KIAI The newsletter of Wellsprings Aikido

Issue #22 June 2013

What's on in JuneFriday 31st May – Sunday 2nd June

Aikido Seminarwith Saito Hitohira Sensei

Stuttgart, Germany

Friday 7th Aikido for Beginners6 week course starts at The

Junction, Broadstone.

Saturday 8th - Sunday 29th

Deshi ProgrammeKefalonia, Greece

Sunday 16th Wellsprings Kyu Grading

Saturday 15th - Sunday 22th

Deshi WeekKefalonia, Greece

Saturday 22nd Bukiwaza: Kumi Tachiwith Paul McGlone Sensei

14:00 – 16:00 Sturminster Marshall Memorial

Hall

Check out the online diary for more details of these and future seminars and events.

About KIAIKIAI is the newsletter of Wellsprings Aikido. It is sent to all our members and to any of our friends who wish to receive it. If you would like to be added to or removed from the distribution list then please send your email address to enquiries@wellsprings of the east.co.uk .

Contributions to this newsletter are welcome and encouraged. Please send them to the address above.

GradingLast month, in an effort to encourage club members to grade, we reproduced an extract from Hoa Newens Sensei's book “Aikido Insights” which described three good reasons for grading. There are downsides to the grading system. Newens Sensei again:

“On the minus side, the ranking system has undesirable by-products. One is the excessive focus on the rank itself and the associated status. When the focus is shifted away from the training and toward the rank, the student's progress is misguided. The student may take certain action that would win him promotion but would be detrimental to his growth. For example, he may decide to leave a strict teacher to affiliate with another school for a faster track to the next promotion.

The other by-product is the tendency to associate rank with proficiency level. This is not usually an issue at kyu or lower dan ranks but there is a discernible problem at the higher rank levels, say from yondan on. The problem stems from the fact pointed out earlier that there is no uniform and specific criteria for awarding dan ranks. Each teacher and organization may develop their own. Some organizations may put more weight on technical proficiency than others; some may emphasize contribution (service or monetary) to the organization; and some may focus heavily on the development of the art. The discrepancies in ranking criteria may be imperceptible at the lower ranks but become more noticeable at the higher ranks. So, not

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Kiai Issue #22 June 2013

all godan are equal in all respects.

Ranks exist for very practical reasons but their ultimate purpose is to facilitate learning. Let us keep this firmly in mind lest ranks become our ultimate training goals. Let's not train for the ranks but use rank requirements to train.”

Not something that any of you need to worry about at the present! So, if you have met the minimum training time requirement and are familiar with the techniques required for your next grade please consider putting your name forward to be assessed at our next grading session on Sunday 16th June.

Training MattersT.I.A.E. NewsTony Sargeant Sensei, Principal of T.I.A.E., has written a letter which will be sent to all new members when they join the organisation. There is a copy of the letter on page 5.

Wellsprings Aikido members who haven't already done so will get the chance to meet Tony Sensei when he teaches at The Junction on Friday 9th August and Friday 1st November.

Beginners CourseOur next introductory course starts on Friday 7th June. Please tell anyone you know who may be interested. Full details are on the web.

Private tuitionPrivate tuition with Mark Sensei is available at his home at an hourly rate of £20 for one person, £22 for two and £24 for 3 or 4 people. We have a mat area of 15m2 but there is a height restriction so the full range of bukiwaza syllabus cannot be offered!Please contact Mark Sensei to arrange a session.

“Practice is not just in the training room but at all times.”

John Stevens in “Budo Secrets”Sent in by Richard Small

Bukiwaza Workshops dvdsVolume 1. Ken Suburi & Happo Giri (46 min.)Volume 2. Jo Suburi 1 to 10 (52 min.)Volume 3. Jo Suburi 11 to 20 (49 min.)Volume 4. Ken Awase (31 min.)

Each volume costs £5 if you were at the workshop featured and £10 if you weren't.

