VKS KI TRAINING NOTES, SEPTEMBER 98 INTRODUCTION The purpose of this document is to provide a dialog between students and the instructional faculty on training issues and answer questions regarding technique or training practices or procedures. It is NOT a forum for dealing with philosophy, except as it applies to training, nor business issues associated with the VKS. NOTICES: AUG INSTRUCTOR'S CLASS The September class will be held on Saturday, the 19th at 1:30. I will be discussing objectives for the coming year and our training schedule. 24TH ANNIVERSARY The 24th Anniversary of the VKS will be held at the Merrifield Dojo on 12 and 13 September. Sensei Terry Pierce, New Jersey Ki Society will be the guest instructor. The schedule of classes is Saturday 9:30-12 and 2-4:30 and Sunday, 9:30-12. There will be a no-host dinner Saturday evening at 6 p.m.. Sunday afternoon there will be an open house with demonstrations and discussion between 2 and 4 p.m.. Potluck snacks will be served following the demonstrations. Fee for the seminar is $25.00 for both days and $15.00 for one day. Sign up on the bulletin board at the Dojo or call in your reservations to (703)573-8843 or send them to me via e-mail at kimas@erols.com. GUEST AUTHOR Training in Honolulu Jonathan Doner When I think back on my experiences in Honolulu, there are two images of Tohei Sensei which are very clear. The first occurred when he was demonstrating how to relax completely while raising the arms overhead. This exercise is part of Ki testing from Jokyu up. Raising his arms, he had Kashiwaya Sensei point his right hand as if holding a gun or knife to Tohei's throat. Suddenly, in a single fluid motion, Tohei Sensei's left hand dropped, captured the "weapon" and threw kotegaeshi, sending Kashiwaya Sensei flying. It all happened in about a half a second and besides his left arm, no other part of Tohei Sensei's body even wavered as he performed the throw, including the raised right arm. I knew immediately that I had seen the essence of the art. The second image is of Tohei Sensei demonstrating Ki breathing. As he entered into breathing, I watched his face become, not just calm and relaxed, but utterly empty. His personality simply dissipated, leaving the body behind. Clearly, I was witnessing the true aim of Ki breathing. These two images stand out, I suppose, because each illuminated a fundamental aspect of Aikido. Ki-Aikido teaches that our actions in the world can be direct, natural, positive and effective. When he threw Kashiwaya Sensei, Tohei Sensei demonstrated each of those qualities without limit. Ki-Aikido teaches that the mind moves the body. In his breathing, Tohei Sensei demonstrated that when the mind is completely motionless, the body becomes a shell. For me, what I gained from these experiences alone was worth the price of admission. But there was much more. Sensei Shinichi Tohei did a great job. He taught well and was very personable. His positive attitude never wavered, even under the sometimes stern eye of his father. I benefited from Tohei Sensei's direct instruction on several occasions. It is always a Ki test to be instructed in front of all the people you respect in Aikido, but 1) the instruction is always on the mark, and 2) no one is immune, regardless of rank. Whether you are an 8th dan or a white belt, Tohei Sensei will instruct you when you need it. I asked Tohei Sensei about the relation between weight-underside and being light. He said that they are one and the same. Weight-underside is not the same as being heavy. When we are being heavy, mind and body are not unified and he demonstrated this using several different exercises. True weight-underside allows you to simply and directly deal with whatever the situation requires. If it's being unraisable, then you are unraisable; if it's moving quickly, then you move quickly. In terms of technique, Tohei Sensei demonstrated a very powerful one hand sankyo, and clarified the real method for performing tanto-tori Munetsuki kirikaeshi. This latter requires different hand positions than I had seen before and makes the technique much more straightforward. All in all, it was a very good seminar. I learned a lot, I enjoyed the people, I enjoyed Oahu and, once again, I came away convinced that we in Virginia Ki Society are right on track. We are learning the art as Tohei Sensei teaches it. Thanks George. CHIEF INSTRUCTOR'S CORNER 1998 ANNUAL REPORT VIRGINIA KI SOCIETY I continue to operate the Virginia Ki Society with a headquarters club in Merrifield, Virginia and derivative clubs in Charlottesville (Jonathan Doner), Elkton (Brian Kelley), Hampton (Mark Britt) and Richmond (James Golden), Virginia and one in Pittsburgh (Richard Miller), Pennsylvania. I continue to be responsible for the Philadelphia Ki Society, Hal Abramson, Chief Instructor. During the past year we held a summer camp at James Madison University with Sensei John Eley, Chicago Ki Society, as the guest instructor. We also held a Kiatsu Day to introduce the concept of Kiatsu to our students and other interested parties, advertising the schools in Japan and Oregon. Our annual Taigi for St. Judes Children's Hospital was a success, raising over $1,300.00. This year we held a competition for children as well as adults. I conducted monthly instructional seminars with the assistance of Sensei William Reed. I participated in seminars in Denver (20th Anniversary of the Rocky Mountain Ki Society), Hilo honoring five of the senior instructors in Hawaii, and the Annual Taigi Competition in Seattle which was hosted by Sensei Kashiwaya. I taught Ki Society Seminars in Kingston and Kitchener-Cambridge, Canada and Kansas City, Missouri with the permission of Sensei Kashiwaya; Riverton, New Jersey at the invitation of Sensei Terry Pierce; at Virginia Technical Institute and State University and James Madison University I also participated in two multi-disciplinary seminars which involved instructors from other forms of Aikido: a Seminar in Ottawa, Canada at the invitation of Sensei Peter Bussell which involved Ki Society and Aikikai Aikido sensei from several schools; and a seminar in San Antonio, Texas which was billed as the First Annual Aikido-L Seminar. It was created by people who had been corresponding together on the Internet, formed a committee to select a site for the seminar and determine which participating instructors would be invited to