Practising Aikido, K. Yosigasaki

One starts learning aikido techniques with a partner from the very beginning. This is a very good way to start because in this way human relationship becomes as important as the technique itself. Other martial arts start learning techniques disregarding the human relationship. When one only wants to practise techniques, one practises by oneself or with material. There was a great champion of Judo before the Second World War in Japan who practised Judo techniques against a tree. Many Chinese Kunfu masters practised their techniques against wooden doll or board. Another way of technical practise without human relationship is to practise a technique with a partner who does not react at all. This way one’s partner is acting like a material. In sports one often practises techniques against a partner who resists but then again there is almost no human relationship when one’s partner tries to resist all the time. Practising techniques without human relationship might make oneself to behave like a weapon or a robot. Unconsciously one considers that one should use a technique to fight just like a man who uses a gun to fight or a government who uses the army or secret service to win a war. If one applies a material weapon on human life, this material weapon determines the destiny of human beings. This will lead to the destruction of humanity and human lives. The way of aikido practise maintains the humanity as basis of the world.

Kumiwaza

Most martial arts or sport starts by practise of techniques by oneself. If it is difficult to practise alone, one uses one’s partner like a doll. They sometimes uses a material like a punch ball or a dummy as their partner. So they treat their partner like a material and there is no human relationship between them. However, it is impossible to practise aikido techniques against any materials as a partner. Aikido starts from the beginning with a practise of a couple and so one faces the difficulty of human relationship immediately and learns how to deal with it. Aikido techniques are not made to apply against materials but are a part of human relationships in real life. This is called Kumiwaza. Kumi in Japanese means a couple and waza means techniques. So aikido training starts with Kumiwaza. It means a practise of two human beings with human relationships.

Hitoriwaza

In order to learn precise movements, it is convenient to practise the movements by oneself. This is called Hitoriwaza. Hitori means alone. Hitoriwaza can be used as a help to Kumiwaza. You can practise Hitoriwaza with a partner if your partner helps you. Practise of Hitoriwaza with a partner without human relationship is not Kumiwaza. Just like family life, there are many changes in human relationships and one must continue to live each situation. Kumiwaza is a practise of techniques in different situations of human relationship of a couple. When there is no real relationship, a technique becomes Hitoriwaza. It is like sitting alone time to time is helpful to your family life. There are aikido exercises and health exercises as predetermined sets of Hitoriwazas.

Tsuzukiwaza

After one has learned many Kumiwaza, one should learn how to perform different techniques one after another. This way of practise makes one understand the relationship and meaning of techniques. It is possible to create groups of techniques in order to practise this way. This is called Tsuzukiwaza. Tsuzuki means continuity and Waza means techniques. Techniques in one group should create a harmonious continuity. Some of them became a part of aikido practise since 1975 and now it is time to update them. First the name is updated to Tsuzukiwaza. They should be harmonious and easy to remember. I have already made 33 harmonious Tsuzukiwazas but it is always possible to develop more Tsuzukiwazas. It is also possible to modify each Tsuzukiwaza in order to make it more harmonious or easier to perform.

Dansk oversættelse

Udøvelsen af Aikido.

