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AIKISHINMYODEN |
| Preface of AIKISHINMYOUDEN Japan is a land of beautiful, harmonious landscapes. It is the land of the rising sun chosen by the gods. A mighty warrior class was born there to protect those gods - the samurai. Dating back for over a thousand years ago the samurai created, developed and set the standards for Japanese culture, morality and history. This is the country I am from. I came across Aikido while studying at a university. It then happened that I met Morihei Uyeshiba and Saito sensei. Now I have to admit that there must have been a deeper meaning to these events. It is not that I spent a long time training for them (totaly around 7 years) but their influence and inspiration had a profound effect. I see myself as lucky to have been taught by such great masters. At the age of 27 I left my homeland of Japan, despite the rapid improvement of country's economy at that time. I went to Stockholm. Many have asked- why to Scandinavia? In 1991 I had a conversation with Arthur Lockyear who had organised that years aikido seminar in Durham, England. At the time he told me a story from the Bible- "St. Paul's experience on the road to Damascus". As I reflected on this later, I thought- could my journey be the one of great importance as it had been for St. Paul? On the road to Stockholm for a deeper study and understanding of Aikido? In effect, I had lived in Stockholm for more then 20 years without truly knowing why I was there. Suddently it felt like it's been decided by some higher powers. As Arthur Lockyear said: "With great budo men such as Tomita, one would perhaps expect their first introduction to their art to be something akin to St. Paul's experience on the road to Damascus." This feeling grew even more strong one year later when I seperated with Saito sensei and I recalled the story, because in it St. Paul loses his teacher- Christ and is left alone to meet his great destiny. 1969 was the year I came to Sweden and at that time I thought that I must be the first Japanese here. To my surprise I found out that there had been other Japanese there 135 years before me! A friendly visit of the so called "Iwakura mission" consisting of three leading ambassadors and nine secretaries who were samurai. By living abroad I escaped Japan's strict social structure and hierarchy, demanding that one follows orders given by a higher ranking person. In Sweden I had a freedom of thought allowing me to study and teach budo and aikido in my own ways. The fact that I've been able to do it and to do it succesfully, for so many years tells me that it must have been with help of a greater power. From ancient times the samurai have known that the hip bones, stomach and "tanden" (abdomen) are of utmost importance when training. We, Japanese, understand the word "tanden" emotionally, by feeling it. But in order to teach in Europe it is almost impossible to explain what it is due to our different cultures and ways of thinking. That is why I had to start my study of budo and bujutsu from the very beginning. The typical way of teaching that we have in Japan, without exact explanations, proved itself to be ineffective here in Europe and students failed to grasp the main knowledge from their trainings. So I went back to the beginning, became more humble and started a study of budo history, religion (shintoism), anathomy and for the technical aspects- a study of physics. As I mastered one point in my studies it led me to the next one and so on. From that progression came the realisation that one has to continue one´s studies and developement of the self one´s whole life. Once I understood the technical side and knew much more I came to the next big challenge- language. It was difficult to explain in English or in Swedish as the most vital element of budo is very much in the realm of intuition. The years passed very quickly. Morihei Uyeshiba described Aikido by using very beautiful words that related to the Divine, the Universe, Peace, Love, Emptying of oneself and so on, so that we feel a great admiration and fantasize about something that we don't actually comprehend. O' Sensei said: "...The art therefore proliferates a multitude of techniques freely as Divine will sees fit." One was made to think that by training in this method he or she would become very powerful. We felt awe and were eager to attend O' Sensei's classes. This was fine, except that O' Sensei never explained the method in a more practical or useful way. As I studied Samurai fighting arts I looked for connections with what O'Sensei had taught. I'm still not totally sure if that was the meaning but I've found and realized that the concentration in the abdomen in combination with correct breathing, three- dimensional and spiral body movements are the principles of Budo. The way the ancient samurai presented this differs from O' Sensei's way, but my intuition tells me that they are the same. It is 40 years now that I've devoted myself to this art and it's not only aikido that I've worked with. As I moved to foreign country I had to learn how to live in a new and totally different environment. That was the main reason for my moving slowly, much as turtles do, step by step to a greater understanding. Living in different country also helped me to see more clearly what had happened and is happening back in Japan and also in the world of budo. Now in modern times, I see that budo is not just self-defence. The training of "Tanden" results in stronger health, a strong and balanced mind, increased self- confidence, and a gain of surplus energy. I could compaire Aikido to a forest. In its totality it consists of many trees and different plants. A forest without trees is not possible. Aikido without its principles will also have no use. Every detail is very important. A forest needs sunshine, earth and water. Details such as timing, distance and correct angles are imperative in Aikido. Plus there are other forests around there consisting of different trees but still all needing sunshine, earth and water, much as there are different fighting arts being based on the same principles. Takeji Tomita Stockholm 2008-12-08 |
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site first published 2008-02-07