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From Technique to Understanding:
My Approach to Teaching Aikido
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People occasionally ask me why, after forty years of practice, I continue to dedicate so much time and energy to Aikido. The answer is both simple and difficult to express. I did not remain because Aikido became easier, nor because I mastered it. In many ways, the opposite is true. The longer I practice, the more I discover that Aikido is an inexhaustible path of learning that continues to reveal new dimensions of the body, the mind, and the human experience.
The reflections that follow arise from four decades of continuous practice in three different continents (Europe, East Asia, and recently the US), and from a growing conviction that Aikido is far more than a collection of techniques—it is a discipline of lifelong learning whose true value lies in the thoughtful and compassionate way it is transmitted to others.
What began as the study of a martial art gradually became a way of understanding life itself.
The reflections that follow arise from four decades of continuous practice in three different continents (Europe, East Asia, and recently the US), and from a growing conviction that Aikido is far more than a collection of techniques—it is a discipline of lifelong learning whose true value lies in the thoughtful and compassionate way it is transmitted to others.
What began as the study of a martial art gradually became a way of understanding life itself.
Since I was 7 years-old I have learned a number of martial arts, but ultimately, I have remained committed to Aikido because it offers something increasingly rare in our contemporary world: a place where one can cultivate calm instead of anxiety, cooperation instead of competition, and harmony instead of confrontation. In a society that often rewards speed, individualism, perpetual productivity, and the spectacle of violence, Aikido invites us to slow down, become attentive, and reconnect with ourselves and with others.
Over the years, I have come to understand that Aikido is not primarily about techniques. Techniques are important, but they are only a vehicle. The true practice lies elsewhere. It lies in learning how to remain centered under pressure, how to transform fear into awareness, and how to respond to conflict without becoming consumed by it. It is a lifelong exercise in self-cultivation.
Regular Aikido practice has strengthened both my body and mind. Its fluid movements and techniques have improved my balance, coordination, posture, and responsiveness, while its principles of respect, discipline, and mindfulness help reduce my stress and cultivate my sense of inner calm. Over time, I have developed greater confidence, resilience, and the ability to remain centered in challenging situations. The benefits of Aikido extend far beyond the dojo: the focus, composure, and awareness I cultivate in practice positively influence my everyday life, enriching both my professional endeavors and my personal relationships.
Perhaps this is why I continue to find it endlessly fascinating. Every class offers an opportunity to begin again. Every encounter with a training partner is an opportunity to listen, adapt, and learn. There is no final destination, no definitive mastery. There is only the continuous refinement of posture, movement, attention, and attitude.
At this stage of my life, I no longer think of Aikido as an activity I practice. Rather, it has become an integral part of who I am.
Teaching Aikido naturally emerged from this long journey. Yet I have never considered teaching as merely transmitting techniques. I feel a deep responsibility to pass on not only what I have learned, but also the values that my own exceptional teachers generously transmitted to me.
Over the years, I have come to understand that Aikido is not primarily about techniques. Techniques are important, but they are only a vehicle. The true practice lies elsewhere. It lies in learning how to remain centered under pressure, how to transform fear into awareness, and how to respond to conflict without becoming consumed by it. It is a lifelong exercise in self-cultivation.
Regular Aikido practice has strengthened both my body and mind. Its fluid movements and techniques have improved my balance, coordination, posture, and responsiveness, while its principles of respect, discipline, and mindfulness help reduce my stress and cultivate my sense of inner calm. Over time, I have developed greater confidence, resilience, and the ability to remain centered in challenging situations. The benefits of Aikido extend far beyond the dojo: the focus, composure, and awareness I cultivate in practice positively influence my everyday life, enriching both my professional endeavors and my personal relationships.
Perhaps this is why I continue to find it endlessly fascinating. Every class offers an opportunity to begin again. Every encounter with a training partner is an opportunity to listen, adapt, and learn. There is no final destination, no definitive mastery. There is only the continuous refinement of posture, movement, attention, and attitude.
At this stage of my life, I no longer think of Aikido as an activity I practice. Rather, it has become an integral part of who I am.
Teaching Aikido naturally emerged from this long journey. Yet I have never considered teaching as merely transmitting techniques. I feel a deep responsibility to pass on not only what I have learned, but also the values that my own exceptional teachers generously transmitted to me.
With Christian Tissier Sensei
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With Okamoto Yoko Sensei
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Over the past two decades, I have had the opportunity to practice in several Aikido dojos and to observe a wide variety of teaching approaches. These experiences have reinforced my conviction that effective Aikido instruction requires much more than technical competence; it also requires thoughtful pedagogy and a deep understanding of how people learn.
I have been fortunate throughout my life to train under remarkable instructors from Europe and Japan whose influence extended far beyond technical excellence. What impressed me most was not simply their knowledge, but their humanity. They taught patiently, attentively, and with great respect for each student's individual journey. They understood that true teaching is never an act of authority but an act of service. They did not teach how to throw a partner. They taught how to coexist with her.
Their example profoundly shaped my own pedagogical philosophy.
As an educator by profession, I have always been deeply interested not only in teaching correctly, but especially in teaching it pedagogically correctly. These are not always the same thing. Possessing knowledge and being able to transmit it effectively are two very different skills.
Good pedagogy requires empathy, patience, and careful observation. It requires understanding that every student arrives with different abilities, different fears, and different aspirations. Some students seek physical activity, others seek confidence, stress reduction, healthy aging, or simply a sense of community. A good teacher must recognize these differences and accompany each student respectfully along their own path.
One of the Japanese teachers who most profoundly influenced my practice would often ask participants during his seminars: Why do you move this way? Do you ever ask yourself this question? Why do we execute this movement instead of a simpler one, or a different one? Why this way and not that way? These questions left a lasting impression on my young mind because they invited us to move beyond imitation and to cultivate genuine understanding.
Since first meeting him and later following his teaching in various countries, I have sought to incorporate his ideas, movements, insights, and examples into my own practice and especially teaching philosophy. His approach taught me that Aikido should not be reduced to the mechanical repetition of techniques, but should instead encourage curiosity, critical thinking, and a deeper awareness of movement and intention.
I have been fortunate throughout my life to train under remarkable instructors from Europe and Japan whose influence extended far beyond technical excellence. What impressed me most was not simply their knowledge, but their humanity. They taught patiently, attentively, and with great respect for each student's individual journey. They understood that true teaching is never an act of authority but an act of service. They did not teach how to throw a partner. They taught how to coexist with her.
Their example profoundly shaped my own pedagogical philosophy.
As an educator by profession, I have always been deeply interested not only in teaching correctly, but especially in teaching it pedagogically correctly. These are not always the same thing. Possessing knowledge and being able to transmit it effectively are two very different skills.
Good pedagogy requires empathy, patience, and careful observation. It requires understanding that every student arrives with different abilities, different fears, and different aspirations. Some students seek physical activity, others seek confidence, stress reduction, healthy aging, or simply a sense of community. A good teacher must recognize these differences and accompany each student respectfully along their own path.
One of the Japanese teachers who most profoundly influenced my practice would often ask participants during his seminars: Why do you move this way? Do you ever ask yourself this question? Why do we execute this movement instead of a simpler one, or a different one? Why this way and not that way? These questions left a lasting impression on my young mind because they invited us to move beyond imitation and to cultivate genuine understanding.
Since first meeting him and later following his teaching in various countries, I have sought to incorporate his ideas, movements, insights, and examples into my own practice and especially teaching philosophy. His approach taught me that Aikido should not be reduced to the mechanical repetition of techniques, but should instead encourage curiosity, critical thinking, and a deeper awareness of movement and intention.
With Endo Seishiro Sensei (Tokyo 2003-2005)
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With Yoshida Tomoyuki Sensei
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For this reason, I strive to avoid an instructional model that simply presents one technique after another without context or reflection, without principles or awareness. Unfortunately, this remains a common tendency in many training environments today. My own teaching philosophy deliberately takes a different direction: I aim to create classes in which students are encouraged to ask questions, understand underlying principles, apply principles of movement, and discover not only how to perform a technique, but also why they are performing it in a particular way. I believe this approach honors both the spirit of Aikido and the extraordinary teachers who have generously shaped my own journey.
