Shinshin toitsu aikido training notes 　　　　　　　心身統一合氣道

When circumstances are not in your favor, the best state to be in is mind and body unified

2011-10-29T10:00:00.002+09:00

I just spent 20 days tethered to a hospital bed with oxygen and IV lines as I recovered from pneumonia. I felt so powerless. There were a lot of things I didn't like about about my circumstances. but the worst was feeling like I couldn't do anything about changing them. At night when the lights went out I would play out the next day's unpleasant and sometimes painful scenes, over and over again.

I did practice breathing and meditation, which certainly broke those negative cycles of thought as long as I was focused on the practice. But sometimes I just felt too tired. Then I remembered Ohara-sensei teaching us how to keep mind and body unified when lying down. He showed us how to practice keeping weight underside when lying down and helped us experience the light, comfortable feeling of our bodies when we did so. This really helped me in the hospital. I realized that if I had to be there in those unpleasant circumstances - and I did - then THIS was the best state to be in.

Ukemi practice is ki extension practice

2011-06-17T19:00:00.000+09:00

We spent about half an hour at last night's class doing the 5th kyu test for ushiro ukemi: when you come up from the roll to stand, the person testing puts a hand on your shoulder to stop you. In addition to several points about good form, my teacher emphasized continually extending ki. He said, that's the reason why this is good practice for your life outside the dojo.

Ki breathing

2011-02-02T20:29:00.005+09:00

For the past couple of months I've been putting more focus on ki breathing every day. On Monday we practiced together at class, and I was unexpectedly struck by Ohara-sensei's comment that that stillness was our "natural state".

From day one my teachers have said the same things over and over, but understanding - even just of the direction that is being pointed to - comes very slowly.

Good thing it wasn't a real knife

2010-11-08T11:00:00.004+09:00

What an experience the last two years have been.

Almost two years ago several people who had tested with me for 1st dan went on to test for 2nd dan while I was passed over. I spent the next year and a half working hard, putting extra time in on my weakest point, kengi and jogi, borrowing a friend's studio space two or three times a month to practice on my own. I went to as many classes taught by the head teacher as was reasonably possible. I worked harder to make up for what I considered to be my disadvantages compared to the people I thought of as my cohorts.

For the first time since then, our head teacher tapped some people to go test for 2nd dan on 7 November. I was one of the three, because I really have improved a lot. I'm good!

But I failed anyway due to a stupid mistake.

I cried a lot, because it was very humiliating to be the only one to be identified as a failure, not only among those who tested for 2nd dan that day at honbu, but also among everyone I practice with at the dojo. But - unlike 2 years ago I do not doubt that I have the ability to improve my aikido. I really am good (enough!) and I improve with practice.

As I was crying in the bathroom stall after the results were announced, waiting for the bus to take us all to the station to go home, I found a magic word that took all the bad feeling away: "XXXXXXX". So that is on the top of my list now. (If this kind of thing ever happens to you, you will have to find your own magic word).

Post mortem:

After tantodori 5 kinds, nage gives uke the tanto, and uke then goes and exchanges it for a ken in order to do tachidori 5 kinds. When you hand uke the tanto at this time, do you take the same maai and observe uke for potential attack in the same way as you do after the other tantodori techniques? You better! Maybe like me you will lose track and think that the 4th throw was actually the last.

I did not take big enough maai. My uke hesitated, then stepped in and stabbed me.

Relying on the universe

2010-09-11T15:45:00.003+09:00

Ohara-sensei's theme tonight is ki meditation, or ishi-ho, as a way to be in accord with the nature of the universe at any time. Ki meditation can be done anywhere, he reminds us, sitting on a train, waiting for a bus, taking a break to look away from the computer screen at the office, anywhere and anytime .

The shape of the universe 天地の姿
1. The universe is a limitless circle with a limitless radius.
天地は、無限の半径で画いた無限の円周である。
2. The universe is formed from infinitely small particles.
天地は、無限に小なるものの無限の集まりである。
3. The universe is constantly changing and its movements never cease even for an instant.
天地は、生成流転して瞬時も止まらない

This is what we do in ki meditation (click for more description) by infinite expansion, infinite condensation, and continuing without stopping.

As I've mentioned before, said Ohara-sensei, Tohei-sensei did not think much of Miyamoto Musashi. One point is the famous precept "Respect the universe, but do not rely on it" [you can find this on the net as 'respect the Buddha and the gods"]. We can't agree with that! Of course we rely on the universe. What if we couldn't rely on gravity?! What if we couldn't rely on the sun shining in the sky?! Absolutely, rely on the universe.

Use one point as a "black hole"

2010-04-12T19:00:00.003+09:00

Ohara-sensei elaborated on the idea of using one point as a "black hole" to dispose of unnecessary thoughts and feelings.

One day, he said, I was talking to a group about putting negative thoughts and feelings into one point, using it as a "black hole" that sucks up anything and never lets it out again. Someone asked me if that meant there was a "white hole" to balance things out. Like when you suppress your emotions and they end up exploding back some time later.