Lige fra starten begynder man at lære aikido med en partner. Det er en meget god måde at begynde på, for på den måde bliver menneskelige forhold lige så betydningsfulde som selve teknikkerne. Andre kampkunst former begynder med at lære teknikkerne uafhængig af menneskelige forhold. Når man ønsker at udøve teknikkerne, øver man med sig selv eller et materiale. Før anden verdenskrig var der en stor judo kæmper i Japan, som øvede sig i judo mod træer. Mange kinesiske Kunfu mestre udøver deres teknikker med dukker af træ eller brædder. En anden måde at udøve teknikker på, uden forhold til et menneske er at øve sig over for et menneske som slet ikke reagerer. På den måde virker ens partner som et materiale. I sport praktiseres teknikker mod en partner som yder modstand, men på den anden side er der næsten intet forhold mellem ens partner og en selv, når han hele tiden forsøger på at yde modstand. At øve sig i teknikker uden et menneskeligt forhold, kan føre til at du opfører dig som et våben eller en robot. Ubevidst tror man at man skal bruge en teknik til at kæmpe på samme måde som et menneske bruger et pistol i kamp eller en regering som bruger hæren eller efterretningstjenesten for at vinde en krig. Hvis man bruger et materielt våben mod menneskeliv, så bestemmer dette materielle våben et andet menneskes skæbne. Brug af våben leder til menneskehedens ødelæggelse og menneskets liv . Øvelsespraksis i aikido er vejen til opretholdelse af menneskeheden som grundlag for verden.
Kumiwaza
De fleste kampkunst eller sportsformer begynder med at udøve teknikkerne for sig selv. Det er vanskeligt at øve sig alene, man bruger sin partner som en dukke. Somme tider bruger de materialer som sparkepuder eller en dummy som deres partner. Så de behandler deres partner som et materiale og der er intet menneskeligt forhold mellem dem. Hvordan er det muligt at øve sig i Aikido teknikker mod en hvilken som helst from for materiale som sin partner. I aikido begynder fra starten med at øve sig som et par og man møder straks vanskelighederne i menneskelige forhold og lærer hvorledes man forholder sig til dem. Aikido teknikker er ikke skabt for at virke mod materialer, men er menneskelige forhold i det virkelige liv. Det kaldes kumiwaza kumi på japansk betyder et par og wasa teknikker. Så udøvelsen af Aikido begynder med kumiwaza. Det betyder to mennesker der øver sig i menneskelige forhold.
Hitoriwaza
Kumiwasa er en måde at øver sig på i forskellige mellemmenneskelige situationer også i parforhold. Der hvor der ikke findes et virkeligt forhold bliver kumiwaza til hitoriwasa.
I familielivet kan det sommetider være en hjælp fra tid til anden at være alene. Det vil sige at gå fra kumiwasa til hitoriwaza. Der findes Aikido øvelser og helse øvelser som er beregnet til Hitoriwaza.
Tsuzukiwasa
Når man har lært mange kumiwaza, skulle man lære at udføre forskellige teknikker efter hinanden. Denne øvelsespraksis får en til at forstå forholdet og meningen med teknikkerne. For at øve sig på denne måde, er det muligt at skabe grupper af teknikker. Det kaldes tszukiwaza - tsuzki betyder vedholdende og wasa betyder teknik. Teknikker i en gruppe skulle skabe en harmonisk forsættelse.
Nogle af disse øvelser har siden 1975 været en del af Aikido praksis og tiden er nu inde til at opdaterer dem. For det første er navnet opdateret til tsuzukiwasa. De burde være harmoniske og lette at huske. Jeg har allerede lavet 33 harmoniske tszukiwasa, men det er altid muligt at udvikle flere tsuzukiwaza Det er også muligt at tilpasse hver tsuzukiwasa for at gøre den mere harmonisk og lettere at udføre.

The meaning of "Sensei", K. Yosigasaki

In Japan anyone who teaches anything is called sensei. A young kindergarten teacher of 20 years old can be addressed as sensei by a parent of 50 years old because the parent appreciates the fact that the young teacher is teaching the child. This is similar to using the Mr, Miss or Ms - it merely indicates respect toward the person. In Japan a lawyer or a doctor is normally called sensei because they are supposed to know more than others. Since lawyers often become politicians, even politicians are often called sensei. It is true that in Japan the word sensei is sometimes abused. In general however, a Japanese teacher is usually addressed as sensei by his students all over the world.

There is also the question of what makes one a sensei. When one teaches, one is a sensei. But one might not be a sensei if one is not teaching. It depends on what one teaches. If one teaches Aikido techniques, one is a teacher only on the tatami. If one teaches only on the tatami for a few hours, it is inconvenient to keep changing one’s title on and off the tatami. People who are called sensei are supposed to behave as a teacher in daily life as well. In this way people can continue to refer to them as sensei without the need for a change of titles.