This is why I place tremendous importance on creating a welcoming environment in which beginners can feel comfortable, regardless of age, physical condition, or previous experience. Learning should never be intimidating. A dojo should not be a place where people prove themselves, but a place where people discover themselves.
This philosophy is at the heart of Lakeshore Aikido Club.
I have never been interested in cultivating an atmosphere centered on prestige, hierarchy, or exclusivity. What matters to me is building a genuine community where people can improve their lives through movement, mindfulness, and mutual support.
I want students to leave class feeling physically energized, mentally calmer, and emotionally renewed.
I want them to discover that strength can coexist with kindness, that confidence does not require aggression, and that self-defense can be practiced without violence.
I want them to understand that Aikido is not fundamentally about defeating another person. It is about learning not to be defeated by our own fear, ego, impatience, or rigidity, and that improvement is self-discovery not productivity.
This perspective has become increasingly meaningful to me over the decades.
As we grow older, we inevitably become more aware of our limitations and our vulnerability. Aikido does not deny these realities; it teaches us to work with them. Rather than resisting change, we learn to adapt. Rather than fighting against time, we learn to move with it.
In this sense, Aikido is also a practice of healthy aging.
It teaches us that efficiency is more valuable than force, that good posture is more important than athleticism, and that longevity depends not on intensity alone, but on consistency. The practice continuously reminds us that true strength often manifests itself through softness, sensitivity, and attentiveness.
After forty years, I remain grateful for this lesson.
I am equally grateful for the extraordinary human connections that Aikido has given me. Through this practice, I have met people of different ages, professions, and backgrounds who share a common desire to become better human beings. This sense of community may be one of Aikido's greatest gifts.
Today, my motivation is perhaps simpler than it was when I was younger.
I continue to practice because Aikido helps me remain curious. I continue to practice because it helps me stay physically active and mentally balanced. I continue to practice because every class reminds me that learning never ends.
And I continue to teach because I believe this practice can genuinely improve people's lives.
If, through my teaching, I can help someone become more confident, more balanced, less stressed, or simply more connected to others, then I feel I am honoring the gift that my own teachers entrusted to me many years ago.
Ultimately, this is what forty years of Aikido have taught me: the greatest achievement is not technical proficiency, rank, or recognition. It is the quiet realization that a martial art, the budo, can become a way of living—a way of cultivating dignity, resilience, and compassion in ourselves and in those around us.
This is the path that I continue to walk today, and it is the path that I hope to share with others for many years to come.
In gratitude...
This is why I place tremendous importance on creating a welcoming environment in which beginners can feel comfortable, regardless of age, physical condition, or previous experience. Learning should never be intimidating. A dojo should not be a place where people prove themselves, but a place where people discover themselves.
This philosophy is at the heart of Lakeshore Aikido Club.
I have never been interested in cultivating an atmosphere centered on prestige, hierarchy, or exclusivity. What matters to me is building a genuine community where people can improve their lives through movement, mindfulness, and mutual support.
I want students to leave class feeling physically energized, mentally calmer, and emotionally renewed.
I want them to discover that strength can coexist with kindness, that confidence does not require aggression, and that self-defense can be practiced without violence.
I want them to understand that Aikido is not fundamentally about defeating another person. It is about learning not to be defeated by our own fear, ego, impatience, or rigidity, and that improvement is self-discovery not productivity.
This perspective has become increasingly meaningful to me over the decades.
As we grow older, we inevitably become more aware of our limitations and our vulnerability. Aikido does not deny these realities; it teaches us to work with them. Rather than resisting change, we learn to adapt. Rather than fighting against time, we learn to move with it.
In this sense, Aikido is also a practice of healthy aging.
It teaches us that efficiency is more valuable than force, that good posture is more important than athleticism, and that longevity depends not on intensity alone, but on consistency. The practice continuously reminds us that true strength often manifests itself through softness, sensitivity, and attentiveness.
After forty years, I remain grateful for this lesson.
I am equally grateful for the extraordinary human connections that Aikido has given me. Through this practice, I have met people of different ages, professions, and backgrounds who share a common desire to become better human beings. This sense of community may be one of Aikido's greatest gifts.
Today, my motivation is perhaps simpler than it was when I was younger.
I continue to practice because Aikido helps me remain curious. I continue to practice because it helps me stay physically active and mentally balanced. I continue to practice because every class reminds me that learning never ends.
And I continue to teach because I believe this practice can genuinely improve people's lives.
If, through my teaching, I can help someone become more confident, more balanced, less stressed, or simply more connected to others, then I feel I am honoring the gift that my own teachers entrusted to me many years ago.
Ultimately, this is what forty years of Aikido have taught me: the greatest achievement is not technical proficiency, rank, or recognition. It is the quiet realization that a martial art, the budo, can become a way of living—a way of cultivating dignity, resilience, and compassion in ourselves and in those around us.
This is the path that I continue to walk today, and it is the path that I hope to share with others for many years to come.
In gratitude...
A New Japanese Wellbeing Practice Comes to Evanston
AIKI-TAISŌ
AIKI-TAISŌ
Aiki-Taisō offers a distinctive approach to physical and mental wellbeing rooted in Japanese traditions of movement, stretching, health cultivation, breathing, and mindfulness. Drawing upon exercises and principles associated with Makkō-hō, Shinshin-tōitsu-dō, kokyū-hō, tai-sabaki, happō-undō, and other practices incorporated into Japanese martial arts training, Aiki-Taisō encourages the body to become more mobile, flexible, balanced, coordinated, and relaxed. Gentle stretching and joint-mobility exercises help maintain range of motion, while attention to posture, weight distribution, and centered movement develops stability and greater awareness of how the body moves through space.
Rather than emphasizing muscular strength or athletic performance, Aiki-Taisō teaches efficient whole-body movement, encouraging practitioners to release unnecessary tension and coordinate breathing, posture, and motion. Its benefits, however, extend beyond physical conditioning. Slow, attentive movement and controlled breathing create opportunities to step away from everyday pressures and cultivate concentration, composure, and mental calm. By repeatedly bringing attention back to breathing and bodily movement, practitioners can develop greater present-moment awareness and a more attentive relationship with their own bodies. Psychologically, improved mobility, balance, and coordination can also contribute to greater confidence in everyday movement, while regular practice encourages patience, consistency, and an appreciation of gradual progress rather than competition or comparison with others.
Move Better. Breathe Deeper. Live in Balance.
Aiki-Taisō is therefore neither conventional fitness training nor simply stretching. It represents a holistic Japanese approach to physical education in which mobility, posture, breathing, balance, relaxation, and awareness are understood as interconnected dimensions of wellbeing. Adaptable to different ages, abilities, and levels of experience, its gentle but disciplined practice offers a sustainable way to care for both body and mind throughout life—helping us move more freely, breathe more consciously, stand more confidently, and meet everyday life with greater balance and calm.
Why Aiki-Taisō
The distinctive appeal of Aiki-Taisō lies in learning to move with greater ease, balance, flexibility, and awareness. Through breathing, stretching, mobility exercises, centered posture, and flowing movement, practice helps release unnecessary tension while encouraging a calmer, more attentive relationship with the body.
Mental Benefits:
Physical Benefits:
Aiki-Taisō is not exercise you outgrow—it is a practice that grows with you. As our bodies and lives change, its emphasis on mobility, flexibility, balance, breathing, posture, and calm awareness continues to offer something meaningful at every stage of life. Rather than pursuing short-term performance, Aiki-Taisō encourages a lasting relationship with movement and wellbeing.
Move Better. Breathe Deeper. Live in Balance.
Aiki-Taisō is therefore neither conventional fitness training nor simply stretching. It represents a holistic Japanese approach to physical education in which mobility, posture, breathing, balance, relaxation, and awareness are understood as interconnected dimensions of wellbeing. Adaptable to different ages, abilities, and levels of experience, its gentle but disciplined practice offers a sustainable way to care for both body and mind throughout life—helping us move more freely, breathe more consciously, stand more confidently, and meet everyday life with greater balance and calm.
Why Aiki-Taisō
The distinctive appeal of Aiki-Taisō lies in learning to move with greater ease, balance, flexibility, and awareness. Through breathing, stretching, mobility exercises, centered posture, and flowing movement, practice helps release unnecessary tension while encouraging a calmer, more attentive relationship with the body.
