Aikido - A Mystery Or Driving Force

WHAT IS AIKIDO?

As a new topic, many students will have conjured up all sorts of thoughts of what Aikido is, and most of thoughts are probably correct.  Aikido means different things to different people.  To avoid confusion we must first look into its history.

References to the original form, "AIKI JUJUTSU", date back to 1150ad.  This fighting form was closely guarded by the heads of Japanese Clans in Feudal times and was only taught to the knights of the Clan.  The close combat weapons used in those days were, swords, spears, staffs knives to name a few.  In general fighting was carried out in close quarters.  Today, as we have seen in recent times, battle is fought at distant and with explosive weapons such as guns & bombs etc.  To use a Martial Art against such devices would be pointless.  So the reasons for learning a Martial Art today are entirely different from the original reasons.  Today it is more about leisure and in essence the spirit of what once was.  From this we can practise and become skilful with a more useful purpose.  This purpose is the development of body and mind for the good of all.

A SHORT HISTORY OF KIKUSUI KAI AIKIDO

Aikido is a Martial Art that has a history that reaches back to 11th Century Japan. It is system of training that is attributed to a Samurai General by the name of Shinra Saburo Yoshimitsu. Having studied many forms of Ju-Jitsu, the general devised a system of self-defence without weapon, that would provide his officers with both physical fitness and spiritual well being. This system, which he named Daitoryu-Aiki-Ju-Jutsu, proved so successful and valuable that for centuries afterwards it was kept secret and handed down only through members of the powerful Minamoto family. Later it was handed down to the Takeda family of the Aizu clan. Dr. Sogaku Takeda taught the hereditary successor, Professor Morihei Uyeshiba in 1910 when the professor was 28 years of age. 

He too possessed a wide knowledge of the Japanese martial arts and was expert in many schools of Ju-Jutsu. His first master in the martial arts was one Tokuzaburo Tozawa who taught him the forms of the Kito-Ryu school when he was in his teens. At the age of 20 he studied Yagi-Ryu and early form of fencing from Masakatsu Nakai. It was Nakai Sensei who taught Uyeshiba to use the Bokken (Wooden Sword) really well. He also studied Judo with Kiyoichi Takaki in Wakayama Ken. From all these he took the best of the techniques he had learned and added to them his mastery of Daitoryu-Aiki-Ju-Jutsu and so formed his own system, which is now known as Aikido.

One famous samurai who has had a deep and lasting influence on the formation of Kikusui Kai was  Masashige Kusunoki.  He was a powerful symbol of loyalty to the Emperor Go-Daigo.  His heroic defence of Chihaya Castle became one of the most famous examples of bushido.  The Kikusui no Mon (the Kikusui Kai emblem or badge) comes from his family crest, which consists of kiku – chrysanthemum and sui – water.

Early forms of the Kikusui no Mon

A translation of old characters which form part of the battle flag of Masashige Kusunoki.

This is a explanation of the world order, which reads, “Atrocity cannot win over Justice.  Justice cannot win over Law.  Law cannot win over Authority.  Authority cannot win over God.”  This teaching dates back to 13^th century Japan and may be difficult to relate to modern times. 

A simpler definition might read:

Written below the Kikusui no Mon are old style characters which form part of the battle flag of Masashige Kusunoki.

THROUGH TRUE SPIRIT WE STRIVE EXCELLENCE, 

WHICH PREVAILS OVER INJUSTICE AND INIQUITY

Today the "Battle Crest" is worn in a much simpler form and signifies a belonging to and perpetuation of the great loyalty that was demonstrated by Masashige Kusunoki.

A modern explanation might be that  the Chrysanthemum shows true natural beauty and the bottom half is the road leading to this excellence.  The blue circle around the outside represents a circle of friends.

KIKUSUI KAI & SHUNPU KAI - TWINNED

Kikusui Kai members attended the presentation of the first Anglo-Japanese Friendship Trophy. 

It is an idea first conceived by Futami Sensei.  Its purpose is to promote a stronger link between the two groups, Kikusui Kai & Shunpu Kai. 

