We have been notified of the passing of Seiichi Sugano Shihan in New York City on August 29. A notice has been posted on the Australian Aikikai site announcing his death:

“Sugano Shihan has passed away in New York. He challenged illness with great courage, then passed away peacefully, in the arms of his family. Sensei touched and changed the lives of generations of aikido students around the world. We were privileged to know him.”

Sugano Sensei was among the last generation of uchideshi at the Aikikai Hombu Dojo in Tokyo to have studied directly under Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba. He was dispatched to Australia in 1965, later taught in Belgium and Europe, and beginning in 1988, at the New York Aikikai until his passing.

An Aikido Journal interview with Sugano Sensei is available here.

Further information is available in French and English here.

We would like to acknowledge Christiaan Zandt and Clark Bateman for notifying us of this sad news.

The whole of Budo is for dealing with adversity. From the very first beginning, adversity was present.

The exercise of arguing against a cause or position, not as a committed opponent, but to determine the validity of the cause or position, is an ancient practice. In the end, if valid, it strengthens the position. If not, it starts the search for other approaches that may work better.

From the late Middle Ages, this practice became known as Devil’s Advocate. From the Latin Advocatus Diaboli. The supporter was called Advocatus Dei - ‘God’s Advocate’. Interestingly The Devil’s Advocate’s formal title was Promoter of the Faith (Promotor Fidei).

“September 21 is the United Nations International Day of Peace. Every year, hundreds of peace-oriented organizations worldwide celebrate that day with thousands of Peace Day events. Aiki Extensions (an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the application of Aikido principles in daily life situations) is organizing International Aiki Peace Week, and we would like you to join us. Aikido schools around the world are joining the global collaboration by teaching free classes paced for beginners, focusing on Aikido as a joyful practice of reconciliation, compassion, and nonviolence.”

Click here to read announcement.

One of our readers, Mark Murray, sent us information about articles and announcements concerning Koichi Tohei’s early visits to the U.S. appearing in Black Belt magazine. Of particular interest was a news blurb appearing in the May-June 1964 issue of Black Belt reporting Tohei Sensei’s planned U.S. tour scheduled to last a full year starting in April 1964. In checking subsequent issues of the magazine, no articles were found documenting Tohei Sensei’s U.S. tour.

I was puzzled at first because I frequently trained at the Los Angeles Aikikai in 1964 and don’t remember Tohei Sensei visiting at all. Instead, he made the tour the following year in 1965, a visit I remember clearly as it was on that occasion that I received my shodan directly from Tohei Sensei.

Click here to read the Black Belt news announcement on koichitohei.aikidojournal.com.

Click here to view information on new DVD featuring Koichi Tohei, 10th dan.

The Buddhas and wise people highly recommend non-infringement where interference is not requested. The reason for this is that the results generated lead to an entangled mess.

Whilst some cultures took this to the extreme and misunderstood non-imposition to mean to not ever intervene, and on this basis not assist other living beings based on a complacently resigned view of so called “karma;” others never learned to stop interfering in the affairs of others at all.

But cause and effect is more complete than such extreme views. It enables credit as well as debit and there is right and wrong action as well as right and wrong inaction. Knowing the difference comes from clarity of mind. Sometimes less is better, other times more.

What is “right?” and what is “wrong?”

Right begets harmony. Wrong begets discord.

It’s not the shape of techniques; but the communication of training; that unlocks the secrets of Aikido.

Forcing and struggling is a deeply seated primitive instinct. It drives all animals to survive, by forcing a hoped for result, not always obtained. Unfortunately, the conclusion is foregone. The strongest will win, irrespective of wisdom or compassion or love.

Trial by combat did not always produce wise or benign leaders. Herd animals have an innate need to be absolved of responsibility by following, instead of going through the pain of learning how to think new possibilities. And so tyranny had its day.

I would like to request assistance from our readers to help us gather information on the travels and seminars of Morihiro Saito Sensei during his long career of foreign travels. We will post them on our new Morihiro Saito Resources website so that they remain accessible to interested persons. If you can assist us, please provide your information in the following form.

Dates:
City/country:
Sponsor (if known)
Comments: (any particular information that might be relevant)
your name:
your email:

We have just opened a brand-new website titled “Morihiro Saito Resources” for readers interested in obtaining a wealth of information on one of Aikido’s greatest shihan: Morihiro Saito, 9th dan.

“This website is devoted to a presentation of resources concerning Morihiro Saito, 9th dan, the famous disseminator of Iwama Aikido. It serves as a repository of information of all sorts designed to facilitate the research of those interested in expanding their knowledge of Saito Sensei and his curriculum. Through his many publications and extensive foreign travels, he left a strong influence and high technical standard that remains unparalleled till this day.”

Check our the new website here!

Tenkawa Gasshuku

This year (2010), Shimamoto Shihan’s annual gasshuku at Tenkawa Shrine was held on July 24th and 25th. The gasshuku is usually offered to all his affiliated students in Osaka including his home dojo Shosenji in Toyonaka, Yano-Sensei’s dojo at Budokan Hibiki, and Tamayuki-Sensei’s dojo at Namba Parks. This year, Shihamoto Shihan has also invited Kani Sensei, chief editor of the ‘Aikido Shimbun’ (aikido newspaper) and head of a sub-division of the aikikai, and his wife.

This one really presses people’s buttons. When you are attacked, the responsibility is entirely your own!

Nobody likes to hear it and the vitriol comes up soon to be followed by voluble morally indignant arguments that make sense only to a confirmed excuse-maker who is in fact making a statement that he or she, has made a choice to remain stuck on the wheel and stay a victim of circumstances for the rest of their life.

“The bushi used calligraphy as he did the other arts: as a method for simultaneously centering and balancing his mind and body. Any faltering, any self-consciousness will show up in his work.”

“On the highest levels the calligrapher moves in a world of pure form.”

Such finesse can also be displayed in Aikido Martial Art. The calligraphic beauty is observing the combined form of both the thrower and the receiver throughout the technique.

A perplexity is how to reach this level of performance; and/or this a state of being? The dilemma is that is most of this knowledge is received by a very privileged oral transmission. Often this is under the condition that this is for one’s own use and not taught, or even displayed to others. We know such things exist; but it is the “how” that remains elusive.

Kendo sparring training provides an invaluable insight into metsuke, maai and deai, ki no musubi; and totally improves Aikido because it reveals insights into many attributes of combat that require speed and attrition to understand.

Some people have called Aikido the swordsman’s jujitsu as a result.

If you do decide to try kendo, be sure to begin slowly and softly and to escalate the intensity safely as you build up tolerances progressively. Otherwise, people won’t come back. The black and blue bruises are not as bad as they look and soon go away. Make sure to keep your elbows tucked in.

NEVER use tsuki in the beginning as it poses a very serious risk of grave injury and even death. (The shinai can shatter and penetrate the faceguard of the men with grave consequences) Use only proper shomenuchi and yokomenuchi cuts with men, kote and do frontal cuts as targets. (no wild sideswipes-they can be dangerous and leave you wide open to brutal counters)