Mental Benefits:
- Relaxation: Breathing and deliberate movement encourage physical and mental calm.
- Greater focus: Coordinating breath, posture, and movement develops sustained attention.
- Body awareness: Practice teaches you to recognize tension and move more consciously.
- Confidence: Improved balance and coordination can create greater confidence in everyday movement.
Physical Benefits:
- Flexibility & mobility: Gentle stretching and joint movement help maintain a comfortable range of motion.
- Balance & stability: Centered postures and weight-shifting exercises develop steadiness and control.
- Posture & coordination: Whole-body movements encourage alignment and integrated movement.
- Functional movement: Practice develops turning, extending, shifting weight, rising, lowering, and maintaining equilibrium.
- Lifelong movement: Exercises can be adapted to different ages, abilities, and levels of physical experience.
Aiki-Taisō is not exercise you outgrow—it is a practice that grows with you. As our bodies and lives change, its emphasis on mobility, flexibility, balance, breathing, posture, and calm awareness continues to offer something meaningful at every stage of life. Rather than pursuing short-term performance, Aiki-Taisō encourages a lasting relationship with movement and wellbeing.
Lakeshore Aikido Club invites everyone
to discover a sustainable Japanese movement practice for lifelong physical and mental wellbeing—a practice you can begin today, deepen over time, and carry with you for years to come.
to discover a sustainable Japanese movement practice for lifelong physical and mental wellbeing—a practice you can begin today, deepen over time, and carry with you for years to come.
5 WAYS IN WHICH AIKIDO CAN IMPROVE YOUR WELLBEING
AIKIDO is a traditional Japanese martial art where one blends with an attacker's energy to redirect their force. Through circular movement and advantageous position, techniques redirect the force of aggression to harmonize with the encounter. The goal in Aikido is nonviolent conflict resolution and self-mastery, emphasizing natural body mechanics, timing, and positioning over physical strength or aggression.
Aikido differs from most martial arts because trains individuals to intervene only when an opponent comes at them, and tips them using their own momentum so that they loose balance, control, and they fall. It focuses on using an attacker’s power to neutralize them through blending, redirection, pain compliance, joint locks, and throws, rather than meeting force with force. Unlike combat or grappling sports, its goal is not to defeat an opponent but to resolve conflict with minimal or no violence. It is also what in Japan is considered a do (way) rather than a jutsu (method/technique), emphasizing character development and self-awareness alongside physical technique.
Aikido differs from most martial arts because trains individuals to intervene only when an opponent comes at them, and tips them using their own momentum so that they loose balance, control, and they fall. It focuses on using an attacker’s power to neutralize them through blending, redirection, pain compliance, joint locks, and throws, rather than meeting force with force. Unlike combat or grappling sports, its goal is not to defeat an opponent but to resolve conflict with minimal or no violence. It is also what in Japan is considered a do (way) rather than a jutsu (method/technique), emphasizing character development and self-awareness alongside physical technique.
Core features in philosophy and technique
- Non-violent resolution: Aikido seeks to neutralize aggression and end conflict harmoniously, whereas many martial arts focus on winning a fight.
- Redirecting energy: Instead of blocking or striking, Aikido practitioners blend with and redirect an attacker's force, using their momentum against them.
- Self-improvement: As a “do” or “way,” Aikido's focus is on the practitioner's personal and spiritual development through training, not just combat techniques.
- Defensive and adaptive: It is a defensive art that prioritizes minimizing harm to both the attacker and the defender, offering a way to de-escalate conflict.
1. Build Real Confidence Through Calm Power
Aikido teaches you how to stay centered, calm, and in control even in stressful situations. Instead of reacting with aggression or fear, you learn how to move with balance and intention. This sense of inner strength translates to everyday life—handling exams, work stress, or personal conflicts with quiet confidence. Aikido shows that true strength doesn’t come from domination, but from understanding and harmony with the world around you.
2. A Complete Workout for Body and Mind
Forget repetitive gym routines—Aikido keeps your body moving dynamically and your mind fully engaged. You’ll improve flexibility, coordination, posture, and endurance while learning techniques that develop awareness and timing. Every class is a combination of physical challenge and mental focus, leaving you both energized and grounded. It’s fitness with purpose—a practice that builds strength while sharpening your concentration and resilience.
Aikido teaches you how to stay centered, calm, and in control even in stressful situations. Instead of reacting with aggression or fear, you learn how to move with balance and intention. This sense of inner strength translates to everyday life—handling exams, work stress, or personal conflicts with quiet confidence. Aikido shows that true strength doesn’t come from domination, but from understanding and harmony with the world around you.
2. A Complete Workout for Body and Mind
Forget repetitive gym routines—Aikido keeps your body moving dynamically and your mind fully engaged. You’ll improve flexibility, coordination, posture, and endurance while learning techniques that develop awareness and timing. Every class is a combination of physical challenge and mental focus, leaving you both energized and grounded. It’s fitness with purpose—a practice that builds strength while sharpening your concentration and resilience.
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3. Learn nonviolent Conflict Resolution
In a world full of stress and confrontation, Aikido offers a refreshing alternative: resolving conflict without violence. It teaches you how to redirect negative energy instead of opposing it. Whether in an argument, a workplace challenge, or a tough day at school, Aikido helps you maintain clarity and compassion. It’s not just a martial art—it’s training in emotional intelligence and empathy.
4. Belong to a Supportive, Respectful Community
Aikido dojos are built on cooperation, not competition. You’ll practice with people of all ages and backgrounds, helping each other improve through mutual respect. There’s no pressure to “win” or outperform—only to grow together. The dojo becomes a space of trust and connection where you can challenge yourself safely while making lasting friendships rooted in discipline, kindness, and shared purpose.
5. Cultivate Balance and Mindfulness in a Fast World
Modern life moves too fast, filled with screens, noise, and constant demands. Aikido gives you a pause—a moment of silence in motion. Through practice, you’ll rediscover your body’s rhythm, your breathing, and the simple joy of being present. This awareness extends beyond training, helping you navigate life with steadiness and grace. Aikido isn’t just self-defense; it’s self-discovery—an art that helps you live more consciously and harmoniously.
In a world full of stress and confrontation, Aikido offers a refreshing alternative: resolving conflict without violence. It teaches you how to redirect negative energy instead of opposing it. Whether in an argument, a workplace challenge, or a tough day at school, Aikido helps you maintain clarity and compassion. It’s not just a martial art—it’s training in emotional intelligence and empathy.
4. Belong to a Supportive, Respectful Community
Aikido dojos are built on cooperation, not competition. You’ll practice with people of all ages and backgrounds, helping each other improve through mutual respect. There’s no pressure to “win” or outperform—only to grow together. The dojo becomes a space of trust and connection where you can challenge yourself safely while making lasting friendships rooted in discipline, kindness, and shared purpose.
5. Cultivate Balance and Mindfulness in a Fast World
Modern life moves too fast, filled with screens, noise, and constant demands. Aikido gives you a pause—a moment of silence in motion. Through practice, you’ll rediscover your body’s rhythm, your breathing, and the simple joy of being present. This awareness extends beyond training, helping you navigate life with steadiness and grace. Aikido isn’t just self-defense; it’s self-discovery—an art that helps you live more consciously and harmoniously.
Give yourself the chance to change your life or better...improve it! Join the Lakeshore Aikido Club!
Registration Required
Registration Required
How Does Aikido Improve Ourselves
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Aikido was created as a martial art by Morihei Ueshiba in the early 20th century. It synthesizes techniques from classical Japanese martial arts like jujutsu, swordmanship, spear and staff fighting, and it is known as a budo, or “martial way,” emphasizing self-perfection, spiritual development, and non-aggression alongside its practical self-defense applications. Beyond being an effective defensive martial art, however, Aikido has applications that extend far beyond physical self-defense, encompassing spiritual discipline, ethical development, and the cultivation of harmony and peace in daily life. Through its non-violent philosophy of resolving conflict by neutralizing rather than harming, Aikido teaches practitioners empathy, resilience, and a calm, collaborative approach to problem-solving. The practice’s emphasis on collaboration, self-cultivation, and personal growth makes its principles applicable in professional, interpersonal, and social contexts. These are applied through the core concepts of blending with energy, centering, and seeking peaceful resolution. Instead of meeting force with force, practitioners learn to harmonize with a situation to achieve constructive outcomes.