Ohara-sensei described his father coming into his room at night when he was a child, taking the day's frustrations out on him, so angry if he had not finished his homework.

There is no "white hole". When you put something into one point, you simply trust that the universe has completely taken care of it for you. 天地が綺麗にしてくれました。 "The universe has cleaned it up for you".

Tohei-sensei Kanagawa Branch Seminar

2010-03-21T14:00:00.003+09:00

Shinichi Tohei taught a seminar for Kanagawa Branch dojo members today from 2 pm to 6:30 pm. We practiced the basic ki principle "mind moves body" through a number of different exercises.

One important point was that in order to read the movement of our partner's ki, we need to calm our own mind to one point. This can best be practiced by ki meditation and ki breathing.

Another important point was keeping one point: keeping our consciousness at one point. We need to be able to recognize when our consciousness "goes up" - in anger, anxiety, or for whatever reason - and calm back down to one point.

Start by looking and listening

2010-01-23T18:00:00.000+09:00

Ohara-sensei's theme for the first week of the year was to start by looking and listening.

At Seishinkan dojo's kagamibiraki ceremony, attended by 130 kids, adults and family members, he talked about starting by looking and listening using the example of school. It's easy to focus your ki on what you are good at, he said, on the things that you enjoy doing. But I want all of you to become people who can turn their attention on what they are not good at. This is difficult to do. You don't want to look at something you have failed at or someone you don't like. You can start by simply looking at whatever it is. Say you get good grades at school - except for math. You think you're no good at math, it's too hard, you don't like it. Well, you can get good at math. The way to start is to first simply look at your textbook. Read a little bit. And when you are sitting in your math class, listen to your teacher. That is all you need to do to start. You will start to understand a little bit more. And then your grades will go up a little bit. If you keep repeating this over and over, your understanding will continue to increase, you will be able to do math better, and your grades will improve.

At adult classes during the week, Ohara-sensei talked about the old uchideshi system in which the student's primary responsibility was to take care of the teacher and his only opportunity to learn was by watching his teacher teaching others. So the uchideshi practiced looking and listening before anything else. The uchideshi had to "steal" the art, as they said back then. We should watch and listen just as carefully.

What is ki? Follow-up

2010-01-04T10:00:00.000+09:00

If you are interested in "ki", I suggest reading the book "Ki in Daily Life" by Koichi Tohei. Here is a link to information about the book.

You can also search my blog for entries with the tag "what is ki" to learn how my teachers talk about it in class.

What is ki?

2009-12-18T19:00:00.002+09:00

They were asking, what is ki? and Ohara-sensei said, an infinitely large gathering of infinitely small particles. Tohei-sensei was not a scientist, so he talked about it in terms of the Buddhist 'mu' (無). I read it in a book. Then one man said, I've been told it's 'life energy'? and he answered, yes, it is life energy. So I added, that means limited to living creatures? Ohara-sensei said, no, everything! That mat there has life energy. One day it will be old and falling apart. Of course then it will be recycled into the rest.

Yoga

2009-09-30T19:00:00.000+09:00

Jogi 1
Ushirotekubidori koteoroshi, ikkyo

Seijo, Ohara-sensei

2009-09-28T10:00:00.000+09:00

Ki meditation
Munatsuki kaiten nage (with tenkan)

Yoga

2009-09-27T19:00:00.000+09:00

Ushirotekubidori zenpo nage
Kengi 2

Keyaki-kai (Zelkova Club)

2009-09-26T09:00:00.001+09:00

A long time since I've been able to come to this free practice. And got some great advice on how to cut with the bokken! Very happy.

Gaienmae, Ohara-sensei

2009-09-25T19:00:00.000+09:00

Jogi 1
Kengi 1
Yokomenuchi 5 kinds
Katatedori 5 kinds
Ushirotekubidori 5 kinds

Seijo, Ohara-sensei

2009-09-24T18:45:00.001+09:00

Fudoken
Fudoshin
When lightning strikes next to you, it is not that you can't move, but that you respond calmly. When something unexpected happens, recover from your upset and panic as quickly as possible and calmly decide how to respond.
Kengi 1

Gaienmae, Ohara-sensei

2009-09-18T19:00:00.001+09:00

Ushirotekubidori koteoroshi
Did some practice with partner resisting to check the movements.

