Seminar with Doshu

This weekend we had the honor to participate in a seminar with Aikido Doshu, Ueshiba Moriteru. The seminar was hosted by Aikido UnEnKai, chaired by I. Shibata Shihan, at Berkeley Aikikai.

It felt like a one in a lifetime opportunity, training in a smaller setting that the usual gymnasiums Doshu has been teaching in, with hundreds of participants.

In this photo, taken at the reception, after classes, are some of North Valley Aikikai members, my daughter, Aria, and myself.

Learn from everyone

Every person we practice with presents us with a gift.






















Bryce and Nick in our beginners class tonight.

Three pricipals in bokken work

In this short clip I touch three principals in bokken work:
The first is the principal of blending: Keeping the bokken 'sticky' and engaged with our partners' bokken will prevent unwanted openings. This keeps us safe and 'in tune' with our partners movements.
The second principal is Maintaining the Center Line: This is essential for both offensive and defensive sides. Waiving the bokken away from the center line will create unnecessary openings and will be posisioned farther from our targets.
The third principal is Keeping Correct Distance: We need to make sure our attacks aim for full contact with the monouchi (cutting edge) in case of cuts, and in full penetration in case of thrusts. Attack with a strong intention, aiming to reach the target fully.