Aikido improves you by developing physical qualities like balance, coordination, strength, and flexibility while also cultivating mental and emotional skills such as confidence, awareness, discipline, and relaxation. The practice integrates the mind, body, and spirit, teaching you to transform challenges into opportunities and to approach conflicts with harmony rather than aggression.
Aikido fosters personal development by promoting mindfulness, emotional regulation, and self-discipline through its non-competitive, cooperative training. Its core philosophy of harmonious resolution helps practitioners apply lessons from the dojo to everyday life. It encourages and promotes peaceful conflict resolution. The central principle of Aikido, musubi (harmonious interaction), teaches you to blend with and redirect an opponent’s energy rather than confront it with force. This practice of finding peaceful solutions can translate to resolving conflicts in your personal and professional life.
Aikido training reduces stress and anxiety, it requires you to be fully present and mindful, which helps calm your nervous system and quiet ruminating thoughts. The physical activity also releases endorphins that improve your mood and reduce stress.
By learning how to safely and effectively face and de-escalate attacks from training partners of all sizes, you build confidence and resilience, you develop inner strength, and a strong sense of self-confidence. Repeatedly learning how to fall safely (ukemi) and get back up builds physical and mental resilience. Therefore, the intense, focused, and persistant practice of Aikido improves self-awareness, and emotional regulation teaches you to identify and deconstruct tense or defensive reactions to stressful situations. This self-awareness allows you to stay calm and respond constructively to pressure.
Aikido improves you by developing physical qualities like balance, coordination, strength, and flexibility while also cultivating mental and emotional skills such as confidence, awareness, discipline, and relaxation. The practice integrates the mind, body, and spirit, teaching you to transform challenges into opportunities and to approach conflicts with harmony rather than aggression.
Aikido fosters personal development by promoting mindfulness, emotional regulation, and self-discipline through its non-competitive, cooperative training. Its core philosophy of harmonious resolution helps practitioners apply lessons from the dojo to everyday life. It encourages and promotes peaceful conflict resolution. The central principle of Aikido, musubi (harmonious interaction), teaches you to blend with and redirect an opponent’s energy rather than confront it with force. This practice of finding peaceful solutions can translate to resolving conflicts in your personal and professional life.
Aikido training reduces stress and anxiety, it requires you to be fully present and mindful, which helps calm your nervous system and quiet ruminating thoughts. The physical activity also releases endorphins that improve your mood and reduce stress.
By learning how to safely and effectively face and de-escalate attacks from training partners of all sizes, you build confidence and resilience, you develop inner strength, and a strong sense of self-confidence. Repeatedly learning how to fall safely (ukemi) and get back up builds physical and mental resilience. Therefore, the intense, focused, and persistant practice of Aikido improves self-awareness, and emotional regulation teaches you to identify and deconstruct tense or defensive reactions to stressful situations. This self-awareness allows you to stay calm and respond constructively to pressure.
Mental discipline and perspective
In the spirit of Asian spirituality, Aikido fosters a “beginner’s mind” and cultivates an open, non-judgmental approach to learning, known in Zen as shoshin. By letting go of preconceived notions and maintaining a curious perspective, you can see new possibilities even when faced with an obstacle. Rather than seeing obstacles as immovable, Aikido teaches you to shift your perspective to find new possibilities. You learn to use what you might see as a limitation, such as being held in place, as a point of connection to create new opportunities for movement.
Additionally, the cooperative nature of Aikido, where partners help each other develop, creates a sense of community and mutual respect. This practice in harmonious interaction can increase empathy and emotional intelligence, allowing you to connect more deeply with people outside the dojo.
Physical and spiritual integration
Unlike today’s popular combat sports and fighting systems, Aikido is a budo, or “martial way,” / “martial art” that aims at the integration of the mind, body, and spirit. The physical training is a path for cultivating internal wisdom and a strong character. It encourages mindfulness and presence. Training with a partner requires you to focus on the present moment, rather than dwelling on worries. The result is a greater sense of clarity and inner peace.
Through its techniques, Aikido seeks to cultivate and expand a practitioner’s sense of vitality (ki). By learning to move from your center in a relaxed and unified way, you can project more power and feel more vibrant.
In the spirit of Asian spirituality, Aikido fosters a “beginner’s mind” and cultivates an open, non-judgmental approach to learning, known in Zen as shoshin. By letting go of preconceived notions and maintaining a curious perspective, you can see new possibilities even when faced with an obstacle. Rather than seeing obstacles as immovable, Aikido teaches you to shift your perspective to find new possibilities. You learn to use what you might see as a limitation, such as being held in place, as a point of connection to create new opportunities for movement.
Additionally, the cooperative nature of Aikido, where partners help each other develop, creates a sense of community and mutual respect. This practice in harmonious interaction can increase empathy and emotional intelligence, allowing you to connect more deeply with people outside the dojo.
Physical and spiritual integration
Unlike today’s popular combat sports and fighting systems, Aikido is a budo, or “martial way,” / “martial art” that aims at the integration of the mind, body, and spirit. The physical training is a path for cultivating internal wisdom and a strong character. It encourages mindfulness and presence. Training with a partner requires you to focus on the present moment, rather than dwelling on worries. The result is a greater sense of clarity and inner peace.
Through its techniques, Aikido seeks to cultivate and expand a practitioner’s sense of vitality (ki). By learning to move from your center in a relaxed and unified way, you can project more power and feel more vibrant.
Application of Aikido to professional contexts
Aikido’s emphasis on blending and awareness helps professionals navigate workplace challenges and lead with emotional intelligence:
Mindful leadership: A mindful leader adapts to changing circumstances by “blending” with new information instead of rigidly opposing it. By staying calm and centered under pressure, they make better decisions and inspire their team.
Effective communication: Aikido trains a practitioner to read subtle cues and be fully present, which translates to active listening in professional conversations. This heightened awareness promotes open dialogue and allows professionals to understand motivations beyond the surface level.
Conflict resolution: When conflicts arise, professionals can apply the principle of non-resistance to redirect and diffuse aggression, rather than meeting it head-on. This approach focuses on finding common ground and win-win solutions.
Adaptability and resilience: The martial arts ideal of taking falls teaches professionals to become more resilient. By remaining calm and focused in stressful situations, they can better manage stress and adapt to unexpected challenges.
Humility: Aikido practice includes a set of ritualized activities and etiquette. These foster a safe, harmonious, and respectful training environment by ensuring awareness of surroundings, promoting mutual safety, expressing gratitude to our partners, honoring the art’s tradition and instructors, and cultivating self-discipline and focused intent. Adherence to etiquette helps prevent injuries, facilitates smooth practice by promoting cooperation, and maintains the integrity of Aikido as a discipline of both spirit and technique.
Aikido’s emphasis on blending and awareness helps professionals navigate workplace challenges and lead with emotional intelligence:
Mindful leadership: A mindful leader adapts to changing circumstances by “blending” with new information instead of rigidly opposing it. By staying calm and centered under pressure, they make better decisions and inspire their team.
Effective communication: Aikido trains a practitioner to read subtle cues and be fully present, which translates to active listening in professional conversations. This heightened awareness promotes open dialogue and allows professionals to understand motivations beyond the surface level.
Conflict resolution: When conflicts arise, professionals can apply the principle of non-resistance to redirect and diffuse aggression, rather than meeting it head-on. This approach focuses on finding common ground and win-win solutions.
Adaptability and resilience: The martial arts ideal of taking falls teaches professionals to become more resilient. By remaining calm and focused in stressful situations, they can better manage stress and adapt to unexpected challenges.
Humility: Aikido practice includes a set of ritualized activities and etiquette. These foster a safe, harmonious, and respectful training environment by ensuring awareness of surroundings, promoting mutual safety, expressing gratitude to our partners, honoring the art’s tradition and instructors, and cultivating self-discipline and focused intent. Adherence to etiquette helps prevent injuries, facilitates smooth practice by promoting cooperation, and maintains the integrity of Aikido as a discipline of both spirit and technique.
In interpersonal contexts
The focus on harmony and self-control in Aikido improves one’s ability to build and maintain healthy relationships.