Yoga

2009-09-16T19:00:00.002+09:00

From the kids class:
2 kyo

Tenkan lead ukemi from the fingertips
Pin with your lower hand palm to body, upper hand palm up to ceiling (for tighter hold on ukemi)

Ushirodori kokyu nage
Katatedori ryotemochi koteoroshi, hachi no ji

Ochanomizu, Ohara-sensei

2009-09-15T19:00:00.001+09:00

Kengi 1
Basic posture on kamae and cut
Extending ki through the ken - when partner tries to close in and grab you

Ki breathing

Seijo

2009-09-14T10:00:00.000+09:00

Posture

seiza
sitting crosslegged
standing

Yoga

2009-09-13T10:00:00.000+09:00

Katatori sankyo irimi

Yoga

2009-09-09T19:00:00.001+09:00

Katatori sankyo irimi
Ushirotekubidori sankyo

Yoga

2009-09-06T10:00:00.000+09:00

3 Conditions for maai:

Takes one step to reach with attack
Can see partner's entire body from top of head to toes
In a state of mind and body unification, your mind stays calm

Katatori ikkyo irimi, tenkan

Gaienmae, Ohara-sensei

2009-09-04T19:00:00.000+09:00

Techniques in kaisho with themes of:

Extend ki
Calm your mind to one point

Four major principles as four paths to the top of the mountain, if one is blocked you can take another but they all lead to the same place.

Seijo

2009-09-03T18:45:00.000+09:00

Katatedori ryotemochi ikkyo, nikyo, and more

Yoga

2009-09-02T19:00:00.000+09:00

Katatedori ryotemochi ikkyo, nikyo and more

Seijo

2009-08-31T10:00:00.000+09:00

Line of sight: seeing whole of partner
Keeping one point: stable posture

Seijo, Ohara-sensei

2009-08-27T18:45:00.000+09:00

Freestyle - yokomenuchi

Yoga

2009-08-26T19:00:00.000+09:00

Kengi 1: #9 -10 and turn after #12

Yoga

2009-08-23T10:00:00.000+09:00

Jogi 1
With throws at tsuku, zujo, #5 -6

Gaienmae, Ohara-sensei

2009-08-21T19:00:00.004+09:00

Ohara-sensei on "positive thinking": Positive thinking is very popular right now. You can find many books in the book store about it. But you need to understand that positive thinking with your conscious mind only, with the surface of mind only, is not the way to go about it. You need to change your subconscious mind. If you find that you are reacting negatively to an experience, that reaction is coming from your subconscious. You cannot change your response by trying to force your conscious mind to react differently.

Think of how you practice aikido. At first with a new technique you are thinking all the time about how this part of your body should move and then the next, it is all in your head. But as you practice you start to carry out the movements without thinking about it. That means the movement has become a part of you, a part of your subconscious. Positive thinking is the same. If you keep practicing it will become a part of your subconscious.

There was a woman who had a good career, she was very successful at work. She came to her aikido teacher [I did not clearly understand if this was Ohara-sensei or someone else] and said, I have a problem at work - I hate my boss, in fact, I find him physically distateful. What can I do about taking this in a positive way?

As she was feeling this way about him, of course there was no way to avoid communicating that feeling to her boss, setting up a cycle of distaste and hatred between them.

So her teacher said, OK, you find him physically distasteful. But find just one good point about him. Maybe he wears nice neckties. Maybe he treats you terribly, but he is kind to someone else. Simply start by finding one good point, however trivial you may think it may be.

Several weeks went by, and one good point turned into two, and then three, and the woman found that her boss was not that awful after all. And one day he treated her to a rather nice lunch. The point is you may have to be a bit innovative how you do "positive thinking".

Katatekosadadori kokyu nage (kaisho)
Katate ryotedori kokyu nage (kaisho), hachi no ji (kaisho)
Walking forward after being grabbed from behind

Akasaka, Ohara-sensei

2009-08-20T19:00:00.001+09:00

Katatedori shiho nage irimi (kaisho)
Irimi - the principle is to go straight forward. Here when you go straight forward you do not crash into your opponent because your fingers are angled to the side. Even as you go straight forward both you and your opponent will go in the direction of your fingertips.

Ryokatadori zenpo nage (kaisho)
Turning; walking; bowing.

Yoga

2009-08-19T19:00:00.001+09:00

Yokomenuchi hachi no ji
Point for me: as go back with hand up in ikkyo, that hand should be pointing straight to the centerline of your opponent, mine has been angled to the side.

Katatori ikkyo irimi and tenkan

Ochanomizu

2009-08-18T19:00:00.002+09:00

Katatekosadori kokyu nage (kaisho)
With testing posture and ki extension at many points.

Ryotedori shihonage irimi and tenkan

5 Kinds Seminar, Tachidori Seminar Yoshida-sensei

2009-08-16T10:00:00.002+09:00

While the dojos were closed for summer vacation, Yoshida-sensei held a seminar on the techniques required for dan tests.

In the morning session he spent about half the time on basics, half of the remaining time on yokomenuchi 5 kinds, then only had enough time left to demonstrate katatedori 5 kinds and ushirotekubidori 5 kinds.

In the afternoon session he spent about half the time on tachidori shomenuchi koteoroshi and shomenuchi kokyu nage, half of the remaining time on tachidori shomenuchi irimi, whipped through yokomenuchi shihonage and then only demonstrated munatsuki koteoroshi.

Obon Holidays

2009-08-10T10:00:00.000+09:00

Seishinkan and Yoga dojo are on vacation for the Obon holidays until 18 August.