Order your dvds from Mark Sensei and collect on training nights or have them posted to you (p&p is £1.50 per dvd).

Elsa demonstrates the effectiveness of a well-placed atemi.

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Kiai Issue #22 June 2013

The benefits of workshops and courses by Richard Small

“This day is called the feast of Crispian: He that outlives this day, and comes safe home, Will stand a tip-toe when the day is named, And rouse him at the name of Crispian. He that shall live this day, and see old age, Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours, And say 'To-morrow is Saint Crispian:' Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars. And say 'These wounds I had on Crispin's day.'”

History of Henry V

Okay, so it’s a bit over the top but the sentiments remain true. What can we gain from a workshop or seminar that goes beyond our normal class? What can we give too? There are many gifts; the greatest is to yourself, then there is the support you give to the local teacher and the guest teacher, a support without which clubs would eventually fall into oblivion. . . so your gift includes the perpetuation of the art. There is the gift of your own knowledge, given without ego; the gift of friendship between strangers; the gift of joy in sharing O-Sensei’s art; the gift of question to the teacher who will learn from your question alone, whatever your level.

So what do we get out of it? Mainly we get as much as we are prepared to give, it is mutual. Without a training partner your quest is fruitless; as is a teacher without a student.

What keeps us from attending workshops? Perhaps you have sound reasons why attendance is not possible and after all it is your life in which you must do your best for all. Perhaps you have darker reasons for not attending and they relate to your own problems and insecurities. Perhaps you should question the depth to which you follow O-Sensei’s ethics. I do. If you are annoyed by this then you probably don’t!

I attended the 25th May Bukiwaza workshop hosted by Wellsprings Aikido in Dorset, taught by Sensei Paul McGlone 6th dan of TIA Europe; the subject was 13 Jo Kata and associated awase. I was also honoured to be asked to teach at the Wellsprings Club Friday night class the night before the workshop. Teaching is one of the greatest tools to learning. . . you soon find out if you are in error. There were things I could show and those I could not, some of which I’d thought were fairly problem free. We specifically looked at the strengths and weaknesses of pins. . . but how wrong can you be when a 4th kyu so easily evades your pin. When I was younger and stronger I would have used just that to try and win but now I know I must find a path that is successful by other means. We need errors and failures; it is what shows us the truth of the matter and it is at the heart of our learning. If we don’t embrace challenge and step out of our comfort zone how can we ever progress except perhaps in our imagination.

Later that evening I had a conversation with Sensei Mark about the subject of reality in Aikido and what constituted reality. It moved on to practical evasion from kihon; He gripped my wrist and I thought, ‘I know too much, I will move easily and he will be surprised’; the surprise was all mine as I couldn’t move. He explained that he was ‘cheating’ as he called it by making small changes to posture that countered my moving. Is that cheating? Is it not also a reality? I already have much to think about and we haven’t even started the Bukiwaza workshop yet.

The day of the 13 Jo workshop.

When we arrived at the venue, a really beautiful village sports facility bathed in sunshine, some students were already there and everyone happily helped to carry in what was needed; another gift, the joy of willing people sharing a task. Some students came late, an hour late. All the way from Reading the Bank

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Kiai Issue #22 June 2013

holiday traffic had taken its toll on their travels; another gift arrives, understanding, empathy, sympathy, welcoming smiles.

When asked by Sensei McGlone, all present accepted that they already knew the 13 count Jo Kata, and we did too. . . our version of it anyway. We were asked to demonstrate as Sensei counted the moves. We received our first big correction after the very first move. Any guesses? You’ll have done it at some time and almost certainly will again! Don’t look down. . . your feet have been with you a long time, you shouldn’t need to look when you place the tip of the Jo on the ground. Of course, silly us, we knew that didn’t we? How annoying that we let ourselves down before we even started. We often ‘know’ something that we would correct in others and yet we fall into the same trap. . . this in itself is a giant learning point. Other corrections followed, accompanied by sound reasoning why it should be so. There are other ways but the logic of the method shown was indisputable, so lots of room for thought again.