attend. I was invited to represent Ki Society Aikido. The instructors chosen were: Chuck Clark, 7th dan, Jiyushinkai Aikido, Carlos Escobar, 4th dan, Kurita Juku Aikido (TASA Representative), Chuck Gordon, Renshi (Chuden), Kokoro-ryu Aiki Budo, Dennis Hooker, 5th dan, Shindai Aikikai (Aikido Schools of Ueshiba), and George Simcox, 5th dan, Virginia Ki Society. Those who attended these seminars were able to see for them selves various forms of Aikido and make their own judgments as to the effectiveness of each. I feel that Ki Society was well served by participating in these two events. OPEN PRACTICE Over the years we have experimented with special classes for Open Practice" When folks are focused on testing "open practice" classes are well attended but the rest of the time, very few people make use of the time. I think this is because they do not have a good concept of what "Open Practice" is or they lack focus on their own continued development. "Open Practice" time is for you to use for personal growth. Most of our classes are teaching events - the instructor determines what is to be taught for the class and the students practice what is taught. There is little time to explore the technique at speed and under varying conditions. As a result we have a number of techniques which are taught, practiced but never really made a part of the student's personal skills kit. In order to refine what has been taught in teaching classes, "Open Class" time is provided. In September I am planning to change the Saturday adult program from teaching classes to "Open Practice" except for those times when we have a seminar, celebration or the monthly Instructors' Class. This change is being made so that you can have time for practice on the mat with techniques you want to improve or develop further. A senior instructor will be in charge of each class period in order to assure safe practice and to answer questions about specific techniques. The classes will be from 10-12 a.m. and 1:30-3:30 p.m. each Saturday starting September 19th. If you have any questions please contact me and I will discuss it with you. Advanced training classes will continue to be held at 1 p.m. on Sunday and 9 p.m. on Friday. FROM THE INTERNET SILENT PRACTICE I agree, and try to have "silent" practices once and awhile for variation. I think giving quiet "feedback" to each other is okay, but lots of folks these days try to "instruct" each other rather than just giving feedback. There should be only one instructor or teacher on the mat. Feedback can be a code, for example, "that felt good...about a seven (on a scale of ten)" or "break my balance a bit more to the left next time," or "I felt you speed up a bit and it broke the connection." There is no need to explain why, that's the instructors job. It's hard sometimes not to talk and visit in many groups because many of us feel like we're with "family" or "kindred spirits" in the dojo. We often spend large amounts of time at work or wherever around people who don't have a clue about what we care about so it's hard not to celebrate when we get together. The seniors in the dojo should help the instructor set the example and keep the practice at a level where everyone is actively doing the practice. This is difficult for me because as those of you who know me can attest, I like to talk. Regards, Chuck Clark Jiyushinkai Aikibudo Jiyushinkan ATTENTION DURING PRACTICE When I lead a class I notice people doing there own thing are generally people who do their own thing during there training. For example, they watch a technique and do something completely different. Usually they just repeat what they do every day. They generally can train for twenty years and make little progress. This is because they do train twenty years. They train one year and repeat it twenty times. I guess I am grumpy too. I notice that some students follow along exactly. I mean exactly what is happening now, not what I did yesterday. These students generally progress much more quickly and develop a good understanding of the basic footwork and basic techniques of Aikido. Eric Oberg oberg@battelle.org TRAVELS During August I traveled to Hawaii to attend the National Instructors' Workshop. I went early to attend the open student training. It was good to see some of my friends again. After attending one of these seminars you are never a stranger in any Ki Society Dojo you may visit. There was the usual amount of pomp and circumstance because Master Tohei was there with his wife and son. Shinichi did most of the physical training but he was under the watchful eye of his father and there were several "side bar" discussions during the training.. Generally we covered the Kitei Taigi and Ki development concepts. We are traveling on the correct path from a perspective of technique. For this we can thank the several years we were under the guidance of Senseis Imaizumi, Maruyama and Kashiwaya as well as Will Reed's recent visit. There was testing in Ki Development. Senseis Frank, Fowler, Pierce, and Chinn passed the examination for Jo Den and Sensei Hal Abramson passed the test for Chu Den. Several of those tested failed to pass and were referred to their instructors for additional training and a subsequent recommendation to Tohei Sensei before advancement will be granted. During the business meeting it was announced that henceforth Kashiwaya Sensei and Tabata Sensei (Oregon) will be approved for conducting examinations for Sho Den and Chu Den. This is good news for us. Tohei Sensei announced that he was working on an English language text for Aikido. The VKS has been requested to make recommendations on publishing the book. The National Instructors' Workshop for next year will be held in Maryland and be instructed by Sensei Kataoka. We will provide all the assistance that Sensei Frank may require from us in order to make this a good experience for the visiting Sensei and all attendees. In September I will be staying close to home because of the Anniversary and Instructor's Class. Also I plan to join a March for Cancer Funding on the 26th in Washington DC. In October I will be visiting Pittsburgh on the weekend of 3/4 for a seminar and to test Gary Zajac for Sho Dan. I will also be in St. Louis from the 15th until the 18th to conduct a seminar. I am also scheduled to conduct a seminar in Middleville, VA for Sensei Don Slayter on the 31st (Halloween) George Simcox