This creates a new question: How should a teacher behave in his daily life? Zen Buddhism began the idea of understanding life. It suggests that when one understands life, one feels as if one is newly born. Sen means before and Sei means to be born. So sensei literally means a person who is born before. This birth is a spiritual, not physical birth. The original meaning of sensei is one who is spiritually born before others. If one sticks to the original meaning, only those who understand life should be called sensei and a sensei is behaving like a teacher 24 hours a day, even in his daily life.

Respect used to be very important to all people all over the world. One should respect human beings, animals, trees, etc. In other words, only life and living things should be respected. One should not respect materials. Even in the case of highly technological machines like Ferrari cars or great works of art, it is not the object that should be respected but the human beings behind the creation of the object. One respects life because each life is related to other lives and these millions and billions of relationships create and maintain life on Earth. Respect creates better relationships between lives and that is why respect was and is one of the most important things in life. Respect actually means not disturbing the relationships among different lives.

When respect was demonstrated, it was called honour. People used to be ready to die for honour because the relationships among lives were essential for survival of human beings. These days both respect and honour are almost forgotten because we have developed a civilization based on weapon and material. Survival depends on weapon and politics and not relationships among different lives anymore.

Aikido is a way (Do) and the way should be maintained in aikido practice. The person who keeps the way is called Doshu. There are two different meanings of doshu in Japanese. The first means ‘master of the way’ and the second means ‘keeper of the way’. The difference is that there can be only one master of the way but many keepers of the way. The top teacher of any aikido organization should be called doshu - keeper of the way - but actually many aikido organizations do not have doshu. This is because most Japanese teachers actually follow the teachings of somebody else, especially Morihei Ueshiba, even though he is dead. There are also teachers who do not follow a particular teacher but instead follow some established philosophy. They too are not keepers of the way. That is why there are not many doshu in the aikido world. A teacher is doshu only when he teaches completely independently of any philosophies or other teachers including the dead ones.

Doshu

Dansk oversættelse

Betydningen af ordet sensei.

Enhver der underviser i noget, kaldes i Japan for sensei. En ung børnehave lærer på 20 år kan kades sensie af forældre på 50 år, fordi de værdsætter den kendsgerning at den unge mand underviser
deres barn. Det svarer til at bruge ordet Hr. Frk. eller Fru. – det antyder blot respekt for personen.
I Japan kaldes advokater og læger normalt for sensei, fordi man formoder at de ved mere end andre.
Idet advokater ofte bliver politikere, kaldes selv politikere ofte for sensei. Det er rigtigt at i Japan misbruges ordet ofte. Generelt , tituleres en japansk lærer som sensei af sine elever over alt i verden.

Der er også spørgsmålet: hvad former en sensei. Når man underviser en man sensei. Men når man ikke underviser er man måske ikke en sensei. Det afhænger af hvad man underviser i. Hvis man underviser i Aikido er man kun sensei når man underviser på tatami. Hvis man kun undervise på tatami nogle få timer, er det upraktisk at blive ved med at skifte titler. Folk som kaldes sensei formodes også at opfører sig som sensei i hverdagen. På den måde kan man vedblive at henvise til dem som sensei uden at skulle skifte titel.

Det skaber et nyt spørgsmål: Hvordan skulle en lærer opfører sig i hverdagen? Zen Buddhismen begyndte med ideen om at forstå livet. Jeg foreslår at når man forstår livet, så føler man sig som nyfødt. Sen betyder før og sei betyder at være født. Så sensei betyder bogstaveligt en person som er født tidligere. Denne fødsel er åndelig, ikke en fysisk fødsel. Den oprindelige betydning af ordet sensei er: én som er åndeligt født før andre. Hvis man holder sig til den oprindelige betydning, er det kun dem som forstår livet der burde kaldes sensei. og en sensei opfører sig som en lærer hele døgnet, selv i hverdagen.

