Josh Gold
These essential aikido concepts are covered in Hikitsuchi Sensei’s “Essential Teachings of Aikido”. This 61-lesson course is based on professionally shot instructional films of this 10th dan aikido master and cover both technical and philosophical topics.
Hikitsuchi Sensei is an important historical figure because of his extensive contact and training with Morihei Ueshiba during the latter’s frequent visits to Shingu situated near the birthplace of the Founder in Tanabe. He was also an ordained Shinto priest and had the ability to comprehend Ueshiba’s often arcane manner of speaking. A devoted follower of the Founder, Hikitsuchi was capable of faithfully reproducing the speeches and technical explanations of Ueshiba with uncanny accuracy during his long teaching career in Shingu.
The concepts should be kept foremost in mind for those intending to improve their aikido techniques as they reflect accurately the thinking of the Founder. They go beyond mere technical matters and have strategic and ethical implications.
1. Seizing the initiative: Michio Hikitsuchi stresses that one must control uke from the very outset of the encounter. To wait for a person to attack is to become conscious of him as an adversary. We lead to transcend being the attacker or the defender. If the attacker seizes the initiative, the defender has a greatly reduced amount of time to respond. The defender must attempt to get off the line of attack, unbalance the attacker, and execute a counterattack in a fraction of a second.
2. Sincerity of attack: In your role as uke, do you attack with full intention and sincerity? Aikido relies on both parties bringing a pure energy to practice. It is a mistake for uke to use his foreknowledge of the technique to modify his attack. Correct practice depends of the sincerity of uke’s attack.
3. Shinken shobu: Action in dead earnest: You must put everything you have into your aikido as if it your life were at stake. Otherwise your true heart will never manifest itself.
4. Masakatsu Agatsu: True Victory, Victory over Self: The true aim of aikido is not victory over an opponent, but rather over oneself through the process of purification in practice.
5. Inryoku: Attractive power: Inryoku, attractive power, is what checks uke’s will to attack. It is what instantaneously stops the ki of uke when he thinks to attack.
6. Katsuhayabi: Speed independent of space and time: In Aikido, the issue is decided at the instant of the encounter. It is decided at the moment uke and nage come together. Uke thinks to attack, but he himself is struck.
7. Shugyo: Ascetic discipline: The practice of aikido is a discipline for polishing one’s character and living life in harmony with divine nature.
8. Takemusu Aiki: Over time, your practice of aikido will lead you to “Takemusu Aiki” where you are capable of spontaneously giving birth to unlimited martial techniques. This is the highest ideal of Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba.
You absolutely need quality input of this kind in order to excel in aikido and make the art a transformative discipline in your life. Make a pact with yourself today to improve your training. Absorb the inspiring teachings of the Founder of Aikido in comprehensible language.
View videos of Michio Hikitsuchi Sensei covering these and other important aikido subjects.
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