Shudokan Aikido is a group formed for the purpose of supporting and promoting the art of Aikido as espoused by the Doshu of Aikido, Moriteru Ueshiba and the Aikikai Foundation.
Our Shihan is Hiroshi Kato, 8th dan of the Suginami Aikikai in Tokyo, Japan. As branch dojos of the Suginami Aikikai, our dojos are affliated with the Aikikai Hombu Dojo in Tokyo, Japan. All SAA dojos follow the standards of the Aikikai Foundation and Aikido World Headquaters
The Shudokan Aikido dojos are the following:
Shudokan School of Aikido
17111 Kieth Harrow, Houston, TX 77084
Ph: 281-630-0361
Instructor: Jorge Garcia, 4th dan
Email: aikifudoshin@hotmail.com
Website: www.shudokanaikido.com
Status: Full member of SAA
Class times:
We have classes 7 days a week. We have early morning classes, 2 lunch classes, kids classes 3 days a week and adult classes every day.
Aikido in the Heights
Instructor: Jaideep Mukherjee, 3rd dan, Karen Mukherjee, 2nd dan
Ph: 713 880 5565
Email: jd_hzc@yahoo.com
Websites: http://draiki.com/index.htm
Status: Full member of SAA
Dojo Mushijoku
Houston, Texas
Instructor: Alberto Pena, 2nd dan
Status: Full member of the SAA
Seichukan
Instructor: Russell Thomas, 2nd dan
Status: Full member of the SAA
Seichukan Dojo
Houston, Texas
Schedule:
9pm to 10pm Tuesday
Tumbleweed Aikikai
Houston, Texas
Instructor: Guillermo Almaguer, 2nd dan
Email: MemoAlmaguer@att.net
Status: Full member of the SAA
Aikido of the Hidden Temple
Houston, Texas
Instructor: Samuel Biggs, 1st dan
Status: Full member of the SAA
Aikido of Midland
2608 Loma Drive, Midland, TX 79705
Instructor: John Riggs, 4th dan
Ph: 432-770-3155
Email: aikidoc1@yahoo.com
Website: http://pages.suddenlink.net/aikidoc1/index.htm
Online streaming - http://www.ustream.tv/channel/aikido-of-midland
Status: Full member of SAA
Class times
Monday-Friday: 7-9pm adults
Tuesday & Thursday:5:30pm-children
Saturday: 12:30pm-adults
Aikido of Carthage
Address: 4154 NW loop; Carthage, TX 75633
Instructor: Derren Hill, 1st dan
E-mail: derrenhill@yahoo.com
Status: Full member of SAA (Aikido of Midland)
Contact: 605 Rebecca Drive, Carthage Tx 75633
Phone: (903) 641-1940
Classtimes: M-W 7-8:30
Shugenkan Aikido
801 Weinberg, San Antonio,Tx 78214
Instructor: Joe Rangel, 3rd Dan
Ph:210-455-0868
Email: jrangel35@satx.rr.com
Website: http://www.shugenkanaikido.com
Status: Full member of SAA
Class times
Tuesday & Thursday: 8pm-adults
Saturday & Sunday: 12noon-youth, 1:30pm-adults
Aikido by the Bay
Sunrise Mall, Suite 97, Corpus Christi, TX 78411
Instructor: Joel Molina, 3rd Dan
Ph:361-813-4970
Email: jmo@prodigy.net
Website: http://www.academyofasianmartialarts.com/san_bao_008.htm
Stauts: Full member of SAA
Class times
Tuesday: 7:30pm-adults & teens
Thursday: 6:30pm-adults & teens
Integrity Defensive Arts
2707 North Laurent, Victoria, Texas 77901
Phone: 361-576-5533
Victoria, Texas 77901
Instructor: Rick Torres, 1st dan, Aikikai
Phone: 361-576-5533
Email: Jitsumania@yahoo.com
Website: http://www.kyushinryuaikijujitsu.net/id24.htm
Status: Full member dojo of the SAA
Aikido Center of South Texas
319 W. Tom Landry Street, Mission, Texas 78572.
Instructor: Joe Cavazos, 2nd dan, Tim Kikos, 1st dan
Ph: 956 369-6423
Websites: www.acst.zoomshare.com , www.valleyaikido.homestead.com , www.freewebs.com/acst
Email: cavazosj@hiline.net
Status: Full member of the SAA
Class times
Monday: 7:45pm - 9:00 pm Weapons at Edinburg location (2822 N. Closner)
Tuesday and Thursday: 7pm - 9pm
Saturdays: 10am - 12:30pm
Centro de Aikido - Nuevo Laredo
Esquina de Heroe de Nacatáz y Morelos, Nuevo Laredo, Mexico
Instructor: Eliseo Munoz, 3rd dan
Status: Full member of the SAA
Horarios de Clases
martes y jueves: 7pm - 9pm
sabados: 10am - 11am
Centro de Aikido - Nuevo Leon
Unidad Deportiva CEDECO
Ave. Arturo B. de la Garza 1600 Edificio Lic. Jorge Treviño
Colonia Villarreal C.P. 66427
San Nicolas de los Garza N.L.
Instructor: Carlos Reyes Sanchez, 1st dan
Email: http://groups.msn.com/AIKIDOCENTERN-L-/_whatsnew.msnw
Tel. 86 61 00 71.
Status: Full member of the SAA
Horarios de Clases
martes y jueves: 8pm - 9:30pm
Centro de Aikido Mexico sede Monterrey
CALLE GERANIO # 7242
RESIDENCIAL STA. MARIA
CD. GUADALUPE N.L
Instructor:José Angel Hinojosa Alonso, 1st dan
TEL.: 8393-3628
CEL. 00448184736336
Email: jhinojosa@vitro.com
Status: Full member the SAA
Horarios de Clases
sabados: 3pm - 5pm
Centro de Aikido - Cd. Valle Hermoso
Esta localizado por el centro de Cd. Valle Hermoso
Instructor: Luis Enrique Razo Garcia, 1st dan
Status: Full member of the SAA
Horarios de Cases
Lunes 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Miercoles 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Viernes 8:00 am - 9:00 pm
Aikido of Laredo
3911 Loop 20, ste. 7
Laredo,Tx 78046
Instructor: Juan Ponce, 1st dan
Status: Affiliate dojo of the SAA
Ph: 956-337-5387/956-206-0447
Email: AikidoofLaredo@stx.rr.com
Aikido Center of Matamoros
Matamoros Tamaulipas, Mexico
Instructor: Alejandro Pedraza
Ph: 01152 8681 379537
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Official Shudokan Aikido Association list of Aikikai Foundation, Dan grade holders:
Dr. John Riggs, 4th dan
Jorge Garcia, 4th dan
Jim Riviera, 3rd dan
Symon Stanley, 3rd dan
Joe Rangel, 3rd dan
Eliseo Muñoz, 3rd dan
Jaideep Mukherjee, 3rd dan
Joel Molina, 3rd dan
John S. Garcia, 3rd dan
John Couch, 3rd dan
Joe Cavazos, 2nd dan
Mike Cervantes, 2nd dan
Eddie Martinez, 2nd dan
Weldon Mauney, 2nd dan
Karen Mukherjee, 2nd dan
Russell Thomas, 2nd dan
Lan Powers, 2nd dan
Alberto Peña, 2nd dan
Guillermo Almaguer, 2nd dan
Jose Angel Hinojosa Alonso, 2nd dan
Carlos Reyes Sanchez, 2nd dan
Luis Enrique Razo Garcia, 2nd dan
Tim Kikos, 2nd dan
Derren Hill, 2nd dan
Juan Ponce, 2nd dan
Molly Mockler, 2nd dan
Brenda Lizeth Meneses Ronquillo, 1st dan
Randy Shupe, 1st dan
Janice Marsh, 1st dan
Matt O Connor, 1st dan
Jesus Quevedo Gonzalez, 1st dan
Serafin Padron, 1st dan
Rick Torres, 1st dan
Jaime Rodriguez, 1st dan
Homero Vela, 1st dan
Jose Villagran, 1st dan
Jose Gerardo Diaz Esquivel, 1st dan
Jose Diaz Cruz, 1st dan
Javier Peña Osornio, 1st dan
Joe Rios, 1st dan
Cory Madrid, 1st dan
Samuel Biggs, 1st dan
Ed Borrego, 1st dan
Andres Duran, 1st dan
Shudokan Aikido Association Master Instructor - Hiroshi Kato, 8th Degree Black Belt
Born in Tokyo 1935, Kato-sensei began Aikido training in 1954 at Aikido World Headquarters under the instruction of the Founder of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba otherwise known as O’Sensei. Introduced to the Aikikai Hombu Dojo through his mother’s network of connections when he was 19, he trained there daily as well as spending long hours perfecting his personal practice. Working during the day as a printer, he attended classes at night. (For this reason he was unable to be an uchideshi, and does not appear in early photographs with them.) He has continued to train for over 55 years at the Aikikai Hombu Dojo although in recent years, he primarily teaches at his Suginami Aikikai dojo but he still attends special events at Aikido World Headquarters.
After his first 10 years at Hombu Dojo, Kato Sensei occasionally had chances to personally serve the Founder. He is grateful for those opportunities to have had personal interaction with O'Sensei. Even now he continues to realize new and very real implications of what the Founder told him many years ago. He is still pursuing Aikido through the Founder’s image, as according to Kato Sensei, “To me, the Founder is not dead. He is still alive in my mind and in my heart.”
Kato Sensei has been attending Doshu’s class for three generations: the Founder, the second Doshu, and the current third Doshu. He received his first 6 black belts from the Founder and his next 2 black belts from the second Doshu.