Yoga

2009-08-09T10:00:00.000+09:00

Munatsuki - koteoroshi
- michibiki kubikiri
- uchiwa kubikiri
- uchiwa menuchi

Gaienmae

2009-08-07T19:00:00.000+09:00

Koteoroshi haimen (kaisho, gyosho)
Held by the wrists from behind.

Yoga

2009-08-05T17:00:00.001+09:00

On Wednesdays I get to help with the children's classes at Yoga. This week with schools on vacation and the hot, sticky weather, there were only three kids at the 5:00 class and two at the 6:00 class. So, I got to practice a lot more than usual when I am translating what Maeda-sensei says, watching and giving advice.

In the 5:00 class we did zagi shomenuchi kokyu nage, zagi yokomenuchi irimi, and zagi koteoroshi zenpo nage. Most of the time I was the odd person out (3 kids + 1 sensei = 2 pairs), so I practiced doing ukemi and nage on my own. In the 6:00 class, the brown belt team of H-kun and K-kun are so advanced we spent the hour on bokkendori, doing shomenuchi kokyu nage from the right and left, shomenuchi koteoroshi and shomenuchi irimi.

By the time the adult class started, I was pretty limp and found it difficult to concentrate. Maeda-sensei gave me permission to take a break during class to drink some water and cool down. We did a lot of different practice, including pulling a standing partner down by one arm, shomenuchi kokyu nage, katatori throws and koteoroshi.

Afterwards there was a small party at a kushiyaki restaurant with lots of cold beer.

Yoga

2009-08-02T10:00:00.002+09:00

Yokomenuchi
Points for me:

Shiho nage look ahead, not down, when going forward
Makikomi guide ukemi's hand in big arc down then up
Koteoroshi enundo farther down, let ukemi come farther up

Ochanomizu, Ohara-sensei

2009-07-28T19:00:00.000+09:00

Kind of backed up at work, so only arrived in time for the second hour.

Noticing the difference in your response when your partner comes up behind you and grabs you suddenly in unexpected ways - when you are distracted and when you are "extending ki".

Emphasizing turning the mind outward, to be able to notice what is happening and have the time to respond, when your partner does different attacks from the front.

Jiyu waza (free techniques): any attack, throw with koteoroshi

Seijo

2009-07-27T10:00:00.000+09:00

Practicing good standing posture, with two people lifting up at your wrists.

Jo nage
Koteoroshi
Zenpo nage

Japan National Taigi Competition

2009-07-26T21:00:00.001+09:00

I went to hombu in Tochigi this weekend to watch the Japan national taigi competition. I learned a lot by watching - about what it looks like when the technique makes sense.

Everyone did a fine job, whatever the score they earned. As Tohei Shinichi-sensei said, everyone needs to find the value that participating in the competition had for them, whether they were disappointed in their performance or whether they got a great score and won a medal.

I took the Shinkansen home.

Seijo

2009-07-23T18:45:00.000+09:00

Only made it to the last 45 minutes of class - jogi 2 #1 - 15　with partner as appropriate.

Yoga

2009-07-22T19:00:00.000+09:00

Ushirotekubidori koteoroshi (kaisho, gyosho)
Jogi 2

Gaienmae, Ohara-sensei

2009-07-17T19:00:00.003+09:00

Jiyu waza (freestyle)
At first Ohara-sensei was quite ambitious on our behalf, saying we were going to limit attacks to 'only' yokomenuchi, katatori, munatsuki and katatedori, but after a bit of warm up cut us back to yokomenuchi and munatsuki.

Ki breathing
We tested standing posture tensing up in various places - where you tense up is where your consciousness goes and that's where ki stops, and then ki breathing while standing and being pushed lightly throughout the breath.

Ushirotekubidori zenpo nage and uragaeshi

Akasaka

2009-07-16T19:00:00.000+09:00

Aiki exercises

Zagihandachi shomenuchi kokyu nage, munatsuki koteoroshi, yokomen uchi zenpo nage

Work taking priority

2009-07-15T17:00:00.000+09:00

I decided not to go to Yoga dojo today and instead work on a tight-deadline project at the office. Now there are no more non-Japanese speaking children attending Wednesday classes, so I guess that gave me the option, but I still feel somewhat irresponsible in staying at work today instead of going to the dojo. I guess that is the measure of how much I want to contribute to spreading this practice in the world.

When children learn how to keep one point, it is something that can change their lives.

Seijo

2009-07-13T10:00:00.001+09:00

Aiki exercises with tests
Ki breathing

The shape of the universe 天地の姿
1. The universe is a limitless circle with a limitless radius.
天地は、無限の半径で画いた無限の円周である。
2. The universe is formed from infinitely small particles.
天地は、無限に小なるものの無限の集まりである。
3. The universe is constantly changing and its movements never cease even for an instant.
天地は、生成流転して瞬時も止まらない。

Yoga

2009-07-12T10:00:00.001+09:00

Kyu tests
Congratulations to everyone (OK, there was just one ...) who passed his 5th kyu test today!