There was much emphasis on blending. . . . ah yes we know that too . . . but this was deeper than we had thought to go. It was about connecting, sensing breath, energy and intention in your partner so that you effect a true harmony and not just blend to escape. If anything it was blend to become one. Most notably in the 2nd move of the kata awase, using their energy to drive the movement of high speed turn and strike. No wasted foot movements that rob you of time, everything efficiently executed. 3rd tsuki from your partner is not blocked and almost not parried either, just softly blended and deflected. I’d been working for several months on a powerful counter deflection prior to completing the tsuki but Sensei McGlone’s version didn’t do this it merely changed direction and was easily lined up for the finishing tsuki. There were many such enlightenments, all of which were ably demonstrated with accompanying explanation; though it was not needed as the effectiveness of the demonstration was evident. Key points? True blending at a deeper level, awareness, no wasted movements, know when and how to move off line as necessary, blend with the partner’s energy. . . engage with it and use it to power your own sense of movement.

For me it was a wonderful weekend with the blessings of fine weather, good food, great friends and good teaching. . . it enabled me the privilege of several more steps on the spiritual pathway.

What can you get from attending a workshop? Everything, absolutely everything, just keep an open mind about you.

There are more bukiwaza workshops to come at Wellsprings and DVD copies are available too.

However, you simply cannot beat, being there!

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Kiai Issue #22 June 2013

Tony Sargeant 6th dan Aikikai Joint principle of Takemusu Iwama Aikido Europe

Dear Aikidoka,

I just wanted to say a quick hello and thank you for joining your Aikido club and becoming part of a worldwide recognised organisation that is also recognised by the Aikikai Hombu dojo in Japan. The Hombu issues us with the black belt certificates which we hope, one day, you will achieve.

It is always good to hear that another person has been excited and motivated to train in the art of Aikido. It is a wonderful art which I have now been doing for forty years and still, today, find it fascinating. I know that I still have so much more to learn.

I have taken on many business projects, achieving my goals has at times not been easy but I always eventually achieved them, all except Aikido. It still eludes me. I have travelled the five continents of the world seeking and gathering more Aikido knowledge, just as I think I am about to get the answer, another question opens up. I love this challenging aspect of Aikido, it is not only the joy and the fact that Aikido keeps you fit, it also builds one’s confidence and offers new challenges.

Aikido makes my days and years so full of happiness, my training always takes my mind away from the demands that we all have and allows me to think clearly and make the correct decision in all walks of life. I am so grateful in finding Aikido.

I do not know what brought you to train but I do hope we meet in person one day and that you have the love for Aikido that I share with so many like-minded others across the world.

Thank you in Aiki,

Tony Sargeant Sensei

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Wellsprings Aikido presents

Bukiwazawith Paul McGlone Sensei, 6th Dan T.I.A.E.

A series of workshops covering the T.I.A.E. Weapons syllabus to be held on Saturday afternoons between 2 and 4pm.

January 26th 7 Ken Suburi, Happogiri July 27th 31 Jo Kata

February 9th 1 - 10 Jo Suburi August 24th 31 Kumijo

March 23rd 11 - 20 Jo Suburi September 28th Tantodori

April 20th 4 Ken Awase, Ki musubi no tachi October 26th Jonage, Jodori

May 25th 13 Jo Kata, 13 Jo Kata Awase November 23rd Tachidori

June 22nd Kumi Tachi December 21st 1 - 5 Kumi jo

Venue: Sturminster Marshall Memorial Hall. Churchill Close, Sturminster Marshall. Wimborne. BH21 4BQ.

Cost: £10 per workshop (concessions £9*)

Pre-book 4 get one free. Pre-book for all 12 and pay for only 8! See booking form for further details.

Bring your weapons & proof of insurance.

Aikidoka must be 18 or over to participate in these workshops.

* Concessionary price available to O.A.P.s, students and the unemployed.

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