortunately some people use aikido’s popularity in the wrong way, to build their own power. You’ve been doing aikido for a long time. In your career, what do think of as the high points and low points? Yeah, I’ve been doing this for too long. People won’t let me quit (laughter). In terms of highs and lows, this is a bit of a touchy subject. I’m very happy in the way aikido became so popular so quickly, but in a way, I feel something is off, because now so many people are involved in teaching aikido who maybe shouldn’t be. I’ve heard some senior people say that maybe 60-80% of people who are teaching aikido now shouldn’t be. In a certain sense, I feel same way. A lot of the good things about aikido are also bad points. That’s why we’re in such a difficult position now. Because aikido is very open to everybody, everyone can do it their own way, and if you want, you can teach almost immediately with little quality control. We ended up with too many instructors too quickly and this impacted the overall quality of what we are doing in the aikido community. Because there’s no competition in aikido, it’s quite difficult for people to measure or gauge skill or test the quality of various technical approaches. This is one problem.

11.01.2022 Perhaps in our Aikido training we are searching for something we don’t yet understand. If we train ourselves in a particular way we can arrive at some profound ...realisations, about ourselves, about others and about the very nature of the universe. What we seek cannot be intellectualised, it must be realised. Do not seek to be like the men of old, instead, seek what they sought. Harigaya Sekiun created the term Ai-nuke to describe his condition attained through sword. It is the world of ABSOLUTE PEACE THAT TRANSCENDS WINNING AND LOSING. It is a different dimension from aiuchi. WE SHOULD CONSIDER IT A CRUCIAL TREASURE LEFT BY A MAN OF ANCIENT TIMES.you must transcend dualism and enter into the realm of Ai-nuke. But there is a problem. It is no good just to INTELLECTUALISE the concept of Ai-nuke. This is a very important point. If you do not have the background and strength of aiuchi, you cannot enter the realm of Ai-nuke...if you have not mastered aiuchi, it is impossible to learn Ai-nuke Omori Roshi Kotodama is mistakenly thought to be sounds, but in Aikido, kotodama is yamabiko no michi (the way of the mountain echo), it is the resonance of ki that precedes the emergence of sound. Subtle changes in these echoes become the mysteries of all creation. When two forms of Ki combine it becomes kokyu. Shirata Rinjiro The aikido which I am doing now is a path that builds people A WAY OF FORGING AND TEMPERING THE BODY AND SPIRIT (this is TANREN). It is not a way that injures others, nor is it one that wields against them the evil sword of death. I humbly ask that you, too, give deep thought to these considerations. The training in Aiki concerns itself most with the practicing of KI-GATA(the forms and movement of Ki) and the method of perfecting them. The most important element in true Ki-gata is the quality of shinken shobu(quite literally a fight to the death with real swords - it implies a certain seriousness of your attitude whilst training). In budo there is no so called Shiai or competitive matches of the type seen in sports. If we were to have matches, in true Budo they must become life and death situations. O’Sensei Would you say that O-Sensei had changed during the war years? Yes. His thinking about Budo had changed radically. And the way he related to people also changed. His fierce gaze had become more tender. One felt more like getting closer to him. It was as you see in photos taken in his old age. His eyes were still strict, but they were no longer so scary. After the war, O-Sensei’s thinking about waza also changed enormously. Before the war, the purpose of waza had been to kill the attacker. And we had practiced like that. After the war, he urged us not to attack opponents or to think of beating them up. If you do that, he said, it will be the same as before. I have changed how we do everything. O-Sensei told us that we must give our opponents joy. To do this, he said, we must become capable of immediately sensing their ki. And, to do this, we must unify ourselves, we must unify our words, our body, and our mind. We must become one with the workings of all things in the universe with Kami and the forces of Nature. We must bring all three things words, body, and mind into harmony with the workings of the universe. If you do that, O-Sensei said, true Budo will be born. The Budo of destroying others will become transformed into the Budo of offering joy and compassion to others. After the war, did O-Sensei also change how he taught? The method of practice was the opposite of what it had been. We no longer attacked. We looked at our partners’ ki in