Kiai

Issue #5 May/July 1999

Aikido Ki Society Australia Newsletter

R.R.P. $ 3.00
 Video Tapes from Senseis visiting Australia
Tamura Sensei - 9th Dan Nonaka Sensei - 8th Dan Reed Sen-
sei
26 - 30 September 1998 19 - 21 June 199819 - 21 June 1998 25 - 27 April 1997
2 Tapes - Total 7 hours 2 Tapes - Total 7 hours 2 Tapes - Total 6 hours

Av
Cost per Set is $50.00 each + P & H

ai
Send a Postal note plus $10.00 P & H per set of tapes, ordered

la
to; ( postage within Australia only )

bl
eN
To: Tony Deckers - 147 Pitt Road, Burpengary 4505 -

ow
Queensland

!
Please allow up to 10 days delivery

Breathing and Meditation CD now available.

This CD contains two guided Ki breathing methods and music meditation with explanations.
Breathing in seiza Ki Societies way to the gentle sound of a bell setting the rhythm for breathing in and
out building up from 8 to 20 seconds.
Guided Visual breathing through the whole body for nearly 20 minutes to take away the stress
of daily living. The music meditation is especially created to take you through a journey of sound that
will evoke images in the mind and soul.
This combined breathing & meditation CD is being offered by direct order from Sensei Tony
Deckers or through participating Dojos for a limited time at half price.

The RRP is $54-00. For a limited time it will

be available for $27-00.

For direct orders please contact Sensei Deckers on

07 3888 1243 .Or send your money order / cheque to
147 Pitt Road, Burpengary Qld 4505. Please include
an extra $3-00 for postage & handling.

Dojo inquiries are welcome. Dojos will be able to purchase

stocks for their Students at wholesale prices. Please contact
Tony Deckers for details.

SHIN-KON-DO WAY OF MIND & SPIRIT

METHODS FOR BREATHING & MUSIC MEDITATION.

Front Cover
Brad Schnierer ( Byron Bay) - 19 years old and finished year 12 last year. His natural talent for art appeared in his high school years.
He intends to enter one of the main art schools in Australia next year. He has won first prize in the youth section at the Easter Art
Classic, first prize in the youth section at the Lismore National and also has entries in the Art Express, which is an exhibition of the
outstanding HSC artworks in Australia. The Art Express exhibition has been exhibited through the David Jone’s stores and is currently
on exhibition at Darling Centre in Sydney.
 A Kiai Publication - Issue # 5

Kiai May / July 1999

Aikido Ki Society Australia Newsletter

MAIN F E A T U R E S

Thoughts by Adrian Xavier - Spring Hill Dojo - 5

Making Progress without Practice by Sensei William Reed - 8

Breaking Down Belief Barriers by Michael Atma - Logan City Dojo - 10

The Art of Choice by A Beginner - Byron Bay Dojo - 11

Nidan Essay by Sensei John Ward - Byron Bay - 12

The Nonviolent Martial Art by George Leonard - 14

Aikido - Physics in Action - Part 1 by Daniel James (London) - 15

SHODO - The Way of Calligraphy unknown - 18 - 19

Observation Rally by Sensei Tony Deckers - Caboolture - 16

That’s Just Your Opinion Unknown - 24 - 25

OT HER ARTICLES
Editorial by Tony Deckers - 4 Harmony of the Spheres - by Sandra Sytsma Noosa - 9

Sensei Says by Michael Williams Sensei - 4 Aiki Poetry from Byron Bay - 11

Shodan at 14 by Vanessa Milburn - Byron Bay - 6 Zenponage by Brett King Byron Bay - 13

Greetings by Brad McGregor - Caboolture - 6 What am I ? by Felicity Doyle - 16

Words of Wisdom - Jarrah (Byron Bay Mascot) - 6 Aikido & Budo by Fumio Toyoda - 17

The Art of Surviving School Holidays - Byron Bay - 7 Zen Stories - 17

Beginners Mind by Anna Rose - Byron Bay - 7 The Art of Being Together by Sean Hickey - 20
(From The Iaido Newsletter, #11 March 1991)
To Whom it May Concern byBald Erika Byron Bay - 7 Maai by Diane Skoss - 20
(Aikido Journal #101, October 1994, Vol. 21, no.4)
Enhancement of the Mind - by Chris Ball Caboolture - 9 Ki Society Dojo Reports - 22 - 24

Compunage - For the 21st Century by Alison Lane Byron - 9 Aikido Ki Society Australian Dojo Listings - 27

Kiai - Aikido Ki Society Newsletter Issue # 5 Page 3

E D I T O R I A L
By
Tony
Deckers
Greetings to one and all on the 5th edition of the Kiai
newsletter. I would firstly like to thank 19 year old BRAD
SCHNIERER of Byron Bay for his incredible drawing he
supplied for the front cover of this issue of Kiai. He is very
talented and I am sure with his ability and passion for art he
will certainly provide our world with some beautiful pieces of
artwork - many thanks Brad!
Many thanks to the dojo’s who are supporting the
newsletter with all their articles and information. It is not only
appreciated by me but also by you the readers. You will see in
this issue that the articles are coming from a broad cross-section
of aikido people. Some have only just started out and some
have submitted essays from their dan gradings (many thanks).
As much as I enjoy spending the time putting together
the newsletter, I must admit I enjoy reading the stories even
more as they come in, and seeing it going out to everyone in
print. It also allows me the opportunity to broaden my platform
of thinking, as the articles you send in show different insights
into people and how aikido, not only as a martial art, but as a
way of living, influences and changes people’s lives. As your
lives change through the understanding of Aikido, the people
that each of you come into contact with, also change.
Isn’t it magnificent to see how during the course of
studying a martial art, all our lives are transformed in such a
positive way. I am sure that when we all started “our” days in
Aikido we each had our own reasons, whether it be to get fit,
the discipline, learning to defending oneself or just simply to
meet other people.
I once read that, “We are all perfect, it is just that
we are all at different stages of not knowing it”. And when
somebody writes a story about something that has happened to
them, then they are showing a small piece of who they really
are, and that may expose a small piece of who we really are
as well... (Mind boggling stuff eh!)
So to all the readers out there many thanks for your
thoughts and experiences and sharing them with us all. Keep
them coming in. For as much as I might put all of your infor-
mation together, it is still your newsletter, and with your input
and support the newsletter and Aikido will grow, but more
importantly it’s a way for each of us to also grow. To all the
people over the past few months, many thanks, for your kind
words about the newsletter. I look forward to receiving new
stories from everyone for the August “99 edition!
Tony Deckers - Editor Kiai Publications
Kiai - Aikido Ki Society Newsletter Issue # 5
Sensei Says
Greetings to all
Aikido Ki Society members,
I hope this year is off to a good start for everyone.
Congratulations to all those members who have graded in
recent months. I am always surprised at seminar time to see
how rapidly everyone has progressed. Speaking of seminar
time, plans are underway for the upcoming seminar in May
with Sensei William Reed. As many of those who attended his
last seminar two years ago know, he is a very talented teacher
with a knack for articulating the concepts of Ki in daily life
to students of all levels. I really enjoy seeing all the familiar
faces and getting to know new members when we get together
for seminars.
Of course, the other exciting event on the agenda for
this year is the trip to Japan in August. This is a rare oppor-
tunity to be taught directly from Tohei Sensei, the founder of
Ki Society Aikido. We are very fortunate that Tohei Sensei
has agreed to teach our Australian group in a ‘private seminar’
format. We will be joined in Japan by Sensei William Reed
and Sensei Niwao from Hawaii, who will attend all the classes
with us.
I want to congratulate several of our senior instruc-
tors who have opened their own dojos this year. Sensei Brad
Wilkinson, from Springhill Dojo, opened his own dojo at
Sandgate in the northern suburbs of Brisbane. Sensei James
McGlone, from Byron Bay Dojo, opened two dojos in Sydney
in the suburbs of Wooloomooloo and Glebe. Sensei Andrew
Sunter, from Byron Bay Dojo, opened his dojo at Crow’s Nest
in Sydney. It is wonderful to see the expansion of Aikido Ki
Society in Australia. It takes a great deal of effort and com-
mitment to open a dojo and keep it going. I wish you all the
very best in your new ventures.
Speaking to these three instructors about plans for their
dojos and feeling their excitement makes me think back to how
many dojos we have opened over the years. All the concerns
about getting mats, choosing the right venue, cleaning, paint-
ing and organising the place requires a lot of thought and hard
work. I greatly respect all those instructors who have got things
up and running over the years and continue to teach so many
people this wonderful art of aikido. I personally cannot thank
these instructors enough for all their dedication in spreading
aikido to so many over the years.
Talking about years passing, next year will be the
20th anniversary of Ki-Aikido in Australia. We will arrange a
special celebration and seminar for next year!
Best wishes to all Aikido Ki Society members and I
hope to see you in May.
Sensei Michael Williams
Chief Instructor Aikido Ki Society Australia
Page 4