His self-training in Aikido has been ascetic. In his early years, he often used to practice weapons by himself through the night, greet sunrise the next morning, and then go to work again.
Kato Sensei's Aikido has a measure of personal spirituality to it. Before every class, Kato Sensei has the practice of coming early to the dojo to meditate. Since he was youth he has visited mountain shrines and stayed up all night practicing weapons and meditating.
Kato Sensei regards O’Sensei with utmost respect and considers him to be his only teacher. He states that the Founder didn’t teach him directly, rather that he learned from the Founder. Kato sensei believes that others cannot teach us Aikido, it is something we must learn ourselves from others. He sums this up by saying, "Aikido is not something to learn from others, but to learn by oneself. Ideally, the practice should be for oneself, and it should be rigorous and sternly self-disciplined, by one’s own choice."
In 1965, an informal practice group named Yagyu-kai was formed under his guidance and direction. Most of the members were black belt holders and he enjoyed teaching, hard training, and lively conversation after practice.
In 1987, he formally established Suginami Aikikai in Ogikubo, Suginamiku, as a branch dojo under Aikikai Hombu Dojo. The former Yagyu-kai was then incorporated into Suginami Aikikai. At this time, he continued to train at the Aikikai Hombu dojo.
Several years ago, he retired from his work as a printer and now teaches Aikido full time.
In 1994, he received 8th dan and in the same year, he began to teach Aikido in the US. Currently he travels to North America to teach Aikido at his branch dojos in California, Texas, and Mexico twice a year. He also offers seminars at other Aikikai affiliated dojos as a guest instructor such as his recent visits to Brazil and Venezuela in South America. Recently, Kato Sensei has also been petitioned by dojos in other nations as well and he has received dojos in Mexico and in Indonesia as his affiliates. Kato Sensei now has over 80 affiliate dojos throughout the world.
From 1999 through 2001, he received commendation for his contribution of promoting Aikido in Houston from the Mayor of Houston, Texas.
In 2001, “ Suginami Aikikai” received commendation from the Governor of Tokyo as an Excellent Organization. This year, he also began to teach Aikido at the OASIS Sports Center in Tokyo. That program continues, and is expanding.
Reflecting its depth and maturity as a dojo, there are now quite a few high level yudansha (such as 6th, 7th, 8th dans) in Suginami Aikikai, and new members are steadily joining. As in his early days, he enjoys intense training with everyone. Members both in Tokyo and abroad have been enjoying brisk international exchanges, as visitors from various dojos come to train with him in Tokyo.
Truly “every person’s" aikidoist, Kato Sensei exemplifies one who has persevered in his own practice, was recognized, and rose to high rank on his own merit. Like most of us “normal people,” he is a person who worked a regular job and trained in what spare time was available, persevering by training hard and never giving up.
Kato Sensei is a living resource as an authentic link to modern Aikido's
origins. That is attested by the fact that his Aikido World Headquarters card number is the number 6.
Succinctly, Kato Sensei is a superb and creative guide for his students in establishing “Wa” (harmony), both in spirit, in daily life and in Aikido.
Kato Shihan visits the Shudokan Aikido Association dojos twice a year in Texas to teach and conduct Aikikai rank testing.
Shudokan Aikido Association Technical Advisor - Yasuhiro Sakahara, 4th Degree Black Belt
Yasuhiro Sakahara was born in 1979 in Kamogawa City in the Chiba prefecture in Japan. He graduated from Dokkyo University with a degree in German in the late 1990's. It was there that he first learned about Aikido and he joined the University Aikido Club led by Nobuyuki Watanabe Sensei, 8th dan. Sakahara Sensei later spent time in Germany to further his studies in the language and there met and trained under Shihan Katsuaki Asai. After returning to Japan, he continued his Aikido training at the Aikikai Hombu Dojo where he studied under Doshu and the other major teachers at Aikido World Headquarters. It was there that he met Hiroshi Kato Shihan and decided to train under Kato Sensei at the Suginami Aikikai in Ogikubo, Suginami-ku.
At Kato Shihan's direction, he has taken teaching duties serving as an instructor of Aikido at the Oasis Sports Center. Sakahara Sensei occasionally substitute teaches for Kato Shihan's classes when he is overseas doing seminars.
In the last three years, he has been privileged to accompany Kato Shihan on his visits to the U.S. having visited San Francisco, Palo Alto, and San Jose, California. In the last two years, he has begun to accompany Kato Shihan to the Texas seminars where he has visited Houston, Midland, and Corpus Christi serving as the principal uke to receive Kato Shihan's techniques. Recently, he also traveled to Mexico accompanying Kato Sensei to his Seminars there.
In October 2006, Sakahara Sensei accepted the position of Technical Advisor for the Shudokan Aikido Association. He will be serving as a technical liaison between the Association and Kato Shihan in Japan and will keep us informed of the latest developments in Aikido from Japan.
Sakahara Sensei is also a practitioner of Brazilian Jujitsu and he has trained in mixed martial arts as well. Under the guidance of Kato Shihan, Sakahara Sensei has sought to elevate his Aikido to the highest level by studying and comparing Aikido techniques and principles to those of other martial arts. By taking Aikido waza to reality based training formats, Sakahara sensei hopes to improve himself at every level in order deepen his understanding and penetrate the essence of Aikido waza.
In the first part of 2007, Sakahara Sensei received two great honors. The first was that Shihan Hiroshi Kato promoted him to 4th degree black belt. Sakahara Sensei has proven to be one of the bright lights among the young deshis at the Suginami Aikikai.
The second honor was that he placed first in the blue belt division of a tournament in Brazilian Jujitsu. Soon afterward, his instructor awarded him the purple belt in Brazilian Jujitsu thus making him an instructor in the art. In November of 2007, Sakahara-san placed 2nd in the grappling (no gi jiu-jitsu) East Japan tournament in an open weight class.
In 2008 Sakahara san was promoted to brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. He placed 2nd in the light weight Class (Purple belt) at the De la Riva Cup East Japan Tournament. He also placed 2nd in light weight class (purple belt) All Japan Open Tournament. He placed 1st in light weight class (purple belt) All Japan Open Tournament and 2nd place in Open Weight class (purple belt). We congratulate Sakahara Sensei in his new title as the Japan champion of the light weight class, purple divsion
Sakahara Sensei has worked very hard in order to reach these levels in these difficult martial arts and we in Shudokan are very proud of his efforts and accomplishments.
Sakahara Sensei visits Texas twice a year spending 30 days a year advising and updating SAA instructors and acting as a special guest instructor in the dojos of the Shudokan Aikido Association.
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Shudokan School of Aikido Chief Instructor - Jorge Garcia, 4th Degree Black Belt
Jorge Garcia began his practice of Aikido in 1995 at the Corpus Christi Aikikai under Sensei Eddie Martinez in the Midwest Aikido Federation led by Akira Tohei Shihan, 8th Dan. Jorge was privileged to train in seminars under Tohei Sensei and was received his early kyu rankings directly from him. In 1998, the Garcia's moved to Houston,Texas where Jorge first attended a seminar taught by Hiroshi Kato Shihan. After experiencing Kato Sensei's powerful Aikido, Jorge decided to dedicate himself to Kato Shihan's teachings and he continued to train under Kato Shihan's supervision since.
In January of 2004, Jorge received permission from Kato Shihan to establish the Shudokan School of Aikido and Kato Shihan personally approved the name "Shudokan" for our dojo.
In the spring of 2004, wanting to learn more about the roots of Aikido, Jorge also became a student of Daito ryu Aikijujutsu Roppokai. He was one of four founding members of an officially sanctioned Roppokai Aikijujutsu private study group in the city of Houston, Texas. The Houston Roppokai Study group is authorized by Soshi Seigo Okamoto from Tokyo, Japan and is supervised by the Regional leader of the Southern USA Regional Headquarters of the Roppokai, Jose Lopez (4th dan, Jun Dairi Kyoju) from Fort Worth, Tx.
In the Spring of 2007, due to the growing needs of the Shudokan Aikido Association, Jorge voluntarily withdrew from the Roppokai so as to concentrate fully on Aikido. Jorge is deeply grateful to Seigo Okamoto Shoshi and to Sempai Jose Lopez for allowing him to study Daito ryu Roppokai. Jorge respects this fine martial tradition wishes his former classmates the best.
In February of 2005, at the invitation of Dojo-cho Michael Wise, Jorge began teaching Aikido at the Shindokan dojo in west Houston. This dojo became a satellite dojo of the Shudokan School of Aikido and a member dojo of the Shudokan Aikido Association family of dojos and experienced steady growth.
In the spring of 2005, Jorge began studying Muso Shinden Ryu Iaido in the Houston San Shin Kai with Craig Hocker Sensei. The Houston San Shin Kai is under the auspices of the North American San Shin Kai directed by Shihan Roger Wehrhahn and was overseen by the late Grandmaster Takeshi Mitsuzuka of the San Shin Kai of Tokyo, Japan. In April of 2007, Jorge voluntarily withdrew from the Houston San Shin Kai. Jorge's participation in his many Aikido activities would not allow him the time for him to attend the various Iaido activites. Jorge still trains privately in Muso Shinden ryu Iaido.
In the fall of 2005, at the invitation of Dojo Cho Rick Torres, Jorge founded a third dojo, Ikuseikan, in Victoria, Texas which became the second satellite dojo of the Shudokan School of Aikido. Jorge provided black belt instruction here here along with the help of Joel Molina Sensei from Corpus Christi, Joe Rangel Sensei from San Antonio and Jaideep Mukherjee Sensei from Houston until Rick Torres was able to test for Shodan.
