Seminar/Event: Kiatsu - The Healing Art of Aikido

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[AikiWeb System]

3/06/2002 9:34am [from David Sonnenschein (dsonn@charter.net)]
Website: http://www.sonicstrategies.com/kiatsu.htm

Kiatsu - The Healing Art of Aikido, with David Sonnenschein. Saturday, March 16, 2002, 2-5pm.
Merging One Studios, 1547 6th St., Santa Monica. Bring a pillow or pad. Donation: $15.

In this first Los Angeles seminar we'll do interactive exercises where you can learn how to develop your awareness of "ki" energy (a.k.a. chi or prana) and begin to direct this for purposes of healing yourself and others. No prior experience is required to start benefiting immediately.

The principles of Kiatsu are founded in the Japanese martial art of Aikido, and applied to alleviate physical conditions such as backaches, headaches, menstrual cramps, painful or dislocated joints, weak internal organs, scar tissue and circulation problems. You'll get a chance in this seminar to explore your personal inquiries and participate in how Kiatsu can help create a healthful body and life.

[tedehara]

Kiatsu aka Kiatsuho or Kiatsu Ryoho was originally developed by Koichi Tohei Sensei. It is a healing art that is now taught only in a few styles of Aikido. Most notably the Ki Society and Kokikai teach it. It was not developed to treat aikido injuries and it isn't a popular practice among the majority of Aikido dojos as David Sonnenschein indicated. Also many dojos do not practice meditation, breathing and healing.

In his article "KIATSU", Sonnenschein lists Koichi Tohei's Four Basic Priciples. First, I feel he should have credited Tohei Sensei for these principles. Next, I feel he probably shouldn't have listed these principles, since other styles of Aikido also have their own basic principles which are different than Tohei Sensei.

After reading his article, it's clear that he isn't teaching what could strictly be called Kiatsu, at least not in the Ki Society sense of the art. There are things, like the four stages of Kiatsu treatment, which aren't considered in Tohei's book on Kiatsu. So this seems to be a blend of other healing arts that he's studied and his own practice.

He mentioned that he studied with B.J. Carlisle in 1975. The Kiatsuho course at the Oregon Ki Society (http://www.oregonki.org/startprs.html) is 28 months at two times a week.

Kiatsu is a facinating subject and the seminar will probably be very informative. However, I believe Mr. Sonnenschein should credit the sources of his ideas and practices. Just to avoid confusion, he could mention that he didn't graduate from a Kiatsuho course, but that this practice was developed seperately.

If you can't make his seminar or don't have a Ki Society or Kokikai dojo near-by to study with don't despair! :) A revised edition of Tohei's book Kiatsu should be out around May.