Thoughts
As I walk along the way with you all I can’t help but
notice the changes in myself. Aikido has given me the opportu-
nity to learn things about myself and my environment that I have
never before taken interest in or just simply taken for granted.
This year I have spent a lot of time reading and researching from
a number of different sources to find out what having a warrior
spirit means. My interpretaion is afterall, my interpretation, but I
would like to share with you a couple of things that I have found
really hard to deal with. To have and maintain a “beginner’s mind”
is hard enough, but to have a beginner’s mind without judging
and comparing, well......
A reminder that you are needed. Nobody is higher and
nobody is lower: nobody superior and nobody inferior. Everything
fits together....
A samurai, a very proud warrior, came to see a Zen
Master one day. The samurai was very famous, but looking at the
beauty of the Master and the Grace of the moment, he suddenly
felt inferior.
He said to the Master, “Why am I feeling inferior?
Just a moment ago
everything was okay.
As I entered your
court suddenly I felt
inferior. I have never
felt like that before. I
have faced death many
times, and I have never
felt any fear - why am
I now feeling fright-
ened?”
The Master said,
“Wait. When every-
one else has gone, I
will answer. “
People continued
the whole day to come and see the Master, and the samurai was
getting more and more tired waiting. By evening the room was
empty, and the samurai said, “Now, can you answer me?”
The Master said, “Come outside.”
It was a full moon night, the moon was just rising on the
horizen. And he said, “Look at these trees - this tree is high in the
sky and this small one beside it. They both have existed beside
my window for years, and there has never been any problem. The
smaller tree has never said to the big tree, ‘Why do I feel inferior
before you?’ This tree is small, and that tree is big - why have I
never heard a whisper of it?”
The samurai said, “Because they can’t compare.”
The Master replied, “Then you need not ask me. You
know the answer.”
When you don’t compare, all inferiority, all superiority,
disappear. Then you are - you simply are. A small bush or a big
tree- it doesn’t matter, you are yourself. A grass leaf is needed
as much as the biggest star. The sound of the cuckoo is as much
needed as any Buddah - the world will be less rich if this cuckoo
disappears.
Just look around. All is needed, and everything fits to-
gether. It is organic unity; nobody is higher and nobody is lower,
nobody superior and nobody inferior. Everybody is incomparably
unique. You are needed. If you cannot feel this in my presence,
Kiai - Aikido Ki Society Newsletter Issue # 5
where are you going to feel it?
Every day I bow down to you just to remind you that you
are perfect, that nothing is lacking, that you are already there- not
even a single step has to be taken, everything is as it should be.
Judgement means a stale state of mind. And mind always
wants judgement, because to be in a process is always hazardous
and uncomfortable. Be very very courageous, don’t stop growing,
live in the moment, simply stay in the flow of life.
This story happened in the days of Lao Tzu in China,
and Lao Tzu loved it very much:
There was an old man in a village, very poor, but even
kings were jealous of him because he had a beautiful white horse.
Kings offerred fabulous prizes for the horse, but the man would
say, “This horse is not a horse to me, he is a person. And how can
you sell a person, a friend?” The man was poor, but he never sold
the horse.
One morning he found that the horse was not in the stable.
The whole village gathered and said, “You foolish old man! We
knew that someday the horse would be stolen. It would have been
better to sell it. What a misfortune!”
The old man said, “Don’t go so far as to say that. Simply
say that the horse is not in the stable. This is the fact; everything
else is judgement. Whether it is a misfortune or a blessing I don’t
know, because this is just a fragment. Who knows what is going
to follow it?”
People laughed at the old man. They had always known
he was a little crazy. But after fifteen days, suddenly one night
the horse returned. He had not been stolen, he had escaped into
the wild. And not only that he had brought a dozen wild horses
with him.
Again the people gathered and they said, “Old man, you
were right. This was not a misfortune, it has indeed proved to be
a blessing.”
The old man said, “Again you are going too far. Just say
that the horse is back...who knows whether it is a blessing or not?”
It is only a fragment. You read a single word in a sentence - how
can you judge the whole book?”
This time the people could not say much, but inside they
knew that he was wrong. Twelve beautiful horses had come.
The old man had an only son who started to train the
horses. Just a week later he fell from a horse and his legs were
broken. The people gathered again and again they judged. They
said, “ Again you proved right! It was a misfortune. your only son
has lost the use of his legs, and in your old age he was your only
support. Now you are poorer than ever.”
The old man said, “You are obsessed with judgement.
Don’t go that far. Say only that my son had broken his legs. Life
comes in fragments and more is never given to you.”
It happened that after a few weeks the country went to
war, and all the young men of the town were forcibly taken for the
military. Only the old man’s son was left because he was crippled.
The whole town was crying and weeping, because it was a losing
fight and they knew that most of the young people would never
come back. They came to the old man and they said, “ You were
right, old man - this has proved a blessing. maybe your son is
crippled, but he is still with you. Our sons are gone forever.”
The old man said again, “ You go on and on judging.
Nobody knows! Only say this, that your sons have been forced
to enter the army and my son has not been forced. But only God,
the total, knows whether it is a blessing or a misfortune.”
Judge not, otherwise you will never become one with
Page 5
the total. With fragments you will be obsessed, with small
things you will jump to conclusions. Once you judge you have
stopped growing. Judgement means a stale state of mind. And
mind always wants judgement, because to be in a process is
always hazardous and uncomfortable.
In fact the journey never ends. One path ends, another
begins: one door closes, another opens. You reach a peak; a
higher peak is always there. God is an endless journey. Only
those who are so courageous that they dont bother about the
goal but are content with the journey, content to just live in
the moment and grow into it, only those are able to walk in the
total.
There are many different styles of Aikido and many
different styles of martial arts. Instead of being concerned
about what martial art you are doing or how it compares with
the other arts I feel it is more important to simply just stay
committed, train, train, train and enjoy the walk and the ups
and downs that it gives you.
Adrian Xavier - Spring Hill
SHODAN AT 14 YEARS OF AGE
I started Aikido in July 1995 at Goshinkan Dojo in
Byron Bay with Sensei Michael Williams. I first graded when
I was 11 years old. I received orange, green and blue belt in
1996 at the age of 12, being the youngest to receive blue belt.
I graded brown belt in September 1997. During these
years I have made many good friends. Michael and Valerie
have been excellent mentors for me. I feel Aikido has helped
me in many ways. My self esteem improved immensely which
enabled me to be more outgoing and have more confidence in
myself. It has also helped me with my schooling, making me
more settled when starting high school and enabling me to
concentrate on my schoolwork.
In early December 1998 at the age of 14, I graded
Shodan, whcih was a huge achievement. I am now the young-
est Shodan in Aikido Ki Society Australia thanks to Sensei
Michael Williams.
Vanessa Milburn age 15 - Byron Bay Dojo
Goal of training in the Martial Arts
The goal of training in the martial arts is to
overcome six kinds of disease,
the desire for victory,
the desire to rely on technical cunning,
the desire to show off,
the desire to psychologically overwhelm the opponent,
the desire to remain passive in order to wait for an open-
ing, and
the desire to become free of these diseases.
Yagyu Munenori
Kiai - Aikido Ki Society Newsletter Issue # 5
Greeting
Fellow
Enthusiasts
I have been training in Aikido for about 10 months
and find it extremely refreshing and enjoyable diversion from
the pressures of daily life. I wish to share a short insight, into
how in this very short period of time how aikido training has
“moved my mind” for the better.
As Westerners we hold very close the concept of
goals and material achievements. The object in question is
the belts or Kyu grades. We progress through as we achieve a
reassured competence. A short time ago I met up with friend of
mine and during the course of conversation we started talking
about martial arts Experiences. As my friend had began train-
ing in another style of martial arts about four months ago and
informed me he had just graded to orange belt.
Now dear reader, this is where things got strange be-
cause my immediate thoughts were “Hang on he’s been doing
martials arts for half the time I have, and he’s already orange
belt. What’s going on with me. Yes, unfortunately the green-
eyed monster did rise from the abyss and the “deserve to keep
up with the Jone’s” became evident.
Now, I wish I could confess that I dismissed this feel-
ing quickly and got on with my life, however the feeling of
inadequacy continued. Several days later I spoke with someone
from his dojo who had been on their belt for some time. During
our conversation, I said,
“ Don’t you want to get your next belt”! they simply
replied, “Yes, but what’s the big rush”. This statement struck
me as profound. “What’s the Big Rush”! I then refocused on
why I wanted to do aikido in the first place. It was not a race to
black belt or to break seven bricks with my pinky. No, I took
up aikido for several reasons, but the main one was to do a
gentle style of martial arts, one that I could still be doing and
learning when I am seventy years of age.
So when I looked at my original intentions, my green-
eyed monster disappeared and was replaced with an inner
contentment, in that I know that I have improved since I began,
and I am still enjoying my training. What I have holding up
my gi pants is not that important.
Aikido is a unique martial art in it’s outlook and ap-
proach, and definitely reassures a changing of the mind to
fully appreciate it. This I am just starting to experience and it
is confusing and enlightening at the same time.
So in closing fellow novices, all I can say is to enjoy
and savor the journey and don’t be in a hurry to get to the end
of the road.
Brad McGregor – Caboolture Dojo
Page 6
 Aikido and the Art of Surviving
the School Holidays
So, it’s been raining enough to do a workshop on ark
construction and the Kids are fighting with nuclear capacity.
Now is the time to seriously consider how all those hours on
the mat can help you survive those wondrous weeks of calamity
and mayhem. Sometimes, I really think holidays are something
the Education Department dreamed up to keep parents silent
and content no matter what the quality of education they pro-
vide. Below are some helpful survival hints. Think of holidays
as just another Ki test-an opportunity to put all that training to
use on the real-time mat of life!
1. Breathing-an Aiki version of the old count to ten.
This can be done anywhere anytime-while on chauffer duty,
while hiding out in the toilet or while waiting up when curfew
has long since passed.
2. Misogi -an Aiki version of the old *#!*#!. Shout
long and loud and hope that it scares away any of the extra
neighbourhood kids who might be hanging around. The family
might think you’ve finally gone around the twist and book you
into a peaceful clinic somewhere.
3. Immobilisation techniques-Perfect for those irrec-
oncilable differences between siblings that even a professional
referee couldn’t mediate. Great for tantrums in the middle of
Woolies, overdose symptoms from too many lollies and for
briefly stopping the cyclone whirling through your house.
4. Sankyo -Great for removing children unwilling to
relinquish their allotted timeslot on the computer, getting the
little darlings from point A to point B (from in front of the TV
to bed) and herding the kiddies homeward after a long day at
the park.
5. Yonkyo - Think of it as instant karma. This tech-
nique can be executed anywhere. If in public it is best done with
a really straight face and placid smile. Everyone will think the
kid just got stung by a bee. If all the above fail, you can always
escape to the dojo, throw yourself repeatedly at the mat while
laughing hysterically. You’ll return home calm, centred and
refreshed. Who cares if everyone thinks you’re on Prozac..
Valerie Williams - Byron Bay Dojo
Words of Wisdom
from Jarrah’
The Goshinkan Dojo Mascot
We give thanks for our friends, Our dear
friends
We anger each other, We fail each other
We share this sad earth, this tender life,
this precious time, Such richness, such wildness
Together we are blown about,
Together we are dragged along
All this delight, All this suffering
All this forgiving life,
We hold it together
Leunig
Kiai - Aikido Ki Society Newsletter Issue # 5
BEGINNER’S MIND
I’ve noticed an automatic reaction occurs when I have
difficulty doing something. Immediately, I think “I can’t do
it”, as if to convince myself it is so. However, whilst play-
ing with a young girl one day, I was inspired to change my
perception of such challenges. When stuck on a problem this
girls’ initial response, ‘I can’t do it’ showed her frustration.
But after pausing for a split second, she continued
saying, “NO, I can do it!”, I just don’t know how’. I was
struck by the insight she portrayed with such honesty and
determination. The tone of her voice expressed the belief in
what she said when correcting herself. And to think with that
one statement she opened herself to the valuable opportunity
to learn.
Anna Rose - Byron Bay.
To Whom It May Concern:
I’d just like to say how honoured I am to be apart of
a wonderful organisation. Sensei Michael Williams to me is
more than just an instructor, he is a man of immence integrity,
love, compassion and honour and he extends this and his ex-
tensive knowledge to each of his students and it shows.
I studied karate for years, but the brutality of it all,
especially by the instructors only promoted more fear within
me. Their attitude was, ‘If you can’t take it, do aerobics.” I
come from an abusive childhood and the karate instructors
only made my healing more difficult, beating me up on a
weeknight was not my idea of fun. But with aikido I have
fun whilst learning. I love knowing I can go all out on those
hakamas and know full well that I will not be hurt. I am still to
this day astounded at the sincere warmth and care I feel from
each hakama that I practice with. Sensei Williams promotes
so much goodness and love to a style that is so powerful when
done correctly. By being gentle and calm within, I’m able to
curb my panic attacks that so distort my senses.
Sensei Williams is also helping me to overcome my
fears towards men. I wish all men could be as he is, then the
world would be so peaceful to live in. I’d also like to take this
opportunity to say how sorry I am if I come across as aggres-
sive to anyone I practice with. It is not my intention to hurt but
to learn to bring out the best within each of us, especially me.
By practicing hard, I learn it the Neanderthal way. The way
the brutes would do it. In this way, I can fully feel the flow of
Ki through each person I practice with. It also allows me to
see and feel the power of aikido techniques and ki principles
when being uke for each person.
A special sincere thanks to each of Sensei William’s
students from whom each and everyone, I have learned a
tremendous amount and who have treated me very gently and
courteously. I truly love coming to training, knowing I will
not be hurt. To me this is vitally important. Thank you to each
of you.
Sincerely, Bald Erika - Byron Bay
Dojo
Page 7

b y
William Reed
E
ver have trouble finding time to practice? You may
be too busy to attend classes at a dojo on a regular
basis, but there is no need to stop practicing. Aik-
ido may take longer to learn than other things that
require less mental and physical participation, but it also
takes longer to forget. You have to stay grounded a long time
to forget how to ride a bicycle. Aikido sticks with us not just
as a set of physical skills, but also as an attitude.
If you really have forgotten how to do something,
you may never have learned it properly the first time. Tohei
Sensei says that what you learn one day, you can teach an-
other. The best way is to learn it so thoroughly that you do
it unconsciously. This takes time (practice), but when you
are put to the test you may surprise yourself that what you
have learned tends to stick with you.
Although I obtained a teacher’s license in brush cal-
ligraphy, and for about 12 years practiced religiously, work
commitments have interfered to the point where I had not
held a brush in the past 3 years. Last month I was in Japan on
business, and paid a visit to my calligraphy teacher. Naturally,
he wanted to see how well I could do after being away for
so long. I was as surprised as he was that the feeling was
still very much in my fingertips,as if I had never stopped
practicing. He was delighted and exclaimed that I could
still paint as a Shihan. This made me think that perhaps we
over-emphasize the importance of practice.
Tohei Sensei reached a high dan-grade in Judo before
he took up Aikido. He quit practicing Judo when he realized
that size and strength always seemed to give the winning
advantage. Disappointed that he could not throw stronger and
larger people than himself, he left the art and concentrated
on misogi training at the Ichikukai. After a year of breathing
and meditation, but no martial arts training, he went back to
his old Judo dojo, and surprised everyone including himself
by finding that he could easily throw opponents much larger
than himself. His old training partners shook their heads
Kiai - Aikido Ki Society Newsletter Issue # 5
Making
Progress
without
Practice
wondering how Tohei could improve without practicing.
There is an often-cited study in which people who
practiced shooting baskets for a month entirely in their minds
performed as well as others who spend time actually shooting
baskets on a court every day for a month. Apparently, after
a certain basic skill level has been obtained it is possible to
make progress without physically practicing, at least not to
the extent we assume is necessary.
What is required then to be able to make progress
without practicing? You will not do anyone a favor if you
become convinced for whatever reason that you are beyond
the need to practice. However, if you can do two things
well, you will not need to practice nearly as much as you
think necessary to make progress. First, you must maintain
an essential continuity by coordinating mind and body in
your daily life. This is the thread that holds separate activi-
ties together, and ensures that your mind and body are fully
engaged when you do perform. Secondly, you must remain
enthusiastic and interested in the art, whether or not you have
the time to devote to it that you would like. There are lots of
ways to do this, reading, talking to people, watching videos,
writing articles, supporting the dojo. Physical performance is
never far away when you are mentally engaged. Then there
is no practice, only doing. However, if you lose interest in
the art you may have trouble remembering how to do it, and
will become bogged down in minor points of technique.
Of course, the ability to make progress also assumes
that you have mastered at least certain fundamentals. Imagine
how far you would get playing the violin or learning a foreign
language without at least a certain amount of practice. Why
should Aikido be any different? Nevertheless, the most
important part of practice is gaining the feeling of Ki through
the art. This is something which you can take with you on and
off the mat, something which you are not likely to forget. It is
also what you need to make progress with or without practice.
Page 8
 Enhancement of the Mind
In aikido, it is frequently reinforced about the importance
of a clear, focused mind. This is what allows us to become not only
flexible in where we lead our friends (wether they know it or not)
but in our ability to cover from the unexpected. I will show you an
excercise which I have found useful for enhancing my mind that
you can start using right now. It is a simple, but effective tool that
you can use to tune your mind wherever or whenever you have
some free time. Maybe you might try it when you are having lunch
or the next time you are waiting in a line. To get the maximum out
of it though, I recomend doing it straight after you wake up in the
morning. All you need to do is the following:
Close your eyes and look up at about a forty five
degree angle. Now see and say to yourself the number 100.
Now count down to the number 1, seeing and saying to
yourself each number. Enjoy the feeling of serenity you get.
(optional but highly recomended) When you reach number 1,
imagine a movie screen about 2m in front of you taking up the
whole field of vision. Now imagine an object in as vivid and rich
detail as you can, see it, hear it in some way, imagine what it feels
like, what it might smell like, perhaps even tasting it.
If you can keep this up everyday then after a week you can
reduce the number to 50, then after another week to 25, then to 10
and finally to 5. Once you get to being able to obtaining the same
feel from counting to 5, you have a very powerful tool to quickly
calm and focus your mind whenever you want. If you can’t do it
every morning then do it some other time, regularly if possible,
but anything is better than nothing. When you start to get good you
might want to try using this with your techniques and weapon/ki
training.
If you want to know more look for a book called the Silva
Mind Conrol Method, by Jose Silva. Most importantly, have fun.
Chris Ball - Caboolture Dojo
COMPUNAGE....
AIKIDO FOR THE 21st CENTURY
Here’s something to consider......how do you ex-
tend Ki electronically? A ridiculous question you may ask,
and yet nowadays it is becoming increasingly rare to actu-
ally communicate person-to-person. All those negotiations,
discussions, transactions and dissertations that the Aikidoka
could feel smug about handling so well with their mind-blowing
interpersonal skills are now conducted to the hum of the CPU
rather than the murmer of voices.
And yet, ultimately, the principles are the same. Even
when your audience appears to be a figment of your computer’s
imagination it is still possible to communicate effectively.
The Aikido principle of “putting yourself in your opponent’s
place” can be translated as “consider how the other person
will feel about your message”. How would you like to be dealt
with?....What approach would make you feel like co-operating?
Your attitude will still be apparent in your message, and hopefully
you will still be able to feel smug....and all without moving from
the comfort of your office chair!
Alison Lane - Byron Bay Dojo
Kiai - Aikido Ki Society Newsletter Issue # 5
On the
harmony
of the
spheres...
Have you ever considered that aikido is a
natural harmonic?
In the multiple dimensions of space/time, concentra-
tions of energy can have the effect of ‘bending’ other energies
that come into their spheres of influence, in the way that the
moon circles the earth or the arms of a galaxy spin round a core.
Simply put, if the energies are alike, eg both positive
or both negative, a unisonic flow state is experienced... love
meets and grows love, anger begets anger. However, if there is
a differential, eg one positive and one negative, the energy of
lesser intensity will fall into the one of greater intensity until a
neutral stasis is reached... anger can be ‘cancelled out’ by love
and vice versa, but that makes no music in the end. In real life,
the balancing act is more dynamically creative... the moon is not
a permanent ‘given’ around the earth; neither is the magnet of
opposing energies like love and anger. Music is in the making.
In setting off a flow of repulsive and attractive energy
through every perception/thought/feeling/action, there is the
potential to generate dissonance or harmony. Consider an ai-
kidoka meeting an aggressor in which positive ki is met with
negative ki. There could be a clash of attraction, momentarily
cancelling the effects of opposing ki, but with the universe as
it is, the student of the nature’s way becomes a moving centre,
leading anger’s ki so it falls into a circular alignment, thus turn-
ing dissonance into harmony.
And in the quiet of zanshin that follows, there comes
a moment of balance which can be transformative, negative
ki becoming positive through love’s forgiveness. Harmony
becomes the silent singing of unison.
Next time you practise aikido, whether it be in everyday
life or in the dojo, be aware of your ki, as essence of stardust,
doing what comes naturally... making beautiful music.
Sandra Sytsma - Noosa Hinterland Dojo
“ T hough there are many paths
at the foot of the mountain,
All those who reach the top
See the same moon.”
Page 9