In May of 2007, Jorge resigned his "day job" and became a full time Aikido Instructor.
Since 2007, Jorge has combined his two dojos, the Shudokan School of Aikido and the Shindokan dojo into one group. He closed the YMCA program and combined it with the Highway 6 dojo and then moved to the Fry Road location. After realizing that this location was not good for the dojo, Jorge along with the financial help and advice of Russell Thomas, Samuel Biggs, Jorge Verar, and Mike Wise led the new united group to the current Kieth Harrow location. It is here that he hopes to rebuild the group, stronger than ever before in a new day for the Shudokan School of Aikido in Houston. This Aikido group now has it's own location, secure in it's pursuit of Aikido in the future. In the first year at the new location, the dojo has grown to 60 studnets and shows continued signs of strong growth and is on its way to becoming one of the strongest dojos in the Houston area.
Since 1998, Jorge has been privileged to have studied in 35 seminars led by Kato Shihan, each ranging from 10, and up to 29 days at a time. In total, Jorge has attended over 57 Aikido training seminars, all with master level instructors and in the last decade, he has trained in seminars with most of the leading instructors of the art in this country.
On March 19, 2009, the Shudokan Aikido Association met for their 5th Anniversary dinner in Houston, Texas. At that dinner, Jorge was presented a special black belt by Yasuhiro Sakahara that had the words "Shudokan" on one side and on the other side, the words "Garcia Kansho". Jorge was deeply honored by this special gift. That weekend, the Shudokan Aikido Association received Hiroshi Kato in seminar in Texas for the 8th time. At this seminar, Jorge was tested by Hiroshi Kato Shihan and was awarded the 4th degree black belt in Aikido.
Jorge is the founder and president of the Shudokan Aikido Association with dojos in Houston, Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Midland, Carthage, Victoria, Mission, and Laredo and also has five dojos in northern Mexico.
Jorge teaches every day of the week and he does his personal training in Aikido at the advanced classes.
Assistant Instructor-John Stephen Garcia, 3rd Degree Black Belt 
John Stephen Garcia began practicing Aikido in July of 1995 in the Midwest Aikido Federation led by Akira Tohei Shihan, 8th Dan. He trained diligently at the Corpus Christi Aikikai under Eddie Martinez Sensei for four years and and as a teenager, he was given his first adult Aikido ranking directly by Akira Tohei Shihan. After moving to Houston in 1998, he continued his training under Senseis Tom Oreck and Rick Laue at the Tumbleweed Aikikai and then under Sensei Nelson Andujar, 6th Dan of the Nations Aikikai where he not only trained in Aikido but also in Miyama Ryu Jujitsu for a short time.
It was during this time period that he attended a seminar taught by Hiroshi Kato Shihan from Tokyo, Japan and he experienced the power of Kato Shihan's technique. For the next 5 years, he continued to train and practice the things he learned in that seminar and was able to train personally with Kato Shihan in many seminars in Houston, Corpus Christi, and San Francisco.
In March of 2001, Kato Shihan promoted John Stephen to first degree black belt. In October of 2004, Kato Sensei promoted John to second degree black belt.
Since 2002, John's employment has been working in various positions with companies specializing in internal security and has had many opportunities to test his martial arts skills in real life situations.
John has traveled to many places to train under the foremost instructors of Aikido in the U.S. including such people as Jo Birdsong, Peter Bernath, Damon Apodoca, Pat Hendricks, Hiroshi Ikeda, Seiichi Sugano, T.K. Chiba and Yoshimitsu Yamada among others.
John Stephen also trains in Brazilian Jiujitsu under Travis Tooke. Coach Tooke is one of the best Jiujitsu instructors in the U.S. and John Sensei enjoys learning this reality based martial art along with his practice of Aikido.
John Stephen is now serving as an assistant instructor for the Shudokan School of Aikido and he teaches as needed.
John Stephen trains in Aikido 3 days a week and hopes to continue studying under Kato Shihan in order to continue to develop and grow in his knowledge and practice of Aikido.
On March 7, 2010, John Stephen was tested for 3rd dan in Aikido by Hiroshi Kato Shihan. John had an excellent exam and the dojo leadership was very proud of his demonstration.
Since 1998, John Stephen, along side his father, has personally served Kato Shihan when he is in Texas. John also continues to be a vital help to Jorge Garcia Sensei in the oversight and planning for the Houston area Shudokan Aikido Association Dojos.
Shudokan School of Aikido Assistant Instructor - Joe Cavazos, 2nd Degree Black Belt
Joe started Aikido in April 1991 under Bill Sosa Sensei, 6th dan and trained under him for a number of years. For many years, he also was active in his study of Aikido by attending many seminars from other styles other than his own. After Sosa Sensei's death, Joe continued his training under Lynn Fabia Sensei in a new organization called the Society of Aikido Centers. In 2005, Joe was granted the 4th dan.
Eventually, after leaving that group, Joe found his way to Shihan Hiroshi Kato and petitioned to become a personal student of his. Since then, he has moved to Houston, Texas.
Joe Sensei is the founder and Chief Instructor of the Aikido Center of Mission, Texas. He is also now one of the two Regional Directors of the South Texas-Mexico Region of the Shudokan Aikido Association. He is also serving as an Assistant Instructor at the Shudokan School of Aikido.
In 2007, Joe joined the Aikikai with the help of Hiroshi Kato Sensei and was started off in his new home by being awarded the rank of 2nd dan directly by Doshu Moriteru Ueshiba.
Joe teaches adult classes in the dojo every other Monday and on Tuesdays. He also assists Garcia Sensei in the administration and planning of Shudokan Aikido Association seminars.
Shudokan School of Aikido Assistant Instructor - Russ Thomas, 2nd Degree Black Belt
Russ Thomas began studying Aikido at Koshinkan Dojo, in Morgantown, West Virginia as a student of Mark Allen in 1995. Allen Sensei was a student of Shihan Fumio Toyoda, 6th dan of the Aikido Association of America headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Russell studied with Allen Sensei for three years.
Subsequently, Russell moved to southern Virginia for two years where he commuted to Chapel Hill, North Carolina to train at Choshinkan Dojo with Ned Daneily Sensei (yondan).
When Russell accepted a new job in Raleigh, North Carolina, he began training with Hiroshi Tajiri Sensei (godan) at Seibukan Dojo. Russ trained in Raleigh between July 1999 and September 2002. At that time, Russell and his family relocated to Houston, Texas.
Once in Houston, Russell began training with Zeljko Jericevic Sensei (sandan) at Tumbleweed Aikikai. It was under Jericevic Sensei's care that Russ earned his shodan in February 2004 through Andy Sato Sensei and the Aikido Association of America.
Russell first met Jorge Garcia Sensei while training at Tumbleweed Aikikai and was introduced to Shihan Hiroshi Kato's style of Aikido. In January of 2005, Jericevic Sensei gave permission for Russell to begin training with Garcia Sensei at Shudokan Dojo. Soon after, he became an official member of the Shudokan School of Aikido.
In October of 2006, Kato Shihan promoted Russell to Nidan in Aikido.
Aside from training in his private dojo called Seichukan, Russell also serves as an assistant instructor for the Shudokan School of Aikido where he teaches every Thursday night. Russell is a personal student of Garcia Sensei and he assists Garcia Sensei in all matters relating the Shudokan School of Aikido dojo and the Shudokan Aikido Association.
Shudokan School of Aikido Assistant Instructor - Molly Mockler, 2nd Degree Black Belt
Molly Mockler began her practice of Aikido in January of 2004 when the Shudokan School of Aikido was founded. Being one of the first members, Molly has attended every seminar that has been held with Shihan Hiroshi Kato in Houston since 2004. She has also trained with other high ranking instructors and has traveled to other cities to assist in presenting Shudokan Aikido to groups in both Texas and Mexico. Molly is an avid Aikidoist and is known for her powerful technique and great ukemi.
On November the 11, 2007, Molly was promoted to 1st degree black belt by Shihan Hiroshi Kato, 8th dan and she was presented her black belt personally by Kato Shihan. Molly is the first student in the the Shudokan Aikido Association to become a yudansha, only having trained within Shudokan.
On March 7, 2010, Molly Sensei was promoted by Hiroshi Kato Shihan to 2nd degree black belt. Most of the people in that room agreed that Molly presented one of the most comprehensive and powerful exams they had ever seen as she went through uke after uke without tiring or showing any pause. The person responsible for her training since January 2004 was very gratified by her performance.
Molly teaches the adult beginner's classes and the children's classes three days a week. Molly has trained 7 days a week for the last 2 and a half years.
Welcome to our website. The Shudokan School of Aikido has it's history and beginnings in my own Aikido career which began in Corpus Christi, Texas. I started Aikido in August of 1995 at the Corpus Christi Aikikai. It was there in a small but closely knit dojo that I learned the art of Aikido from a very dedicated group of Aikidoists that I still remember with great fondness. The names of Jerry and Gail Thompson, Matt Crocker, Mike Rains, Gilbert Fuentes, Laura Stuckey, and Hector Chavez will forever be implanted in my mind. They were my sempais, my friends, and my role models. I learned the art from them. My teachers were Eddie Martinez and Larry Salazar. Eddie was a forever positive and encouraging teacher. Instinctive, fast and fun are words I think of when I think of Eddie Sensei. Larry Sensei was dramatic, explosive and powerful. These two men had the respect of the students and had a real and significant impact for Aikido in that city. Of course, there were hundreds of other students, maybe thousands that were a part of the dojo over a ten year period. Rick Ricard, Charlie Marks, Joel Molina and so many others that I cannot tell. They were there and the atmosphere was magical.
