Aiki Zenshin Dojo, Seminar
October 27-29 2000
With Sensei Hiroshi Ikeda

Contributed by Monica Mattar*

"Finding Our Own Way"

During the weekend of November 3 -5, I attended an Aikido seminar, taught by Hiroshi Ikeda Shihan, at the Aiki Zenshin Dojo, in Fremont California, whose chief instructor is Sunny Skys sensei. What I found most intriguing during this particular seminar, was Ikeda Sensei's emphasis on wanting us to find our own way and find our own answers for making our Aikido work. He stated that although he could show us what worked for him in any given situation, if we simply mimic him, we cannot expect our own Aikido to always work for us. Although he can guide us, he really cannot give us the answer, for the answer must come from within us, and will be different for each individual. And yet, even within our personal Aikido quest, there is not one answer, but rather millions and millions of answers. Every different attacker, and every different attack, calls for a different answer.

Reminding us that the principles of Aikido is what is important, Ikeda Sensei encouraged us to view "technique" as simply a tool for practicing the principles. In other words, the goal of our Aikido practice is not to perform good technique; rather the techniques provide a form within which to practice the principles. He offered us very well-defined principles to work with, hoping to help us understand the importance of practicing these principles in our daily training

The primary principle that Ikeda Sensei focused on was the importance of breaking uke's balance as they attack. Although we focused on breaking uke's balance, however, Ikeda Sensei stated that it is ultimately uke's mind that is our real target. When we successfully disturb uke's balance, we affect uke's mind, causing a change in uke's focus from that of delivering his or her attack, to that of recovering his or her balance. Taking advantage of uke's momentary loss of balance, nage is able to move into the correct position and use the energy of uke's attack to gain control of his or her center. Hence, if nage is truly centered and able to maintain his or her own balance while disturbing uke's balance, nage can successfully control uke's center, rather than simply damage uke.

Ikeda Sensei repeatedly stated that the ability to maintain one's own balance during an attack, while at the same time effectively disturb uke's balance, is very, very difficult and requires a great deal of awareness and precision. Nage's timing must be precise; nage's body movement and positioning (in relation to uke) must be precise; nage must be well-grounded within his or her own center; and perhaps most importantly, nage must maintain a peaceful mind. A peaceful mind allows nage to be more open and awake during the attack. Also, nage will be more relaxed and free in his or her movement with a peaceful, spacious mind. While maintaining a peaceful mind, nage is less likely to panic and "pounce" on uke, and more likely to realize that there is, in actuality, plenty of time and space within which to deal with the attack.

During part of Sunday's keiko we trained with bokken. Ikeda Sensei reminded us that our weapons training is not separate from our Aikido, but rather another way of practicing our Aikido. He referred to the bokken as yet another tool with which we can practice the principles. Whether we are doing weapons training or empty hand training, the principles are the same. For it is the principles that are the heart of our Aikido training.

Ikeda Sensei stated often that Aikido is a very sophisticated and very difficult martial art. Although there are certain well-defined principles that we practice, the Art itself seems as indefinable as the Universe. Believing there is one answer or one way of doing Aikido, or believing that Aikido is merely a series of "techniques", may create the illusion of security, but certainly limits one's experience of the Art. During the weekend seminar in Fremont, California, Ikeda Sensei continually invited us to dive deeply into our own Aikido practice, and be willing to encounter the unknowable every time we step onto the mat. In so doing, we make our Aikido our own. By remaining open to the possibility that the only real answer is that there is no one answer, we can be open to receive and accept the answers from within that do manifest differently for each of us.

*Monica trains at Aikido of Tamalpais in Mill Valley, CA, with Wendy Palmer sensei