Respekt plejede over alt på jorden at være meget vigtig for alle mennesker. Man skulle respekterer menneskelige væsner, dyr, træer, ect. Med andre ord, kun liv og levende ting skulle respekteres. Man skulle ikke respekterer materialer. Hvad angår højt teknologiske maskiner så som Ferrari bliver eller store kunstværker, da var det genstande som ikke skulle respekteres, men mennesket bag skabelsen af disse genstande. Man respekterer livet fordi liv forholder sig til andet liv og disse millioner og billioner af forhold skaber og opretholder livet på jorden. Respekt skaber bedre forhold mellem liv og det er derfor at respekt var og er en af de vigtigste ting i livet. Respekt betyder i virkeligheden ikke at forstyrre forhold mellem forskelligt liv.

Når der blev udvist respekt, blev det kaldt for ære. Folk var rede til at dø for æren, fordi forhold mellem liv var afgørende for at overleve som menneskeligt væsen. I dag er respekt og ære næsten glemt, fordi vi har udviklet en civilisation baseret på våben og materiale. Overlevelse afhænger at våben og politik og ikke mere på forhold mellem forskellige liv.

Aikido er en vej (do) og vejen skulle opretholde i udøvelsen af aikido. Den person der opretholder vejen kaldes Doshu. I Japan betyder ordet doshu to forskellige ting. Den første betydning er den der bemestre vejen og den anden betyder den der opretholder vejen. Forskellen er at der kun kan være en som bemestre vejen , men der kan være mange som opretholder vejen. Den øverste lærer i enhver aikido organisation skulle kaldes doshu – den der opretholder vejen - men i virkeligheden er der ikke mange aikido organisationer som har en doshu. Det skyldes at den fleste japanske lærere i realiteten følger andres undervisning, især den af Morihei Ueshiba, selv om han er død. Der findes også lærere, som ikke følger nogen bestemt lærer, men i stedet følger en etableret filosofi. Heller ikke de er opretholdere af vejen. Det er derfor at der ikke findes så mange doshu i aikido verdenen. En lærer er kun doshu når han underviser fuldstændig uafhængig af nogen filosofi eller andre lærere, også de der er døde.

Aikido – a historic perspective, K. Yosigasaki

All over the world people used to fight using swords, spears and other weapons. When they had no weapons at hand, they boxed or wrestled. Techniques of fighting were almost the same all over the world until guns were invented. Use of guns for fighting completely changed the way of fighting in war. In Japan guns were imported by Portuguese in 1543 and Japanese quickly started to make their own guns. Around 1590 guns were used in war fighting and turned out to be more efficient than traditional weapons. However use of guns were still limited because of limited fabrication. Around 1600 Japan was dominated by the Tokukawa clan and the Tokugawa clan managed to create a system of domination by samurai. In order to stabilize their domination, production and use of guns were prohibited and communication with the outside world was basically prohibited. By this opportunity arose for developing fighting methods without guns for 250 years, whereas in Europe guns were developed as the main weapon of fighting.

Since 1800 Europe started to colonize China. Europeans were not interested in Japan because it was too small compared with China. However US also wanted to participate in colonization of China and wanted to use Japan as a port before arriving at China. Around 1860 US navy came to Japan and forced Japan to give them a port as their territory. Then European countries also wanted to use the port so Japan was in danger of being colonized like China. Japan decided to create a strong army in order to defend itself from US and Europe so sword was prohibited and an army with guns was created.