De-escalating conflict: When facing a verbal attack, an Aikido practitioner learns to avoid a natural, reflexive counterattack and instead respond in a calmer, more controlled way. By stepping out of the direct line of aggression, one can gain perspective and change the dynamic.
Building rapport: The physical technique of “entering” (irimi) to join with a partner's energy is a metaphor for building rapport. In conversation, this means actively listening to understand their perspective, rather than just waiting for your turn to speak.
Empathy and respect: Training with a partner in Aikido teaches you to value and respect them, recognizing that they are crucial to your own growth, and therefore to be grateful for their assistance. This respect, humility, and collaborative mindset can be carried into all relationships.
Understanding self and others: Morihei Ueshiba’s principle of “true victory is victory over oneself” (masakatsu agatsu) highlights the importance of self-control before attempting to harmonize with others. Through introspection, practitioners learn to control their own reactions, which fosters patience and understanding for others.
In social contexts Aikido’s philosophical underpinnings promote harmony, cooperation, and community-building on a broader scale:
Fostering community: Aikido dojos can function as community centers where people from diverse backgrounds practice together, fostering a sense of belonging and mutual respect. This cooperative training environment promotes social cohesion.
Promoting social responsibility: Aikido’s core philosophy is rooted in nonviolence and the resolution of conflict through reconciliation. This provides a framework for individuals to contribute to a more peaceful and unified world.
Managing systemic challenges: The Aikido concept of handling multiple attackers by strategically redirecting energy can be applied to complex social challenges. Instead of fighting every issue head-on, this principle encourages finding alternative solutions that use existing energies in a constructive way.
Cultivating universal peace: The pursuit of “universal peace” is a core tenet of Aikido, and the founder, Morihei Ueshiba emphasized it in numerous writings. Practitioners strive to embody this mindset in their daily interactions, extending the practice of harmony beyond the dojo into the larger community.
The purpose of Aikido, therefore, is not to defeat others or winning a fight, but to refine one’s wisdom and self-control. The path to finding this purpose is rooted in the constant effort of self-perfection. Discovering this intersection leads to a life of purpose, fulfillment, satisfaction, and happiness. Several other Japanese self-development activities and concepts exist besides Aikido including Ikigai (what makes life worth living), Kaizen (continuous improvement), Wabi-Sabi (finding beauty in imperfection), Mottainai (reducing waste), Omoiyari (compassionate consideration), Hansei (self-reflection for continuous improvement), and Kintsugi (repairing broken objects with gold to highlight their history). These concepts offer various perspectives on personal growth, from gradual progress to accepting flaws and fostering a harmonious relationship with the world.
Aikido is more than a martial art; it’s a practice of harmony, resilience, and self-mastery. Each movement refines the body while calming the mind, turning conflict into opportunity for growth. It builds confidence, discipline, and focus that extend far beyond the dojo. Whether you seek fitness, stress relief, or personal transformation, Aikido offers a path to balance and strength. Begin your journey now, and discover the art of centering yourself in both life and practice.
The focus on harmony and self-control in Aikido improves one’s ability to build and maintain healthy relationships.
De-escalating conflict: When facing a verbal attack, an Aikido practitioner learns to avoid a natural, reflexive counterattack and instead respond in a calmer, more controlled way. By stepping out of the direct line of aggression, one can gain perspective and change the dynamic.
Building rapport: The physical technique of “entering” (irimi) to join with a partner's energy is a metaphor for building rapport. In conversation, this means actively listening to understand their perspective, rather than just waiting for your turn to speak.
Empathy and respect: Training with a partner in Aikido teaches you to value and respect them, recognizing that they are crucial to your own growth, and therefore to be grateful for their assistance. This respect, humility, and collaborative mindset can be carried into all relationships.
Understanding self and others: Morihei Ueshiba’s principle of “true victory is victory over oneself” (masakatsu agatsu) highlights the importance of self-control before attempting to harmonize with others. Through introspection, practitioners learn to control their own reactions, which fosters patience and understanding for others.
In social contexts Aikido’s philosophical underpinnings promote harmony, cooperation, and community-building on a broader scale:
Fostering community: Aikido dojos can function as community centers where people from diverse backgrounds practice together, fostering a sense of belonging and mutual respect. This cooperative training environment promotes social cohesion.
Promoting social responsibility: Aikido’s core philosophy is rooted in nonviolence and the resolution of conflict through reconciliation. This provides a framework for individuals to contribute to a more peaceful and unified world.
Managing systemic challenges: The Aikido concept of handling multiple attackers by strategically redirecting energy can be applied to complex social challenges. Instead of fighting every issue head-on, this principle encourages finding alternative solutions that use existing energies in a constructive way.
Cultivating universal peace: The pursuit of “universal peace” is a core tenet of Aikido, and the founder, Morihei Ueshiba emphasized it in numerous writings. Practitioners strive to embody this mindset in their daily interactions, extending the practice of harmony beyond the dojo into the larger community.
The purpose of Aikido, therefore, is not to defeat others or winning a fight, but to refine one’s wisdom and self-control. The path to finding this purpose is rooted in the constant effort of self-perfection. Discovering this intersection leads to a life of purpose, fulfillment, satisfaction, and happiness. Several other Japanese self-development activities and concepts exist besides Aikido including Ikigai (what makes life worth living), Kaizen (continuous improvement), Wabi-Sabi (finding beauty in imperfection), Mottainai (reducing waste), Omoiyari (compassionate consideration), Hansei (self-reflection for continuous improvement), and Kintsugi (repairing broken objects with gold to highlight their history). These concepts offer various perspectives on personal growth, from gradual progress to accepting flaws and fostering a harmonious relationship with the world.
Aikido is more than a martial art; it’s a practice of harmony, resilience, and self-mastery. Each movement refines the body while calming the mind, turning conflict into opportunity for growth. It builds confidence, discipline, and focus that extend far beyond the dojo. Whether you seek fitness, stress relief, or personal transformation, Aikido offers a path to balance and strength. Begin your journey now, and discover the art of centering yourself in both life and practice.
000
"Like Branches Swaying in the Wind":
An Interview with Yoshida Tomoyuki Shihan
An Interview with Yoshida Tomoyuki Shihan
The interview took place at the Ensō Aïkido Dojo at CÉGEP du Vieux Montréal, Montreal CA, on April 05 2025, 4:20pm, in occasion of Yoshida Tomoyuki Shihan’s Aikido seminar (April, 3-6, 2025)
What follows is an English translation of the interview conducted in Japanese I had with Yoshida Sensei in one meeting immediately following a training session. It also contains parts of two shorter conversations I personally had with Yoshida Sensei during other moments of his visit in Montreal.
I want to express my gratefulness to Yoshida Tomoyuki Shihan for kindly agreeing to this interview and my appreciation to Mauricio Oyarzun sensei for making this opportunity possible. I also want to convey my sincere gratitude to Ms. Megumi Naka for helping me with this interview.
What follows is an English translation of the interview conducted in Japanese I had with Yoshida Sensei in one meeting immediately following a training session. It also contains parts of two shorter conversations I personally had with Yoshida Sensei during other moments of his visit in Montreal.
I want to express my gratefulness to Yoshida Tomoyuki Shihan for kindly agreeing to this interview and my appreciation to Mauricio Oyarzun sensei for making this opportunity possible. I also want to convey my sincere gratitude to Ms. Megumi Naka for helping me with this interview.
Antonio Terrone: Sensei, can you tell us when you started practicing Aikido, who were your main teachers, and when you decided to turn Aikido into a profession?
Yoshida Tomoyuki Shihan: I began to practice Aikido when I was a freshman in Junior High School. Earlier, when I was a child, my parents were concerned because I was weak. So, when I was a 1st grader in grammar school, 6 or 7 years old, they suggested I try karate and so I did my best to learn karate. At that time, movie start Bruce Lee was very popular in Japan, and karate being similar to what Bruce Lee was doing in the movies, karate became also very popular in Japan, and I worked hard on my karate. However, I felt that karate was not for me. Even if I reached the brown belt level in karate, similar to 1kyu in aikido, we can say, and my parents insisted I continue to study karate and get the black belt, I followed my feelings and quit.
