The Aikido of the Ki-no-Nagare Aikido Dojo

In the Aikido world there are many ways of training and many different ways Aikido is understood by it’s practitioners. The way of practicing Aikido has changed from the time of O-Sensei.

These changes have several reasons, but generally speaking, the major problem is that there has been a separation in terms of how practice is actually done from the spiritual teachings; the spiritual teachings do not lead the actual practice, they are seen as separate from it.

Hikitsuchi-Sensei used to say: “True progress in Aikido does not come from concentration on developing technique, but, as the heart opens the technique changes as a result. This cannot happen through making technique the most important thing in your practice. Budo is not technique”.

Opening of the heart can be developed through the practice of Aikido techniques, which is one reason O-Sensei called them kami-waza, techniques of the divine, since that opening leads, according to O-Sensei, to unification of our heart with the heart of the divine, — but there has to be an intent or a movement in that direction (meaning the opening of the heart) both on the part of the practitioner and on the part of the instructor; and how can opening of the heart be a primary intent if we do not wish to discover Aikido as unconditional and universal love, — which is how O-Sensei defined it?

It cannot happen as long as Aikido is practiced dualistically — that is in terms of succeeding in technique against someone, or over someone, as for instance in the concept of self-defense or in sports. Or as something external to one’s self, as technique that can be perfected, and rewarded with grades, thus implying competition and comparison with others…

“Aikido is misogi — misogi is Aikido.”
O-Sensei

Furthermore, the Aikido of O-Sensei is not done as a reaction to an attack. The attacking movement is called forth and connected with by the tori before the movement begins! Ideally there is just one movement that takes place through the two bodies.

Ki-no-Nagare Aikido tries to be as congruent as possible with the philosophical and spiritual thinking that is in the Founder’s writings and talks. For example, O-Sensei stated clearly that the practice of Aikido must be one half part Bu and one half part Bun, as the two edges of the holy sword in Shinto, the Tsurugi, — a word/image that was used by O-Sensei to express the activity of Aikido.
So, through listening and studying in the Ki-no-Nagare Aikido Dojo we practice to relate Aikido to all aspects of the Universe, and to all aspects of Life.

Here you can download the guidelines for Aikido practice by Peter Shapiro Sensei:
Guidelines for Aikido Practice

For further information about Aikido see the chapter Aikido