Each year, on the 25^th December, the anniversary of Tomiki Sensei’s passing away; the Kabuto is presented to the chosen candidate; one nominee being in the UK the other in Japan.

Sensei Ogi received the sister Kabuto on 30^th November, 2002.  On 11th August, 2003, John Waite was presented with the other Kabuto which he keeps for one year, before it is passed on to his successor.

This exchange formalises the bond between the two groups.  Both groups strongly follow the teachings of Professor Tomiki through that of Yamada Sensei. 

Masako Tomiki oversaw the entire ceremony.  As a memento John was awarded a Certificate, which he will keep.

Futami Sensei

with the "sister"

Anglo-Japanese Friendship Trophy

Aikido - The Art Of Nothing, Yet Everything

MU SHIN,  MU GAMAE

MUSHIN       Empty Mind, Not thinking, Without

                      Conscience, Without emotion

                      Mindless, Endless, No-mind-ness

MUGAMAE   Without posture, Without stance

                       No posture, No attitude-ness

A philosophical concept that lies in the heart of Tomiki's Budo, "Mushin Mugamae." "Mushin" is a state in which the mind lets go from itself, no longer seeing things as "this and that, good and bad, right and wrong, gain and loss, life and death-all which must be seen as a oneness." "Mushin" is a mind undisturbed by effects of any kind from which proceeds a "flowing mind and body" and making possible the performance of skilful technique without "conscious efforts made to generate and sustain it."  Mushin is the Zen concept of “no mindedness,” a state in which there is no preconceived thought that interrupts the flow of physical action.  Mu means “nothing, empty, or no.”  Shin means “mind or heart” in both the physical and in the spiritual sense. Thus in terms of Zen, there is no separation between thought and emotion.  To feel it is to think it; to think it is to feel it.

The corollary of "Mushin" is "Mugamae", the body adopting the posture or stance appropriate to any situation without the conscious direction of the mind.

With no preconceived thought or emotion, action will be one with thought and emotion.  Thus to think it and to feel it is to do it.  A circle is always balanced.  There is no distinguishing top or bottom, left or right.  It has no point or goal but to be a circle.  The planet Saturn represents the eternal rotation of the solar system.  Should the planet cease to rotate, it will be destroyed, and harmony will cease in the universe.  The planets affect the tides, the never-ending flow of water.  Should the oceans cease to flow, stagnation will occur.  Stagnation in the physical world and in our personal lives will bring about defeat in martial arts and in life.  The planet Saturn is bound by its rings, which represent constraint and control.  The planet Saturn in harmony with the universe and its own self-contained cosmos, therefore, represents the mindless circle.  Training in martial arts is meaningless unless it leads to the continual perfection of the practitioner, despite the outside forces of negativity and darkness that constantly work in opposition to spirituality and the light of hope.  Thus the way of Mushin Mugamae is “the way of the mindless (endlessness) circle.”  There is not always a specific goal in a martial arts technique or in life.  In most martial arts systems, the techniques have an “end in mind.”  Too often the goal is to hurt or maim an opponent.  These techniques can also be easily countered, leaving the practitioner with no options.  The circle stops.  But a technique designed to be a means of achieving harmony with an opponent’s flow has many options.  Since the technique has not been predetermined, it will be difficult to defend against.  Because the end is not in the martial artist’s mind, it does not exist until created in response to the flow of combat.  Also in reaction to an opponent’s attack, a strike can become a block; a block can become a strike, with or without power.  A strike can even turn into a pat on a potential opponent’s back should the moment of conflict be eliminated prior to a physical confrontation.  The correct technique will occur when the martial artist is in the flow of the mindless circle.  A momentary defeat is only a chance to create another artistic endeavour based upon achieving the harmony contained in the mindless circle.  Even in defeat if a martial artist is in the flow of the endless circle, the defeat can become a means to spiritual and physical regeneration.  The defeat becomes a victory, and the circle is completed.