Then, one day, while I was watching a TV drama, I noticed that the main actress in the show, Ms. Yumi Kaoru performed some aikido techniques. I was very impressed and I thought to myself “If she can do it [aikido], perhaps I can do it too.” Yumi Kaoru was a famous actress in Japan in those years. Not only was she appreciated for her beauty, but also for her acting and dancing skills as she was also a ballet dancer. Her movies and programs were very popular.
Ms. Yumi Kaoru was also interested in martial arts and spirituality. For instance, she devoted a lot of time to learning and practicing the Nishi Breathing System. She also practiced Aikido for a long time. Since she was wealthy and a celebrity, she was allowed to take private lessons in aikido directly with the Nidai Doshu Ueshiba Kisshomaru at the Aikikai Hombu Dojo in Tokyo, and eventually achieved the sandan in aikido.
Because of that, I immediately started to look for an aikido dojo in the Fukuoka metropolitan area, in Kyushu region of Japan. There was an Aikido dojo quite nearby in Saga Prefecture. It was located in the local police center where police officers typically practiced judo and kendo, and the local community was renting the same space to also teach aikido to the public. So, my parents and I thought “Oh, this is very close to home, so why don’t we start at this dojo?” So, one day, I went to that center together with my parents to watch aikido. As I was watching I thought: “Ok, aikido seems to suit me. I want to start to learn aikido.” This is how I started to practice aikido. At that time, I was a freshman at middle school, and I was 12 years old.
Yoshida Tomoyuki Shihan: I began to practice Aikido when I was a freshman in Junior High School. Earlier, when I was a child, my parents were concerned because I was weak. So, when I was a 1st grader in grammar school, 6 or 7 years old, they suggested I try karate and so I did my best to learn karate. At that time, movie start Bruce Lee was very popular in Japan, and karate being similar to what Bruce Lee was doing in the movies, karate became also very popular in Japan, and I worked hard on my karate. However, I felt that karate was not for me. Even if I reached the brown belt level in karate, similar to 1kyu in aikido, we can say, and my parents insisted I continue to study karate and get the black belt, I followed my feelings and quit.
Then, one day, while I was watching a TV drama, I noticed that the main actress in the show, Ms. Yumi Kaoru performed some aikido techniques. I was very impressed and I thought to myself “If she can do it [aikido], perhaps I can do it too.” Yumi Kaoru was a famous actress in Japan in those years. Not only was she appreciated for her beauty, but also for her acting and dancing skills as she was also a ballet dancer. Her movies and programs were very popular.
Ms. Yumi Kaoru was also interested in martial arts and spirituality. For instance, she devoted a lot of time to learning and practicing the Nishi Breathing System. She also practiced Aikido for a long time. Since she was wealthy and a celebrity, she was allowed to take private lessons in aikido directly with the Nidai Doshu Ueshiba Kisshomaru at the Aikikai Hombu Dojo in Tokyo, and eventually achieved the sandan in aikido.
Because of that, I immediately started to look for an aikido dojo in the Fukuoka metropolitan area, in Kyushu region of Japan. There was an Aikido dojo quite nearby in Saga Prefecture. It was located in the local police center where police officers typically practiced judo and kendo, and the local community was renting the same space to also teach aikido to the public. So, my parents and I thought “Oh, this is very close to home, so why don’t we start at this dojo?” So, one day, I went to that center together with my parents to watch aikido. As I was watching I thought: “Ok, aikido seems to suit me. I want to start to learn aikido.” This is how I started to practice aikido. At that time, I was a freshman at middle school, and I was 12 years old.
Yoshida Tomoyuki Shihan and Terrone Sensei
AT: Sensei could you please tell us a little bit about your most influential aikido teachers?
YTS: The aikido Shihan at that dojo where I started aikido was Yamaguchi Seigo Sensei (1924- 1996, also born in Fukuoka Prefecture). However, it was not his own dojo. It was one of the dojos he would visit regularly to teach. I practiced there until I was a high school student when I was about 16 years old. Yamaguchi Seigo sensei taught mainly at Aikikai Hombu Dojo in Tokyo, but he came once a month to teach in Saga Prefecture. The dojo-cho of my dojo was Suganuma Morihito Sensei (b. 1942) and he oversaw the kyu and dan testing of all us students.
YTS: The aikido Shihan at that dojo where I started aikido was Yamaguchi Seigo Sensei (1924- 1996, also born in Fukuoka Prefecture). However, it was not his own dojo. It was one of the dojos he would visit regularly to teach. I practiced there until I was a high school student when I was about 16 years old. Yamaguchi Seigo sensei taught mainly at Aikikai Hombu Dojo in Tokyo, but he came once a month to teach in Saga Prefecture. The dojo-cho of my dojo was Suganuma Morihito Sensei (b. 1942) and he oversaw the kyu and dan testing of all us students.
When I graduated from high school, I practiced aikido for six more years and I was allowed to take the shodan test, even if at that time I thought my skills were not good enough for that level. Later, I moved to the Kansai region to attend University there, and I enrolled at the Osaka Aikikai Foundation and practiced there for four years thus soon becoming a professional instructor. My parents were very happy and supportive of my decision.
AT: What does aikido bring about into your personal life?
YTS: In the very beginning, when I was a child since I was relatively weak, inspired by Bruce Lee as I said earlier, I wanted to be stronger. However, after practicing Aikido for a while, I realized that aikido is not about developing strength. Retrospectively, my experience with Yamaguchi Sensei led me to realize that his was true aikido. Of course, now Yamaguchi Sensei has passed away, but as I pursue my own experience, I strive to follow his aikido.
AT: What is your opinion about Aikido in today’s Japan?
YTS: This is a very difficult question. I would say this, in accordance with O-sensei, the founder of Aikido, of course, in the very beginning the main principle of Aikido was peace or love (ai) and harmony (wa). However, nowadays many people practicing Aikido try to throw hard their partners and use muscle strength in the execution of their techniques just like many other sports and competitions. There are actually these type of dojos in the world, of course, where practitioners do just that.
But I think that nowadays this is not right. Yamaguchi Sensei’s Aikido was unusual and different in a good way, and I always felt the need to explore his aikido.
AT: What does aikido bring about into your personal life?
YTS: In the very beginning, when I was a child since I was relatively weak, inspired by Bruce Lee as I said earlier, I wanted to be stronger. However, after practicing Aikido for a while, I realized that aikido is not about developing strength. Retrospectively, my experience with Yamaguchi Sensei led me to realize that his was true aikido. Of course, now Yamaguchi Sensei has passed away, but as I pursue my own experience, I strive to follow his aikido.
AT: What is your opinion about Aikido in today’s Japan?
YTS: This is a very difficult question. I would say this, in accordance with O-sensei, the founder of Aikido, of course, in the very beginning the main principle of Aikido was peace or love (ai) and harmony (wa). However, nowadays many people practicing Aikido try to throw hard their partners and use muscle strength in the execution of their techniques just like many other sports and competitions. There are actually these type of dojos in the world, of course, where practitioners do just that.
But I think that nowadays this is not right. Yamaguchi Sensei’s Aikido was unusual and different in a good way, and I always felt the need to explore his aikido.
Yamagushi Seigo Shihan (1924-1996)
AT: Sensei, could you please briefly describe Yamaguchi Seigo sensei’s aikido? What was the essence of his technique?
YTS: Yamaguchi sensei’s technique was soft and sharp. It was beautiful in its simplicity. After the unnecessary branches and leaves have been removed, swaying in the wind, the branches and leaves of trees becomes soft and sharp…This is how I feel when I recall Yamaguchi sensei’s technique.
YTS: Yamaguchi sensei’s technique was soft and sharp. It was beautiful in its simplicity. After the unnecessary branches and leaves have been removed, swaying in the wind, the branches and leaves of trees becomes soft and sharp…This is how I feel when I recall Yamaguchi sensei’s technique.
AT: Do you think that contemporary Japanese think of aikido as the same as the aikido O-sensei practiced when he was alive?
YTS: Obviously, I have never met O-sensei in person, but based on my own personal knowledge, when O-sensei was alive, his deshis tried always to get into fights with other people [to test their skills]. So, their techniques were not really geared toward peace as O-sensei desired. My impression is that nowadays there are even more aikido practitioners who are further away from peace and love.
AT: So, what is the true spirit of aikido?