My family moved to Houston in June of 1998 and we initially joined a dojo called Tumbleweed here in Houston. I still remember that on my first visit, I saw a handsome young man wearing a brown belt and a hakama moving from person to person throwing them and being thrown. His name was Rick Laue. Again, he was a wonderful and confident human being that was a role model to me. His co teacher was Tom Oreck of the Oreck company who was also a good and dedicated Aikidoist. The dojo soon closed and I joined the Nations Aikikai in November of 1998. I was there briefly when I noticed an announcement for a seminar that was being held in town with a shihan from Japan named Hiroshi Kato. When I witnessed his Aikido, I realized I was looking at a different kind of Aikido. I knew then that I had found my new path.
That new path changed my life. On that path, I learned endurance, perseverance, and how to suffer in my Aikido training. I was taught a different way of looking at Aikido and how to make Aikido really work. I learned how to be patient and how to be who I was quietly and so many other things that there is not room to tell.
In December of 2003, I left being a student and I ventured out on my own. I did so because I needed to grow and I had my own ideas about how to do and be the lessons of Aikido. I started the Shudokan School of Aikido in January of 2004 at the YMCA and we begin strongly with 52 new students. There was a fire in the air and an excitement and things started up with a flare. We saw so many students go through there and we had huge classes and loads of fun and learning experiences. I started a second group at Highway 6 a year later and we soon had almost 70 students. We started holding large seminars and we got some what of a presence in West Houston as things progressed.
In 2008, we made the decision to combine the two groups. After doing so, we then made a move to Katy, Texas to a location on Fry Road but we were not there long before I began to feel that this location was not going to work for us. It was then that I came across a location on a heavily traveled street called Kieth Harrow. It was a crazy idea. I had no money, no resources, no way to do this but I decided to try. A few students quickly promised support. They were Russell Thomas and his wife Jennifer. Samuel Biggs volunteered his services to oversee the buildout. Jorge Verar, a parent and real estate agent also promised to advise us and soon, Mike Wise ( karate instructor) also joined our leadership team. I told the members about it and they began forwarding advance dues and donations and between all of us, we were able to finance the building of a new dojo and a new day came to the Shudokan School of Aikido.
That's our story. We are an old dojo and a new one. The old Corpus Christi Aikikai continued in the Shudokan School of Aikido. In Houston, the Shudokan School of Aikido and the Shindokan dojo were combined to form one dojo again. We are an established presence in this area of west Houston and in a sense, we are still starting anew. I am now looking for people that want to seriously practice Aikido and make it a way of life. We now have the times, the place and the way to do it. It's a new day!
Would you consider joining us and becoming a part of this Aikido history? We need you and the energy and life you can bring to us as we train together and learn and grow in Aikido. Call me and let's talk. This is a life changing and incredible experience if you will give yourself to it. Do it today! Many new ones are joining us and we are experiencing incredible growth! Now is the time to join and learn with others who are also beginning. If you are an experienced Aikidoist, we also have higher ranking people who can provide you all the advanced training that you can handle! Come and join us today!
Report on the statistics of the students of Jorge Garcia.
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Shudokan School of Aikido is located at Samurai Martial Arts, 17111 Kieth Harrow, Houston, Texas 77084. There is a map on this website to the location.
Wednesday
6 pm - 7 pm Children & Beginners class (Basic Aikido) *
7 pm - 8 pm Adults (Regular Aikido)
8 pm - 8:30 pm Weapons Class
8:30 pm - 9 pm Black belts (Advanced Aikido)
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Current Shudokan School of Aikido Practice Log as of 3-9-2010
Name-Rank-Days practiced-(Minimum days/hours required for next exam)
Children are using hours instead of days.
Adults
1. Jorge Garcia, 4th dan - 344 days - (6 years minimum from 4th dan)
2. John Stephen Garcia, 3rd dan - (4 years & 600 days)
3. Joe Cavazos - 2nd dan - 548 days (4 years & 600 days)
4. Russ Thomas - 2nd dan - 227 days - (4 years & 600 days)
5. Weldon Mauney - 2nd dan - (4 years & 600 days)
6. Molly Mockler - 2nd dan - 2 days - (2.5 years & 400 days)
7. Jerry Thurston - Shodan candidate - (Learning new system)
8. George Pollos - Shodan-Ho - 16 days - (Training for Shodan)
9. Costa Pollos - Shodan-Ho - 16 days - (Training for Shodan)
10. Jonathan Morales - 1st kyu - 40 days - (Shodan Candidate)
11. Jon Hansen - 1st kyu - 0 days - (120 days) (Shodan Candidate)
12. Nico Collie - 2nd kyu - 57 days - (120 days)
13. Emily Boyle - 2nd kyu - 44 days - (120 days)
14. Lee Kaplan - 3rd kyu - 34 days - (100 days)
15. Jeff Evans - 3rd kyu - 1 days - (100 days)
16. Andrew Holdaway - 4th kyu - 71 days - (100 days)
17. Julio Morales Duran - 4th kyu - 56 days - (100 days)
18. Velia Almazan - 4th kyu - 20 days - (100 days)
19. Israel Fuentes - 5th kyu - no days - (80 days)
20. Andrew Canovas - 5th kyu - 17 days - (80 days)
21. Andy Croft - 5th kyu - 9 days - (80 days) Promoted
22. Kori Croft - 5th kyu - 15 days - (80 days) Promoted
23. John Kang - 5th kyu- 13 days - (80 days) Promoted
24. Gary Ivy - 6th kyu - 37 days - (60 days)
25. Tim Bowers - 7th kyu - 41 days - (45 days) Promoted
26. Betsy Bowers - 7th kyu - 55 days - (45 days) Promoted
27. Eugene Rawlinson - 7th kyu - 39 days - (45 days) Promoted
28. Gaston Bracamonte - 7th kyu - 43 days - (45 days) Promoted
29. Kevin Sheriff - 7th kyu - 32 days - (45 days) Promoted
30. Adrian Maines - 7th kyu - 20 days - (45 days) Promoted
31. Simina Roberts - 8th kyu/B - 25 hours - (35 hours)
32. Raymond Villalba - unranked - 27 days - (20 days)
33. Rick Black - unranked - 16 days - (20 days)
34. Logan Parker - unranked - 14 days - (20 days)
35. Brian Windham - unranked - 18 days - (20 days)
36. Raul Garcia - unranked - 14 days - (20 days)
37. Fiona Nguyen - unranked - 17 days - (20 days)
38. Victor Lopez - unranked - 11 days - (20 days)
39. Thomas Stauber - unranked - 10 days - (20 days)
40. Leo Torres - unranked - 3 days - (20 days)
41. Jim Ritter - unranked - 1 days - (20 days)
42. Ben Ward - unranked - 4 days - (20 days)
Youth and Children
43. Darius Dixon - Shodan-ho - 47 hours - (Black belt Trainee)
44. Bianca Verar - 7th kyu/C - 42 hours - (50 hours)
45. Brianna Verar - 8th kyu/B - 40 hours - (40 hours)
46. Kaivon Dixon - 8th kyu/C - (-5) hours - (45 hours)
47. Sehtaj Singh - 8th kyu/A - 6 hours - (35 hours) Promoted
48. Urtaj Singh - 8th kyu/A - 3 hours - (35 hours) Promoted
49. Daniel Ripley - 9th kyu/B - 6 hours - (35 hours) Promoted
50. Samuel Sheriff - 10th kyu/A - 7 hours - (20 hours) Promoted
51. Alex Black - unranked - 13 hours - (20 hours)
52. Sarah Black - unranked - 13 hours - (20 hours)
53. Silvia Black - unranked - 13 hours - (20 hours)
54. Andrew Windham - unranked - 16 hours (20 hours)
55. Manny Lopez - unranked - 14 hours (20 hours)
56. Michael Lopez - unranked - 13 hours (20 hours)
57. Alex Nguyen - unranked - 14 hours - (20 hours)
58. Robert Stauber - unranked - 7 hours - (20 hours)
59. Sebastian Stauber - unranked - 7 hours - (20 hours)
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Philosophy of Aikido Curriculum - This program is optional.
Aikido is an art that cannot be understood apart from its general philosophy. For those interested in the philosophy of the Art, we have available a curriculum that can guide the student from the beginning to advanced stages. An example of the curriculum and text books are listed below. These books do not represent articles of belief or affirmation but are historical records and opinions on the background and basis of the art. We are flexible and do make adjustments for individual preferences.