order to see the whole of them. From the top of their head to the tips of their toes. Not just external appearances. We needed to become able to absorb our partners’ minds. Training this way was more difficult. We couldn’t wait for a partner to attack. We had to have the ability to instantly perceive the partner’s suki (openings) and intent to attack.Where will they strike? How will they move? We had to train to cultivate these sensing abilities in ourselves. Now all the techniques I teach are those of the postwar period. They are the true waza of O-Sensei’s Aikido. If we look at our partners, our hearts will be taken by them. Never look in their eyes. If we look in our partners’ eyes, our minds will be snatched away by their eyes. If we look at our opponent’s weapon, our ki will be stolen by that weapon. So, we must not stare at our partners. If we are always one with the universe, one with great nature, there is no space for the opponent to attack. When opponents do try to attack, we must not rely on form alone, but spontaneously create technique. In the old days, when the opponent attacked, we parried the blow and drove forward. After the war, things changed. The instant the opponent raised his arm to strike, even as he was raising his arm, we were already changing position. We had to act quickly. To do it well, we had to become one with nature and move without thinking. Another aspect of postwar Aikido was O-Sensei’s even greater emphasis on shinji for spiritual purification at the beginning of every practice session. He’d always begin with purification. Mitchio Hikitsuchi interview on Aikido Journal The basis of aikido is kokyu power. The term kokyu power existed before the word aikido began to be used. Therefore, unless you are able to employ your own kokyu power completely, and demonstrate, explain and teach it clearly, it is nothing but a mysterious term. I wrote a book entitled, The Spirit of Aikido: Kokyu Power after having been persuaded that it was this that was the true kokyu power. Kokyu is the source of the life of all things. However, no one breathes in and out consciously. If you breathe consciously, it is because your life is in danger. Kokyu power is created when infinite matter emerges through one’s body. Therefore, you must have a mind which accepts infinite matter. You must not let your opponent enter there [in your mind]. Since it is the immense power of kokyu, which gives life to all things in Nature, and is manifest through one’s body. You must not entertain selfish desires. Moreover, you should not have an egoistic attachment where you try to defeat your opponent. Kokyu power cannot emerge without a pure mind. One’s techniques cannot improve unless the world of spirit likewise grows. If you acquire true kokyu power, your opponent who attacks with an evil heart seeking to defeat you will lead himself to destruction. It is possible to reach that point. That was what Morihei Ueshiba Sensei taught. We have to understand this and make it a reality...By transmitting only unchanged form, you are led in a direction which is contrary to Sensei’s thought. Your techniques become one if you study the spiritual aspect of Morihei Ueshiba Sensei. You have to continually overcome barriers. Aiki is a matter of you becoming one with others. You have to create techniques which unite you and your opponent. If you are not able to achieve this, you should not use the expression Aiki is love, in an ideologically sense. This is something you can achieve through your body, and you should not think that spiritual matters are separate. Kanshu Sunadomari "When I thought of my ability to see the technical level of my opponent before the engagement, I realised that it had absolutely nothing to do with the opponents skillfulness or unskillfulness, and that it was I which was creating "skillfulness" and "unskillfulness" in the opponent. If there is "I" then there is "opponent", and if there is no "I" then there is no "opponent". If one truly comprehends this principle, there will not even be the slightest discrimination between "skilful" and "unskilful", "strong" and "weak", "big" and "small"..... Tesshu Yamaoka If you want to obtain the secrets of such wonderful techniques, drill yourself, harden yourself, undergo severe training, abandon body and mind; follow this course for years and you will naturally reach the profoundest levels. Tesshu Yamaoka "It's simple; think nothing, do nothing. When I move with intuition I am formless; when I have no form, there is nothing in this world that can oppose me." Issai Chozan

11.01.2022 CANBERRA SEMINAR this weekend!!!! Peter Kelly is in Canberra on Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd of September. It will be at the Deakin dojo. There will be one 3-hour class and one 2-hour class each day - 0900-1200 and 1400-1600. See you there!!