Which saying do you consider to be more accurate, “see-
ing is believing”, or “believing is seeing”? A more cynical and
skeptical individual or society tends to lean towards, “I’ll believe
it when I see it”. This attitude creates rigid, intolerant and small-
minded attitudes. Our lives are constantly being influenced by
what we cannot see. The air we breathe cannot be seen, yet still
it exists. The wind that cools our bodies cannot be seen, yet still
it exists. Our thoughts are powerful unseen forces, yet still they
exist. Every cell of our body is made up of subatomic particles that
go unseen, yet without them, we do not exist. Last, but certainly
not least, “ki” energy flows unseen within, through and beyond
our body, yet still it exists.
These facts and infinitely more like them, reveal to us
there is far more to life than meets the eye. The other side of the
coin is that whatever you believe, you will see. If you believe
that life is unfair, then your life will be filled with inequality. If
you believe in judgment and blame, then you will find it. If you
believe in doubt and fear, then you will create it. If you believe
in happiness and joy, then you will have it.
Life is really quite a simple process. It arranges itself
to accommodate your needs. Your needs come from the beliefs
you have about yourself and the world around you. Beliefs can
belong to an individual or be connected to social consciousness.
Each culture has its own traditions and behaviours that are passed
down from one generation to the next. These mass beliefs create
limited awareness in who we are, what we can do and who we can
become. Only those that break down the walls of their personal
and cultural belief barriers get to experience a life unlimited. If
you really want to improve the quality of your mental, physical,
personal, business or spiritual life, then look no further than chang-
ing your limited beliefs about yourself and the world.
For example, if you look at someone you love and believe
that you know them because of their body, voice or behaviours,
then you have never really known them at all. It is not possible
to know another human being until we know ourselves. You may
even believe that you know yourself (if it is just a belief, then all
you know is the costume, not the actor). You may believe that you
are a beggar or a king, but these things are not who you are. You
are neither rich nor poor, young or old, man or woman, black or
white. These things are purely an idea. The way you can know
this for sure is to consider what happens when you move into deep
sleep.
In deep sleep you are no longer identified with any lim-
iting attribute of your mind or body. Even terminally ill people
Kiai - Aikido Ki Society Newsletter Issue # 5
Breaking down
belief barriers...
…
by Michael Atma
Logan City Dojo
forget they are dying while in deep sleep. I have watched people
with severe head and chest colds who cough and splutter before
falling asleep, totally relax and resume normal breathing as soon
as they become unconscious. What do you suppose is happening?
This happens because in deep sleep your normal attach-
ments to your mind and body do not exist and your consciousness
merges with the universal source of existence. You can call this
source whatever you like. Words and labels have little meaning.
What matters is that in the unseen world, where even light and dark
no longer have any meaning, there is a non-dual or non-separate
reality. In this reality we stand naked, undivided, unlimited and
revealed. This is where the known, unknown and unknowable all
come together as one.
To me, the whole purpose of the human journey is to
enter this place with our eyes open. To fall into the place of deep
sleep, yet remain awake and alert. I call this the path of a mystic.
Others may call this fantasy. Whatever your inclination, the fact
remains that the depth and breadth of existence is way beyond
our wildest dreams or imaginings. If you want to have a more
fulfilling, conscious and truthful appreciation of life, then drop
all beliefs. The best way to do this is to say “YES” to life. In the
awareness of “yes” energy, all things become possible, all things
are true and nothing is being denied. This does not mean become
compliant. It means have the courage to explore your fears, your
vulnerability, your resistance to change and discover your inner
strength amongst your apparent weaknesses.
The deeper the “yes”, the more genuine your existence.
A world without beliefs would be a world without tension. For
everyone that believes they are “right”, someone else must be
“wrong”. For every “wrong”, there is judgment. As long as
judgment exists, then pain and suffering remain. It only takes one
person to agree with another to begin the end of all conflict and
tension on the planet. It may not happen overnight, but if we don’t
start now, it will never happen. Someone has to take responsibility
to be the first one to stop passing the buck, only then can peace
be a reality.
As a final thought, just keep in mind that however your
life is for you right now, it is only a reflection of your inner beliefs.
If you are unhappy or unfulfilled in any area, then take a closer
look at what these beliefs might be and then when you find out
– let them go. Then you will know inner peace and happiness.
Until then, may your vision become clearer, your heart become
purer and your mind be at peace.
Page 10
 The Art
of Choice
This was the description of Aikido given to me twenty
years ago in the gym of an oil platform in the far reaches of
the North Sea. I was 25 years old at the time, practicing kata
forms in preparation for a brown belt in Shotokan Karate.
Every second evening after a 12-15 hour day at work, I would
be in the gym. I would like to tell you about an incident that
occurred a couple of days earlier.
Having just finished a 12 hour shift, it had been a long, My sixteen year cousin fell down some stairs so straight,
cold day. I had just come from a nice hot shower, hungry; I was
heading for food. Serving myself a large feed, I looked around
the canteen for a quiet spot or a familiar face. I sat down at
a table at the back section where it was quiet and I could see
everything that was happening around me. Eventually, slow-
ing my eating, I’m able to observe what’s going on. Noticing
to my right two guys having a go at this tall quiet guy, smiling
and having some food. These two were abusing this fellow.
To me this was not fair, so I decided to be a superhero and step
in and help the guy out. It wasn’t too long or too hard before
the loudmouths left this guy alone.
Two nights later, alone in the gym practicing blocks
and punches, the door opens behind me and glancing around, I
see its the quiet guy from the other evening. The one I thought
I was protecting began some stretching and then started rolling
around the gym. Having never seen anyone do this before,
I thought to myself, ‘What’s this wanker doing?’ It seemed
stupid to me at the time. After awhile, I asked him what he
was doing. He tells me ‘Aikido’, the martial art that gives you
a choice. ‘What do you mean’, I ask.
He introduces himself as ‘Tom’, and then says it is
best if he shows me and asks me to punch him without holding
back. I just went for him to surprise him, but was this ever
a wrong move? Within a split second, I was on my arse and
in pain. He was holding me with only one hand. The more I
tried to get away, the more pain I was in. Tom then took me
for a guided low angle tour of the gym. As he led me on my
knees across the length and breadth of the room, he eventually
tells me to relax and stop fighting the hold. That not resisting
would stop the pain.
My brain had just spent the last 5 minutes in not com-
pute mode! Standing me up, he explained about the choices he . Taking pride in fame
had-to let me go or apply more Ki. As he applied more, it felt
as though my wrist, elbow and shoulder were about to snap.
He explained that with Ki, you can apply a little or a lot, hold
or throw. Tom also pointed out how gently he was actually
holding me and how ki was actually more useful than strength.
The last 15 minutes had convinced me of that.
Its taken me 20 years of travelling through various
martial arts systems to realise I would have been a lot wiser minimising
to start aikido and stay with it over the last 20 years. New interests.
beginning at the end of a circle. Aikido.
A Beginner - Byron Bay Dojo
Tao
Kiai - Aikido Ki Society Newsletter Issue # 5
Aiki - Poetry
When I started Aikido it was in the kid’s classes,
But now I’m learning from great teachers and masters.
In the children’s classes it was really fun,
When we could always play around and run.
But the senior class needs discipline and Ki,
And when I started I really began to see.
You can go to many arts with punches and kicks,
But I don’t think any other art can cover all these tricks.
You learn from zenpo and kotegaeshi
And from kirikaeshi to udefuri.
She did an aikido roll, she learned when she was eight.
You probably won’t be attacked in all of your life,
But you can always practice with your wife.
Hayley McGlone Age 12 - Byron Bay Dojo
Aikido is not just a martial art,
It makes you think from the heart.
So, it’s not just about self defence,
The principles make a lot of sense.
It has helped me in many ways,
In my schoolwork throughout the days.
It has made me concentrate,
And be more focussed in all I create.
When you walk into the training place,
You meet many interesting people face to face.
Learning aikido is great,
And if you are destined in your fate,
To practice aikido.
Remember one thing, Ki, and you will see,
It’s not just a martial art.
Kira Williams Age 12 - Byron Bay Dojo
is not as interesting
as avoiding it.
Cultivating hobbies
is not as peaceful as
from Reflections of the
Page 11