Samurai in clans that kept the tradition of sword techniques were unhappy and tried to keep the tradition. One way was to convert to sports. This created Judo, and Kendo and Karate followed. Those sports type of martial arts were supported by university students. Those who did not want to go the sport way were called Kobudo or Jujitsu. One of Jujitsu was called Daitoryu Jujitsu and this was the technical basis of aikido. It is necessary to know that Judo techniques came from a martial arts that did not use sword, the same as with karate. That is why karate techniques include stick techniques but not sword techniques. Kendo was based on sword techniques but became a sport. Daitoryu Jujitsu was created by someone who liked sword and was good at sword techniques. He developed techniques without weapon using his ability of using swords. That is why Daitoryu Jujitsu techniques are very different from Judo or karate techniques.

Actually Daitoryu techniques are very similar to Kendo techniques. However as the techniques are practised, people forget sword and think of the situation of street fighting in their society. After the World war 2, there was a general idea that Japan should not fight and people had no guns and no sword. People thought of street fighting without weapon or maybe with stick or knife. So the new name of aikido was born in that situation. The idea of aikido was to control the situation without fighting. This mentality corresponded the tendency in US and Europe after 1960 and Aikido started to get supported philosophically. The idea of solving conflicts without fighting became a part of the aikido philosophy.

Then came the idea of self defence. What is self defence? Actually there is no difference between attack and defence. When one does certain action toward the other, it is called attack. Then the other does same thing, it is called defence. So defence is permitted only when one is attacked. If the attack comes without weapon, it is possible to wait until the attack comes and do something about it. But if the attack is done by guns and other highly developed weapon, it is almost impossible to defend oneself after the attack has started. It means you have to shoot the other before he shoots you. Then the question of knowing the intention of the other person arises. If a person has a gun in his hand, policemen doubt his intention so policemen immediately demands him to drop his gun and put both hands up. If it is dark, what should policemen do? Maybe a policeman is obliged to shoot the person before it is possible for the other to shoot him. Then there is the question if a police man has judged the situation correctly or not. If the attack and defence happens between two countries, it is more complicated. First one country is attacked but it is difficult to know who attacked. Then the country may assume that the attack is done by its enemy country and start the attack in the name of defence. Between two human beings, this is called revenge and prohibited by law. However the government can punish the criminal so that the victim does not have to revenge. Between two countries, there is no authority above them, so revenge is permitted. Again it is not easy to distinguish between revenge and defence. The whole problem arises because the act of attack, revenge, and defence are the same. It is only a matter of interpretation.

In aikido it is possible to create a completely new philosophy. Aikido does not have to be self defence. Defence is the same as attack. Aikido is a way to create situations in which an attack is not likely to occur. If an attack does not occur, defence is not necessary. I think this is the only way to achieve peace.

Dansk oversættelse

Aikido, et historisk udsyn.

Overalt på jorden har mennesker brugt sværd, spyd og andre våben for at kæmpe. Når de ingen våben havde, boksede eller brød man. Kampteknikkerne vær næsten ens over hele verden indtil ild våbnene blev opfundet. Brugen af skydevåben ændrede fuldstændig krigens kamp metoder. I Japan blev disse importeret i 1543 og japanerne begyndte ret hurtigt at lave deres egne ild våben.

I 1590 blev geværet brugt i krig og viste sig at bære mere effektive end traditionelle japanske våben. Men brug af disse våben var stadig begrænset på grund af begrænsningerne i fabrikationen.

Omkring 1600-tallet var Japan domineret af Tokukawa klanen og den formåede at skabe et system som var domineret af samuraier. For at stabiliserer deres dominans, blev produktionen og brugen af gevær forbudt og kommunikationen ned den omkringliggende verden blev faktisk forbudt. Ved denne lejlighed opstod udviklingen af kamp metoder uden ild våben i 250 år, medens i Europa blev ild våbnene udviklet som det vigtigste våben i kamp.


I 1800-tallet begyndte Europa at koloniserer Kina. Europærerne var ikke interesserede i Japan, fordi det var for lille i sammenligning med Kina. Men også US ønskede at koloniserer Kina og ønskede at bruge Japan som en havn før ankomsten til Kina. Omkring 1860 kom US flåde til Japan og tvang dem til at afgive et landområde som deres havn. De Europæiske lande ønskede også at bruge havnen, så Japan stod i fare for at blive koloniseret på samme måde som Kina. Japan besluttede at skabe en stærk hær for at forsvarer sig selv mod US og Europa, derfor blev sværdet forbudt og en hær med ild våben blev skabt.


