Dear Dan, As you know, while training at my house you shared that you wanted to learn to play the shakuhachi, and so I gave you my shakuhachi. The last I heard, you had it on the headboard of your bed. What you don’t know is the history behind that flute. I began playing the shakuhachi in the eighties. I can’t remember how exactly, but I eventually found out about a fellow named Monty Levenson. https://www.komuso.com/people/people.pl?person=1033 https://www.shakuhachi.com Before the internet became accessible to everyone, Monty and I communicated through traditional mail. Over time, our corres ..read more

My last explanation contrasted the term Kakete with Atemi in an attempt to clarify that Atemi can stand as a separate skill set. The study of Atemi as a separate skill is unfamiliar to many practitioners of Aiki arts. Taking the initiative to apply techniques proactively in Aiki arts is extremely rare. Therefore, I am adding further clarification of both the terms “atemi” and “kakete” in this blog. Virtually all techniques may be applied proactively. I reiterated the importance of proactive engagement when employing techniques as taught by Takeda Sokaku and Ueshiba Morihei in the realms of law ..read more

A while back, Fred wrote a nice response to one of my posts which began an exchange of questions and ideas. What follows is a continuation of that exchange: Fred: Hi Allen, Thanks for the long and comprehensive answer. yesterday a very interesting column came out abut the evolution of the daitoryu/aikido curriculum. https://www.guillaumeerard.com/daito-ryu-aiki-jujutsu/articles-daito-ryu-aiki-jujutsu/looking-into-the-secret-scrolls-of-daito-ryu-part-3-the-evolution-of-basic-daito-ryu-and-aikido-curriculum?fbclid=IwAR1s5TYBkwHtskG22TfTRKpD3vmtQdu7SENT_Bov6l-TQblfkeVVT1WssD0 Allen: Indeed this i ..read more

Having received an insightful response to the blog Important Understandings, I am posting my response here in the hope that it might provide further clarification: Hi Fred, Thank you for your response. You bring up some important points that are often overlooked and/or misunderstood. Fred: Hi Allen, great blog, It is interesting that you use the atemi metsu boshi as example.  This is the first atemi in the tomiki series.  If you look at the other 4 atemi that tomikistandardised disruption of balance seems to be the goal.  Here, I pull a direct quote from a blog which succinctl ..read more

AN INTRODUCTION I will be writing about the typical process of developmental progress as it relates to Internal Power and Aiki, particularly in regard to the “Kuas.” Before discussing Yin/Yang – In/Yo, Internal Power, and Aiki, I think it’s important to clarify what these terms refer to. While these terms have been in use in a variety of ways in multiple cultures throughout history, I will be using them in a specific way here.  Yin and Yang, also known as In and Yo in Martial Arts, are often thought of as two things that appear to be equal and opposite. I will be more speci ..read more

I am pleased to report that TrueAiki.com has improved its internal navigation.  Thanks to the hard work of a TrueAiki.com reader/contributor Dick Willems and our Webmaster extraordinaire, TrueAiki.com now sports a new navigation link that lists all posts in a “clickable” chronological format.  Not only that, but each post is also listed with its related “category,” which are now cleaned up and clickable as well.   “That’s 100% MORE improved navigation FREE!” Aren’t we lucky to have supporters that contribute their skills and finances to keep TrueAiki.com both av ..read more

Annual True Aiki European Winter Training for 2023 in Zwolle, The Netherlands. For the first time since the pandemic, the Seikokan Aikido Dojo led by Walter Oude Wesselink hosted the Annual True Aiki European Winter Training for 2023 in Zwolle, The Netherlands. We were pleased to once again enjoy a talented multinational turnout of martial artists. Participants included new practitioners, multi-decade aficionados of Aikido, Koryu, Daito Ryu, Chinese IMA, etc. Explanation of Shirata Rinjiro’s calligraphy dovetailed into an overview of Chinese/Japanese cosmology. Chinese/Japanese cosmology was r ..read more

I just tested negative on an Antigen test for the second time in 24 hours. I’m FREE!!!! And my family remains COVID-free as well. Thank goodness some days are just like this ..read more

Shi Kon (Four Souls) to which I make the following correlations: Aramitima – Fire Nigimitama – Water Sakimitama – Earth Kushimitama – Heaven  Here we are going to make a bit of an educated leap.  We know from our reading that when creating a vertical circle we create 2 In/Yo forces of Up/Down or Heaven/Earth.  If we create a horizontal circle we can create an additional 2 In/Yo forces one entering and one leaving (or turning) we could call them Fire/Water.  Together they make a cross.  Since each is the harmonization of In/Yo we could call this the cross of Aiki!  ..read more

Hello TrueAiki readers! As you know, one of the first things that happened upon arriving in Europe was my flight to San Sebastian, Spain was cancelled. They offered us an alternative flight which would have taken 12 hours. Normally the flight is 2 hours. We could have driven to San Sebastian in 14 hours . . . either way, I wouldn’t make it in time. Sometimes life is just that way! Happily, the travel to and from the next two seminars went fine. Also, those two seminars were both a blast! It was SOOOOOO great to see and train with old friends again! Sometimes life works out like that. Travellin ..read more