VKS KI TRAINING NOTES APRIL 99 NOTICES: APRIL INSTRUCTOR'S CLASS The April class will be held on Saturday, the 24th at 1:30. There will be a problem solving session with all of us performing the techniques from the examination sheet, critiquing what is done and ending with the teaching purpose of each technique covered. KIATSU-HO SEMINAR Norma and George Simcox have completed the Kiatsu-ho Seminar. About 15 persons attended each session. The information was well received with many positive comments. SEMINAR SERIES Gregory Ford-Kohne conducted a seminar on March 27th at 10 AM. It was well attended. There will be a seminar in May regarding Yoshinkan Akido, taught by one of Roger Rigoli's sensei from New York. Information as to date and time will be distributed later. SUMMER CAMP The Virginia Ki Society Summer Camp will be held on June 11, 12 and 13 at James Madison University, Harrisonberg, Virginia. The Guest Sensei will be the Reverend Bill Bickford from Kingston, Ontario, Canada. You will find that summer camp is a very effective training experience, whether you are a beginning student or a yudansha. Friendships developed at camp are well worth the effort, and cost of attendance. NATIONAL INSTRUCTOR'S WORKSHOP The following information was just received from Sensei Dan Frank regarding the seminar. Greetings from the Montgomery County KI-AIKIDO SOCIETY. Attached is the schedule for 1999 Chief Instructors Conference in Maryland. This email is give you and your students the dates for planning to attend the conference. A letter is being mailed to each Chief Instructor with the details on lodging and conference fees. SCHEDULE FOR CHIEF INSTRUCTORS' SEMINAR AND WORKSHOP 1999 Theme: Conflict Resolution THURSDAY July 29 Kataoke Sensei Leaves for Maryland FRIDAY - July 30 Rest Day for Kataoke Sensei Welcome Party 6:00 PM to 9:30 PM SATURDAY July 31, 1999 - 8 AM Registration for the seminar 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM Training for Ki Society members 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM Lunch , 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM Training for Ki Society members SUNDAY Aug. 1 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM Training for Ki Society members 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM Lunch , 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM Training for Ki Society members and Public MONDAY- Aug. 2 8:30 AM - 11:30 AM Training for Ki Society members 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM Lunch , 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM Training for Ki Society members TUESDAY Aug.3 8:30 AM - 11:30 AM Training for Ki Society members 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM Lunch , 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM Kiatsuho for Ki Society members WENESDAY Aug.4 8:30 AM - 11:30 AM Training for Ki Society members 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM Lunch , 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM Ki Tests (Shoden, Chuden, Joden as appropriate) 5 PM-6 PM Chief Instructors Meeting THURSDAY Aug 5 8:30 AM - 11:30 AM Chief Instructors Workshop (by invitation only) 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM Lunch , 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM Chief Instructors Workshop (by invitation only) FRIDAY -Aug. 6 8:30 AM - 11:30 AM Training for Ki Society members 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM Lunch 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM Training for Ki Society members SATURDAY - Aug. 7 10 AM - 1:30 PM Training for Ki Society members and the Public Afternoon - Rest 6:30 - 9:30 PM Banquet, SUNDAY Aug. 8 Departures CHIEF INSTRUCTOR'S CORNER I have a reputation for developing some pretty outlandish Ki examinations. I guess this reputation is well deserved for I have a real active curiosity about just how far I can stretch the envelope of mind-body coordination. My most recent two tests are interesting so I will discuss them here so that those of you who try them can give me some feed-back on how well they work. Assuming that you have a working knowledge of Ki Development and Ki Testing, try the following: 1). From either a sitting or standing posture, raise both hands upward as far as you can. The test is for the tester to make contact with the wrist of either of the elevated hands and exert pressure parallel to the ground, toward the uke's head. Uke's arm should not bend nor should uke's body. 2). While uke is standing, feet at shoulders width tester puts either hand at uke's one point and presses toward uke's center. In this case, uke should not move. Resistance is ineffective in passing these tests. One needs to learn to truly float with the mind. FROM THE INTERNET From: Beate Kawelke Organization: debis Systemhaus CCS Abtlg. DMT-PS Subject: Re: Favorite Aikido Principles To: AIKIDO-L@LISTS.PSU.EDU Mike and Monica talked about the "irimi" and "tenkan" side of the character and how it is developed by aikido. For me, I can share both views - in some situations I tended to react mostly "irimi" (active, even aggressive) while in others I was all "tenkan" (reactive, even defensive / shy). What I'd like to emphasize is that with aikido I learnt that the choice is up to me, whether I'd like to react in one way or the other. I remember my sensei saying: You have to learn to "accept" the attack - then deal with it. Short time after that, I was in a situation when a guy was quite aggressive towards me - words only, but it sure felt like an attack. And I decided to mentally step "outside the situation", to "analyze" what was going on and to check my options to deal with it. My first "reaction" would have been "irimi", but in this case I took my time and decided that I should "tenkan" and just get off the line of the attack - and it worked. The point I'm trying to make is not that my reaction was OK for that situation (it was), but that I felt I had all the time in the world to find my decision. The "attacker" had chosen the attack and after it started it was nearly impossible for him to change it. He was restricted in his choices, while my many opportunities lay open in front of me. And this freedom of choice from a large variety of "techniques", based on two "principles" (irimi and tenkan) was one of my first "mini-satori" in off-the-mat aikido :-)) . Beate TRAVELS April 29 - May 18 Vacation. May 20-24 Annual Taigi Competition, Seattle. June 11-13 VKS Summer Camp July 9 - 11 Kingston Summer Camp July 31 - Aug 7 National Instructor's Workshop, Maryland Ki Society August 13 - 15 Peter Bussell Sensei Summer Camp, Ottawa, Canada Sept 10 - 12 St. Louis Ki Society 20th Anniv.