o write an essay on what Aikido means to me at
this stage of my life is, as I’m sure many
have found in the past and many will find
in the future a particularly on erous task. Far too
tempting to attempt to encapsulate a myriad of actions, technique
and counters, a bit like Aikido join the dots. But what if the vital
component, the nucleus and kernel is omitted in that compart-
mentalist methodology. Perhaps a less circuitous route is more
appropriate; irimi-esque, straight to the heart, from the heart, swift
and concise, an essay distilled as a Kiai on paper, one word says
all. This process of intellectual mastication and pondering on the
choice of method, let alone the content is an arduous and taxing
one. It was during a period of respite from these mental gyrations
that this story begins, from a point of nothingness, from whence
all things spring.
Tea in an enamel cup, complete with obligatory cinders
from the fire, dusk on a small coastal promitory. A spider excavates
a home for the night, ephemeral and transient, economy of effort,
a home and means of filling its belly. The process of excavation
becomes an intrigue, a spiral of dirt being scooped out, anti
clockwise and relentless. Several minutes are spent captivated
by the process, sparking the imagination to ponder the dance of
life; birth, death, love and fear. The spider’s home is a seemingly
innocuous pile of soil amidst the grandeur of the southern forests.
And for that moment, the forest moves in the same spiral pattern
as the spider’s, a blueprint of each other, with their own individual
expression. The trees have grown in the same anti clockwise pat-
tern spiraling upwards, a flock of cockatoos move on, lightning
strikes have scarred the bark of trees, electrical currents spiraling
and connecting with the earth in the same anti clockwise fashion.
The forest in morning and evening reflects the teeming of life, the
tender transference of growth and life and back again, the serenity
of stillness, the travelling within, it crackles with the movement
of life.
And as enchanting and awe inspiring as this small so-
journ of the soul had been, the act of observation and perception,
that coupling of the senses and the world around us became the
moment of reflection, for a reflection it is; of myself. To sit to
sit, not to relax or to eat or to read, but simply sitting to sit, to do
nothing, that was the deceivingly simple catalyst that initiated the
panorama of the senses just experienced. To do nothing, to be.
Kiai - Aikido Ki Society Newsletter Issue # 5
Nidan Essay - 1998
by Sensei John Ward
B y r o n B a y Dojo
There are only two feelings. Love and Fear
There are only two languages. Love and Fear
There are only two activities. Love and Fear
There are only two motives, two procedures,
two frameworks, two results.
Love and Fear, Love and Fear.
(Michael Luenig)
The quintessential Zen. That momentary de coupling from the
fog and fuzz of daily thought, the derailing of analytical thought
allows a mightily changed perception of our surroundings. And
how seemingly rarely do we surrender to the gift of emptiness.
At that point in time the objectivity of perception was surpassed
by the experience of simply perceiving, of simply being: a sense
of connection, of breathing with the forest, belonging, a sharing
of Ki.
To do nothing does not imply doing nothing at all. Rather
it means to surrender to the heart, not just act in response to the
mind. That is not to say we forget the basic precepts of life, the
morals and ethics that bind us as a species together (both inter and
intra), the essential act of survival, our biology. When we do act
though, it is in response to intuition, to spontaneity, to Ki, rather
than self-conscious deliberation or a societal set of conscripts,
parameters and prescriptions. The Chinese Taoists such as Lao
Tzu and Chuang Tzu call this wu wei, and in many respects par-
allels the teachings of O’sensei and Tohei sensei. The genius of
both O’sensei and Tohei sensei has been their ability to interpret
a much contemplated, but difficult to verbalise concept of wu wei
and place it into the realms of the tangible, the palpable and the
physical; i.e. Aikido. So while the deliberation of essay methodol-
ogy is still unresolved, at least the subject matter has been clarified:
At this stage of my Aikido training the concept of doing nothing
has become a major point of focus, a contemplation and inquiry
for as O’sensei states:
“If you have not linked yourself
to true emptiness, You will never
understand the Art of Peace.”
Of course to make manifest the principle of “Do Noth-
ing” in the context of this essay, the implication could easily be
made to sit and do nothing at all. Even though we hurtle towards
an age of voice and visual recognition in computers, the days are
still far off for Ki translation, so best to stumble forward and at-
tempt to put some semblance of structure to this rumination and
its application in daily life and on the mat.
The word Ki has no real interpretation into the English
language, the glue of the Universe is probably the best I have
Page 12
heard, so is it any wonder that we in the West have trouble grap-
pling with what Ki is, let alone incorporating Ki into our daily
lives. Intuition is but one of the windows of Ki, a two-way conduit
to the universe, yet one that has become stifled and atrophied in
a world dominated by logic and rationalism. The world of the
rational and logical has a justified and vital role, particularly in
the empirical world of science that I inhabit. It is just that the
pendulum has swung too far.
Certainly most of us have lost contact with our intuitive
side, those subtle ramblings and feelings that simply indicate go
right, go left, go, stop etc. Sometimes profound but more often
subtle and subverted. Without the recognition and acceptance of
intuition and therefore Ki in our lives I believe we live in a state
of extreme polarization and a profound dilemma of diametric
opposites. On the one hand the intellect and emotion drive the
majority of our actions, as do our taught behaviours and social
precepts that meddle in innocence. Activity for activities sake,
striving for happiness outside of our selves, the Holy Grail and
mantra of consumption as a panacea for all, self-aggrandizement,
fear and loathing.
Our lives are immersed in and encapsulated by a Car-
tesian polemic. We consciously live our lives as a set of lines
with abrupt beginnings and ends, a continually expanding set
of linear coordinates espoused as goals and achievements. But
living life only in such a linear mode puts us in conflict with the
natural world. A world of circles and cycles, spirals, rhythms and
pulses, a world where beginning melts into end: the circle of life.
Biologically we inhabit a world of circles, intellectually we live
in a world of lines. The loss of connection between the two is not
surprising.
The development of Ki in ones life allows the juxtapo-
sition, a nexus, of the two spheres, similar to the circle, triangle
and square trilogy of O’Sensei. The circle represents serenity and
perfection, the square (or lines) represents solidity and control,
the triangle stability and creation. The practice of Aikido and Ki
training makes Ki a palpable entity, tangible and quantifiable.
And just as importantly, regular practice provides a subconscious
shift, a profound change in self esteem, sensitivity, compassion
and courage, as though we are imbued with a sense of vastness
and availability of these humanist virtues.
Living with an awareness of Ki is analogous to having an
infinite number of rubber bands tied around ones waist. And each
one of those bands is in turn connected to an infinite number of
entities both animate and inanimate, and those connected to each
other. Each moment in time represents a tension on one thread, a
slackening of another- a dynamic flux of expansion and contraction
with each and every one of us at the centre of an infinite universe.
Threads of KI connect us to the entirety of the universe, it’s up to
each and every one of us to develop a sensitivity to comprehend
this.
An obvious consequence of any martial art is to develop
the skill and courage to protect ourselves, family and humanity
from acts of violence and aggression. Certainly a noble cause, one
that entails much study, practice and fun and one where Aikido
is particularly effective. The challenge, however, for me at this
stage of my Aikido training is to develop the courage to let go,
to unleash the intuition, to surrender and trust in the Ki of the
Universe, to DO NOTHING. As far as the whys and wherefores; I
have no real idea, simply a commitment to seek, listen and adapt.
As Leunig says there is only love and fear. If courage is obviously
the antithesis of fear, perhaps courage equates to love.
I’ll sit here to simply sit and a spider may give me a hint.
Kiai - Aikido Ki Society Newsletter Issue # 5
Zenpo Nage
It was a rainy, busy night in the hostel where I had been
staying. I had gone to bed early; feeling very congested with a
cold. It was about 2:00 AM when I awoke to the ravings of what
I could make out was a drunken madman. This guy would just
not shut up. That would have been all right to a point, however,
the content of his outbursts were very upsetting.
It seemed to me that he wasn’t just a few slices short of
a loaf, but more on the evil side of mad. I had to go and see the
security guy who fortunately was nearby. As I was explaining
the situation, the guy came up beside me and started to argue
his point. When he saw he wasn’t making a good impression he
changed gear and just charged me full tilt.
Now, I’m not completely alien to a schoolyard scuffle,
as it has happened to me before. Anyone who has had a similar
experience understands how terrifying a confrontation of this na-
ture can be. That is part of the reason I undertook to learn aikido.
Years before, I had been bodycharged by a rather solid football
player and I ended up in hospital for a couple of days with eight
stitches under my eye, a dislocated little finger and a fractured
elbow. That didn’t hurt as much however, as the realisation that
I was powerless to do anything about it.
My aikido practice developed for a number of reasons,
not all related to self-defence. The style of fitness that ‘mind and
body unification’ Aikido creates, is unique compared to any other
physical discipline I’ve encountered.
At the time of the confrontation in the hostel, I had
reached green belt level. Learning how not to receive someone’s
ki was something I’d been practising. Having been body charged
before, I knew zenpo nage was probably the best thing to do at
the time. This man played uke for me and the zenpo’s were so
easy I couldn’t believe it. Since then, I have to come to revere
the basics of zenpo. It is so simple, but not so easy, one definitely
has to practice. As it was, I did damage my arm muscle on one
of the zenpo’s because I wasn’t unified enough to flick him off at
the completion of the throw.
An equally remarkable outcome of that meeting was that
I really only got angry once, and that was for a very short time. I
got angry when he landed a punch. I went to punch him back but
somebody pushed him out of the way and instantly I lost power
and my ‘ki’ was dissipated. I pulled myself up, remembering
what Steven Seagal would do, having ‘maai’, projecting forward
and turning 180 degrees for the zenpo. After that, each time he
bodycharged me I threw him. The more I threw him the more
tired he got and the attacks became less frequent. I knew I had
to control my anger and not let it grab me (for my own survival).
I almost felt compassion for this guy rather than anger and I’m
sure that the aikido principle of treating his energy just simply as
that, ‘energy’, was fundamental to executing the zenpo correctly.
Human beings are so complex at times.
Two things stand out for me about the encounter that
night. Firstly, I gained a very real appreciation of the technique,
known as ‘zenpo’. Secondly, I realised how debilitating anger
can be. In Asian culture, anger is recognised as the first symptom
of madness and I reckon they are right.
Brett King - Byron Bay Dojo
Page 13
 by the founder of the art. Then decide if you are willing to devote
The Nonviolent Martial Art time, money, and effort to your practice.
Considering the complexity of the training and the fact
Aikido, “the way of harmonizing with the spirit of the that classes are generally offered twice a day, five to seven days
universe,” is perhaps the most elegant and sophisticated of the a week, fees tend to be quite reasonable. You should probably not
martial arts. It is also the most difficult to learn. “Its demands for take up aikido unless you can train an absolute minimum of twice
skill, grace, and timing rival those of classical ballet.” a week on average; three to six days a week would be better.
In spite of these demands, aikido is growing in popular- Aikido training is an ongoing process. You begin simply
ity. Though it is a direct descendant of bushido - “the way of the by putting on your gi (training uniform, generally available at the
warrior” - aikido is a reform of the conventional martial arts. Its dojo), tying a knot in your white belt (emblem of the ultimate
deeper purpose - expressed in every technique, every movement learner, the beginner), and stepping on the mat. The more expe-
is to create harmony rather than discord, reconciliation rather than rienced students will help you, as will your sensei (teacher).
victory. Nevertheless, you’ll go through a period of feeling quite clumsy.
Modern aikido was founded in the late Twenties by Take it as a natural and necessary part of the learning process.
Morihei Uyeshiba, a master of jujitsu and sword fighting. At his Getting a black belt will probably take three or four years of
death at age eighty-six in 1969, Master Uyeshiba left behind a rich dedicated training for the younger person; five years or more for
mind-body-spirit art and a legend of extraordinary feats, some of others.
which were captured on film. But he left only a few words. Among So don’t even think about that. Just stay on the mat. Keep
them: training. You can eventually gain physical conditioning, flexibility,
grace under pressure, confidence, a sense of community. And the
“The secret of aikido is to harmonize ourselves with the moment will finally come - just when you least expect it - when
movement of the universe and bring ourselves into accord with a throw works perfectly with no apparent effort on your part and
the universe itself. He who has gained the secret of aikido has your attacker goes sailing through the air. At that moment, you’ll
the universe in himself and can say, ‘I am the universe.’” “Aiki realize there are absolutely no words that can adequately
is not a technique to fight with or defeat the enemy. It is the way describe why you’re practicing aikido.
to reconcile the world and make human beings one family.” “The
only opponent is within.” George Leonard
It is practically impossible to master aikido without
internalizing its philosophy. And it is a rather radical philosophy:
To love and protect the attacker; to cooperate with rather than
compete against your fellow aikidoists (contests are forbidden,
Aikido Club
but examinations are quite challenging); to transcend conventional
concepts of time, space and causality; and to sense the intercon-
Brisbane YMCA - 1980
nectedness of all existence.
Aikido can be practiced by people of every age but
can be as demanding physically as it is philosophically. Half the
time the aikidoist plays the attacker; in this role no punches are
pulled and the attacker is generally thrown or pinned. The seem-
ingly effortless quality of aikido disguises the rigorous training
involved in taking a fall safely and gracefully. This aspect of the
art, learning to transform the fear of falling into the joy of flying
is as rewarding and valuable as is the throwing and pinning.
Since its power does not come from sheer mass or
exceptional upper-body strength, aikido is an especially good
martial art for women and smaller men. Too much reliance on
arm, shoulder, and chest muscles, in fact, can prevent graceful
and effective performance on the mat. The startling force of the
aikido throw derives from the long muscles that are attached to
the pelvis. During throws, the aikidoist’s arms and hands are often
extended like swords. This is accomplished by sensing ki (en-
ergy) flowing through the arms and out the fingertips. Whatever Have you seen any of these people
the rational explanation for this mysterious phenomenon, the fact asks Jutta Dowdy?.
remains that it works; the aikido “unbendable or energy arm” is (3rd row in the middle - from Griffith University Aikido)
relaxed yet remarkably powerful. In aikido, the mysterious and
the commonplace often seem to join. Having started Aikido 19 years ago would like to
Getting involved in this art is as easy as looking it up in know if there are still any practising aikidoist out there from
the Yellow Pages — aikido is generally listed under Judo, Karate,
the initial members of the Brisbane YMCA days. If so please
or Martial Arts. Phone and ask if you can observe a class. If not,
something is probably wrong; the best dojos welcome visitors.
contact Jutta via the Griffith Uni Aikido Club - Brisbane
Watch the training. See if it manifests the original ideas affirmed
Jutta Dowdy - Griffith University Dojo

Kiai - Aikido Ki Society Newsletter Issue # 5 Page 14

Aikido: Physics in Action?
by Daniel A. James
The following is a collection of my thoughts as I have
progressed in my study of the art of Aikido. This article repre-
sents part of my struggle to resolve the concepts of the art with
that of my background as physicist. Throughout my training I
have tried to keep an open and receptive mind, putting aside any
baggage from my background. However I still find myself unable
to clearly resolve these different perspective’s within myself,
let alone convey my ideas to others. This essay discusses an ap-
proach to the techniques of Aikido from an alternative point of
view using physics.
The culture of Aikido and Ki
A new student entering the dojo is confronted with much
of the eastern cultures, which is incorporated into the basic ethos
of the class. This usually includes lots of bowing and various
phrases of Japanese. And while initially this is all quite strange
it turns out there are very good reasons for this ritual behaviour.
The bowing for instance is not some strange religious act but
to encourage respect for the art and its founder, the Sensei and
fellow students. (I think also a mention of the fact that we are
taught that this ritual helps us to clear our mind or get us in the
right frame of mind would be worth a mention.) Central to the
techniques of Aikido are the concepts of Ki and liberal use of the
word is made in a typical class in both a martial and philosophical
/spiritual sense. This discussion will centre on comparing the
Ki paradigm with the paradigms of physics for performing the
various techniques of Aikido. The philosophical, spiritual side of
Ki is not dealt with in this discussion, though the development of
the mind is an important and integral part of the art.
One of the first things students have to deal with is the
concept of Ki and of course its application to Aikido and per-
haps their way of life. Explanations here range from a religious
experience to explanations as mundane as the momentum of an
opponent. Today there are many different styles of Aikido some
placing more emphasis on Ki and Ki development than others, this
seems in some way to be a reflection of different interpretations
of Ki. Tohei sensei defines Ki as “cosmic power” and states that
“Ki is a very complex word… and even more difficult to translate
to westerners”[1]. Westbrook and Ratti [2] speak of the difficulty
of defining Ki in a purely physical or mental sense.
The concept of Ki is of course Japanese and more easily
interpreted in the context of the roots of Japanese society. How-
ever to a westerner this is sometimes something of a struggle to
grasp (though it appears that many Japanese also have trouble
with the concept), this is compounded by having not usually in-
ternalised many of the precepts of Japanese society. Ideally then
one would study all facets of Japanese society including some of
the various religions and philosophies (such as Shinto, Zen etc.)
to fully interpret Ki in its cultural context, unfortunately though
this is a serious undertaking and would require a significant in-
vestment in time. The translation can, however be assisted if we
look at some words that include the Ki character as it appears in
the calligraphy for Aikido. (Interestingly there are a number of
different characters that represent Ki - alluding to it having a wider
Kiai - Aikido Ki Society Newsletter Issue # 5
- Part 1
use within the Japanese society [3]). While there is a plethora
of Japanese words that include this character for Ki which have
deeply philosophical meanings there are also many that have a
more physical meaning. Some examples that have a more physical
meaning (together with their accompanying English translation)
include denki (electricity), petrol/gasoline (sekiyu) and kiryoku
(force). While this method of translation is at best a superficial
one it demonstrates the generalised use of Ki in Japanese language
and society. This is perhaps in line with Tohei Sensei’s teachings
of Ki pervading all things.
Eastern and Western Sciences
It should be noted that the development of the physi-
cal sciences in Japan was in conjunction with its contact with
the west (though this is perhaps an ethnocentric observation)
however development of the internal mind and philosophies was
widely prevalent and advanced in the East before this Western
influence [4]. If a physical science approach was not available
for describing the physical world (prior to contact with the west),
maybe then a more philosophical explanation had to suffice. This
would explain the tendencies of the Japanese people to favour
these sorts of explanations to describe complex observed events.
Hence perhaps the explaination for the philosophical rather than
scientific approach of Aikido. An additional advantage was that
the people of the local culture and time more easily understood
this approach. I do not think a westerner or purely western mind
as easily assimilates information in this way. As westerners then
we can then try to understand the techniques of Aikido using
western models like physics as a form of translating the concepts
and meaning of Ki. Possibly though this is a non-trivial task given
the complexity of modern physics. Mainly this is because to use
modern physics a thorough grounding in Newtonian mechanics is
an essential requirement as well as an understanding of mathemat-
ics to calculus level and some understanding of biomechanics is
essential. This represents a considerable investment in time and
energy.
A physical look at the techniques of Aikido
A conversational level of ability in physics allows us
to describe the uke-nage interactions, though to pursue a more
rigorous solution is considerably more demanding. For example
Newtonian mechanics allows us to calculate the interaction of
particles and shapes easily. Here the position of any point in arbi-
trary space can be described using only 3 numbers (x,y,z). To then
describe that points’ movements in space another 3 numbers (for
velocity) are necessary. To model the interaction of 2 people we
need to describe position and velocity in space over a period of
time, this becomes a considerably more complex task. A mechanics
equation is required to describe the motion of each independent
body for a given movement. For example to represent the motion
of a person by describing only the major interconnecting bones,
we are dealing with approximately 20 equations (one for each
joint), each of these equations would then contain descriptions
for position (3 variables), velocity (3 variables) and acceleration
(3 variables) say. If we try to describe the interaction of uke and
Page 15