Front rolls for 45 minutes, and then paired up for kiatsu down the back.

Gaienmae, Ohara-sensei

2009-07-10T19:00:00.001+09:00

We practice "calmness" through a variety of ki tests. Ohara-sensei emphasized that we can check if we are in a state of mind/body unification at any time of the day, whatever we are doing, and we can correct our posture as needed. If we are not in a state of calmness, then we are not able to pay attention to the person we are interacting with and we are not able to understand what they want or need.

Katatori ikkyo tenkan
On circling the arm to turn your opponent around, keep the "hand shake" angle of your wrist.

Seijo, Ohara-sensei

2009-07-09T18:45:00.001+09:00

Ki development and aikido kyu tests
Congratulations to everyone who tested today (shokyu, 5th kyu, 4th kyu, 3rd kyu)!

After the tests we practiced sankyo as an arrest technique when touched on the buttocks, grabbed round the chest, grabbed by the hair.

Yoga

2009-07-08T19:00:00.000+09:00

Kiatsu
Top of shoulders, shoulder blades, lower legs

Katatedori ryotemochi kokyu nage enundo (kaisho, gyosho)
Relaxing the arm on tenkan.
With a count of 1, 2, 3, count 1 is long - wait for oppenent to come round and up.

Seijo

2009-07-06T10:00:00.000+09:00

Walking forward held from behind.
Sitting seiza pushed from the side.
Sitting cross-legged pushed at the shoulders from the front.

Munatsuki - menuchi
Munatsuki - kubikiri
Both "no touch" throws.

Yoga

2009-07-05T10:00:00.000+09:00

Ki development and kyu tests
Congratulations to everyone who passed their test today!

After practice we had a great shokibarai party.

Seijo

2009-07-02T18:45:00.001+09:00

We split by kyu and dan to practice and then watch as two people do the shodan tests and two people do the 5th kyu tests in front of everyone as practice.

Ohara-sensei says that what he looks for in the test is whether people are doing the basics - extending ki.

Yoga

2009-07-01T19:00:00.001+09:00

Ki development and kyu tests
Congratulations to everyone who passed their tests today!

Yoga

2009-06-28T10:00:00.000+09:00

Practice for kyu tests.

Gaienmae, Ohara-sensei

2009-06-26T19:00:00.001+09:00

The first practice in this new location, so Ohara-sensei does kibarai before we start.
Kyu tests
2 shokyu, 2 5th kyu, 1 1st kyu
Futarigake shiho nage

Seijo, Ohara-sensei

2009-06-25T18:45:00.001+09:00

We split by kyu and dan to practice, and then watch as two people do the shodan tests in front of everyone.

Yoga

2009-06-24T19:00:00.001+09:00

Ki breathing
Above all, do it comfortably, or you will not continue with this important practice. Keep the same shape as you inhale and exhale ("like an aerosol can, not like a squeeze bottle").

We split by kyu and dan. I get to practice shomenuchi 5 kinds for the first time in a long time. I got some pointers on shomenuchi ikkyo tenkan and kokyu nage.

Help your opponent hit all the way down - so you need to enter fast to be there
Do ikkyo entry with big motion down from the hips and up through the hands

On shomenuchi ikkyo irimi, hands down as soon as touch opponent arm.

Ochanomizu, Ohara-sensei

2009-06-23T19:00:00.002+09:00

Kyu tests
1 shokyu, 1 chukyu, 4 4th kyu, 3 3rd kyu
Many variations on unbendable arm

Seijo

2009-06-22T10:00:00.001+09:00

Honma-sensei is back after almost 2 months out with a couple of physical complaints and demands on her time to take care of her elderly mother-in-law and father. I'm so happy she's back!

Sitting bow, standing bow
Maai
Ukemi
Futarigake kokyu nage, shiho nage

Seijo, Ohara-sensei

2009-06-18T18:45:00.001+09:00

Feet together:

Yokomenuchi - bring the feet together after going back so you are out of range of a punch; hands down to lowest point so you are able to pull partner down
Katatori ikkyo - bring foot back after goint back so you are out of range of a kick or leg sweep; bring foot forward on turning partner around
Shomenuchi kokyu nage - feet together before hands go down for the throw; up/down movement

Yoga

2009-06-17T19:00:00.001+09:00

Split by kyu/dan for practice.

Seijo

2009-06-15T10:00:00.001+09:00

Less talk and more practice!

Bowing together
Yokomenuchi shiho nage
Katatedori shiho nage irimi and tenkan
Katatedori koteoroshi

Yoga

2009-06-14T10:00:00.001+09:00

Katatedori tenkan kokyunage

Mind and body together
Opponent's ki through your fingertips in a straight line
Then facing in the same direction.

