Thread: Ueshiba's Aiki
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Old 11-11-2011, 05:16 AM   #87
Alex Megann
Dojo: Southampton Aikikai
Location: Southampton
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 401
United Kingdom
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Re: Ueshiba's Aiki

This is one of the most interesting threads I have read on AikiWeb for a long while, and contains most of the arguments I have come across for and against what Dan and others are teaching.

My own teacher (Aikikai 7th Dan, and with a very interesting and eclectic history of teachers) is in the habit of publicly criticising "modern aikido". Being Japanese, he won't of course mention specific names, but most of us who have been around for a while have filled in the gaps and know exactly who he is talking about. We invite Hombu shihan to our Summer School every year, but it is obvious that - for better or for worse - what they are teaching is different in a deep essence to what he has been trying to get across in recent years. I'm sure many people see him as a crazy old guy, but I have come to appreciate that the core of what he teaches is very valuable and elusive. He repeatedly complains "how can you do aikido without aiki?"

I have managed to miss Dan's UK seminars so far, but I would very much like to feel what he is doing. From communicating with various people on and off AikiWeb, I gather that it is not too different from what I have felt from my teacher, Yamashima Sensei and others (although he teaches in a much more "western" and systematic way), and seen in plenty of clips of O-Sensei. I have come to the opinion (quite late in the day, admittedly!) that kokyu and aiki skills are at the heart of true aikido. It is an aspect that I have been trying to grasp in my own practice on and off the mat.

Alex

Last edited by Alex Megann : 11-11-2011 at 05:26 AM.