10.01.2022 Great article, please take it to heart.

08.01.2022 We are just back from 2 weeks in Japan, training with Maruyama Sensei. He was very happy, which reflects well on everyone's effort and training. It was quite cold, 8 degrees or so, but we really sweated during class (which is the way it should be). We were also able to quite a bit of sightseeing, whether as the Canberra group or part of the larger Australian group (which benefited greatly from Peter Kelly's guidance), and everyone got out every day to train and/or go somewhere new and interesting. It was an excellent trip and a lot of fun.

08.01.2022 Well we're back into it tomorrow, sort of...restrictions in place mean we can't do active practices indoors, only passive things such as painting etc. So we'll be outside Sunday morning doing weapons kata on the grass. More of a challenge than you might think, its winter. As it is dark early and cold here in Canberra we can't do evening practice in the park after work, but, while its quite restrictive, Sunday is a start. There are no active cases in Canberra but everyone is quite cautious so it will probably be another 2 weeks before we can train indoors. Looking forward to seeing everyone! And then hitting them with sticks.

07.01.2022 Aikido Yuishinkai Australia Instructor Competency Policy Sept 2018. The following policy has been in discussion for some years now by the Technical Committee me...mbers and the Chief Instructor. In the previous incarnation of the AYA its constitution contained Instructor Accreditation criteria; an instructor was not allowed to teach unless they attended a set number of seminars every year, including the national one, and also attended Instructor Development Weekends. While this policy was not enforced, it was carried forward with some amendments into the constitution proposed for the new AYA. As that constitution was not approved this policy has been formulated by the Chief Instructor of Australia. 1. Dojos do not appoint Instructors. Either (a) a Dojo Cho sends the Chief Instructor a recommendation for someone to be appointed an Instructor and the CI approves or disapproves it, or (b) the Chief Instructor (or Maruyama Sensei) directly appoints an Instructor. No person not approved in writing by the CI can teach (and is therefore not covered by dojo instructor insurance). 2. An Instructor only maintains that status from 1 January until 31 December every calendar year, and must meet the criteria below to carry their Instructor Competency forward. If the criteria are not met the instructor must either cease teaching until the criteria are met or seek a waiver in writing from the CI. 3. The Instructor must attend 2 Maruyama Sensei or Chief Instructor of Australia seminars every year, for the full period of each seminar. Modification of this criteria to suit temporary personal circumstances requires the approval of the CI. 4. The Instructor must be able to perform and to teach the Principles of the Level(s) that they are qualified in. 5. The Instructor must teach every week, preferably several times. 6. The Instructor must take Ukemi from students frequently in each class, to maintain their own competency and to teach ukemi, the technique and Principles to Nage. 7. The Chief Instructor will occasionally schedule an Instructor Development Weekend, either nationally or regionally, and will require all instructors at the national one, and all regional instructors at the regional one. Modification of this criteria to suit temporary personal circumstances requires the approval of the CI. 8. At regional and national seminars Instructors can expect to be separated from the main body for part of the seminar for development training and assessment. The purpose of this policy is to (a) develop high quality students by developing high quality instructors and (b) to maintain and develop the skills, knowledge and heritage passed down to us from Ueshiba Sensei by Maruyama Sensei.

07.01.2022 Thanks to everyone who came to the Chief Instructors seminar in Canberra. It was great to see you, and the effort and enthusiasm on the mat was manifest. Well done.

07.01.2022 Aikido classes for adults resume the normal schedule this week, including Thursday at O'Connor. AikiKids classes resume the full, normal, schedule this week as Term3 starts. Looking forward to seeing all those laughing faces again!