Yoga

2009-06-10T19:00:00.001+09:00

You need a flexible body and strong legs and hips to do aikido!
Keep a "shake hands" angle of the wrist in everything.
2 kyo points 1) 1st knuckles to shoulder, don't let them slide 2) finger tips up on diagonal 3) back to partner to take out the slack

Ochanomizu

2009-06-09T19:00:00.001+09:00

Relax undo
Split kyu/dan

Seijo

2009-06-08T10:00:00.002+09:00

Aiki exercises
Flexibility exercises
Ki breathing
Relaxation exercise

Yoga

2009-06-07T10:00:00.001+09:00

Practice by kyu/dan.

Shomenuchi kirikaeshi

Bring the hand down to the floor - give your partner the satisfaction of hitting as far as they want
Then up high
Then throw straight down by curling down the little finger line

Advanced Class, Ohara-sensei

2009-06-06T18:30:00.001+09:00

Kengi 1 #12 -> the spin
Don't give opponent time to attack between these two.

Ushirodori kokyu nage
Let opponent wrap him/herself around your back before putting your foot forward for the throw.

Aoyama, Ohara-sensei

2009-06-05T19:00:00.001+09:00

Health class
Checking posture at the end of a throw
Aiki exercises udemawashi, udefuti waza

Aikido class
Practice by kyu/dan: doing the techniques as an exercise alone, then doing it the same way when you get a chance to practice with a partner.

Yoga

2009-06-03T19:00:00.001+09:00

Practice for next kyu test.

Seijo. Ohara-sensei

2009-06-01T10:00:00.002+09:00

Ohara-sensei on making changes you want to make: Tohei-sensei was once asked, How do I lose weight? and he answered, Don't eat. And he was asked how to deal with, I get so caught up in things, what should I do? and he answered, "Don't worry about it."

Essentially that is the answer. The answer is simple: if you want to not do what you are doing, then don't do it. If you are 'giving in' to your impulse, you are not controlling your mind.
Here are some pointers:
- Create a goal and focus on it
- Throw stress into one point.

Today we worked on relaxation, so that at the very least we can listen and see, and understand where the other person is coming from.

1) Practice looking at people
2) Always turn full face and body to the person you are interacting with
3) Calling someone (if the person would have to turn to face you, then you move around in front before calling him or her)

Aoyama, Ohara-sensei

2009-05-29T19:00:00.004+09:00

Health class
Ohara-sensei describes zengo waza and happo waza as practice in changing the "direction of your ki", changing what your mind is focused on, instantly. And through the ki development tests, we practice throwing stress immediately into one point, rather than letting it build up. If you're going to worry about something, worry about one point (by condensing one point 1/2, 1/2, 1/2 infinitely). The more you are stressed by something, the harder you should worry about one point.
As we practice making our will stronger, we find that it is also stronger in negative thinking. One other way to deal with this is to "cut" the thought off at the root and toss it away the moment it arises by turning the head and blowing out sharply. But don't pick it up after and start examining it again ("what's happening with that thought now that I've cut it off?")!
We are involved in "building new circuits" in ourselves to quickly deal with stress and negativity, to allow us not to get caught up and immobilized when they occur. Ki breathing is the best way to do this.

Aikido class
Kengi 1
We practice with our partner(s) standing in front as a target and reporting if they feel the cut and thrust, then in teams of three to practice #9-10/11-12, and finally with eight people standing around the mat each of us got a chance to practice from #1 -12, with advice from Ohara-sensei.

Seishinkan members: Starting 26 June Friday classes will be held at the new Gaienmae dojo location instead of the Aoyama dojo. Wednesday classes (3 per month) will continue to be held at Aoyama.

Seijo

2009-05-28T18:45:00.000+09:00

Shomenuchi koteoroshi
Jogi 1

Yoga

2009-05-27T19:00:00.002+09:00

Yokomenuchi kokyu nage hachi no ji
Munatsuki zenpo nage naminori
Munatskuki zenpo nage - looks like koteoroshi sort of

Ochanomizu, Ohara-sensei

2009-05-26T19:00:00.004+09:00

Munatsuki koteoroshi
Don't stop your opponent's motion by suddenly changing the direction of their ki, for example, by putting the hand down immediately after tenkan. You can tell which direction their ki is going - the way they are facing, the direction their fingertips are pointing, and in munatsuki the direction that their fist is going.
Lead your opponent in that direction as you gradually change direction, keep your opponent moving 'forward' as you lead them up and down.

Kengi
Cut and thrust in pairs, commenting if it felt like being cut and stabbed, and giving each other advice.
Bokkendori munatsuki koteoroshi
As you turn your opponent around, keep the blade centered down over their face.

Seijo, Ohara-sensei

2009-05-25T10:00:00.004+09:00

Health class

Standing posture (with one point as "the lowest point on your upper body")
Sitting seiza (pushing with abdominal muscles against finger to locate one point)
Sitting crosslegged
Ki meditation 10 min. (hold fingers of left hand in right hand, rest palm up in lap)
Ki breathing 5 min.