nage over even a short period of time, say a three second technique,
and we analyse the motion every millisecond we end up dealing
with the order of 2x20x9x3000 = 1,000,000 variables or unknown
values to compute. Clearly this becomes a non-trivial task even
on todays computers, assuming you could find someone to write
the program
In contrast the analysis of a variety of joint controls (ni-
kyo, sankyo) at the finish of a technique has been demonstrated
previously [5][6]. Though the interaction of uke-nage during or
at the start of a technique has not been analysed technically in the
literature or adequately explained otherwise. This would seem also
to be beyond the scope of this discussion. Instead let us examine
a simpler interaction like the unraisable body Ki test.
This is an exercise performed to aid in Ki development/testing
of a student, one may also argue that it is an essential skill for
performing many of the techniques of Aikido. This discussion will
use some basic physics to explain some of the forces necessary
to raise a body and to prevent a body being raised and then show
how an aikidoka manipulates these to their advantage.
Interlude The Physics of lifting
Before we begin with looking at how unraisable body
works lets first look at lifting and how the body does this. Imag-
ine you are holding a heavy bag above your head. While keeping
your arm straight rotate your arm at the shoulder so that you now
begin to lower the suitcase so that it is out in front of you, at first
the bag is very easy to control. But as the angle formed by your
body the arm begins to change it becomes increasingly difficult
to hold. Why is this, surely the mass of the bag remains the same?
It may seem a silly question to ask, as the answer is
obvious – but is it easy to explain? In moving the bag through
this arc the effort to lift it changes from being solely devoted to
holding the weight of the bag to expending increasing energy in
maintaining it at its current horizontal distance from the body. At
this point the body is becoming less efficient as the energy that was
initially devoted entirely to lifting the bag is now being redirected
elsewhere. Light bulbs may be going off about now - what if we
can make use of this knowledge in our Aikido. More on that later.
Physically what is happening is the weight of the bag
always acts in a downward direction and when the arm is verti-
cal that’s OK. However when the arm is not held vertically then
much more energy needs to be expended to hold the same weight
– because the arms strength is now divided between holding not
only a vertical position but also holding it horizontally as well.
By Daniel James - London - Part 2 next issue
“ I f you knew the time it
took me to gain my mas-
tery, it wouldn’ t seem so
wonderful.”
- Michelangelo
Kiai - Aikido Ki Society Newsletter Issue # 5
What am I ?
I am made of a hard substance, and do not bend easily.
I am long and at one end I separate into our pointy pieces. In the
middle I have a slight curve, and I taper a bit in the direction of
the four points. When held in the center, there is a noticeable
heavier side. The balance point is in the tapered area. I don’t have
much of a taste, except perhaps slightly metallic. I have no odor,
and I am often on the cool side. When tapped on wood, there is a
slight ringing in the air. When tapped on metal, I meet with a loud
noise and a resounding ring. If cooled, I stay cool for a long time.
If warmed, I also stay warm a long time. When bitten, there is
definite resistance. The area of me that separates into four points
is also flat and wide, while the other side of me is long and thin,
with a slight flatness. The pointy side is effective for poking or
piercing something. The other side is very dull. I am a silvery grey
in color, and have fine streaks which add to the shinyness.
Can you guess what I am?
How often do we look at objects in this way? How often
do we just examine the facts, instead of just going by what we
feel to be true. So often we overlook things because we are not
really paying attention to what is really there.
A child, perhaps, would look at this object for the first
time, and examine it in this manner. They put objects in their
mouth, they smell them, touch them, hit them, use them to hit
something else, and the list goes on. Do they get a better sense
of the object because they find all possibilities for the use of the
object, while we only use the object for what it was made for?
It is important to look at things in an open an uncondi-
tioned way, so that we see all of the possibilities and perspectives.
To be close-minded or conditioned to see things in a limited
perspective, prevents this.
Try this activity sometime with an ordinary object:
1.Inspect the object closely. Observe its shape, color,
texture, weight, odor, taste, temperature, etc... Jot down all of
your observations until you have an exhaustive list of qualities.
2.Experiment with the object in all the ways you can think
of. Treat it as though it were a laboratory specimen continuing to
use all of your senses. Describe the results of the process.
3.Now put all of the information together in a logical
descriptive way. Describe the object to someone as though they
had never seen it before. Use analogies if necessary. Strive to
make things perfectly clear.
Try doing this activity frequently in your life, as it shows
the potential of any object. It often shows us things that we were
not aware of before, and opens our minds to the possibilities. Like
looking at the above object, which was a fork.
Did you realize that that is what I was describing? Have
you ever looked at a fork in that way? If you were to describe a
fork to someone that had never seen one before, how would you
do it?
By Felicity Doyle
Page 16
 Aikido &
Budo
Budo has its historic beginning with fight-
ing. It was first concerned with the practical
questions of physical and psychological
preparation for conflict, and action in fight-
ing. How does one win a fight or battle?
How does a person protect himself, his
family, his clan, or his country during
times of enemy attack? At the center
of these questions was the inescap-
able problem of death and life. (In
Japanese, the phrase is put this way,
not “life and death” as in the west.)
This problem was the essential, emo-
tional and spiritual, concern of Budo training; the reali-
ties of combat guaranteed that it was perceived as an important
practical matter. Today many of us say that we study some form
of Budo, but is this true if we consider what I have just said? The
question must be asked, can we truly study Budo without fighting?
Can there be martial arts without life-threatening conflict?
I believe that to answer these questions one must include
more than just the war and violence in the historical background
of Budo. The role that religion and art played in the development
of Budo is extremely important. The fact that Zen training often
became a method for warriors to approach the problem of fear
of death, indicates that answers to the problem of transcendence
could come from places other than the battlefield. This training
does not depend on fighting and is not restricted to warriors alone.
The Founder of Aikido came to transcendent experience
in Manchuria as the result of both his martial arts background and
his Shinto religious training. There are many examples of people
who through their involvement in spiritual and artistic disciplines
experience a transcendence of death and life. War and violence
are without a doubt an occasion for transcendent experience, but it
must be kept in mind that these are not the only conditions under
which a person can become enlightened about death and life.
Today’s Budo student must remember that creative as
well as destructive activities can lead to development. The im-
portant thing is to be clear about what we are doing, to be serious
about it, and to be positive at the same time. We need not only to
keep our martial art reasonable and effective, but also to try and
see a more creative social aspect of our practice. Each student
has their own reasons for doing martial arts. Some may want
self-defense training.
Others are interested in developing their confidence so
that they can enjoy a larger experience of life. Training has its
social side and the family-like atmosphere of the dojo attracts
students. My point is that these are all acceptable reasons for
starting Budo training. However, they are not an acceptable goal
of training. At some point each student must eventually deal with
the question of transcendence. In some way the fact of death and
life must be faced. If we do this, we are practicing Budo.
Fumio
Toyoda
Kiai - Aikido Ki Society Newsletter Issue # 5
THE THREE BROTHERS
A rich man was dying so he called his
three sons and said to them.
‘I wish to leave my fortune intact so I will set each
of you the same task to see which one is the
most capable at managing money.’
‘In my warehouse there are three large storerooms,
all the same size. Here is a bag of silver each. Your
task is to each fill one storeroom with as much
as your silver will buy.’
The first son bought sand with all his money
and filled a third of his room.
The second son bought soil with all his money
and filled half his room.
The third son spent only a small portion of his
money & bought some candles and matches
to fill his room with light.
Zen Story
The Gift of Insults
There once lived a great warrior. Though quite old, he
still was able to defeat any challenger. His reputation extended
far and wide throughout the land and many students gathered
to study under him.
One day an infamous young warrior arrived at the vil-
lage. He was determined to be the first man to defeat the great
master. Along with his strength, he had an uncanny ability to
spot and exploit any weakness in an opponent. He would wait
for his opponent to make the first move, thus revealing a weak-
ness, and then would strike with merciless force and lightning
speed. No one had ever lasted with him in a match beyond the
first move.
Much against the advice of his concerned students, the
old master gladly accepted the young warrior’s challenge. As the
two squared off for battle, the young warrior began to hurl insults
at the old master. He threw dirt and spit in his face. For hours
he verbally assaulted him with every curse and insult known to
mankind. But the old warrior merely stood there motionless and
calm. Finally, the young warrior exhausted himself. Knowing
he was defeated, he left feeling shamed.
Somewhat disappointed that he did not fight the in-
solent youth, the students gathered around the old master and
questioned him. “How could you endure such an indignity?
How did you drive him away?”
“If someone comes to give you a gift and you do not receive it,”
the master replied, “to whom does the gift belong?”
Zen Story
Page 17
 Shodo - The Way
of Calligraphy
Shodo, or the Way of Calligraphy, is studied by a multitude
of Japanese, from college professors to housewives. However, even
in Japan few fully grasp the connection between budo and shodo, or
how Japanese brush writing can be used as an exceptionally effective
form of supplemental training for the budoka. This holds true despite
the fact that many past masters of the martial arts and ways were
also masters of shodo. Well-known martial artists such as Miyamoto
Musashi; aikido’s founder Ueshiba Morihei; and Muto Ryu kenjutsu’s
founder, Yamaoka Tesshu, are all held in equally high regard as cal-
ligraphers. Yamaoka is a fine example of a master of the dual ways
of sho and bu. Terayama Katsujo writes:
Yamaoka Tesshu was an outstanding figure of the turbulent
era that marked the birth of modern Japan. In the public sphere,
Tesshu negotiated with Saigo Takamori and arranged for the peace-
ful transfer of power from the old order to the new; as an individual
student of the Ways, Tesshu attained profound enlightenment at the
age of forty-five and realized the inner principles of swordsmanship,
Zen, and calligraphy. Thereafter, Tesshu was like Miyamoto Musashi,
‘passing one’s days without attachment to any particular Way” (Book
of Five Rings). Tesshu too became an extraordinary versatile and
prolific master.. a peerless swordsman who established the No-Sword
School,. a wise and compassionate Zen teacher in the Tekisui tradi-
tion; and an unrivaled calligrapher who gathered all things of heaven
and earth in his brush. Even today, nearly a century after his death,
Tesshus incredible vitality can still be discerned in his brushwork.(‘)
The Ki in Shodo
Just as the actions of the sword in kenjutsu can be considered
a reflection of one’s mind, in shodo the dynamic movement of the
artist’s spiritual force, or ki, becomes visible in the form of jet-black
ink. Like traditional budo, shodg-which is derived from 3000-year-old
Chinese characters adopted by Japan - can be practiced as a means
of cultivating Ki. In Zen and the Art of Japanese calligraphy, Omori
Sogen Roshi expresses this idea:
The work of Zen artist, on the other hand, is permeated by
what Hakuin called the “overwhelming force of enlightened vision.”
That force is kiai. Ki, the energy of the cosmos, is always present
but remains dormant if not cultivated. Kiai is to be full of ki; it is
incorporated in the ink as bokki.
Setsudo said about this: “Bokki is not, as most people believe,
the colour of the ink, and does not depend on the quality of the brush,
ink, and paper If one’s ki is not extended into the work, the bokki is
dead.” The clarity of the bokki is not seen with the eyes, it is sensed
with the hara, the physical and spiritual center of one’s body. Bokki
reveals the calligrapher’s inner light. Many followers of budo, espe-
cially aikido and aiki-jujutsu practitioners, place a similar emphasis
on the cultivation of ki, kiai, and hara in their own disciplines, just
as shodo is viewed by its disciples as an equally effective method of
developing one spiritually. A spontaneous creative gesture that much
in common with abstract expressionism, shodo is more than mere
writing, and its skilled practitioners believe that the “visible rhythm”
created by the brush is a “picture of the mind” which reveals the cal-
ligrapher’s physical and mental condition. For hundreds of years in
China and Japan, leaders in any field, including budo, were expected
to demonstrate a powerful, composed script. Recently, major Ameri-
can and european corporations have started to employ handwriting
analysts to help them select future executives; however, the study of
Kiai - Aikido Ki Society Newsletter Issue # 5
byohitsu, or “sick strokes,” is not new to Japan. It is believed that
the subconscious mind is unmasked at the moment the brush is put to
paper.
It is also felt that one’s subconscious can be positively influ-
enced by copying masterpieces of Japanese calligraphy executed by
exceptional individuals such as Yamaoka Tesshu. Like budo, shodo is
ultimately a means of cultivating the personality by developing posi-
tive subconscious habits. Martial arts author Michel Random writes,
“It is said that internal serenity drives the brush. The brush in effect
interprets the deepest part of the subconscious. The ‘wisdom of the
eye’ is what relates the characters to each other as though assembling
the moveable and the immutable, the ego to the 10,000 things in the
universe, the present to the timeless.”
Each brush stroke in Japanese calligraphy must be perfectly
executed since the artist never goes back to touch up any character.
Each movement of the fude, or brush, is ideally performed with the
full force of one’s mind and body, as if one’s very life depended upon
the successful completion of each action without hesitation, so that
perhaps this attitude most clearly connects budo and the art of Japanese
calligraphy. Random further states in The Martial Arts:
“For is not the ability to make the stroke flow naturally, to
let the brush move freely across a thin piece of paper, also a superior
struggle of the most testing kind? The spontaneous stroke of the brush
is reminiscent of the quick free thrust of the sword or the freedom
of the arrow fired effortlessly. Wherever there is distress, worry or
uneasiness, there can be no perfect freedom or swiftness of action”.
In shodo, all mistakes are final, just as in the martial arts a
mistake ultimately, or at least symbolically, results in the budoka’s
death. For this reason, many beginners in calligraphy lack the spiritual
strength to paint the character decisively - Each stroke must be deliv-
ered like the slash of the bushi’s sword, yet the brush must be held in
a relaxed manner, as well as manipulated without a loss of controlled
calmness. Through rigorous training, a kind of seishin tanren (spiritual
forging), the student’s mental condition is altered, and this change in
consciousness is expected to be carried into the individual’s daily life
as well. For the budoka, the added strength and composure, which is
cultivated by Japanese calligraphy allows him or her to more instantly
respond to an opponent’s attack without hesitation. In one sense, the
shujigami, or calligraphy paper, which is so sensitive that the ink will
“bleed” through it in seconds, is one’s opponent and the brush one’s
sword. Every kanji, or character, must be painted with a perfect asym-
metrical balance, which like a person’s balance in jujutsu, must be
developed until it is maintained on a subconscious level. (In fact, the
author has found his prior training in aiki-jujutsu to be invaluable for
sensing balance in shodo, and over the years, his study of calligraphy
has enabled him to more precisely see, and correct, a lack of balance
in the bodies of his aiki-jujutsu students) Shodo requires a balanced
use of the mind and the body, as well as a state of mental and physical
integration.
As many voices in the martial arts have discovered, it is
sometimes rather difficult to make the mind and body work together
as a unit. To simply paint a straight line can be a surprising challenge,
one that can be accomplished only through a coordination of one’s
faculties. In Japanese painting and calligraphy, a strongly concentrated
mind must control the brush to act as an exact reflection of the mind’s
movement. Shodo, as much as budo, demands this coordination.
Through calligraphy practice, the martial artist has an additional
means of realizing the essential harmony of thought and action, and
a visible means of illustrating this state of unification at that. It is
this enhancement of concentration and relaxation that many people,
including Japanese practitioners of the martial arts, find so appealing.
Taking Up the Brush
Just as judo begins by gripping the opponent, and iaido be-
Page 18
gins by gripping the sword, so too does shodo start with the student’s
hold on the brush. Unless the proper method of holding is mastered,
no real progress is possible. Some teachers in the past tried to sud-
denly pull the brush from the student’s hand as a means of testing the
grip. An ink-covered hand would reveal an improperly held brush.
However, squeezing tightly is not the answer, because this does not
produce flowing, dynamic characters. Limply gripping, on the other
hand, results only in a loss of brush control. It was, and is, therefore
essential to learn to hold the fude in a way that is neither tense nor
limp, with a kind of “alive” grip in which one’s ki is projected from
downward-pointing fingers through the brush, out of the tip, and into
the paper. This same supple, yet firm grip, is vital in most forms of
budo, and it has been characterized as ki de toru, that is, holding with
ki.
As an individual prepares to paint, he or she will notice
if the tip of the brush is still or shaking. A wobbling brush not only
makes it difficult to paint stable kanji, but it also indicates an unstable,
nervous mental state. In shodo, and budo, the body reflects the mind.
Therefore, the bushi would also notice if his opponent’s kissaki (sword
tip) began to tremble, for this was often an indication of suki-a break
in the opponent’s composure and concentration, and an opportunity
to attack. In shodo, as in budo, as in daily life, the mind and body are
inter-connected.
In both shodo and budo, one’s spirit controls the brush or,
in the case of budo, one’s body. The shodo student needs to strongly
focus on the character to be painted for a split second, and then without
hesitation, move the brush in a relaxed manner. In this way, the shodo
artist endeavors to succeed mentally before the brush even touches
the paper, in much the same way that a skilled budoka will spiritually
win before engaging the opponent. Japanese calligraphy dictates that
the movement of a person’s ki slightly precedes the brush as it draws
the character.
Shodo has a “visible rhythm”; in other words, the kanji sit in
repose on the paper, but they must look and feel as if they are moving.
(This is the state of dochu no sei, or “stillness in motion,” that is often
alluded to in esoteric densho, or manuals containing a school’s most
profound teachings. Its converse is “motion in stillness.” It is the
unity of these two conditions that results in skilled shodo and budo.)
To create this dynamic, yet balanced feeling, the brush must
flow in a free and easy manner. Each kanji has a set number of strokes
that must be brushed in a precisely defined order. Within the form
of each character, the brush should move smoothly from one stroke
to the next. This creates a rhythm, which must not be broken if the
character is to take on a dynamic appearance, and unless a constant
flow of concentration is maintained, this rhythm will be broken.
Many people have an unfortunate tendency to cut off their
stream of attention at the completion of an action. In calligraphy,
this often happens when finishing a single character or at the end
of a line of words. It is vital to maintain an unbroken flow of ki and
concentration throughout the artistic act. In budo as well as shodo,
this is known as zanshin (literally “remaining mind”), and it indicates
a kind of “mental follow-through” and unbroken condition of calm
awareness. Both budo and shodo have been characterized as forms
of “moving meditation.” Michel Random eloquently describes this
unique method of meditation with the brush:
“The sign is repeated until total spontaneity is achieved,
completely free from thought. . . spontaneity and not automatism
of movement which is contrary to the object of the exercise. In cal-
ligraphy (as in the martial arts), the space between the lines is what
matters. It is this space which gives the signs their beauty. In Zen
painting, we find the same need for pressure and spontaneity. Here,
we see the result of the movement of the brush and ink on the paper.
The brush dipped in encre de chine. The special quality paper is fine
and absorbent. The brush hardly needs to touch the paper to make
a large blob. Therefore, the hand must shim or fly across the paper
Kiai - Aikido Ki Society Newsletter Issue # 5
without stopping”.
Thought is free.
Few realize that many of the brush strokes in shodo are
similar, or the same as, the lines of the fude in Japanese ink painting
(sumi-e). Both the Japanese and the Chinese use pictographs as well
as thousands of ideograms in their languages, each with a specific
meaning, producing a virtually limitless combination of expressions.
A large number of kanji are actually abstract and abbreviated pictures
which can evoke emotion in the viewer, just as some paintings do,
owing to their variety and depth. For this reason, it is not uncom-
mon to find that some Japanese calligraphers can actually paint, and
some sumi-e experts can execute calligraphy, as the two arts overlap
considerably.
Shodo is thus an art that can be appreciated just as much by
individuals that cannot read Japanese or Chinese as by those that can,
just as it is possible to enjoy the rhythm and sound of music, without
being able to read the notes. In the dynamic beauty of shodo, one
finds the essential components that make up all art-balance, rhythm,
grace, and the beauty of line. These aspects of shodo, which are also
found in properly performed budo, can be appreciated by all cultures.
Dave Lowry, the author of Autumn Lightning, describes his
impressions as a young American, observing the calligraphy painted
by his sensei:
“... Sensei was writing in the much older kanji characters of
Japanese script with ink and a soft bristled brush. There is a maxim
in the bujutsu, ken, sho, ichi, a reminder that the katana (sword) and
the brush are one and the same in practice and the swordsman must
wield his blade with exactly the accuracy and artistry with which
he employs a brush to render the intricate characters of calligraphy.
Sensei’s characters, like his swordsmanship, were adroit and flowing,
unconsciously expert”.
It is the author’s hope that this article will encourage
American martial artists to look beyond budo’s more obvious physical
aspects, to realize that it is a Way born out of the arts, religions, and
history of Japan; that it is a cultural art like tea ceremony, shakuhachi,
shodo, and others; and that ultimately, it is not possible to fully remove
budo from Japan’s cultural matrix without altering beyond recognition
its true form.
In fact, it may help individuals not fluent in Japanese to real-
ize that shodo is often painted in ancient and highly abstract scripts,
such as tensho and sosho, which the average Japanese cannot even
read. Shodo is, however, an enjoyable, stimulating method of learning
a Japanese language-the international language of budo.
Perhaps, through the practice of shodo, Western martial art-
ists can also come to understand the other so-called “impenetrable”
Japanese cultural arts that the bushi considered an invaluable part
of his education, and which are so rarely explored by budoka today.
Page 19

