This video was brought to my attention by H. F. Ito, Sensei. He says it gives an excellent representation of O Sensei's comportment, posture, and presence.

Aikido in Daily Life - Corporate Edition, Part 2

They usually come all at once.  Problems have a way of knowing when to gang up on you.  Be it work problems, or pack hunters on the urban streets sometimes things can come in waves and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.  We train with multiple attackers to remind us that we can deal with many issues, but only if we keep calm, stay centered and remember our training.  It teaches us to handle problems one at a time, and choose before the choice is made.  We often freeze up in difficult situations and forget that we have options, like which problems we will attack first.  Instead of waiting for the problems to pile up on top of us, we first try to be alert and see the issues coming.  Next, we choose which ones to deal with first, knowing that we may not need to fully resolve an issue before taking on the next challenge.  Continuous training helps us stay calm, keep breathing and look forward to life’s little tests, even when they bring their friends.

Celebrate the New Year by making a commitment to wellness and a peaceful spirit. Please join us at the dojo for a 9:00 a.m. class on New Year's Day.

Aikido in Daily Life - Corporate Edition, Part 1

If the pen is mightier than the sword, then corporate life isn't too far from combat. When we expect combat, we prepare accordingly, and so we should train accordingly for cubicle warfare too. 

Sometimes we see the punch coming, other times we get cold-clocked.  We must always be prepared for it by keeping our senses alert, being mindful of our surroundings and prepared for a response. 

Through Aikido we learn all of these things, but in a surprisingly transferable way.  Aikido teaches our body to hear more, see more and respond instinctively.  It helps our mind to filter the noise and concentrate on what's important.  It centers us, which gives us peace of mind and calmness of spirit.  


Whether your profession is samurai, salesman, or salad chef, we all face various types of conflict and we should train our bodies and our minds how to restore peace on the mat or in the meeting room.

Ni Dan!

Ready to Train

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Some days I’m amazed at how well I can apply Aikido to difficult situations.  An aggressive driver on the road, a tantrumming child, or an infantile co-worker: sometimes I can blend like the wind and move about my day in complete balance.

But most days I have to learn my lessons by getting into quagmires.  I get angry in traffic, or lose my temper with the child, and sometimes I let that co-worker get under my skin.  The quagmires are like sign posts leading me back to the dojo, and I’m always so grateful when I turn off of route six, drive down that long dirt road and see it there, ready for training.  

Understanding Correctness

It’s easy to struggle with a sense of correctness on the mat.   Our training is guided by principles and habits that our fundamental to the art.  Our first task is to respect and have faith in them.  To learn anything you have to give yourself up to new ways and to train in Aikido means giving yourself up to new ways of moving, thinking, breathing, and self-conceiving.  The habits of training, such as bowing, support this transformation to a more powerful and relaxed manner of engagement with the world and with the people around us. 

Especially when we struggle with new habits, we tend to become rigidly attached to our first notions of clarity; the first moment when it feels like we understand can become a concrete understanding.  But as Aikidoka committed to both stability (balance) and flow we have to recognize rigidity within our understanding as the next opportunity for further study.

Each day on the mat offers each individual exactly the challenge he/she needs to progress.  The overly submissive have the opportunity to learn extension.  The overly aggressive have the opportunity to learn acceptance.  Arrogance, the greatest impediment to clarity, has the opportunity to learn humility. At any given time we all have the opportunity to work on all three (among others) simultaneously.