Advanced Aikido. Phong Thong Dang

an art that would be defensively effective and efficient but that would also protect rather than harm one's training partner, as well as any real-life opponent or enemy. (The philosophies of the Omoto religion are discussed in more detail in Chapter 1.)

      TEACHING AIKIDO

      There are many stories of O'Sensei Morihei Ueshiba teaching classes to advanced students that represented his lecturing on spiritual and metaphysical aspects of the universe. O'Sensei Morihei Ueshiba saw the universal principles in everything. He would switch from one content area to another in an effort to illustrate the underlying principle. Many students had great difficulty translating these disconnected lectures into direct application to their own personal aikido training and technique. O'Sensei Morihei Ueshiba attempted to bridge the gap but understood that no one can express or explain spiritual truth in words. O'Sensei Morihei Ueshiba relied most heavily on teaching through experience or direct training and practice of the techniques. The techniques would illustrate and demonstrate the principles and concepts that were so difficult to explain or describe. The techniques were concrete examples of concepts that could best be discussed and described through vague metaphors and contradictions. The profound principles of spiritual, theological, and universal truths involved difficult-to-comprehend explanations that were based on O'Sensei Morihei Ueshiba's own long history of austere mental and physical training and discipline. Without a similar historical experience as a frame of reference, few were able to understand O'Sensei Morihei Ueshiba. Throughout history, those who saw beyond what was socially accepted as "normal" received scrutiny and suspicion. Many ideas of yesterday, which were incomprehensible due to their advanced foresight and insight, have become our goals and accepted interpretations or perceptions.

      O'Sensei Morihei Ueshiba was a man with foresight, insight, and a vision. O'Sensei Morihei Ueshiba believed that aikido was the medicine for a sick and chaotic world that had seen too much violence.

      THE EVOLUTION OF AIKIDO

      Morihei Ueshiba married Hatsu Itokawa. She was to have a very stabilizing effect in the Ueshiba family, while O'Sensei Morihei Ueshiba was off on various farming, martial, spiritual, political, or patriotic adventures. Several times, O'Sensei Morihei Ueshiba uprooted his entire family and moved in accordance to what he believed to be his spiritual calling and in the best interest of his country. O'Sensei Morihei Ueshiba was very busy and did not have a great deal of leisure time to spend at home with his family. Ueshiba's first daughter, Matsuko, was born in 1911. The first son, Takemori, born in July 1917, died three years later in August 1920. The second son, Kuniharu, born in April 1920, died five months later in September 1920. The third son, Kisshomaru, born in June 1921, in 1948 went on to become Doshu (keeper of the way).

      DOSHU KISSHOMARU UESHIBA

      O'Sensei Morihei Ueshiba handed down his vision in 1948 to his son, Kisshomaru Ueshiba, as Doshu. Kisshomaru Ueshiba had been exposed to aikido concepts and training since childhood but did not begin training until he was in middle school. It never occurred to him that he would inherit the art of his father. Most people credit Doshu Kisshomaru Ueshiba (1921-1999) with contributions in the area of administration and the modification, simplification, and standardization of the aikido technical curriculum. Doshu Kisshomaru Ueshiba deemphasized the martial application of aikido. He focused on the discipline and development of technical proficiency, self-improvement, and becoming productive members of society. He believed this emphasis and focus was in keeping with his father's vision of aikido. About the same time, the chief instructor at the Hombu Dojo, 10th Dan Koichi Tohei, separated from the original aikido organization. Tohei Sensei began aikido training under O'Sensei Morihei Ueshiba in 1941 and played a major role in spreading aikido outside of Japan. He wanted to stress the emphasis on ki development based on his spiritual background and orientation.

      DOSHU MORITERU UESHIBA

      In 1986, Doshu Kisshomaru Ueshiba handed the Aikido World Headquarters to his son, Moriteru Ueshiba (b. 1951). As the current Doshu, Moriteru Ueshiba maintains the focus and emphasis on both technical proficiency and the spiritual aspects in his training and instruction. It is with this intent that we see the traditional family style and system of martial arts. While aikido has seen international acceptance and growth, many consider aikido a Japanese cultural entity and the property of the Ueshiba family.

      O'Sensei Morihei Ueshiba died April 26, 1969 of liver cancer. O'Sensei Morihei Ueshibas ashes are buried at Kozanji, a Shingon Buddhist temple erected in 1206 by a priest named Myoe, situated on Mt. Togano in Tanbe, Wakayama Prefecture. Besides being the site of the Ueshiba family grave, Kozanji has the oldest tea garden and is designated as a historical site. Each year most aikido dojos (training hall or school) acknowledge and honor the date of O'Sensei Morihei Ueshibas passing with a special ceremony.

      THE FUTURE OF AIKIDO

      There is only one aikido. That is the aikido of O'Sensei Morihei Ueshiba. However, there are many branches of aikido that reflect the abilities and preferences of different instructors based on when each personally trained with O'Sensei. Even future generations of students who have never met O'Sensei Morihei Ueshiba will have their interpretations for aikido. Several organizations have become independent in order to pursue their specific vision of aikido.

      Aikido is evolving. There is no right or wrong aikido. There are only different perspectives and applications. There is only one aikido, and students of all levels of proficiency should maintain a strong tie to the basic techniques and principles of aikido.

      CONCLUSION

      In the beginning, a student in basic aikido knows only the physical training and execution of techniques. Eventually, the advanced student knows, and applies, the advanced aikido concepts that make the techniques work.

      The concepts are interrelated and interdependent. Any stage, of any technique, is an illustration of each one of the concepts. They all exist simultaneously. Observation, perception, understanding, and application allow all students to see at their personal level of training and experience. In many regards, the techniques of aikido are relatively few and simple. It is the refinement of application that makes them different. As a student progresses from beginning to intermediate to advanced and beyond, he or she will become less dependent on the technical technique or even the concepts presented here. Eventually the goal is simply to spontaneously, creatively, and naturally move in response, not reaction, to any approach or attack. Aikido practitioners move in such a way that they naturally connect and move to avoid damage to either themselves or their opponent, and to take control of the situation and life.

      The inner development of the advanced practitioner involves an understanding of the philosophical basis for aikido, developing a training philosophy, training the mind, and understanding and using ki. The theories and concepts for the advanced practitioner are the art of body mechanics, movement, and engagement. The advanced techniques of aikido include strikes, throws and locks, applications, combinations, and counters. Advanced applications include self-defense, demonstrations, competitions, seminars, and teaching.

      BUDO

      O'Sensei Morihei Ueshiba would say that aikido is by nature essentially different from other martial arts, but Master Sokaku Takeda did open his eyes to the true nature of Budo.

      Budo is a divine path established by the gods that leads to truth, goodness, and beauty; it is a spiritual path reflecting the unlimited absolute nature of the universe and the ultimate grand design of creation.... Reform your perception of how the universe actually looks and acts; change the martial techniques into a vehicle of purity, goodness and beauty; and master these things. When the sword of harmonization linking heaven, earth and humankind is manifest, one is liberated, able to purify and forge the self. (UESHIBA, M. 1991, P. 27)

      Budo is the martial way, the way of war. Bushido is the Japanese feudal-military code of behavior associated with the samurai. Bushido is the way of the warrior. The original samurai, meaning to serve, were protectors of their superior. The code of bushido developed and died out as the East became more westernized. It was revived and revised during the World War and became