Klaner som opretholdt sværd teknikkernes tradition, var ikke glade og forsøget at opretholde traditionen. En af måderne var at overgå til idræt. Dette skabte Judo, og Kendo og Karate fulgte efter. Disse idræts grene var kampkunst og de blev understøtte af universitets studerende. De der ikke ønskede at gå idræts vejen, blev kaldt for Kobudo eller Jujitsu. En af disse Jujiutsu grene blev kaldt for Daitoryu Jujitsu og dette var det tekniske udgangspunkt for aikido. Det er nødvendigt at vide, at judo teknikkerne kom fra kampkunst linier, som ikke brugte sværd, det samme som i karate.

Det er derfor karate indbefatter stav teknikker, men ikke sværd teknikker. Kendo tog sit udgangspunkt i sværd teknikker, men blev en sport. Daitoryo Jujitsu blev skabt af en som kunne lide sværdet og var god til sværdteknikker. Han udviklede teknikker uden våben, idet han brugte sine evner fra våbenteknikkerne. Det er derfor at Daitoryu Jujitsu teknikker er meget anderledes en Judo eller Karate teknikker.



I realiteten svarer Daitoryu teknikker meget til Kendo teknikker. Men når øvelsespraksis blev udført, glemte folk sværdet og tænkte på situationen fra gade kampe i samfundet. Efter anden verdenskrig, opstod den almene ide i Japan, at mennesker ikke skulle slås og at de ikke skulle have våben og ingen sværd. Man forestillede sig gade kampe uden våben eller måske med stav eller kniv. Så det nye navn Aikido, blev født ud af denne situation. Idéen med Aikido var at kontrollere situationen uden kamp. Denne mentalitet svarede til tendensen i US og Europa efter 1960 og Aikido begyndte at få filosofisk støtte..


Da opstod ideen om selvforsvar. Hvad er selvforsvar? I realiteten er der ingen forskel mellem selvforsvar og angreb. Når nogen gør noget mod en anden, kaldes det angreb. Så gør den anden noget, det kaldes forsvar. Så forsvar er kun tilladt når man angribes. Hvis angriberen kommer uden våben, er det muligt at vente til angriberen kommer og så gøre noget ved det. Men hvis angrebet udføres med gevær eller andre højt udviklede våben, er det næsten umuligt at forsvarer sig selv efter at angrebet er startet. Det betyder at du må skyde den anden før han skyder dig. Her er spørgsmålet om at vide hvornår intentionen hos den anen opstår. Hvis en person har en pistol i sin hånd, vil en politibetjent betvivle hans intentioner og straks forlange at han smed sin pistol og strakte begge hænder op. Hvis det er mørkt, hvad skulle politibetjenten da gøre? Måske er politibetjenten nødt til at skyde personen før denne skyder ham. Så er der spørgsmålet om politibetjenten har bedømt situationen rigtigt eller ikke. Hvis angreb og forsvar sker mellem to lande, er det mere kompliceret Først bliver et land angrebet, men det er vanskeligt at vide, hvem det var som angreb. Så kan landet formode at angrebet blev udført af en fjendtlig nation og begynde et angreb i forsvarets navn. Mellem to mennesker kaldes det for hævn og ifølge loven er der forbudt. Men regeringer kan straffe den kriminelle, så individet har ikke brug for at hævne sig. Mellem to lande, findes der ikke nogen autoritet højere en dem, så derfor er hævn tilladt. Men igen, det er ikke let at skelne mellem hævn og forsvar. Hele problemet ligger i at handlinger som angreb, hævn og forsvar er det samme, det er kun et spørgsmål om fortolkning.