KIAI

Kiai (気合) I have mused openly in the past about the disappearance of the kiai from Aikido.  O’Sensei was reported to have a very powerful kiai that could be heard from miles away. Traditional arts continue to employ kiai, so why the downplay in Aikido? O Sensei kiai and kotodama video Kiai is ‘simply aContinue reading “KIAI”

KEYS TO EFFECTIVE TRAINING

The keys to effective training – these are the ‘secrets’ of any art. The more I study and train, the easier it is to see connections where I once saw only differences: Moving beyond techniques to see concepts; to see connections among the arts. The metaphor of a ‘key’ is a powerful one – for meContinue reading “KEYS TO EFFECTIVE TRAINING”

EDGED ETTIQUETTE

“An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life.” ― Robert A. Heinlein, Beyond This Horizon In the Aikido dojo the sword is the soul of the samurai and that spirit remains salient.  Even a bokken (wooden sword) should be handled as the symbolic representationContinue reading “EDGED ETTIQUETTE”