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For those participating, the curriculum will be as follows:
7th kyu
The Book of Aikido Wisdom by Jorge Garcia
(Selected portions will be sent to you by email. This book is still in progress. The Study guide is not available now)
6th kyu
Budo Mind and Body by Nicklaus Suino
IBSN 0-8348-0568-5
5th kyu
Bushido: The Warrior's Code by Inazo Nitobe
IBSN 0-89750-031-8
4th kyu
Aikido for Self Discovery by Stan Waobel
IBSN 0-7387-0060-6
or
Aikido Shugyo by Gozo Shioda
(This book must be ordered from Shindokan books.)
www.shindokanbooks.com/shugyo.shtml
3rd kyu
Aikido, The Peaceful Martial Art by Stefan Stenudd
www.stenudd.com/aikido/aikidobook.htm
or
Enlightenment in Aikido by Kancho Sunadomari
ISBN-10: 1556434871
2nd Kyu
The Art of Aikido: Principles and Essential Teachings by Kisshomaru Ueshiba
IBSN 4-7700-2945-4
1st Kyu
Kodo, Ancient Ways by Kensho Furuya
ISBN-10: 0897501365
and
Invincible Warrior, a Pictorial Biography of Morihei Ueshiba by John Stephens
IBSN 1-57062-075-x
or
A Life in Aikido: The Biography of Founder Morihei Ueshiba by Kisshomaru Ueshiba
IBSN 4-77002617-X
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1st degree black belt
The Spirit of Aikido by Kisshomaru Ueshiba
IBSN 0870118501
2nd degree black belt
The Heart of Aikido by John Stephens
ISBN-10: 4770031149
3rd degree black belt
The Secret Teachings of Aikido by John Stephens
ISBN-10: 4770030304
4th degree black belt
Philosophy and Spirituality from 4 points of view (Select one)
1) A Psychiatric view
The Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck
IBSN - 13:978-0-7432-4315-5
2) A Psychological view
The Farther Reaches of Human Nature by Abraham Maslow
IBSN 0-14-019470-3
or
Religions, Values, and Peak Experiences by Abraham Maslow
IBSN0 0-14-019487-8
3) A New Age view
A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle
IBSN 978-0-452-28996--3
4) A Christian view
The Making of the New Spirituality by James A. Herrick
IBSN 0830832793
5) An Aikido view
Aikido and the Harmony of Nature by Mitsugi Saotome
IBSN 0-87773-655-6
or
The Spiritual Foundations of Aikido by William Gleason
IBSN 0-89281-508-6
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Auxiliary list for additional study.
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Ki and the Way of the Martial Arts by Kenji Tokitsu
IBSN 9781570629983
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Weekly Aikido Schedule
Monday
6 pm - 7 pm Children & Beginners class (Basic Aikido) *
7 pm - 8 pm Adults (Regular Aikido)
8 pm - 8:30 pm Weapons Class
8:30 pm - 9 pm Black belts (Advanced Aikido)
Tuesday
12 noon - 1 pm Adults (Regular Aikido)
8 pm - 9 pm Adults (Regular Aikido)
Wednesday
6 pm - 7 pm Children & Beginners class (Basic Aikido) *
7 pm - 8 pm Adults (Regular Aikido)
8 pm - 8:30 pm Weapons Class
8:30 pm - 9 pm Black belts (Advanced Aikido)
Thursday
12 noon - 1 pm Adults (Regular Aikido)
7 pm - 8 pm Adult Beginners Class (Basic Aikido) *
8 pm - 9 pm Adults (Regular Aikido)
Friday
6 pm - 7:15 pm Adults (Weapons Class)
Saturday
11 am - 12 noon Children (Basic Aikido)
11 am - 1 pm Adults (Regular Aikido)
Lunch
3 pm - 4:00 pm Adults (Regular Aikido)
4:00 pm - 4:30 pm Black belts (Advanced Aikido)
Sunday
3 pm - 4:15 pm Adults (Regular Aikido)
* Beginners may attend any class except the Advanced Classes
(Ages 14 and up are counted with the adults)
Article #1
The Traditional Learning Method of Aikido
“Horikawa never showed us how to do his techniques. I had to steal his techniques.”
(Nishikido Sensei speaking of Daito ryu master, Kodo Horikawa.) (1)
It has been noted in many places that the old way the masters taught was to demonstrate the techniques rather than to explain them. It was the duty of the student to “learn” from the master. Hiroshi Kato Sensei has told us in the past, “I was not taught by the Founder (of Aikido), I learned from him”. Kato Sensei always understood that it was his job to study carefully what the Founder was doing and to imitate it and incorporate his own understanding of what he saw into his aikido. Speaking in general terms, in our western mindset, we believe that good students come from good teachers. The eastern mindset is that good students come from dedication and the careful observation of the teacher. The worthy student shows himself to be so by virtue of his dedication to learning the art. The responsibility is on the learner. That being the case then, in the old culture of budo, it was the dedication, intensity, focus and hunger that allowed some of the learners to become the best students. The current western idea that a student must be nurtured, prodded, taught and encouraged by various teaching devices, interesting lessons, and a warm and friendly atmosphere is more of an external approach to the doctrine of epistemology (the science of ‘how we know things’). It must be noted that it is in this atmosphere that we are facing a decaying modern educational system because of these external approaches. We are meeting increasing numbers of unmotivated students who show up with an entertainment mentality that says. “Teach me, educate me – if you can!”
In this kind of culture, when a parent learns that their student is failing a course, many immediately want to know what curriculum is being used, why there is so much homework and what is the teacher doing to help their child. These parents tend to be attracted to state of the art facilities, the latest technological devices, and schools that boast of the certifications of their educational associations. They rarely look at their child and say, “What kind of a student did I deliver to this school? How disciplined and dedicated is my child? How much has he or she sacrificed to achieve excellence? Have they made learning a priority? What other activities, games, trips and personal things are competing with their education?” Do the students believe that learning is their responsibility or are they looking for better methods, better institutions, special attention and shortcuts believing that these will make them what they should be?
In learning a martial art, who has the responsibility to see that the student learns? Must the teacher give long explanations, develop focused lesson plans, and work with each student individually? What is the lesson and method of teaching used by the old masters that protected the art from the unworthy and yet rewarded the diligent? Read the excerpts below and see what only a small part of the historical record shows. As both teachers and students, we must all reevaluate what it means to learn and how we can dedicate ourselves to what we want to learn. In doing so, we must take full responsibility for who we are and for what we want to become. We must come to realize that while others can attempt to teach us, the burden is on the student to learn. Our teachers can show us but it is the student who through focus, attention, and sacrifice, learns. In Japanese budo though, the learning is innate or internal. The student learns internally as he experiences the training and discipline of the art. Words, while helpful, are not the main component or catalyst of the learning process. Rather, it is the student, who deals with the issues of ego and attachment, that allows the learning to be internalized and true change to occur.
From Peter Goldsbury Sensei (President of the I.A.F.)
"The Founder of Aikido has been quoted as good-humouredly telling his deshi, "Don't expect me to teach you. You must steal the techniques for yourselves." A double transformation takes place. There is a gradual transformation in the learning process, as the deshi in fact learns how to learn by stealing (i.e. observing), and this is paralleled by the gradual transformation in the relationship between master and deshi. At the end of the process, the deshi has mastered the kata as the master has presented them, has understood the principles underlying the kata, but also gone beyond the master’s kata and created something of his own. In the case of Japanese traditional arts, the vehicle of this double transformation is regular training or practice." (2)
"Then, also, perception and awareness are also of great importance. Students nod in apparent understanding, but this understanding is not always evident from their practice of the technique. In my experience, an accomplished aikido teacher has a very clear perception of his students' situation, their strengths and weaknesses. So there is a lot more going on in a training session than simply showing techniques and having students do these techniques. The teacher is also involved in teaching the students how to learn. As I said before, progress in aikido is ultimately the student's own responsibility, not the teacher's. So the student really does have to learn how to 'steal.' " (i.e. the techniques) (3)
From Yoshio Sugino Sensei (Master Swordsman)
"Ueshiba Sensei, unlike the present Honbu instructors, taught techniques by quickly showing the movement just one time. He didn't teach by offering detailed explanations. Even when we asked him to show us the technique again he would say, "No. Next technique!" Although he showed us three or four different techniques we had the feeling we wanted to see the same technique many times. We ended up trying to "steal" his techniques (by observing carefully). Mr. Mochizuki had a very keen sense for budo. He would grasp Ueshiba Sensei's techniques by watching. Sensei never took his hand to show him a technique. However, he would imitate Sensei. In other words, imitating is the same as learning. You watch the techniques of your Sensei through your spirit and mind. This is what I mean by "stealing" techniques from your sensei. People today are very slow to learn even when teachers explain. They are too casual about this type of thing. People in the old days were really serious." (4)
From Morihiro Saito, 9th Dan (Senior Student of O'Sensei)
"The Founder's teaching method in Iwama were very different from his approach during the prewar years. In earlier years, it was his custom to merely show his techniques a few times with little or no explanations and then to have students attempt to imitate his movements.This was the traditional method of martial arts instruction and students had to do their best to "steal" their teacher's techniques. But now, Ueshiba had the luxury of being able to devote his full energies to his personal pursuit with just a few close students...In the last years, I was taught by Sensei almost privately...Serving the Founder was extremely severe even though it was just for the study of a martial art. O Sensei only opened his heart to those students who helped him from dusk to dawn in the fields, those who got dirty and massaged his back, those who served him at the risk of their lives. As I was of some use to him, O Sensei willingly taught me everything." (5)
From George Ledyard (Famous instructor from Aikido Eastside)
O-Sensei didn't teach technique, at least not after WW II. He modelled Aikido in thought, word, and deed. He put it out there for those that were interested to follow...
Chiba Sensei and Saotome Sensei don't even look like each other, despite the fact that they were in class together at the same time under the same instructors. And this is due, in my opinion, to the fact that O-Sensei, whom they considered to be their Teacher, did not teach technique but rather allowed each student to develop his own Aikido. But it is clear to me, from training and conversing with these two quite different teachers that each saw the primary inspiration for his own training to be the Aikido Founder.
I think that many people would accept the notion that Aikido isn't "taught" so much as it is learned by doing and the teacher provides the direction ones training takes. This is why very few of the Aikido "greats" look like each other. (6)
My own teacher, Saotome Sensei, is adamant that Aikido has no "style". He has taught us in much the same way he was taught. He has steadfastly refused to spell out technical details, has only generally called our attention to various principles at work. This has resulted in much the same situation you had with the Founder. No one has "mastered" anything close to what this man knows. Only a very few have any real idea what he is doing. None of us look like each other because its been left up to each of us to develop our own understanding. (15)
From Henry Kono (Former student of O Sensei)
If he (O Sensei) was in the back of the dojo he might come out every day. If he was away, you might not see him for three weeks. If he was there, he might come out for five or ten minutes then go back in. I saw him about 300 times in four years. He never explained what he did, he just did it! This is what I mean by magician. He did it and if you couldn't discern what he did, there was no way to figure it out. He never explained anything but he left hints which were very difficult to discern because of the way he stated his ideas in very short phrases that no one could understand.