Even in life’s every day endeavours, many individuals always look for ends or achievements and often lose sight of the means necessary to attain those goals.  A missed opportunity in life is merely a chance for those individuals to aspire to another—perhaps more exciting—achievement that would never have been realized had their original goals been attained.  Thus no antagonist and no political or social force can prevail in an attempt to thwart their attainment.  But the problem is that many times those same individuals have looked only forward to that far off goal, and they failed to create the short-term means that would help them achieve that end.  Unless they develop the skills necessary to achieve that goal, the goal will never come.  If the perfection of a particular martial arts technique is a goal, it is first necessary to develop the timing, balance, speed, and power needed for proper execution.

A Zen proverb states something to this effect:  “Those who wish to attain certain goals must first become certain men or women; once they have attained that state-- become those certain men or women-- the attainment of that certain goal will no longer concern them.”

Aikido is a self-defence system, which exploits the inherent weaknesses in an opponent.

OUR JOINTS ARE WEAK. No Matter how much muscle we build up around them they will always remain the same - weak links.

THE WAY WE STAND. Again our whole body is inherently weak in one direction and strong in another.

THE WAY WE WALK. Walking is a continual process of loosing and regaining balance. As we lift a foot to step forward or backward we are momentarily left on the other foot. This makes us vulnerable and weak in every direction.

MENTAL. To psyche out your opponent can reveal weaknesses in the mind.  Before you encounter an opponent, if you believe you can be beaten you will loose.

IMPORTANT POINTS TO REMEMBER WHEN PERFORMING A TECHNIQUE

POSTURE. Be relaxed, balanced, be in a ready state of awareness. Be ready to move in any direction and at speed.  To perform any technique you must yourself be in control of your body, otherwise you will risk failing and possibly being countered.

EYE-CONTACT. Focus should be an overall view of your opponent and not fixed to any one point.

TIMING. To be able to read an opponents intentions and react at the correct moment.

AVOIDANCE (CORRECT DISTANCE). When an opponent attacks, the most important thing is to avoid being struck.  You may not even need to use a technique afterwards.  This initial movement also places you at the correct distance from your opponent for a successful application of a technique.

BALANCE. To perform any Judo or Aikido technique, first you must disturb your opponent’s balance but your balance must be good.  This can be physically, mentally, actively or passively.

SOFTNESS. To be soft will always overcome hardness.  Do not try to resist a force but blend and move with it.  To be soft will enable you to move more quickly and with precision.

K I L L!     =    Keep It Light and Loose!

BUDO MAN

THE DEVELOPMENT OF A RANDORI SYSTEM FOR AIKIDO

In the early part of this century Morihei Ueshiba (Founder if Aikido) practised AIKI JUJUTSU and from this he derived his original form "AIKI BUJUTSU".  By 1942, "AIKIDO", as it was then to be named, was officially recognised and was know as the way of harmony.

Originally the AIKI JUJUTSU form had no simple learning process and there were many hundreds of techniques many of which were deadly and violent.  Morihei Ueshiba's AIKIDO reduced the number to some 2664 variations on 30 basic movements and using safer techniques.  Students could then repeatedly practice without the fear of permanent injury, but still keeping in mind the origins of the techniques.  Kenji Tomiki, a student of Morihei Ueshiba and like his master he too was an expert in Judo.  He took this a stage further and devised a simpler and more systematic method of teaching Aikido efficiently from the knowledge and correct application of far fewer techniques.  One of his aims was to introduce the element of competition or free-play (Randori), something not previously acknowledged by Aikidoka.  By the mid 1960's he had achieved this and several colleges took part in a competition.  The analogy being similar to that of Judo, which was developed by Kano for younger players with a competitive and sporting element in mind.

The “BUDO MAN” diagram shows the origins and refinements of AIKIDO and how it relates to other disciplines.  It shows how the techniques are grouped and how they overlap with Judo.  Furthermore it highlights the key elements for safe and effective application of Randori.

SOFTNESS / MOVEMENT, BALANCE & POSTURE