07.01.2022 Has modern Aikido totally lost the founders message? I was watching a few highly athletic gymnastic (I mean Aikido) demonstrations today, nd feel compelled to r...emind people that the heart of the founders Aikido had nothing to do with flamboyant ego driven look at how good I am demonstrations of athletic prowess, and more to do with a much more important aspect of human nature............ Shin no Bu towa Aite no zenbou wo Kyushu shiteshimau - inryoku no renma de aru .. true budo is to absorb the totality of the Partner - it is the training of inryoku. OSensei In Aikido, before one's opponent comes, one absorbs the intentions of his spirit/mind into oneself to control it freely. That is to say, the workings of a spiritual gravity(inryoku no tanren) makes progress. One sees the world all at once. Today, as yet, almost nobody is able to do this. I haven't reached it, either. O Sensei in Aikido News issue 4 Kotodama is mistakenly thought to be sounds, but in Aikido, kotodama is yamabiko no michi (the way of the mountain echo), it is the resonance of ki that precedes the emergence of sound. Subtle changes in these echoes become the mysteries of all creation. When two forms of Ki combine it becomes kokyu. Shirata Rinjiro Harigaya Sekiun created the term Ai-nuke to describe his condition attained through sword. It is the world of ABSOLUTE PEACE THAT TRANSCENDS WINNING AND LOSING.(sound familiar again). It is a different dimension from aiuchi. WE SHOULD CONSIDER IT A CRUCIAL TREASURE LEFT BY A MAN OF ANCIENT TIMES.you must transcend dualism and enter into the realm of Ai-nuke. But there is a problem. It is no good just to INTELLECTUALISE the concept of Ai-nuke. This is a very important point. If you do not have the background and strength of aiuchi, you cannot enter the realm of Ai-nuke...if you have not mastered aiuchi, it is impossible to learn Ai-nuke Omori Roshi

07.01.2022 Words to live by..... http://aikidojournal.com//25/a-common-sense-look-at-aikido/

06.01.2022 Checking the ACT Health website, it looks like the next easing of restrictions will allow contact, and 20 people in the space. No date specified yet. This would allow us to restart Aikido, so here's hoping its soon.

06.01.2022 In the summer holidays we’ll run an AikiKids holiday program. It will be structured much the same as the last one which the kids loved! It was a lot of fun, and a lot of good training. I realise some of you will be out of town, but if not please come along! It will be at the Deakin location, the scout hall in La Trobe Park on the corner of Gawler Crescent and Melbourne Avenue.... The dates are: Tuesday 12th January/Wed 13th/Thurs 14th. 5-8 year-olds will attend 3 hours each day, classes starting at 0900 and going through to finish at 1200. The kids will get two 10 minute breaks during this period and will need to bring snacks and a water bottle. 9-Teens will attend 4 hours each day, classes starting at 1300 and going through to finish at 1700. The kids will get two 10 minute breaks during this period and will need to bring snacks and a water bottle. The classes will be a mixture of Aikido training and related activities that develop skills (and are fun), weapons training (sword/staff/knife all wood) (some for the 5-8s but mostly for 9-teens), and games (mostly for the 5-8s). The older group will, like the previous holiday program, receive training much closer in content and method to that of the adults. The fee will be: $130 each for 5-8s $160 each for 9-Teens. For those coming along who are not yet existing members of an Aikido class there will be a little paperwork on the first morning. Please feel free to mention the program to others outside the existing classes who might be interested. The previous one was brilliant, the kids raved about it and I was very happy with the outcomes they achieved. To book in simply email [email protected]

05.01.2022 AikiKids will restart with a holiday program in the first week of the school holidays (details in email tomorrow). Make sure you book in! Then AikiKids will recommence normal classes at the start of Term3. Adult Aikido restarts next week Wed 6pm and Sunday 9am for Aikido and 11am for SMR. Both at Deakin. Thursday class still being arranged/in progress.