I saw a tape of Shioda Sensei being interviewed in England. He was with O-Sensei for ten years from about 1930-40, he said O-Sensei never explained once in that 10 years as to what he was doing!
He wasn't a teacher in the sense that he was teaching. The Japanese may look at that as teaching, but in the western sense it isn't. You had to intuit what he was doing and saying, read between the lines, so to speak. (7)
Concerning Arikawa Sensei (From Peter Goldsbury)
Actually, I believe that Arikawa Sensei was... someone trying to do what O Sensei himself did. In Hiroshima he showed waza, but did not really teach. After practice ended he was very happy to answer questions, but occasionally told us not to give students certain explanations. They should be required to find out for themselves. The shihan could guide and prevent bad waza, but should not give verbal explanations.
From Shihan Hiroshi Kato (Dojo-cho of Suginami Aikikai, Tokyo, Japan)
Interviewer: Would you tell us some memories you have of the Founder?
Kato: He did not say anything in detail about waza (technique). Rather than listening to his words, I learned by watching him.
Kato: He said, "Budo (the martial way) cannot be learned from other people. It has to be exercised by oneself." Even now, when I practice, I visualize the founder in my mind. It is not something that can be taught, but must be developed with discipline. That is why I started to understand the things he said. Things I have learned by myself are not easily forgotten, but things that have been taught by other people, without inquiry within me, and taught in the language like "it should be done only in one way, and no other way," are all forgotten.
I tell everybody to try it anyway, even if you don't understand it. Results come as you practice. People do not understand when I explain it verbally. Words are a convenient tool, but to show them how is more important. When it comes to teaching, people generally say "This should be done like this." It is easier that way. However, in this way, the amount of verbal instruction tends to increase. Seeing is much better than hearing hundreds of times. It is my great privilege to have had the chance to see the founder doing it. I really feel that I learned Aikido from seeing it.
I do not like the concept of instructing others in what to do. I am very adamant about that. For me, rather than teaching, I think practice is the place to begin by oneself.
Interviewer: Do you have any last words of advice?
Kato: If you really establish your individual style, you should practice it alone. Practicing is like that fundamentally, isn't it? While practicing, you discover your own thoughts and world's view. You train yourself. If you train yourself, do it alone. That is my ideal in my practice and words to you. (8)
From Chogun Miyage (Founder of Go-ju Ryu Karate)
"The true essence of karate, the perfection or ideal for which we strive, cannot be expressed or passed on through the spoken or written word. It is intangible in nature. The only way to understand the true meaning of this essence is to internalize it into your being by training."(9)
From Darrell Craig Sensei (Author and a Budo master)
"The old masters of Japan intentionally designed the techniques so that their deadly aspects would not be easily discernable and thus fall into their enemies' hands. The techniques were probably also taught this way so that only the most dedicated students would learn their real secrets." (10)
From Kondo Katsuyuki, the current Headmaster of Daito ryu Aikijujutsu
"I heard many times from my teacher, Takeda Tokimune, that Takeda Sokaku sensei never taught the same technique twice. Tokimune sensei told me that at the time he was teaching as his father's Representative Instructor, Sokaku would scold him for being "foolishly soft-hearted" if he taught too kindly or showed his students something more than once. My teacher (Tokimune, Sokaku's son) often warned me, "If you teach the same technique twice, the second time your students will figure out how to defeat you with a counter-technique. Teach something different the second time....Sokaku... showed a technique and left it up to each student to "steal it as much as he was able to. Thus, Daito-ryu techniques vary according to individual interpretations of Sokaku's students.
When my teacher Tokimune was still active and in good health, many of his students from all over Japan came to Abashiri once a year to take part in the annual Headquarters meeting. Several times, when I came to participate in the headmaster direct transmission seminars (soke jikiden kai) that were always held on these occasions, the meeting was divided into two groups, one taught by Tokimune sensei himself, the other taught by me acting as his instructional representative. Naturally, the day before these my teacher would go over with me in detail about what he wanted me to teach on his behalf, and he always told me that I must not teach the true techniques that I had learned from him. Even in regard to the very first technique taught in Daito-ryu, ippondori, I was strictly prohibited from teaching the real version I had learned directly from Tokimune sensei, and was told to teach only the version of ippondori he always taught in his own Daitokan dojo.
My teacher explained his purpose in this by saying, "What will you do if you teach people the true techniques and the next day they leave the school? The oral and secret teachings of Daito-ryu will flow outside of the school." He also said, "Out of a thousand people, only one or two are genuine students. Find them out and teach them what is real; there is no need to teach such things to the rest." My teacher only taught real techniques to a person if he could ascertain, from his questions, technical and physical ability, apprehension, and diligence, that they carried a sincere and genuine attitude. He inherited this method of teaching from Sokaku sensei.
These days, with my own students, I teach the same technique many times and I always hear my teacher scolding me from the heaven. There he is looking down on me and saying, 'What a fool you are!' "(11)
From Alec Corper, an Aikido Sensei in Holland
"This is typical of a number of factors of Japanese Budo that has roots in the following:
1. Pragmatic reality - The teachers of that era didn't give away technical secrets that would enable them to overcome ther enemies in battle (or conversely, empower them)
2. Financial reality - They didn't give away secrets that would jeopardize their (or their families') financial security.
3. Ego - They never let anyone else reach their level so they could keep their power.
4. Real teaching-If the students couldn't see what they were doing then it would be logical to assume follow that they wouldn't be capable of inheriting the art anyway, but their dues would provide a dojo for the "real" students, and the ordinary students would have received some benefits without knowing that they were missing anything." (12)
From Yukiyoshi Sagawa from the book, "Clear Power":
"See! This is why you are no good. You don't do something simply because so and so said so. If you simply go through life by simply thinking you can copy people you'll never get anywhere. The only person that can do this is you. You must create your own understanding for yourself.
Take Aiki for example. There is no way to really teach this. Even if I could point at something that is Aiki I can't put it into words. You simply think you can learn everything from me, so you don't develop the habit to think for yourself. ... In the end its about accumulating your thoughts and having them act as the foundation for other thoughts. ...
... You must take what you learn, and then innovate it based on your own ideas. ... No matter how much you learn something, if it is simply taught to you, you will forget it. However you will never forget something you acquire for yourself. It becomes you. In other words, teaching is simply a matter of giving the right hints. You must acquire that thing for yourself. Especially in the case of Aiki, it is an internal feeling which must be grasped.
It's not simply a matter of questioning everything either. You mustn't simply think that it's enough to be taught. Everyone's body type is different, so there is no guarantee that things will work out exactly the same way.
... I don't teach everything, and I can't teach everything. What I can teach is the foundation of how the skeletal system works. How your muscles and organs work upon that frame is for you to ponder and discover on your own. (13)
From Taitetsu Unno (Writer of the preface to "The Spirit of Aikido")
"The training and discipline common to all the Ways, martial or cultural, consist of three levels of mastery: physical, psychological and spiritual. On the physical level of mastery of form (kata) is the crux of training. The teacher provides a model form, the student observes carefully and repeats it countless times until he has completely internalized the form. Words are not spoken and explanations are not given; the burden of learning is on the student. In the ultimate mastery of form the student is released from adherence to form. (p.7) …the internal psychological changes (are) taking place from the very beginning. The tedious, repetitious and monotonous learning routine tests the student’s commitment and willpower, but it reduces stubbornness, curbs willfulness, and eliminates bad habits of body and mind. In the process…real strength, character and potential begin to emerge. (p.8)
In every martial and cultural art, free expression of self is blocked by one’s own ego. (Faced with an opponent) if an opening does occur, it is created by one’s ego. One becomes vulnerable when one stops to think about winning, losing, taking advantage, impressing, or disregarding the opponent. When the mind stops, even for a single instant, the body freezes, and fluid movement is lost… (p.8). The egoless self is open, flexible, supple, fluid, and dynamic in body, mind, and spirit. Being egoless, the self identifies with all things and all people, seeing them not from its self-centered perspective, but from their own respective centers… the ability to see all existence from a non-self-centered perspective… (is)… its highest expression (and) none other than compassion. Such a way of thinking is the essence of all the martial and cultural Ways in the Japanese tradition. Aikido is a modern formulation of this essence, perfected by the genius of Master Ueshiba Morihei. Aikido, being a form of traditional martial art, realizes this universal (principle) through rigorous training of the body. Ultimately, physical, psychological, and spiritual mastery are one and the same. (p.9) (This is why a dojo is a)…place of enlightenment…the place where the ego self undergoes transformation into the egoless self." (14)
By all that has been presented, I do not mean to imply that verbal communication is wrong as an instructional method in Aikido training. I am also not meaning to imply that we should completely return to previously used methodologies. I am suggesting though that we may need to reevaluate the basis of responsibility in human learning and what the conditions are that give the student the impetus for the learning process to occur. I propose that those conditions are found in the learner himself.
We have seen the decline of our modern educational system in our lifetimes. While the cry has been for standardized testing, improved facilities, the additional certification and training of teachers; test scores have dropped lower and lower, our knowledge quota has decreased and we are indeed facing a crises in our educational systems. Our approach as westerners is almost completely external.
