Miyamoto Musashi said that, "God is to be respected, not relied upon." However, in my view, "God is to be respected as well as relied upon." Relying on God has the same meaning as trusting things to the Universe. This is not the same as having an attitude of dependency. Trust and dependency are fundamentally different.
The mental attitude which will best prepare you for participation in the Taigi Competition is the attitude of trusting things to the Universe. In doing this anyone is capable of drawing on their fullest powers as cultivated in daily practice. Other martial arts and sports use competitions as a motivation for practice, and to improve technique, but Aikido implies practicing the Way of the Universe, and has as its goal none other than striving for mastery of the human body and spirit. Consequently, the underlying purpose of the Taigi Competition is different from that of other martial arts competitions. This is because in Shin Shin Toitsu Aikido, we strive to compete in terms of the depth of mind and body coordination itself.
Aikido training requires a fundamental shift in perspective, from a body-centered to a mind-centered view, from relative thinking to absolute thinking, from a fighting mind to the way of non-dissension. However, while engaged in Aikido training it is difficult to avoid getting caught in the particulars of leg and arm movements, and the movements of the various techniques, only to lose sight of the true purpose of training.
It goes without saying that the true arts of Aikido are all based on the principle of non-dissension. Consequently, unless you have a thorough understanding of the mind of non-dissension, it will be impossible for you to master the true arts of Aikido. From the point of view of the Universe, a contest between individuals is nothing more than a single wave on the surface of the ocean. The Way of Aikido is to see beyond such trivial matters, and to devote yourself ceaselessly to the Way of self-mastery and harmony with the Universe.
In other words, Aikido training begins with the presumption of an attack in earnest under any circumstance. The spirit of the Taigi competition is one of winning correctly by winning over yourself, and treating the competition as a serious attack which is dealt with thoroughly in terms of the principle of non-dissension. To this end all participants, from those with little experience to those who have black belt level ranks, must always return to the 5 principles of Shin Shin Toitsu Aikido.
The 5 principles of Shin Shin Toitsu Aikido
All of the arts which I teach in Shin Shin Toitsu Aikido are in accord with these 5 principles. I am strict and particular in teaching the smallest details of each of these arts only when the practitioners have forgotten these 5 principles.
Your training partner in Aikido is not an opponent in a contest, but rather your partner in a team, each helping the other to discover and correct errors in technique. Your partner is more like a whetstone for sharpening your spirit, or a mirror in which to see yourself. Because you train with Ki principles in your daily practice, you are already developing the power you need, and therefore there is no need to depend on your particular kyu or dan rank in the Taigi competition. Do not be concerned about relative position, simply maintain a serene state of mind.
When we practice Aikido we learn and practice the principles of the universe. Unfortunately, this way is not known by a great many people in the world. Now the Taigi Competition offers us an excellent opportunity for showing a large number of people how the correct way of universal principles is also the strongest way.
Through the 1st International Taigi Competition, we will have an opportunity to show not just people in Japan, but also around the world the beauty of the arts of Shin Shin Toitsu Aikido, and the true power of the mind.
I ask that each of the members of the Ki Society continue to devote themselves to the endless path of self-mastery, and to assist us in spreading Ki principles to the world.