Tantodori and bokkendori munatsuki koteoroshi

Take maai after throw using koshin waza
Look at your partner with his/her nose in the center of your field of vision, don't look just at the weapon
Keeping hand in position on the turn - as if keeping the point of the tanto in one place and turning around that (I got to take ukemi, as if my hand were twisted around in place and I had to flip my body in response).

Yoga

2009-05-24T10:00:00.001+09:00

Kids and adults have started to practice for the next kyu tests.
Katatekosadori kokyu nage
Katatori ikkyo irimi

Aoyama

2009-05-22T19:00:00.003+09:00

Health class
Udemawashi waza (arm circles) and couple more of the exercises from ORE to use when suffering from a stiff neck or lower back.

Aikido class
Split to practice for next kyu/dan. I worked with someone practicing for 2nd kyu.

Seijo, Ohara-sensei

2009-05-21T19:00:00.002+09:00

I got to class for the second hour, which was spent in trying out exercises to build up leg strength: knee walk relay races, sitting to seiza and standing up 20 times, lying on our backs and circling our legs around, walking on tiptoes, and kokyu dosa as an exercise in ushiro ukemi.

Yoga

2009-05-20T19:00:00.001+09:00

Chu kyu ki development tests
Ushirotekubidori zenpo nage, sankyo
Point: hand to front of thigh, not side

Yoga

2009-05-17T10:00:00.001+09:00

Sho kyu ki development tests
Katatekosadori kokyu nage

Afterwards there was a formal party to celebrate Maeda-sensei's promotion to 4th dan in January of this year. Congratulations!

Advanced Class, Ohara-sensei

2009-05-16T18:30:00.001+09:00

Posture

Head up straight
"Floating" shoulders

Shomenuchi kokyu nage

Jogi 1 # 12 - 13

Aoyama, Ohara-sensei

2009-05-15T19:00:00.000+09:00

Ohara-sensei on relaxation: In your daily life you can practice the basic posture of standing, a relaxed posture with a feeling of floating. Then maintain that feeling as you walk, sit, and lie down to go to sleep at night.

We practice standing, sitting seiza and lying down (partner tries to lift up at the shoulders) with good, relaxed posture.

Ohara-sensei on preconceptions: It's easier to relax and throw someone with one finger than to use excessive muscle strength. You should be aware that you may have preconceptions that are not true in the actual situation. For example, you may have thought that being relaxed was a shortcoming when you need to use your full power, but now you have learned that it is stronger than tensing up all your muscles. In the same way, you may think your strong point is good social skills, but from the outside "getting along with everybody" may be seen as a shortcoming. Of course I am not saying you should stop doing what you are good at - of course make the most of your strong points! Just be aware that you may have some inaccurate preconceptions about what are strong points and what are weak points. Once when I was doing some zagi-handachi techniques, someone told me that I had an advantage because my legs were short - I had not really thought of that as an advantage before!

We practice "one finger throws": koteoroshi, shiho nage, and ikkyo.

Seijo, Ohara-sensei

2009-05-14T18:45:00.001+09:00

Line of sight: keep partner's nose in the center, with a wide field of view
Maai: partner needs to take one step to strike you, a distance at which your mind remains calm
Posture

Katatori sankyo tenkan
I need to go much farther behind my partner in the tenkan.

Yoga

2009-05-13T19:00:00.002+09:00

Ki development chukyu tests:
自他一体 "jita ittai": you and the other are one. We practice pushing ourselves as hard as possible (of course you don't move!), with partner putting a hand over ours to push, then with partner's hand under our own, then just with partner testing.

Katatori nikyo irimi
Katatori sankyo irimi, tenkan

Ochanomizu

2009-05-12T19:00:00.000+09:00

Kokyu dosa
Tenchi nage irimi, tenkan

Seijo, Ohara-sensei

2009-05-11T10:00:00.001+09:00

Happo waza
Ki meditation ("seiza-ho")
Ki breathing
Kiatsu of the back of the legs

Yoga

2009-05-10T10:00:00.001+09:00

Katatori ikkyo irimi
Katatori yonkyo irimi, tenkan

Eda

2009-05-08T19:00:00.002+09:00

Katatori ikkyo irimi, pin
Munatsuki koteoroshi, pin
Shomenuchi kokyu nage
Ryotedori zenpo nage
Yokomenuchi kokyu nage zenpo nage

Akasaka, Ohara-sensei

2009-05-07T19:00:00.003+09:00

Koteoroshi - one finger grabbed

Opponent grabs and lifts you by index finger until it hurts
Notice and calm yourself to one point - the pain is not so bad
Turn your hand around the finger and take opponent's hand to throw in koteoroshi

Koteoroshi - clenched fist

Can't bend the wrist, so follow opponent's ki into the fist and direct it down

Koteoroshi - kaisho

Zagi yokomenuchi kokyu nage zenpo nage

Ohara-sensei says that he has a methodical and precise, meticulous personality. When he started teaching he would be quite severe, trying to correct all the errors his students made, to bring them up to the high standard that he holds for the art. However, as time went on, he decided that was not the way to go. All of you, he says, work hard at your job all day and then come to the dojo to practice. So, he changed his standard - not lowered, changed - so that the dojo would have a bright atmosphere and practice would be more enjoyable.