The approach of Japanese budo is internal. The discipline of Japanese budo intends to bring the learner from the place of ego to the point of egolessness. Every learner finds himself somewhere between the two points of selfishness and selflessness. As the learner progresses from one point to another, humility of heart, openness of mind, and the steadfastness of the spirit become the launching ground for understanding, true knowledge and right practice.
Japanese budo is transmitted person to person by means of forms, strict discipline, and etiquette. The students selects the teacher and asks to be received as a student. Once accepted, he enters the dojo and begins to train following directions, learning the culture, etiquette, rules, and submitting to his Sensei and his seniors. The struggle for the student is an internal one. Day by day, the training acts as a forging and refining fire. It tests the resolve and perseverance of the student. The governing factor is in the training and the student is exhorted to continue to train daily. It is through this process that the student of a pure heart (makoto) begins to internalize the essence of the art and its benefits are applied to him. The learner then, has found the place of true knowledge and transformation within himself.
This article was written and the quotes were compiled by Jorge Garcia
Quotes slightly edited from the following sources
(1) http://www.budovideos.com/shop/customer/pages.php?pageid=29
(2) http://www.aikidojournal.com/article.php?articleID=556
(3) http://www.aikidojournal.com/article.php?articleID=473
(4) http://www.aikidojournal.com/article.php?articleID=368
(5) From the book, Takemusu Aikido, Vol.1, pp. 18-21, Aiki News Publication
(6) http://www.aikidojournal.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1826&start=30
(7) http://www.aikidojournal.com/article.php?articleID=435
(8) http://www.shudokanaikido.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=28
(9) http://www.samuraimartialsports.com/gojuryu.htm
(10) http://www.houstonbudo.com
(11) http://www.daito-ryu.org/history4_eng.html
(12) From a personal letter from Corper Sensei
(13) From the book, "Clear Power" by Yukiyoshi Sagawa
(14) From the foreword of the book, The Spirit of Aikido, p.7-10, Kodansha publication
(15) From the Aikiweb forum. http://aikiweb.com/forums/showthread.php?p=196437#post196437
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Article #2
The Traditional Psychological-Social Transformative Method of Aikido
by Jorge Garcia
From Gozo Shioda, 9th san - Founder of Yoshinkan Aikido
Thinking that I would have given anything to make something of myself in this incredible martial art, I eagerly commuted back and forth to the dojo. But of course, I could never equal the uchideshi (live-in students) who were always serving at Sensei's side. So it was inevitable that I, too, had to be by Sensei's side to take in as much as possible. Thus, I became an uchideshi at the age of 19.
At that time I was going to Takushoku University but I was devoted to Aikido more than anything else and so I took a leave from school. I was allowed to take two years off. Once I hit the three year mark though, I would be removed from school altogether. I immersed myself whole heartedly in Aikido for two years with an absolute resolve to become a top uchideshi.
Once I became an uchideshi, I lived with Sensei and took care of all his daily needs, no matter what they were. All shugyo (spiritual purification through hard training) is like this, no matter what kind it is. It's the same as the apprenticeship programs of years gone by. You never complained to your master. You simply kept silent and did as you were told. Giving your opinion was absolutely out of the question. If you ever asked something like, "Isn't it better to do it this way?" you would catch holy hell immediately!
People today probably think that this is a bit unreasonable, but if you want to master a particular path or way, my feeling is that this kind of intensive training is necessary. For no matter how well you know the pre set forms and procedures of the techniques, this alone will not make something a martial art. This is especially true in the case of Aikido. In order to master Aiki techniques, simply drilling in sports-type training is not sufficient.
To achieve this mastery of a martial art, nothing is better than solid shugyo in which you share daily life with your teacher in absolute obedience. And yet, you won't gain anything by simply living with your teacher. The important thing is, in taking care of all his needs, to continually sense your teacher's feelings before they are made known to you. In the end, you are striving to be able to perceive his intentions.
If you are helping Sensei in the dojo, you should be able to determine what Sensei will want next and do it for him before he says anything. Watch Sensei's movements continuously; then understand the changes in his feelings.
But here's the difficult thing. If you see something and then think about it and then set to work on it, it's already too late. You can't think about it. You have to be able to discern instinctively what Sensei's feelings are right away, on the spot. This is the natural way. It's not about thinking, just sense it naturally. I always made it my goal to try to do things this way and as a result, I developed an ability to sense my opponent's intentions.
Before long, this kind of training carried over into demonstrations as well. When performing as Sensei's uke, although fundamentally it doesn't matter where you attack, the point initially is to show the audience. So, for example, Sensei might present his shoulder and say, "Grab here." The average person would then go in and grab his shoulder. My goal was to perceive his intent and go in and grab his shoulder before he could say a single word. It is an unspoken, heart to heart way of communicating. If you can't do this, then you can't move naturally. I studied this sort of thing. So now when it's time for me to do a technique I can apply what I studied and can tell where the opponent intends to attack.
It is through my life as an uchideshi that I acquired these sorts of abilities, but it's unreasonable for me to try to get today's young people to do the same thing. They probably wouldn't give absolute obedience to their master and I'm sure they couldn't even begin to think of caring for their teacher as part of Aikido training. (1)
From Morihiro Saito, 9th dan and keeper of the Iwama Dojo
Serving the Founder was extremely severe even though it was just for the study of a martial art. O Sensei only opened his heart to those students who helped him from dusk to dawn in the fields, those who got dirty and massaged his back, those who served him at the risk of their lives. As I was of some use to him, O Sensei willingly taught me everything." (2)
From Shoji Nishio, 9th dan
In the dojo community, there is a teacher, experienced disciples, and beginners. The teacher is called Sensei. The advanced pupils are called Yudansha (black belts), the beginners are called Mudansha (unranked and kyu ranks).You will not become a Yudansha only by improving your ability. It is also necessary to strengthen your mind and soul according to the way of the warrior. A Yudansha always gives more to the dojo than he takes. For him, the dojo is more than a sports center. It is a part of his life and the members are a part of his family.
Therefore, in the dojo, all the members are connected in a Sempai (Senior) and Kohei (junior) relationship. Everybody, even the teacher, is always a sempai and kohei at the same time. The sempai is the senior member despite his physical skills or the degree he might have. The kohei is the junior member. Even if he is more skilled and higher ranked than his senior, the kohei has to respect him as long as he lives. The senior takes care of his junior and always tries to be a guide to him on his way of budo. (3)
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It has been for some time now that as I have been thinking about what Aikido is and what it does for the individual, that a new thought has occurred to me. The thought is that in order for Aikido to make a psychological change in an individual, there has to be a certain kind of environment and a certain kind of relationship with the teacher.
I first began to look at this old idea in a new light when I would see so many people coming to our dojo seeking something for their children. The parents seemed to have this intuitive belief that martial arts would help the particular thing that they saw their child needed a change in or help in. As I strove to help their children, I quickly realized some things. 1) You can't help someone who doesn't want to be helped. 2) You can't help someone (particularly with Aikido) who isn't trying to do their best. 3) You can't help someone who resists discipline.
In the first case, you have the problem of motivation. If the person isn't seeking change, they won't change. What seems to change them without their knowing it is when they like the art or they respect the teacher. Then they want to do well so they find the motivation to give it their all. In the second case, some people are self starters and always do their best while others are lazy, demotivated and have poor concentration and diffusion of thought. These lack the intensity to pass through the fires of real change. Any experience that processes a real change in someone is an intense one. Lastly, in most endeavors, be it school, your job, the military or a martial arts dojo, the discipline is the key. Self disciplined people do the best but institutions like the military have a form of forced discipline and that processes change as well but that change can be for the better or the worse in the person due to the enforced nature of the process.
I realized that in a traditional martial arts dojo, everything is about the discipline. The rules of etiquette are not only about the social nature of the institution but about the parameters of behavior each person is required to adhere to. How strictly that is enforced and how the student receives it is the key. There is also the factor of abuse. In many situations in western culture authority soon becomes authoritarianism. This is abuse in the sense that it comes from the top down and may not take into account the feelings of those below. Authoritarianism lacks compassion for it's followers. This happens in many cases.
Recently, I was thinking about my master teacher from Japan. By training, he follows the rules of protocol of Aikido but I have noticed that he never demands it from anyone. Everyone gives him their obedience because they respect him but I have never seen him ask anyone to do any of the things the protocol asks for. He fully expects it to come from you. He once said that "Aikido is not something to learn from others, but to learn by oneself. Ideally, the practice should be for oneself, and it should be rigorous and sternly self-disciplined, by one's own choice." This voluntary giving of oneself to Aikido and it's processes is what changes an individual. It has to come from the person though. The heart must be soft, obedient and pliable in the hands of a good and honest instructor of Japanese budo in order to see the psycho social transformative change that so many are looking for. If you think of Aikido in this way, you will realize that almost the entire training of Aikido is discipline. From the time you walk through the door, in its etiquette and rules, there are rules for almost everything. On the mat, you are subject to the discipline and instruction of the Sensei or instructor. Almost every word and action is corrective in nature thus falling under the category of discipline.
Then there is the aspect mentioned in the quotes above. In the early days of Aikido, it was considered a budo which was a particular form of austere training by which you would undergo severe training taking you from the ego self to the egoless self thus finding your true (purified) humanity. This process was not automatic and many people resisted it naturally, but some submitted themselves to it and for these, the training went to higher and higher levels. If Aikido is a training of the mind, then the relationship with the teacher in terms of authority, submission to his instruction, directions and discipline were the keys to the psycohological and social changes in the practitioners.