The Art
of being together
“What is it that makes the Budoka?” It is this question
that begins a recent column by “Black Belt”’s Dave Lowry and it
is this question he addresses. Lowry attributes the defining quality
of a budoka as “sabi-shiori” - “solitary aloneness”. Sabi-shiori is
that quality which separates budoka from each other, that quality
which brings the realization that martial arts (budo) are in essence a
solitary pursuit. It is what brings a lone Iaido-ka to do his forms in
an empty dojo, or a karate-ka his kata alone in a field somewhere.
Certainly, everyone realizes that it is not the physical side
that makes budo different from sports. Boxers punch. Wrestlers
throw and pin. Fencers wave swords. But they are never mistaken
for Karate-ka, Judo-ka, or Iaido-ka.
But, I feel that there is a whole attitude to being a budo-
ka that goes beyond, but does not include, sabi-shiori. There is a
balance to be achieved that creates a lifestyle, and awareness, a
way of thinking. If you watch a football game, you will certainly
spot one player who has that concentration and thought, that sep-
arateness, that marks sabi-shiori; but you will not mistake him for
a budoka, for he is still missing much.
Professor Kano, the founder of Judo, stressed the idea of
“mutual welfare and prosperity”, an idea absent in sports. This idea
is strong in Japan, where it is not uncommon to see rival companies
sending each other gifts for being such good competition. They
realize that without competition their edge would be lost.
This figures prominently in the experience of the budoka
as well. Without others, our training would bring little. “Mutual
welfare and prosperity” means that as your partner’s attacks
improve it forces your defences to improve, which forces your
partner to improve his attacks. While sabi-shiori recognizes the
solitary in the budoka, “mutual welfare and prosperity” recognizes
the social. As we train for ourselves, we train for others, who in
training for themselves, train for us.
There is a whole range of attributes that make a budoka.
Awareness develops through the years of training. Budoka are
made sensitive to body language through their time spent recog-
nizing attack from feint. This awareness gives you a split second
edge if someone hostile is threatening. If you are an “Aikidoka”
or Judoka, pay attention to how you get up from kneeling or how
you turn around. Most likely, you use the same “tai sabaki” in
regular life as in the dojo. Training has incorporated certain things
into your daily life and made you aware of the mechanics of your
body.
In a very real sense, budo, is training for life. You de-
velop awareness of body and spirit, yourself and others through
budo, and yes though it sounds a cliche, as we strive to be better
fighters we strive to be better people. I titled this “the art of being
together” partially to to contrast it with Dave Lowry’s title “the
art of being alone”. But by “being together” I do not mean as in
a group, but in “having it all together”. Being together is being
able to draw in those influences and aspects that are part of being
a budoka and striking a balance between them — the best balance
possible. There is both physical and mental in budo, neither can
be neglected. Neither can sabi- shiori, the aloneness, and “mutual
welfare and prosperity”, the social nor any of the other diverse
Kiai - Aikido Ki Society Newsletter Issue # 5
elements that I couldn’t even begin to name. When it all comes
together, and is balanced, is the time we look and say “this is who
budo is all about”.
by Sean Hickey
(From The Iaido Newsletter, #11 March
1991)
Maai
My cousin, who runs a karate school in San Jose, Califor-
nia, says that the one who controls the distance in an encounter is
the one who controls the situation. One of the shihan of the Japan
Aikido Association, when asked about how, using aikido, to deal
with a karate practitioner, replied simply, “Maai.”
We’ve all heard similar statements and all have been ad-
monished during training to be aware of the maai, often translated
as combative engagement distance, but perhaps more accurately
rendered “combative interval.”
When I first heard the word in a Tomiki aikido dojo in the
U.S., I thought it referred to a simple spatial relationship — the
distance at which I could, in a single movement, reach an opponent
with my attack. Conversely, I also discovered, it was the distance
at which an attacker could reach me!
What I didn’t quite get at first was the extent to which
this was not one, but two, sometimes vastly different, distances.
When my then training partner, Meik Skoss, casually remarked,
over coffee and donuts after jukendo (bayonet Way) training one
morning, “Of course, you know that my maai in relation to you,
will always be different from yours to me — even though the
distance between us is constant,” I nodded, and pretended to have
the foggiest notion of what he was talking about.
It became clearer soon after when I met my friend Bill,
who is over six feet tall, in the company of his girlfriend, who is
five foot nothing. If the two of them were to stand side-by-side
facing me, at (Bill’s) arms length away, I would be fully within
Bill’s maai, and just outside of his girlfriend’s. They would both
be in my maai. If Bill took one step back, he might very well be
out of my maai, yet I would still be within his. These differences
are naturally based on the length of each individual’s arms and
legs.
Two more elements, speed and timing (hyoshi) can also
affect the effective combative interval. What it all adds up to, is
judging the constantly changing maai, different for each individual
and each type of attack, is incredibly complicated. And of course,
our teachers tell us, we must learn to make this evaluation virtually
subconsciously and instantaneously.
One major benefit arising from training simultaneously,
at least for a time, in a number of different weapons systems, is
a certain mental flexibility regarding maai, which I believe takes
longer to develop to an equal level when studying only taijutsu.
For example, in aikido each encounter is utterly different, because
each individual’s body is unique, and we must make a series of
minute adjustments to take utmost advantage of the maai and
make it work.
This is virtually impossible for the beginning student to
grasp, and many systems have implemented a more basic, static
style of training, so that students can get the hang of techniques
before being confronted with the full complexities of maai. Train-
Page 20
ing in a weapons system, however, introduces a weapon, which is
generally of a uniform length. My naginata is the same length as
Meik’s naginata, and while differences in reach and ability to cover
distance still matter, they matter less and are easier to isolate. The
compensations one must make are clearer to see when training
with various partners because of the constant of the weapon.
Studying in several different weapons systems then, gives
one the chance to work on different maai, as defined by the length
of each weapon. More importantly, it teaches flexibility and aware-
ness. Earlier this year, I began going to jo training immediately
after practicing Toda-ha Buko-ryu naginata. At first, when I began
to use the jo, I would find my hand sliding off the end - I wanted
more jo - and I would drop one end of my weapon. I quickly
decided this was a bad idea, and rather than relying on a physical
memory, or lapsing into habit, I began to turn on a constant maai
monitor — before doing any technique, I would mentally check
the length of my weapon. When I started to learn tanken (short
sword) after several years of juken training, my thrusting attack
was simply too shallow. My body knew quite well how to do a
thrust — but only with a weapon the length of a bayonet.
These days I train in empty-handed techniques, and with
tanto, tanken, tachi, jo, juken, naginata, and yari, and I can switch
between the various maai (which are really all the same, but that’s
another story for the future, when I figure it out) with a reasonable
degree of accuracy and efficiency. As a result, I feel much more
comfortable and confident in dealing with the ever changing maai
of taijutsu.
Maai by Diane Skoss,
Aikido Journal #101, October 1994, Vol. 21, no.4
Thanks Sensei
To the Master who’s touch, I cannot feel.
To the Master I listen, He makes no sound.
To the Master who plays, All over the World
To the Master with Ki, Energy and light
I enjoyed practice tonight.
To Ueshiba with love, Alex - Byron Bay Dojo
When the workings of the mind are stirred,
a reflection of a bow may be
mistaken for a serpent, a large rock
in the underbrush may be seen as a
crouching lion; here is all killing energy.
When thoughts cease, even the violent can
become gentle, the ordinary can
become elegant; everywhere
you see true potential.
Reflections of the Tao
Kiai - Aikido Ki Society Newsletter Issue # 5
Instructions for Life?
1. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.
2. Memorize your favourite poem.
3. Don’t believe all you hear, spend all you
have or sleep all you want.
4. When you say, “I love you”, mean it.
5. When you say, “I’m sorry”, look the person in the eye.
6. Be engaged at least six months before you get married.
7. Believe in love at first sight.
8. Never laugh at anyone’s dreams.
9. Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but
it’s the only way to live life completely.
10. In disagreements, fight fairly. No name calling.
11. Don’t judge people by their relatives.
12. Talk slowly but think quickly.
13. When someone asks you a question you don’t want to
answer, smile and ask, “Why do you want to know?”
14. Remember that great love and great
achievements involve great risk.
15. Call your mom.
16. Say “bless you” when you hear someone sneeze.
17. When you lose, don’t loose the lesson.
18. Remember the three R’s: Respect for self; Respect for others;
Responsibility for all your actions.
19. Don’t let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
20. When you realise you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps
21. Smile when picking up the phone.
The caller will hear it in your voice.
22. Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you get older, their
conversational skills will be as important as any other.
23. Spend some time alone.
24. Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.
25. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
26. Read more books and watch less TV.
27. Live a good, honourable life. Then when you get older and think
back, you’ll get to enjoy it a second time.
28. Trust in God but lock your car.
29. A loving atmosphere in your home is so important. Do all you
can to create a tranquil harmonious home.
30 In disagreements with loved ones, deal with the current situation.
Don’t bring up the past.
31. Read between the lines.
32. Share your knowledge. It’s a way to achieve immortality.
33. Be gentle with the earth.
34. Pray. There’s immeasurable power in it.
35. Never interrupt when you are being flattered.
36. Mind your own business.
37. Don’t trust a man/woman who doesn’t
close his/her eyes when you kiss.
38. Once a year, go some place you’ve never been before.
39. If you make a lot of money, put it to use helping others while
you are living. That is wealth’s greatest satisfaction.
40. Remember that not getting what you want
is sometimes a stroke of luck.
41. Learn the rules then break some.
42. Remember that the best relationship is one where your
love for each other is greater than your need for each other.
43. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
44. Remember that your character is your destiny.
45. Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.
Some interesting rules of life - Received via the
email some months ago.
Tony Deckers - Caboolture
Page 21