05.01.2022 When Michael Yates from the Sydney SMR group came along a couple of weeks ago he thoughtfully brought some documents he thought we would find useful, which was very kind of him. Among them is this very interesting history of SMR based on a lecture by Kaminoda Tsunemori in 1987. Its really interesting, and also a real insight into how a traditional ryu evolved over time. Here's the link https://drive.google.com//1TKceRzIrzsXkA1jlf-KRa-hjj/view

03.01.2022 "When the ability of ones opponent is superior this is not possible. This is a key point in practice. Waza (natural movement) are expressed according to ones ...level and their substance (techniques) is manifested differently each time. This is because what one naturally possesses (ones ability as brought out through repeated practice) is expressed through certain relations (forms). Ability is Substance of Technique.......... For example, suppose we have an expensive, well-crafted fountain pen. No matter how well it is made, its final value depends on the person using it. Someone with poor handwriting cannot write well even when using a good pen. A skilled calligrapher, however, can write beautifully even when using an inexpensive pen. It is not that the pen he uses is good, but rather that the writers ability as a result of his long experience is excellent. Ones ability itself is the substance of the technique. Only those who possess ability can make good use of a well-crafted pen. If we fail to understand this, we will begin to attach excessive importance to techniques (waza) considering them to be secret which is tantamount to our believing that an expensive fountain pen enables us to write skillfully. It is important that we understand that techniques are tools for us to feel something. This something is ones feeling of satisfaction derived when he is able to freely express his natural ability through his body in the form of technique." Yoshio Kuroiwa Shihan

03.01.2022 Seminar details

03.01.2022 Aikido Yuishinkai Australia Grading Policy Update Sept 2018. The Chief Instructor has asked me to communicate the following policy update. The Grading Syllabus ...is presently a series of techniques, plus the Yuishinkai Kata. From this point on it now incorporates two other elements: 1. All graders must demonstrate the competency in Ukemi and in 8 Directions Rolling required for the Kyu or Dan grade they are candidates for. The required standards were previously published, email me if you require a copy. 2. When techniques are performed in a grading the candidate must clearly demonstrate the use of the Principles, at the standard and depth appropriate for their grade. Students should understand that the Grading Syllabus techniques are there to teach the Principles contained within them. The Principles Syllabus (for Level One) is here, this is what is required in your grading: https://drive.google.com/open Please note that the Principles Syllabus for Levels 2/3/4 are in preparation, but will not be distributed on any public forum; they will be supplied by the Chief Instructor or by the members of the Technical Committee to those individuals who have demonstrated the internalisation of the Level they are working on. At the present time most AYA members should be consolidating Level One.

03.01.2022 Well, apart from doing my own training I've got a bit of time on my hands, so its full speed ahead on the Principles Syllabus Level2. Its a big one, so it'll be a while yet. I'm also looking at whether I can do visiting coaching, i.e, visit Kids for example at home, keeping distance/wearing mask, and teach/coach for an hour while the Kid(s)/parent pair up. More on that later this weekend I hope. Keep safe and well, as far as I know all our Canberra Yuishinkai community are in good shape.

02.01.2022 Often, people who don't quite understand how Aikido is constructed become frustrated with doing Basics. Advanced training is more fun, we all enjoy it, and practicing it may make you feel "advanced" or "senior." There is immense danger in avoiding basic training however; advanced training is built upon the foundation that Basics provide, and without continually spending significant time practicing basics before doing "advanced", body and mind gradually forget how to do the things that make advanced training work. Its no use having a roof if your walls and foundation have crumbled. Every class remind your mind and body what the Basics contain.

02.01.2022 Sadly we have had to suspend all Aikido classes for now. Classes will resume once the social distancing and non-essential activity restrictions have been relaxed. I'll be putting some training material on the website and/or youtube. Stay safe and well and see you soon-ish!