AI-KI-DO

The name of our art defines the essential qualities of its technique, philosophy and ultimate aims. The literal translation is as follows:

Ai - Harmony
Ki - Spirit
Do - Path or Way

The general and literal translation is "the way to achieve harmony of spirit." This is, however, only a very cursory explanation of the Japanese characters. A closer look reveals much more.

Ai, the first syllable, translates to Harmony. Harmony is a complicated and many times misunderstood concept. We often think of harmony as an agreement of parts, ideas or action, friendly relations or cooperation. In music we may think of harmony as pleasing to the ear or consonant. Harmony has a far richer and deeper meaning.

The western tradition of music is built on a scale of 12 notes, each a half step apart. If you put your finger on any note on a piano and move it either up or down to the next key (white key to black key or sometimes white to white but never black to black) you will move a half step. Repeat this action twelve times and you will have covered all of the pitches i.e. tonalities that, for the most part, comprise western music.

By combining these twelve tones you can produce either dissonant or consonant sounds. put your forearm down on the keyboard and you will produce dissonance. Place you thumb and Little finger down on two keys a palms width apart and you will probably produce a consonant sound. Dissonance is generally considered harsh to the ears while consonance is considered pleasing.

The entire tradition of western music is built on the principle of resolving dissonance to consonance. Music made entirely of consonance is bland and boring. Music made entirely of dissonance is maddening and hard to listen to. Composers from Bach to the Beatles have employed endless creative techniques to raise and relieve tension by the creation of dissonance and then resolving this dissonance to consonance.

Harmony as it relates to martial arts is similar to music. An attack by a person who intends bodily harm is akin to a dissonant musical sound. The resolution of such an attack by an enlightened defender that prevents the injury of either person results in Harmony. This is the primary objective of the art of Aikido.

Spirit, like harmony, is a complicated concept. We generally think of spirit as being a life-force, a manifestation of living energy. But we can also think of spirit as a mental state. For instance, when we train with one another we train with spirit. Likewise a dojo can have a highly positive spirit or feel. Certainly we aspire to engender this condition at Nashville Aikikai.

We accept ki as a life force. We all have it and we all use our ki to varying degrees. We hear over and over from our Sensei's, "extend your ki." As we train we learn that ki extension can replace muscle in our technique. A spirited attack is driven by ki. A defense that has ki as its basis is more powerful than one that relies solely on physical strength.

From the understanding of these two concepts emerges the principle of Aiki. Again, the translation is simply, "harmony of spirit." Again that translation hides a more subtle meaning. In order to successfully defend against an attack, we must learn to harmonize or blend with the spirit or force of the attack. Every Aikido technique is founded on this principle. When we train we practice this principle repeatedly. As Nage we always strive to make our movements reciprocal to those of Uke's attack. When the tide of the attack turns to the defensive technique, Uke must blend as perfectly as possible in order to protect him/her self from injury.

Another principle that we employ on our road to understanding Aikido is simply cooperation. We know from early childhood that a team can accomplish more than an individual. Again Aiki is in play. We train in the spirit of harmony. Competitiveness is counter-productive to learning. Therefore, when we train we seek to engage aiki as our guide. The more we train in the spirit of cooperation the more we succeed. This, of course, doesn't just mean that we fall down for one another or teach one another on the mat. Both of these practices impede rather than enhance the learning experience. Rather, we follow good training practices and respect the ability of the person with whom we are training.

I have covered Aiki and its various meanings. Though I haven't presented an exhaustive discussion of this principle, it should give you an insight into the traditions of Aikido. Do (the way or path) remains. Because of the nature of this concept, I would like to dedicate an entire post to this subject. I will do so in a part 2 to this article.

Yours in Aikido

Tom, Sensei

Etiquette: The Art of Being Polite

There has been a lot buzz lately around the Dojo regarding etiquette. Some of the talk is as a result of behavior witnessed by others at Yudansha testing and some straight talk from visiting Sensei Wendy Whited. It's a positive sign when dojo members recognize that etiquette is more important than just avoiding embarrassment. In fact it is, in my opinion, fundamental to training and is far reaching in it's implications.

Etiquette is the art of making people feel comfortable while at the same time maintaining dignity and respect in a formal setting. When we interact in social settings we strive to do so in as harmonious a fashion as possible. The type of social setting sets the tone for the behavior guidelines that we follow. Behavior that is perfectly acceptable at a beach party, for instance, would definitely be out of place at a funeral. We accept this as part of our socialization process that starts in early childhood.

When we made the decision to become aikidoka we took on a whole new social setting with a very different set of do's and dont's. There is for instance the bowing. Though courtly bowing in nineteenth century Europe was fashionable, it is not at all twenty-first century American. Dispensing with a history of the origins of bowing we can say with certainty that it is a show of respect.

In Aikido, and the martial arts in general, we do a great deal of bowing. We bow to each other. We bow when we enter the Dojo. We bow to Sensei when he/she gives instruction on the mat. Even our ceremonies that open and close classes involve a series of bows. What gives here? Why can't we just get on with the business of learning technique? The answers to these questions are hard wired to the essence of our training experience.

When we undertake the practice of Aikido we place ourselves in a somewhat precarious position. In fact we entrust our bodies and our very lives to those from whom we take instruction and with whom we train. There is an unspoken contract between instructor and student that goes something like this: "I, Sensei, will provide you safe and courteous instruction in Aikido and you will be a good and faithful student and not misuse the knowledge with which you are entrusted." Likewise between student's the agreement is: "I will train with you in a safe and courteous manner if you will do the same for me." By employing a bow, we seal these agreements between each other over and over again.

Further, we use a bow to communicate. For instance, when we begin a series of techniques we bow to our partner. This gives both people the assurance that they are in accord with one another as to what is going to ensue. Imagine if we just got up on our feet and started beating each other up. Pretty soon people would feel as if they were victims of cheap shots, distrust would break out and the structure of the the class would soon deteriorate. The simple and courteous act of bowing prevents this from happening.

This is just one aspect of etiquette that effects our training. Take a few minutes to contemplate some of the things that take place within the confines of the Dojo. Ask the question, "Why do we do this?" Invariably the answer is going to reflect on the essence of Aiki. And, just as assuredly, the understanding gained will create a more harmonious and productive training environment.

Yours in Aikido

Tom, Sensei

A Few Words

Since this is my first attempt at blogging, I will be brief. I am creating this blog as a tool for the students at Nashville Aikikai to learn more about the art of Aikido. In doing so I will, from time to time, post articles regarding history, philosophy, technique, training and any other matters that are relevant to your growth in Aikido.

Though it is my belief that true understanding of the art of Aikido is achieved through training, I also believe that dialog enhances the Aiki experience. Many times I have been asked challenging questions by students. As often as not after answering the question as well as I can on the spot, I go home and give the query more reflection and consideration. That is when I get the, "oh gee, I wish I had said..." feeling. I hope I can give more thoughtful (and maybe thought provoking) answers through this medium.

Finally, I encourage all students (or curious readers) to take the opportunity to weigh in on the matters discussed in this blog. Ask Questions. Respond to what you have read. And, of course, enjoy this forum fully as I hope you enjoy all aspects of your training at Nashville Aikikai.

Yours through Aikido

Tom Sensei