Ki Society
Dojo Reports.
Greetings from Goshinkan Dojo
On the 1st of March, Goshinkan Dojo celebrated the 10th
anniversary of Aikido in Byron Bay. Due to flooding, we had to
cancel the original celebration and reschedule the event on 13th
of March. The celebration included a grading and demonstration
and was followed by a light supper. About 70 people attended the
demo of taigi arts, weapons, ki demonstrations and Iaido.
The dojo is busy with several new classes this year.
Children’s class is in full swing on Thursday afternoons and a 2nd
class is planned soon. Two Kiatsu courses have recently finished
with plans for a 3rd to begin soon. Sensei Tony Deckers visited for
a weekend recently, to commence filming a video of the Aikido
Ki Society Australia grading syllabus. This video will be a very
useful tool for those far flung dojos and for students to refer to
when practicing for a grading. Fitness and Ki Training for seniors
( 50+) will commence soon. This class will be a gentle fitness class
for older people without the challenge of tumbling. There are lots
of enthusiastic new beginners in the general classes on Tuesday
and Thursday evenings.
I would like to congratulate all the students who have
graded over the last few months. I understand and respect the
time and effort you all have put in to receive your promotions at
Goshinkan Dojo. It was great to see the high standard achieved
by all. A special mention to the recent Dan grades: Mike Loran
(nidan), Jim Nichols (nidan), Margaret Stoddart, Jade Washington,
Jamie Tuddingham, Graeme Olive, Vanessa Milburn, Brett King
and Peter Nicholson. Jamie (15), Jade (15) and Vanessa (14) are
the youngest ever to achieve the level of 1st Dan. We have recently
had the first graduates of the children’s class, Hayley McGlone
(11) and Kira Williams (12) to meet the senior grading syllabus
of 2nd kyu and they are now proudly wearing their hakamas in the
adult classes.
Preparations are underway for Sensei William Reed’s
seminar on the 15th, 16th and 17th of May. Sensei Reed is interest-
ing, dynamic and full of fun. Hope to see many of our members
on the mat at Goshinkan in May!
Sensei Michael Williams - Byron Bay
Logan Dojo News
Interestings things have happened in the Logan Dojo
since the last newsletter. With some gradings and new mem-
bers, our small but enthusiastic group are very much full of Ki.
First of all I would like to congratulate Mark Gibbons and
Jo-Ann Trojowski on there engagement announcement. We wish
them both the very best for there future marrage together. Also
my congratulations go to Jose Taia and Grainne Hoole on their
engagement announcement. (If Jose wants to marry the Sensai’s
daughter then he will have to get his yellow belt first!) Sorry Jose.
The following people have recently passed their 5th Kyu
yellow belt gradings and Shokyu Ki exams, James Gatley, Ryan
Gatley, Wayne Francis, Michael Atma . Also there has been a 1st
Kiai - Aikido Ki Society Newsletter Issue # 5
Kyu brown belt grading. Mark Gibbons Congratulations to you
all and well done.
It was really great to see Sensei Robbie Feasey do
the marathon and obtain his Nidan (2nd) black belt. With
5 very fit and young Uke’s, they had Robbie on his toes all
night. Luckly he had his ‘’go-go’’ juice with him or he may not
have lasted the distance.
He was told he would have to submit a blood test and
a urine sample after the event but he refused (don’t blame you
Robbie). More congratulations go to Sensei Graeme Brown
for receiving the Associate lecturer in Ki and Qualified Ex-
aminer certificates. All not before time. Hope you enjoy your
holiday down in Sydney Graeme, also those AiKiKai classes!
One of my new students Dave Coleman lent me a book on
Aikido . It is called “The Essence Of Aikido” by Bill Sosa
and Bryan Robbins. Published by Unique Publications. I can
recommend it as it good reading with step by step photos.
For the student that may have some difficulty with some tech-
niques, this bookwill be very helpful. Can be obtained from QBD
book stores.
I would like to welcome some of the new students to the
Logan Dojo, they are Cameron Reed, Shannan Clancy, Craig
Weeks, Chaz Holton, and Adam Danawi. (At the time this was
written). Logan Dojo info. Where - Cnr Jacaranda and Wembley
Rds. When ~Monday 7.30-9.00 pm. Wednesday 7.00-9.00 pm.
Saturday 9.30—11.00 am.
I’ll leave you with some ‘’Random Thoughts’’ taken from
the Ulysses Club ..Logan motor cycle group.
Merv Hoole Sensei. - Logan City Dojo
* If people from Poland are called ‘’Poles’’ why aren’t people
from Holland called ‘’Holes’’?
* Why are a wise man and a wise guy opposites?
* Why isn’t 11 pronounced onety one?
* If love is blind why is lingerie so popular?
* Why is the man who invests all your money called a
Broker?
* Do infants enjoy infancy as much as adults enjoy adultry?
* ’’I am’’ is reportedly the shortest sentence in the English
language. Could it be that ‘’I do’’ is the longest sentence!
* If a pig loses its voice, is it disgrunted?
* Do Roman paramedics refer to IV’s as ‘’4’s’’
* Why is it that if someone tells you that there are one
billion stars in the universe you will believe them, but if
they tell you that a wall has wet paint, you will have to
touch it to be sure!!
Cleveland Dojo News
The last few months seem to have been very busy at the
dojo as preparations for gradings have been the focus of training.
In early March we saw Tony (bear) Neal grade to 1st kyu, his
performance was only bettered by his dedication to the art, which
showed in the grading itself.
Two weeks after this event Colin Staples showed us
all a very good 1st Dan grade, video available soon, with his
enthuasium Colin will prove to be a very good and dedicated
Instructor. Unfortunaltley Andrea Chevelier, due to ill health and
David Roberts, due to work commitments, were unable to grade
to 1st Dan at the same time as planned, however Andrea will do
Page 22
his grading on the 26th April and David in a month or so.
We have also seen the return to training of Brad Godfrey Griffith Dojo News
who ,whilst at work, fell and broke his leg quite severely. Brad Griffith University Dojo has moved after 17 years.
was missed at training and all are glad to see that he has not lost
much at all (believe me I know how it is to get back to training
after such damage).
As for Peter Fortune (once a month) well we might just
have to change that nickname to thrice a month. Onya Peter.
Don’t forget that 1st Monday of each month is weapons training,
this class is held by Sensei Murray Loader and all who wish to
attend are welcome.
Normal training is Monday & Thursday 6.30 - 8.30 pm
and Saturday 2.00-4.00 pm. Saturday classes are usually informal
and taken again by Sensei Murray Loader

Sensei Thom Hansen - Cleveland

Uki dojo celebrates
two years
of
training.
How time flies when one is having fun. The end of Febru-
ary saw members of the Uki Ki Society dojo celebrate their second
birthday, or the commencement of their third year of training,
whichever makes more sense. The evening was well attended,
with approximately twenty students participating, followed by a
rousing misogi session which saw the immediate surroundings of
the Uki community hall resound to the sounds of bell ringing and
chanting. This was the first time that most of the Uki students had
experienced this aspect of Aikido.
Following the conclusion of the class, a celebratory sup-
per of shared plates and the occasional refreshing ale was held at
my home. Our celebrations were assisted by a number of Goshin
Kan students and the class was led by the Chief Instructor of the
Aikido Ki Socirty Australia, Sensei Michael Williams. Misogi
aside, Sensei Williams spent the bulk of the class devoted to
elemental aspects of katatekosatori technique, with emphasis on
irimi and the use of one point.
The Uki group has grown slowly over the last two years,
but from small beginnings has flourished into a thriving Aikido
dojo. Our small training area (7 x 5 metres) is often crowded, so
much so that the acquisition of more mats is now firmly on the
agenda. The diverse interests and background of students are a
continuing source of stimulation, and discussions on one topic or
another (but usually about how best to make our world a better
place!) sometimes last until well after the formal class has ended.
My thanks to Sensei Michael Williams and the other
Goshin Kan people (Peter, BJ, Elizabeth and John W) for helping
to make the evening such a memorable one. I would also like to
thank the growing number of students at Uki for their support,
commitment and encouragement.
Sensei Steve Phillips - Uki
Griffith Uni Dojo was set up by Sensei Michael Wil-
liams around seventeen years ago and has for the last eleven years
been run by Sensei Michael Stoopman. Nearly all of the current
Instructors or their Students who have become Instructors have
been taught or had their beginning’s in this Dojo. Griffith Uni
Dojo has been one of the longest running Dojo’s in Australia and
it was with a bit of trepidation that we were advised that we had
to move.
Luckily the move has been to a more pleasant environ-
ment with much more space. The photos do not do justice to the
extra space and cleaner environment that is now enjoyed by all.
Griffith Uni Dojo still operates on Tuesday and Thursday
nights from 6-30pm to 8-30pm. The Dojo is now located in the
last building on the left in Recreation Road which is the first road
immediately on your right when you enter the University grounds
from Kessels road. The first Tuesday night of the month is still a
Ki night and all are always welcome.
Griffith News: Sensei Robby Feasey has completed his Ni
Dan grading at Griffith during April (well over due), congratula-
tions Robby .
New mats at last, the main mat area has been replaced
with a new type of material that won’t crumble and is about 80%
lighter in weight. The impact absorbing and rebound ability of
these new mats is enjoyed by all and when the smell goes it will
be even better.
Sensei’s Michael Stoopman & Phillip Kohn .

