NECESSARY VIOLENCE

In Aikido we use weapons as a basis of understanding or a metaphor for action – “shomen is like an overhead strike” – and yet we often change the way we execute any given technique when a weapon is actually involved.  Aikido does at least make the pretext of keeping the principles the same – meaningContinue reading “NECESSARY VIOLENCE”

NO “Ura”

For those happy few who got up early and braved the snow, today we explored my assertion that there is no ura – and to demonstrate I returned briefly to ikkyo. When properly done, ikkyo is a return of uke’s arm (sword, dagger, whatever) back on the line of approach, from the inside relationship. To that point,Continue reading “NO “Ura””