YTS: This too is quite a difficult question, but I think that the spirit (seishin) of aikido does not rest in fighting as many might believe, but actually in the actualization of connection (musubi). This is what I think.
AT: Sensei, could you please tell us about your personal goal in the practice of aikido? Do you have your own aspirations in this regard?
YTS: Well, I am not sure if this will be or not the case, but a teacher like Yamaguchi sensei is someone who can express peace and love in his movements and gestures. It is my intention and my hope to continue to honor the teachings of Yamaguchi Seigo sensei and continue to be that kind of teacher, and not just in words as I talk about Yamaguchi sensei’s technique and vision, but also in the way I express myself as I practice aikido.
AT: Sensei, do you personally believe in the intersection of body and mind in the practice of aikido?
YTS: This is not a question I can answer easily, but in my opinion, since I have become more and more absorbed in the practice of aikido, I have come to realize that in everyday life most people live in ways in which bodily actions and feelings are separated from each other. Either we realize our emotions first to then follow them through the execution of a movement, or we first act and perform a move to then become aware and mindful of that motion a posteriori. In aikido often we do the same thing. The movement and the technique come first and the emotional awareness comes after, or the emotion takes the lead to then be followed by the physical movement. But this is the reason why we actually practice and should practice aikido; to bring the two elements (body and mind) together. This is what I strive for in my practice and it is my hope I conveyed that during our training today, but as far as I could see, we all did!
YTS: Obviously, I have never met O-sensei in person, but based on my own personal knowledge, when O-sensei was alive, his deshis tried always to get into fights with other people [to test their skills]. So, their techniques were not really geared toward peace as O-sensei desired. My impression is that nowadays there are even more aikido practitioners who are further away from peace and love.
AT: So, what is the true spirit of aikido?
YTS: This too is quite a difficult question, but I think that the spirit (seishin) of aikido does not rest in fighting as many might believe, but actually in the actualization of connection (musubi). This is what I think.
AT: Sensei, could you please tell us about your personal goal in the practice of aikido? Do you have your own aspirations in this regard?
YTS: Well, I am not sure if this will be or not the case, but a teacher like Yamaguchi sensei is someone who can express peace and love in his movements and gestures. It is my intention and my hope to continue to honor the teachings of Yamaguchi Seigo sensei and continue to be that kind of teacher, and not just in words as I talk about Yamaguchi sensei’s technique and vision, but also in the way I express myself as I practice aikido.
AT: Sensei, do you personally believe in the intersection of body and mind in the practice of aikido?
YTS: This is not a question I can answer easily, but in my opinion, since I have become more and more absorbed in the practice of aikido, I have come to realize that in everyday life most people live in ways in which bodily actions and feelings are separated from each other. Either we realize our emotions first to then follow them through the execution of a movement, or we first act and perform a move to then become aware and mindful of that motion a posteriori. In aikido often we do the same thing. The movement and the technique come first and the emotional awareness comes after, or the emotion takes the lead to then be followed by the physical movement. But this is the reason why we actually practice and should practice aikido; to bring the two elements (body and mind) together. This is what I strive for in my practice and it is my hope I conveyed that during our training today, but as far as I could see, we all did!
“Zazen, Aikidō, and Self-development:
An Interview with Okamoto Yoko Shihan”
An Interview with Okamoto Yoko Shihan”
000
On April 6 2024, in occasion of Okamoto Yoko Shihan’s Aikidō seminar organized by the Montérégie Aikikai in Montréal, Canada, I had the fortune and pleasure of having a short conversation in the form of an interview with Okamoto Sensei. I contacted her prior to the event about my interest in learning more about the relevance of zazen in her Aikidō practice. Being myself also a practitioner of zazen, I had learned about this feature of her activities with fascination and a curiosity to know more. This is an unabridged version of that interview.
I want to acknowledge and express my deep gratitude to Okamoto Yoko Shihan for agreeing to this interview and allowing me to share it publicly. I also want to thank Emmanuel Mares from Sandokai Aikido Kyoto for his assistance. I am also grateful to Joshua Leiton Sensei and the members of his dōjō, the Montérégie Aikikai, for their kind support and organization efforts that made this interview possible.
I want to acknowledge and express my deep gratitude to Okamoto Yoko Shihan for agreeing to this interview and allowing me to share it publicly. I also want to thank Emmanuel Mares from Sandokai Aikido Kyoto for his assistance. I am also grateful to Joshua Leiton Sensei and the members of his dōjō, the Montérégie Aikikai, for their kind support and organization efforts that made this interview possible.
Antonio Terrone (AT). Where do Zen focus on mind and body and Aikidō/budō practice intersect for you. Is the practice of zazen in your dojo explicitly connected to the practice of Aikidō? Are they inherently the same? What is your view on this? Also, how did Zen Buddhism enter your life?
Okamoto Yoko Shihan (OYS). I was born and basically raised in a Japanese temple, which was our family temple. This was a Zen temple attached to the Sōtō school, and it was called Hōfuku-ji temple in Kanazawa Prefecture, Japan. It was not a shugyō or training temple, where monks train in and practice zazen. It was a family-run Zen temple, following the danka system tradition, a system of affiliation between Buddhist temples and the surrounding households. My father, the abbot, was in charge of the temple and the few monks in the performance of various services for the community. I was influenced a lot by the monks in the temple. Their recitations and chants, their movements and their bowing, were all part of my growing up. However, when I was still a little girl, my father once took me with him to a shugyō temple where he sat for practice. Since he took me along, he asked me to sit too, but I was little and thus pretended to sit like him in zazen. The first time I decided to deliberately sit in zazen was when I came to America and settled down in Oregon. Near Portland, just outside of the city, there was a small Zen temple, and that’s where I started sitting in zazen and I enjoyed it very much.
What connects Zen and Aikidō for me is the “sitting”. I like sitting in zazen. It resets me. But Zen and Aikidō are also very different, of course, because while Zen is about sitting and not moving, Aikidō instead is about constantly moving. For me, that is the main difference. Additionally, Aikidō is also a little bit more difficult, because you are also always confronting an opponent, and thus you have to deal with yourself. Zazen is sitting, that’s it! And all that is asked of you [when you practice zazen] is to keep a good posture and pay attention to your breathing. It’s simple, but that’s the only difference.
Both practices, Aikidō and zazen focus on good concentration, and even if they have this in common (i.e. the attention to the mind), I like practicing zazen as action. I don’t practice it with a specific purpose in mind, because it has this, because it has that…For me zazen is pure movement, a pure gesture. Then, as you sit, you may also think about anything you want. But if you practice zazen with that purpose in mind (i.e. constantly thinking about something), after forty minutes you easily get tired. So, instead you switch your attention to the breathing and holding a good posture.”
AT. Along with the connection between Aikidō and zazen as practices oriented toward the purity of gesture, of the movement, and of the posture, another feature often highlighted in Aikidō in the context of the Japanese experience of budō is the concept of ningen keisei or “human development”. What do you think of this link?
OYS. “Oh, definitely! But you see, it’s not only true for Aikidō. The same is valid for budō in general too. If you seek to engage in a pure movement or a pure gesture, then anything can lead to this very same experience. For instance, take a pianist who wants to reproduce the best of Chopin’s music. He needs concentration for that. Or a chef, for that matter, who wants to cook the best dish. He or she also has to focus on the pure gesture. So, Aikidō, basically, is the gesture. Aikidō is the movement. Everything comes out through waza (technique). Waza is action, and you do your best in that circumstance. You might miss it once, but then, you have another opportunity to do it better. You might miss that opportunity as well? But then, again, you will soon have another chance to improve, and this might go on for a while. Sometimes, once in a million executions of techniques you might think ‘Wow, this is perfect!’ and if that happens, you are lucky, because the immediately following moment your movement might not be perfect anymore. It is an endless and continuous effort!”
AT. Based on this, where does the effectiveness of Aikidō lie? Let’s say that for the majority of martial arts the effectiveness is basically measured in winning over an opponent or knocking him out, like in Karate kumite bouts, with a tsuki punch, or a mawashi geri kick.