Kanagawa Branch Taigi Taikai

2009-05-06T13:00:00.002+09:00

There were only two pairs in the Senior Group: M-san and W-san, S-san and me - in other words, the Seijo Monday morning class (excluding H-sensei, of course). M-san and W-san got 7.40, and S-san and I got 7.20.

I am glad that we all got to practice for and participate in this competition. I think we probably all gained a lot.

For me, since I've been in a kind of mental/emotional slump for the past few months, I was really helped by being surrounded by these three men who have such a positive attitude and desire to actively take on new challenges. For a while I could simply not worry about my own feeling of lack of progress and just ride along on the energy they brought to practice.

Golden Week holiday

2009-04-29T10:00:00.000+09:00

The dojo is closed until May 7 for the Golden Week holiday. The Kanagawa Branch Taikai will be held on May 6 - wish S-san and me luck!

Seijo

2009-04-27T10:00:00.002+09:00

"Self-defense" techniques when grabbed from behind - pinching, stamping, breaking back one finger. But - will you be able to keep calm enough to respond appropriately in such a situation? That is what we are really training for.

Jo nage - shiho nage, kokyu nage, nikyo, koteoroshi

Taigi practice

Yoga

2009-04-26T10:00:00.000+09:00

Shomenuchi kokyu nage
Taigi practice

Seijo, Ohara-sensei

2009-04-23T18:45:00.003+09:00

Ohara-sensei emphasizes, don't intefere with your partner's movements - don't try to "stop" him or her. Instead, help him or her go even faster and farther than he or she had intended, and gradually change direction.

He speaks on the difficulty of trying to "stop" everyone who is intent on harming others, and how much better a strategy to "eliminate their fighting mind" (争う心をなくす）.

And then tells a story, of walking through a department store with a small child, and unthinkingly passing by the toy department - the child won't be budged! "You want that, don't you?" "YES!!" "Well, your birthday is coming up in about 7 months, please wait until then." But pulling the child along is an impossible task, and only makes him dig in even deeper. So, "If we go this way, we can get some ice cream!" "Ice cream?! I want ice cream!" and in that moment, move.

We split into 1) jotori and 2) taigi practice.

Yoga

2009-04-22T17:00:00.001+09:00

About once a month I am asked to lead the childrens classes at Yoga, and this time I felt strongly that I should be very careful in trying to stay as close as possible to what my teachers have taught me, and not tell the kids anything that might be a misunderstanding on my part. So I reviewed the four major principles of mind and body unification, and the five principles of aikido with mind and body unified.

H-sensei led the adult class, and we worked on jogi 1.

Shinshin toitsu aikido training notes 心身統一合氣道

When circumstances are not in your favor, the best state to be in is mind and body unified

Ukemi practice is ki extension practice

Ki breathing

Good thing it wasn't a real knife

Relying on the universe

Use one point as a "black hole"

Tohei-sensei Kanagawa Branch Seminar

Start by looking and listening

What is ki? Follow-up

What is ki?

Yoga

Seijo, Ohara-sensei

Yoga

Keyaki-kai (Zelkova Club)

Gaienmae, Ohara-sensei

Seijo, Ohara-sensei

Gaienmae, Ohara-sensei

Yoga

Ochanomizu, Ohara-sensei

Seijo

Yoga

Yoga

Yoga

Gaienmae, Ohara-sensei

Seijo

Yoga

Seijo

Seijo, Ohara-sensei

Yoga

Yoga

Gaienmae, Ohara-sensei

Akasaka, Ohara-sensei

Yoga

Ochanomizu

5 Kinds Seminar, Tachidori Seminar Yoshida-sensei

Obon Holidays

Yoga

Gaienmae

Yoga

Yoga

Ochanomizu, Ohara-sensei

Seijo

Japan National Taigi Competition

Seijo

Yoga

Gaienmae, Ohara-sensei

Akasaka

Work taking priority

Seijo

Yoga

Gaienmae, Ohara-sensei

Seijo, Ohara-sensei

Yoga

Seijo

Yoga

Seijo

Yoga

Yoga

Gaienmae, Ohara-sensei

Seijo, Ohara-sensei

Yoga

Ochanomizu, Ohara-sensei

Seijo

Seijo, Ohara-sensei

Yoga

Seijo

Yoga

Yoga

Ochanomizu

Seijo

Yoga

Advanced Class, Ohara-sensei

Aoyama, Ohara-sensei

Yoga

Seijo. Ohara-sensei

Aoyama, Ohara-sensei

Seijo

Yoga

Ochanomizu, Ohara-sensei

Shinshin toitsu aikido training notes 　　　　　　　心身統一合氣道