Kiai - Aikido Ki Society Newsletter Issue # 5 Page 23

 Caboolture Dojo News
From up the north side a greeting to one and all. The
recent months have been quiet in Caboolture, but things are
about to change. As of the of 30th Aprill ‘99 I finish my career
in the Qld Dive Industry after 11 years of good times and excit-
ment.
On May 1st, I will be going full time into teaching
and working on promoting Aikido from the northern suburbs of
Brisbane up to the sunshine coast. Classes will be on Monday
nights at the Caboolture PCYC, Wednesday Thursday & Friday
nights at Burpengary. Classes are from 7 to 9 pm. A saturday
morning class will also be started from 9:30 -11:30am also.
As I already have started taking names for day classes for shift
workers, it looks like things might become a bit busier in this
area. As everyone is always welcome, I hope that I will have
the opportunity to see some of you up our way soon.
Currently I am also working on some community
projects with the local Police Officer (Sgt Richard Clarke) at
the Caboolture PCYC. We hope to have a self-defense program
availble by the end of May and also a program for some of the
local schools.
Even with our classes, being a bit quiet, I am proud to
announce that we will have 3 people grading within the next
month. Daniel & Brett Edwards will be grading to orange belt.
Brad McGregor has grading to yellow belt. Congratulations
to everyone on your gradings, especially to everyone from the
other dojo’s who have graded through all the variors ranks.
I would also like to welcome a new member who has
joined the ranks at Setsudo dojo, Scott Mitchell - Welcome.
Sensei Tony Deckers - Caboolture
Noosa Hinterlands Dojo News
Kate was really excited about Nishioka’s and Arai’s
visit during the last week of April. Nishioka Sensei taught Kate
jodo to shodan in Japan, so our Jodo seminar of 24-25 April
was a wonderful reunion. Arai Sensei translated and assisted
Sensei in demonstrations. The dozen or so students each class
very much appreciated the expertise they both brought in jo
and sword work. Of course, there was time for relaxation and
enjoyment of the lake environs with sailing and a BBQ.
The younger students are doing well, with some prac-
tising under Kate’s house at Boreen Point now. Several attained
their 2nd kyu recently and the teenagers (the ‘jellybabies’) are
‘working’ on their 3rd.
Of the adults, Tony hurt his back at Christmas and
Ian is often on the road with work, so there’s just Trevor and
I to entertain with our ‘bison bites the dust’ act. Trev is a surf
of solid stature and bending his arm or twisting his shoulder...
well, I think I need the ki of O-Sensei to get anywhere! As well,
Richard is being introduced to the fine art (oh well, I try!) of
Aikido on Saturdays as he graciously takes on the role of uke
for exam practice. (And a big thank you to Tony Deckers for
his help with this too.)
Sandra Sytsma - Noosa Hinterland Dojo
Kiai - Aikido Ki Society Newsletter Issue # 5
Sydney SceneDojo News
Andrew Sunter opened Seishinkan — the “pure
heart” dojo - in Crows Nest in Sydney just two months ago.
The first class was held on 26 February 1999 with five students.
Classes tend to follow the Japanese model with an
hour of Ki training followed by an hour of Aikido. Students are
mostly first-timers with one or two students from other styles.
Classes are held on Friday evenings from 7.00 to 9.00 pm.
James McGlone’s classes have been going a little
longer. James has opened two dojos, one in Woolloomooloo
and one in Glebe. The Woolloomooloo dojo is one of the nic-
est in Sydney — the “Rene Rivkin Judo Room” at the PCYC.
The mats are almost-new tatami, certainly the softest I’ve ever
trained on.
Training is at Woolloomooloo on Mondays and
Wednesdays and at Glebe on Thursdays: so you can now train
in Sydney four nights a week.
Sensei Andrew Sunter
“”T hat’ s Just Your Opinio”’n.”
“an opinion is a judgment or belief resting on grounds insufficient
to produce certainty” - American College Dictionary
“That’s just your opinion” is a statement that makes me
pause and think. I have a friend who says this to me every time I
am trying to tell her something important. It seems to be her way
of not listening to what I am saying. I would like to say to my
friend “Just listen to me, this is what I am saying, is it true or false
or just an opinion. Lets look at it together to find out.”
In other words, I would like to start a dialogue with her
to find out the truth of the matter. She, however, is never inter-
ested. Her view is that everyone is entitled to their opinion, and
we should just respect each other’s opinions. This idea I feel is
counterproductive to learning. If we all keep our own ideas as
our own and never examine them to find the truth, then we do not
learn.
Opinions have a personal and a global effect on the way
in which we learn and behave toward each other. I felt this very
strongly when I attended a private party given by people working
in the United Nations. At this party there were people from all
over the world. Everyone was enjoying themselves singing and
dancing and learning about each other’s cultures. I saw so many
pleasant and friendly discussions about world issues going on
amongst the UN people.
The next day however it was sad to see this atmosphere
change when these very same people were seated in the UN as-
sembly hall. In that hall they were acting as delegates representing
the opinions of their particular country. The joy and happiness had
disappeared and now each delegate was entrenched in defending
the particular opinion of their country.
During a break in the UN session I remember hearing the
expression “That’s just your opinion” stated often, and I felt that
the delegates were not coming to the same ease of understanding
they had had the night before. The night before there had been a
Page 24
lively interest in finding out the facts of an issue. Now during the
day there was a reinstatement of each country’s opinion.
Can we come to any real awareness of a situation as
long as we are not concerned enough to find out the facts? If my
friend tells me I am only stating an opinion, then she does not
have to find out whether what I am saying is true. She can remain
uninvolved in a relationship with me. However if she were to say
to me, “Lets look at this together and find out whether what you
are saying is true or not”, then we begin to be involved in a give-
and-take relationship, and therefore are both really interested in
seeing the truth of the matter.
Our perception of life is distorted when we rely on
opinions to guide us. How can an opinion guide us when it is not
based on truth and is only an assumption? It is interesting to note
the relaxed manner in which the delegates behaved towards each
other when they were not defending an opinion. They were able to
learn a great deal about each other and appreciate and understand
their differences. The minute however they were representing their
countries self-interested opinion they had lost the desire to learn
and to grow. This lack of learning obviously leads to conflict on
a global level.
I wonder who is really interested in exploring the dangers
of opinions? In my life am I really interested in finding out the
facts? Or is it easier and more self-serving to rest on my opinions.
Consider the delegates from the UN. Are they gaining power by
maintaining their opinion? How many powerful interest groups
in the world maintain their power through opinion by asserting
only what will further their interests?
Opinions cloud our minds and direct observation of real-
ity. Next time someone says “That¹s just your opinion,” find out
what is really happening. Opinions are dangerous roadblocks to
perception of reality.
Perhaps we could start by holding our opinions lightly
and begin to see whether they are true or not. Awareness of reality
cannot come through opinions; it can only come through direct
observation of the facts. Now is what I just said an opinion or is
it a fact?
Unknown
If you have any . . .
ideas, articles,
stories or information
that you would like
to share with us, send
them off early to the
Editor to get
them in for the next issue !
Next Issue come out August ‘99
Kiai - Aikido Ki Society Newsletter Issue # 5
Two Families
One family, which had emigrated from Japan and
settled at the turn of the century near San Francisco, had estab-
lished a business in which they grew roses and trucked them
into San Francisco three mornings a week.
The other family was a naturalized family from Swit-
zerland who also marketed roses, and both families became
modestly successful, as their roses were known in the markets of
San Francisco for their long vase-life.
For almost four decades the two families were neigh-
bors, and the sons took over the farms, but then on December 7,
l941, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. Although the rest of the family
members were Americans, the father of the Japanese family had
never been naturalized. In the turmoil and the questions about
internment camps, his neighbor made it clear that, if necessary,
he would look after his friend’s nursery.
It was something each family had learned in church: Love
thy neighbor as thyself. “You would do the same for us,” he told
his Japanese friend.
It was not long before the Japanese family was trans-
ported to a barren landscape in Granada, Colorado. The relocation
center consisted of tar-paper-roofed barracks surrounded by barbed
wire and armed guards.
A full year went by. Then two. Then three. While the
Japanese neighbors were in internment, their friends worked in
the greenhouses, the children before school and on Saturdays: and
the father’s work often stretched to 16 and 17 hours a day. And
then one day, when the war in Europe had ended, the Japanese
family packed up and boarded a train. They were going home.
What would they find? The family was met at the train de-
pot by their neighbors, and when they got to their home, the whole
Japanese family stared. There was the nursery, intact, scrubbed
and shining in the sunlight - neat, prosperous and healthy. So was
the balance in the bank passbook handed to the Japanese father.
And the house was just as clean and welcoming as the nursery.
And there on the dining room was one perfect red rosebud, just
waiting to unfold - the gift of one neighbor to another.
Diane Rayner from A 3rd Serving of Chicken Soup for the Soul
Thought for the day !
Only when you have no
thing in your mind and
no mind in things are
you vacant and
spiritual, empty
and marvellous.
Te-shan / Tokusan (780 - 865 )
Page 25
 Observation Trials
An “OBSERVATION TRIAL” is going to be held early in July 1999 in the Caboolture and Deception Bay area. The
day is to help raise funds to assist Sensei Michael Williams - Chief Instructor for the Aikido Ki Society Australia to get over
to Japan in August this year for the presentation of his 5th Dan. His trip will enable him to bring back first hand teachings
from Tohei Sensei (Founder of Ki Society) and that will also allow Sensei Williams to grade senior Dans to a higher level.

The objective of an observation trial is for a driver and navigator to,

through a series of clues, find their destination. Along the way there
will be many observations made and items collected in order to
complete the course. The final location will not be known until you
have arrived. Outside of collecting all the information the objec-
tive is to have a whole lot of fun, and hopefully not get lost
along the way. (if you do you can always blame the navi-
gator!!)

On arrival to the destination, there will be a sausage sizzle and soft drinks at very reasonble prices
(so please support our efforts by purchasing munchies on the day).

TROPHIES WILL BE AWARDED FOR 1ST & 2ND PLACE & a few Booby prizes also!!!
Trophies will be awarded for 1st & 2
The rally will take approximately 2-1/2 to 3 hours to complete the cost will be $10.00 an adult, $5.00 for
children 6-12 years and under 6 years old free. So fill your cars, the more people you have looking for clues the better
your chances are of winning a trophy. Ask your friends, workmates, neighbours to come and join the fun

There will also be various raffles available at the picnic site, so if you don’t win a prize in the Rally you
always have an opportunity to win other prizes in the raffles. So remember to bring your own chairs and blankets etc
to make your afternoon more comfortable The day should be completed by 3pm on the day, so for people travelling
should allow you plenty of time to get home safely.

Information will be sent out to each of the dojo’s so for further enquires and entry forms, please contact the
editor of the newsletter or your instructor. Drivers and navigators will have to be entered on the entry forms. So please get
your entry form and payments in early so that we can cater to the correct amount number of Starter kits and food on the day.
You can enter on the day but there will be a $ 5.00 a car late penalty fee.

Also check with your dojo instructor as there will be various other raffles happening during the coming months

For further details contact your dojo instructor OR the Editor of Kiai - See you all then !

Aikido T-Shirts - Polo Shirts

& Polar Fleece jumpers
White T-Shirts, silk screened with Logo and Aikido on it $16.00 (limited numbers at this price.)
Grey Marl Polo shirts with Navy collar and Navy/White embroidery on chest $25.00
Polar Fleece jumpers with draw cord around the neck, large logo embroided on chest $39.00
( the polar fleece jumpers are an order item - minimum numbers apply when ordering )
Please include an extra $3.00 for postage and handling.

10% Discounts available on minimum orders of 12

For orders or further details please contact Tony Deckers on (07) 3888 1243
Mobile 0419 77 8486 or Email - spectrum@powerup.com.au

Kiai - Aikido Ki Society Newsletter Issue # 5 Page 26

 Aikido Ki Society Dojo Directory
NEW SOUTH WALES
Aikido Ki Society - BYRON BAY Dojo
Australia National Headquarters
Chief Instructor for Australia - Michael Williams
PO Box 412 Byron Bay, NSW 2481
Phone: (02) 6685 6389
e-mail: aikido@turboweb.net.au
Aikido Ki Society - UKI Dojo - NSW
Head Dojo Instructor - Steve Phillips
Phone: (H) (02) 6679 5091 (M) 015 586 583
e-mail: phillips@norex.com.au
Aikido Ki Society - WOOLOOMOOLOO- Sydney
Head Dojo Instructor - James McGlone
Phone: (02) 9388 0816 or 0407 892 204
Aikido Ki Society - GLEBE - Sydney
Head Dojo Instructor - James McGlone
Phone: (02) 9388 0816
Aikido Ki Society - CROWS NEST - Sydney
Head Dojo Instructor - Andrew Sunter
Phone: (02) 9564 6624
e-mail andrewsunter@hotmail.com
QUEENSLAND
Aikido Ki Society - MAREEBA Dojo
Head Dojo Instructor - Alfio La Spina
Phone (07) 4093 7237
Aikido Ki Society - CAIRNS Dojo
Head Dojo Instructor - Roby Kessler
Phone: (07) 4098 2722 (M) 015 159 447
Aikido Ki Society - MOSSMAN Dojo
Head Dojo Instructor - Roby Kessler
Ph/Fax: (07) 4098 2722 (M) 0148 750 005
Aikido Ki Society - COORAN Dojo
Head Dojo Instructor - Kate Coupe
Phone: (07) 5485 3028
Aikido Ki Society - HERVEY BAY Dojo
Head Dojo Instructor – Frank Graham
Phone: (07) 4128 2649
Aikido Ki Society - BOREEN POINT Dojo
Kiai - Aikido Ki Society Newsletter Issue # 5
Head Dojo Instructor - Kate Coupe
Phone: (07) 5485 3028
Aikido Ki Society - CABOOLTURE Dojo
Head Dojo Instructor - Tony Deckers
Ph/Fax: (07) 38881243 (M) 0149 778 486
e-mail: Spectrum@powerup.com.au
Aikido Ki Society - CITY HALL Dojo
Head Dojo Instructor - Matthew Smart
Phone: (H) (07) 3264 2199 (M) 018 184 599
Aikido Ki Society - CLEVELAND Dojo
Head Dojo Instructor - Thom Hansen
Phone: (07) 3206 1772 (M) 041 902 3700
e-mail: thansen@tpgi.com.au
Aikido Ki Society - GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY Dojo
Head Dojo Instructor - Michael Stoopman
Phone: (07) 3841 4848 (M) 041 878 2259
e-mail: MStoopman@qmcsbne2.telstra.com.au
Aikido Ki Society - LOGAN CITY CITY Dojo
Head Dojo Instructor - Merv Hoole
Phone (H) (07) 3200 5390
e-mail: mimec@powerup.com.au
Aikido Ki Society - SANDGATE PCYC Dojo
Head Dojo Instructor - Brad Wilkinson
Phone: (07) 3284 0807
Aikido Ki Society - SPRING HILL Dojo
Head Dojo Instructor - John Hurley
Phone: (07) 3832 1671
e-mail: n.ricketts@cat.csiro.au
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Aikido Ki Society - PORT AUGUSTA Dojo
Head Dojo Instructor - Mike Loran
Phone: (086) 423 877
e-mail: Tuddy@dove.net.au
Aikido Ki Society - WHYALLA Dojo
Head Dojo Instructor - Mike Loran
Phone: (086) 423 877
e-mail: Tuddy@dove.net.au
Page 27
Aikido Ki Society Australia Newsletter Copyright

A Kiai Publication - Queensland Australia