OYS. “That’s the short effect of Karate. But the long-term effect of Karate is also, or should also be, ningen keisei (human development). In Aikidō, we don’t have competition. So, what we immediately face is “us”, “ourselves”. When you are competing against someone, there will always be someone to compete against, and you will always strive to make a better point. You will keep on looking for someone to prove that you are better than him. In golf, baseball, or other sports, everything is the same. You want to get better points. In Aikidō, however, there are no better points. We face ourselves, right away. Perhaps this is not true in the early stages of learning Aikidō. In the very beginning, one’s progress is noticeable, obvious. As one improves, the teacher might call her to act as an uke in demonstrating techniques in class. That person might easily feel she is getting better and better, and experience confidence in her progress. At this time, you might think ‘The teacher chose me as his or her uke. It must mean that I’m getting better!’ But then, as you advance and start to compare yourself with other practitioners, you realize that there is no end to this process. You face yourself, immediately.”
AT. Would you like to offer a few words of advice to those who make efforts in the practice of Aikidō?
OYS. “To start new things, like a shoshinsha (i.e. a beginner) is easy. The difficult part is to continue. To continue is difficult, but as one continues, persistence is even more difficult. So, the clue is to persevere step by step, you know. Let’s do something new and take a chance. It is hard in the beginning, but then it becomes easy. The difficult moments might pass quickly, but continuing with stability and rigor is more difficult.
In Aikidō, just as in many other activities in life, we start something new and we dedicate ourselves to it for the first two years, and everything feels good and is bright as we are learning many new things. But then, during the third and fourth year we might feel we are going down, making no progress. It’s all ups and downs, just like it is in life. When an Aikidōka thinks of himself or herself as really good, that’s when she must be very careful!
For me, the beauty of Aikidō is that what we do is who we are. And what we cannot do is also who we are. It’s not that one should be ashamed of himself or herself because of the inability to do something correctly all the time. It’s not like that. We are learning beings, and so whatever we do in each circumstance, let’s say in the execution of an ikkyō technique, for instance, is who we are at that moment. That’s what a pure gesture is for me.
AT. Is that what you mean by jinen gōdō (natural realization) as represented in the calligraphy hanging in the kamiza (the alcove) of your dōjō in Kyōto?
OYS. “Yes, kind of... Jinen is ‘as it is’ or ‘as you are’, and gōdō means ‘realizing’ or ‘realization’. It means ‘meet the dō (way)’. But ‘as you are’ does not mean to lay down and do nothing and relax. It means ‘constantly walking along the path’.
Okamoto Yoko Shihan (OYS). I was born and basically raised in a Japanese temple, which was our family temple. This was a Zen temple attached to the Sōtō school, and it was called Hōfuku-ji temple in Kanazawa Prefecture, Japan. It was not a shugyō or training temple, where monks train in and practice zazen. It was a family-run Zen temple, following the danka system tradition, a system of affiliation between Buddhist temples and the surrounding households. My father, the abbot, was in charge of the temple and the few monks in the performance of various services for the community. I was influenced a lot by the monks in the temple. Their recitations and chants, their movements and their bowing, were all part of my growing up. However, when I was still a little girl, my father once took me with him to a shugyō temple where he sat for practice. Since he took me along, he asked me to sit too, but I was little and thus pretended to sit like him in zazen. The first time I decided to deliberately sit in zazen was when I came to America and settled down in Oregon. Near Portland, just outside of the city, there was a small Zen temple, and that’s where I started sitting in zazen and I enjoyed it very much.
What connects Zen and Aikidō for me is the “sitting”. I like sitting in zazen. It resets me. But Zen and Aikidō are also very different, of course, because while Zen is about sitting and not moving, Aikidō instead is about constantly moving. For me, that is the main difference. Additionally, Aikidō is also a little bit more difficult, because you are also always confronting an opponent, and thus you have to deal with yourself. Zazen is sitting, that’s it! And all that is asked of you [when you practice zazen] is to keep a good posture and pay attention to your breathing. It’s simple, but that’s the only difference.
Both practices, Aikidō and zazen focus on good concentration, and even if they have this in common (i.e. the attention to the mind), I like practicing zazen as action. I don’t practice it with a specific purpose in mind, because it has this, because it has that…For me zazen is pure movement, a pure gesture. Then, as you sit, you may also think about anything you want. But if you practice zazen with that purpose in mind (i.e. constantly thinking about something), after forty minutes you easily get tired. So, instead you switch your attention to the breathing and holding a good posture.”
AT. Along with the connection between Aikidō and zazen as practices oriented toward the purity of gesture, of the movement, and of the posture, another feature often highlighted in Aikidō in the context of the Japanese experience of budō is the concept of ningen keisei or “human development”. What do you think of this link?
OYS. “Oh, definitely! But you see, it’s not only true for Aikidō. The same is valid for budō in general too. If you seek to engage in a pure movement or a pure gesture, then anything can lead to this very same experience. For instance, take a pianist who wants to reproduce the best of Chopin’s music. He needs concentration for that. Or a chef, for that matter, who wants to cook the best dish. He or she also has to focus on the pure gesture. So, Aikidō, basically, is the gesture. Aikidō is the movement. Everything comes out through waza (technique). Waza is action, and you do your best in that circumstance. You might miss it once, but then, you have another opportunity to do it better. You might miss that opportunity as well? But then, again, you will soon have another chance to improve, and this might go on for a while. Sometimes, once in a million executions of techniques you might think ‘Wow, this is perfect!’ and if that happens, you are lucky, because the immediately following moment your movement might not be perfect anymore. It is an endless and continuous effort!”
AT. Based on this, where does the effectiveness of Aikidō lie? Let’s say that for the majority of martial arts the effectiveness is basically measured in winning over an opponent or knocking him out, like in Karate kumite bouts, with a tsuki punch, or a mawashi geri kick.
OYS. “That’s the short effect of Karate. But the long-term effect of Karate is also, or should also be, ningen keisei (human development). In Aikidō, we don’t have competition. So, what we immediately face is “us”, “ourselves”. When you are competing against someone, there will always be someone to compete against, and you will always strive to make a better point. You will keep on looking for someone to prove that you are better than him. In golf, baseball, or other sports, everything is the same. You want to get better points. In Aikidō, however, there are no better points. We face ourselves, right away. Perhaps this is not true in the early stages of learning Aikidō. In the very beginning, one’s progress is noticeable, obvious. As one improves, the teacher might call her to act as an uke in demonstrating techniques in class. That person might easily feel she is getting better and better, and experience confidence in her progress. At this time, you might think ‘The teacher chose me as his or her uke. It must mean that I’m getting better!’ But then, as you advance and start to compare yourself with other practitioners, you realize that there is no end to this process. You face yourself, immediately.”
AT. Would you like to offer a few words of advice to those who make efforts in the practice of Aikidō?
OYS. “To start new things, like a shoshinsha (i.e. a beginner) is easy. The difficult part is to continue. To continue is difficult, but as one continues, persistence is even more difficult. So, the clue is to persevere step by step, you know. Let’s do something new and take a chance. It is hard in the beginning, but then it becomes easy. The difficult moments might pass quickly, but continuing with stability and rigor is more difficult.
In Aikidō, just as in many other activities in life, we start something new and we dedicate ourselves to it for the first two years, and everything feels good and is bright as we are learning many new things. But then, during the third and fourth year we might feel we are going down, making no progress. It’s all ups and downs, just like it is in life. When an Aikidōka thinks of himself or herself as really good, that’s when she must be very careful!
For me, the beauty of Aikidō is that what we do is who we are. And what we cannot do is also who we are. It’s not that one should be ashamed of himself or herself because of the inability to do something correctly all the time. It’s not like that. We are learning beings, and so whatever we do in each circumstance, let’s say in the execution of an ikkyō technique, for instance, is who we are at that moment. That’s what a pure gesture is for me.
AT. Is that what you mean by jinen gōdō (natural realization) as represented in the calligraphy hanging in the kamiza (the alcove) of your dōjō in Kyōto?
OYS. “Yes, kind of... Jinen is ‘as it is’ or ‘as you are’, and gōdō means ‘realizing’ or ‘realization’. It means ‘meet the dō (way)’. But ‘as you are’ does not mean to lay down and do nothing and relax. It means ‘constantly walking along the path’.
Antonio Terrone Sensei, Okamoto Yoko Shihan, and Joshua Layton Sensei.
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