I think that this is the point where many of my readers will take exception to my comments and part company with me. I think though that I need to direct you back to what my teacher says. He said that "Aikido is not something to learn from others, but to learn by oneself. Ideally, the practice should be for oneself, and it should be rigorous and sternly self-disciplined, by one's own choice." This is the key. It is not the instructor who forces the student to submit or follow. That always comes from the students and the students should always think for themselves and rule over their own mind and conscience. In a real budo relationship, the instructor is a guide and a mentor who leads by example and by setting the parameters of the protocol. The students set the level of their obedience. The instructor has the option to help and reward those who are following him and are obedient to his instructions (with regard to the training).
Gozo Shido Sensei understands that modern people would highly resist this kind of training lacking the background and mindsets of the past but still, he makes clear that the training of sensing your teacher's desires was one of intuition and sensitivity that would take your martial abilities to another level in terms of being able to sense your opponent's next move. Physical training alone can do that but sensing the needs of others is indeed a master level skill. To tune yourself to the teacher at that level is a relational skill that goes to the kind of human you are rather than the kind of warrior you are.
Nishio Sensei, in the third quote, goes on to describe the dojo as a place structured for the care and discipline of its members. He shows that the dojo or training hall is a place of heirarchy and order and that the purpose of that is for the care of each other.
The psycho-social transformative change that Aikido as a budo brings is a long process that works on an individual outwardly through the forms, disicpline and etiquette of the art. The inward, compassionate and relational aspects of the changes are personal in nature and come from a close and direct relationship with a mentor and guide that you truly respect and love. It is in these two poles of tension that we are stretched into change.
This kind of training is not for everyone and it may well be that its time has passed but if that is the case, then the era of Aikido as a budo will have passed and it may be then that the hopes and dreams of Morihei Ueshiba for Aikido will never be realized.
Within the limits of common sense, compassion, rationality and good judgement on the part of the teacher, I think that we still need the expressions of the budo of the past for people today. It has to be voluntary though and the teacher must never be abusive in his leadership but must always have the well being of his students in mind as a guide in transforming human character through budo.
(1) From the book, Aikido Shugyo, pp.149-152
(2) From the book, Takemusu Aikido, Vol.1, pp. 18-21
(3) From the book, Aikido Toho Iai, p. 16
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Article #3 - Profile of a Master
Interview with Hiroshi Kato, Dojo-cho of Suginami Aikikai, 8th Dan
Martial arts cannot be taught
Interviewer: Sensei, please let us know why you decided to learn Aikido.
Kato: I did not have a particular interest in Aikido, but I wanted to learn martial arts. My mother knew someone who...also knew the founder of Aikido. So, without any specific intention, I started to practice around Showa 28 (1952).
Interviewer: How was the atmosphere of practice in those days?
Kato: I only remember I lost myself in practicing. There were many tough people and it was hard for me.
Interviewer: Would you tell us some memories you have of the founder?
Kato: He did not say anything in detail about Waza (technique). Rather than listening to his words, I learned by watching him. I haven’t accomplished what I saw—probably less than half of it. When he took my hand, I felt like I was being absorbed into him because of his God-like presence.
One time, Osensei gave me a chance to give him Shiatsu on his shoulder. As his muscle was bouncing back, I noticed his back muscle was extremely flexible. Whenever I had such personal time with him, Osensei used to tell me stories.
Interviewer: What kind of stories were they?
Kato: He said, "Budo (martial arts) was a gift of God, not the creation of the human mind," and "Budo cannot be learned from other people. It has to be exercised by oneself.”
Recently, at last, I am starting to understand what he said. I did not have any sense of it at all during that time. I just listened to his words and simply said, "yes" to him.
I remember one incident. During those days, at Hombu dojo, we had meetings with Osensei regularly. One day, an important guest was in the meeting and he seemed different from other days, uplifted and full of Ki energy. I was Uke and I was thrown to the degree that I saw my legs with the ceiling in the background. I could not do Ukemi at all. It was almost like Jinshin nage. I was really scared.
But such experiences became a huge part of my dedication to practicing Aikido. Even now, when I practice, I visualize the founder in my mind. It is not something that can be taught, but must be developed with discipline. That is why I started to understand the things he said. Things I have learned by myself are not easily forgotten, but things that have been taught by other people, without inquiry within me, and taught in the language like “it should be done only in one way, and no other way,” are all forgotten. Well, I was not obedient also. (smiles)
Each Aikido teacher has his own idea and way of practicing and teaching. I think it is because the founder did not really teach as if there were only one mold or pattern. Therefore, I think each individual style has developed out of his teachings.
"Extreme softness controls hardness", (a Japanese maxim) is not always true. "Extreme hardness controls hardness", he used to say. And extreme softness controls hardness. Extreme hardness controls softness and extreme softness controls softness. When I think about them, all of them are really true. Depending on the situation, each concept is important. Osensei did not really stick to only one concept, but embraced many.
Seeing is believing
Interviewer: What kinds of things do you pay attention to when you are instructing or explaining?
Kato: I tell everybody to try it anyway even if you don’t understand it. Results come as you practice. People do not understand when I explain it verbally. Words are a convenient tool, but to show them how is more important. When it comes to teaching, people generally say “This should be done like this.” It is easier that way. However, in this way, the amount of verbal instruction tends to increase.
For example, when I tell students how to take people down without using force, I demonstrate this to help people understand the sense of it. Then, I let people try it. Then, from that, learners take it from there, sensing what it feels like. After that, if they are willing to be stronger, I tell them to do it by themselves. There are no Aikido competitions, so instructors can’t force them to do it, can they?
Seeing is much better than hearing hundreds of times. It is my great privilege to have had the chance to see the founder doing it. I really feel that I learned Aikido from seeing it.
I think it is important for instructors to show how it is done and let viewers feel how great it is. When I visited Hombu dojo for the first time, I had the chance to see the founder perform Aikido. I thought, “This is something that will take my entire life to do.”
Interviewer: What did you think about Kotodama, the spiritual principle the founder talked about?
Kato: I think vocalizing from Hara lets our Kimochi (feeling/emotion) be present out there. I won’t say that I haven’t studied it, but I am afraid studying it too much ends up in word play. And my face should have the expression of God and become enlightened to talk about it. Or else, I don’t feel my words come from a natural place. I feel awkward pretending to be a little God.
Martial artists ensure that their words and actions are congruent. When verbal experience leads, it binds you. If that happens, I tend not to be at all free.
The strength of Aikido is in embracing others
Interviewer: What do you think about strength in Aikido?
Kato: Strength is many things, isn’t it? Taking other people down is one strength. But persistence in practice, and becoming good at dealing with others, are also strengths. It is holistic, I think.
It may be easier to train the body to take people down. Showing strength in Wa (peace) and Musubi (connection) is very different from that. It is more difficult to attain and requires more strength. Unless strength is found in embracing others with a full-fledged humanitarian perspective, it is not pertaining to strength in Aikido.
It is important to ask oneself “What is Aikido?” and develop one’s own perspective. If you choose not to fight, then why don’t you do that? Searching for ultimate answers like that is a necessity in doing Aikido.
Aikido is not Kumiuchi, traditional martial techniques for fighting. If Aikido were like techniques for fighting, the way of practice itself would be totally different. But Aikido practice consists of ways to develop ourselves and each other. Of course, it is not saying that being weak is acceptable — through our experience of strength we are not tempted to fight. Aikido is not about competition. A person who has true strength does not fight.
Again, going back to the regular meetings with Osensei, on one particular day, some writers who were specializing in Japanese tales of Samurai and Shogun came to see the founder. The authors started to talk about the technique of Sen sen no sen (responding before an attack) and Ato no sen (countering an attack). And the founder started to say, there are no such things. In Aikido, people win even before their fight starts. He had a view of winning that encompassed everything, that makes it into oneness, and a value system that transcends the concept of winning and losing.
Master Kisshomaru, Osensei’s son, was like that also. He was really a tough teacher. Especially in terms of judging students, his perception and discernment of people’s integrity was very strong. Although I don’t mean he was a cold person. And above all, he acknowledged teachers who had a strong individual style. That is wonderful. It is hard to acknowledge someone who is doing a different Aikido from one’s own. In order to do that, it requires extreme generosity as a human being. That is also one of the strengths found in Aikido. It is very different from how skillfully you can perform your technique.
Train yourself alone
Interviewer: Do you have any last words of advice?
Kato: I was not a full-time disciple of Osensei and I had a job during that time. So, I could not spend much time with him. Therefore I had to train myself and practice it. There must be many ways to do it, for example using sword and jo (staff).
If you really establish your individual style, you should practice it alone. Practicing is like that fundamentally, isn’t it? If you are young, you should practice to your physical limits. While practicing, you discover your own thoughts and worldview. If you keep doing that, your experience will bring you something to tell others. You train yourself. If you train yourself, do it alone. That is my ideal in my practice and words to you.
Practicing Aikido is to keep believing in and searching for something. Aikido, in the end, is belief. It is not a religion. But while you practice it, you gain strength in that type of awareness. I believe in the founder and his words. Still now, he lives in me. If I keep practicing Aikido with that attitude, it naturally fosters spirituality in Aikido. If it weren’t there, it would end up only at the level of physical strength.
I feel it is important to practice it peacefully, without fighting each other. Also, I do not like the concept of instructing others in what to do. I am very adamant about that (smile). For me, rather than teaching, I think practice is the place to begin by oneself and with comradeship. Let us practice together.
The founder told me once, "I do not have any disciples at all. There are no disciples but many comrades to accompany me. I have companions to attain the truth of this philosophy."
I love (these) words. Let us practice together.
Interviewer: An editor from “Aikido Tankyu” magazine
Interviewee: Hiroshi Kato
(Chairman of Suginami Aikikai, Eighth Dan)
Translated by Takanari Tajiri
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