Aikido Center of Los Angeles

Aiki Dojo Message - Happy Lunar New Year! Xn Nián Kuài Lè! Happy New Year!... This Lunar New Year is the year of the Ox which should bring calmness with a sense of steadiness and prosperity. Incidentally this year is also the start of a new decade and the date is a palindrome (12 February, 2021/12-02-2021). How lucky! It is said that a warrior rides swiftly forward on a horse while a man of peace rides slowly upon an ox. Wisemen, like Lao Tzu, are often depicted riding on the back of an ox. The ox and the ume or plum blossoms are the symbols of the coming of spring and the beginning of farming. In Asians cultures, the ox is a symbol of prosperity and when we think of an ox, we think of a hardworking animal, but also an animal that has a quiet sense of determination and is quite stubborn. Hopefully, the ox will be a steadying force that guides us forward into not only a new year but a new decade as well. It is easy to think that the growth of a martial artist is linear as most only see the end results. However, most martial arts training, regardless of style, is tangential and full of ups and downs. The journey of a martial artist is much more like a ride upon a slow ox than a swift horse. Most of the time, our progress doesn’t seem like progress at all and it can be quite discouraging. However, what most don’t know is that learning to preserve through the struggle is the training. In Asian culture, the ox is often depicted by a man pulling it while it pulls a cart. The man pulling the ox is supposed to represent the struggles that we all experience following the Way. When we climb upon the oxen’s back we stop trying to pull and learn to go with the flow. That is when we supposedly begin to see the Buddha nature which supposedly exists within all of us. It is a constant that every year will have its ups and downs but the factor which can change is how we perceive those ups and downs and how we choose to deal with them. We get to choose whether to ride a horse and do battle with them or harmonize with them and ride an ox toward inner peace. I wish you all a year of quiet determination filled with calmness, hard work and peace. Today’s goal: What things are you fighting with that you can instead harmonize with? Learn to let go. Watch this Alan Watts video to better understand flow and letting go https://youtu.be/ZzaUGhhnlQ8 Read more Aiki Dojo messages here: www.aikidocenterla.com/blog #aikido #aikikai #hombu #dojo #budo #sensei #acladojomessage #aikidocenterla #dtla #dtlaartsdistrict #littletokyo #budoquotes

Rev. Kensho Furuya demonstrating Aikido in Little Tokyo in 1988 at Japanese Village Plaza in downtown Los Angeles, CA. Uke is Douglas Firestone

Throwback Thursday - Spirited Energy Sensei posted this to his Daily Message on February 14, 2003. Both in Aikido and Iaido practice, we must think about ikioi () - a Japanese word meaning "spirited energy. Another meaning is "to be full of ki. This word is really very difficult to translate into English. We should always think about making our movements, techniques and practice very energetic and spiritual - not lackluster, limp or lazy. This does not mean to be harsh, ...stiff or brutal nor does it mean to apply more strength in the technique against our partner. More than anything, I think, it is a mental state of being in the moment, energetic and "lively." In Iaido, it is the same. Be decisive, spirited and full of energy! This does not only apply to practicing on the mats but off the mats as well. Of course, everyone is tired from work, family and daily life's trials so we like to drag our feet into the Dojo as an "escape" from all of this. No, Aikido is not an escape. Quite on the contrary, more than our family, work, and everything in this environment, Aikido training requires more, very much more, energy, effort, attention and awareness! Many of us do Aikido like relaxing in front of a television after a hard day. We only think of it as a recreation or distraction from real life. We think our practice is a time to just space-out. NO, it is not! What is amazing about Aikido is that we will always feel more energized after practice no matter how tired we are when we enter the dojo. Before you come into the dojo, change your attitude and mind, and become like a sharp sword - this is ikioi. Watch this video of Furuya Sensei demonstrating in 1988 https://youtu.be/--_lI8I5u1c Read this post or other message posts here: Dojo Message www.aikidocenterla.com/blog #aikido #aikikai #hombu #dojo #budo #sensei #acladojomessage #aikidocenterla #dtla #dtlaartsdistrict #littletokyo #budoquotes #kenshofuruya

The Aiki Dojo 2 Minute Technique - Ura-nage Mike Van Ruth demonstrates Ura-age in this week’s 2 Minute Technique video. Ura-age means behind throw and is another unorthodox Aikido technique. It is not the same as the Judo version nor is it similar to a wrestling suplex. The main difference is that those throws utilize the arch of the back to lift the person off the ground. In the Aikido version of Ura-nage, you lift the person off the ground and throw them straight down whi...le stepping back. The goal is to either slam their back on the ground and knock the wind out of them or make them hit their tail bone. In the Judo and wrestling versions the goal would be to make them hit their head which could be fatal. In the Aikido version it would debilitate them but not be fatal. This technique is most often used as a kaeshi-waza or reversal technique. Sometimes there's no time to read a lengthy message or watch a long documentary. So we've created these quick and easy 2 minute techniques to help you improve your Aikido technique and knowledge. Keep an eye out for them every Wednesday. Enjoy! Watch other Aiki Dojo videos here: http://www.aikidocenterla.com/aikido-videos #aikido #aikikai #hombu #dojo #budo #acladojomessage #aikidocenterla #dtla #dtlaartsdistrict #littletokyo #2minuteaikido #uranage #nagewaza https://youtu.be/xn0w7FufeCg

Aiki Dojo Message - Mind Your Sleeves Warriors must mind their sleeves. Once, when I was younger, my mother took me to a very formal Japanese inn. One of the things she and her friends marveled about was how well trained the server was by the way she deftly negotiated her kimono sleeve while serving us dinner. The sode or sleeve of our keiko-gi or uniform is a very important training tool. Incidentally, we should never use our sleeve to wipe our face - that is what a tenagu...i or hand towel is for. The hem of our keiko-gi sleeve or sodeshita should normally fall to the base of the wrist. Oftentimes, I see people roll up their sleeves or hem their sleeves mid way up their forearms. This is not bad or wrong per se, but it just shows a lack of sophistication in a Japanese etiquette sense. A samurai would normally wear their sleeves down and would only tie up their sleeves with a tasuki or sash when going into battle. Short or rolled up sleeves are more of a western custom that isn’t really done that much in Japan. One reason for sleeve length could be to hide our forearms because the development of our forearms speaks to our level of training. Obviously, a person who engages in the martial arts has more developed forearms. Another possible reason could be that the sleeve adds another impediment that the attacker would have to deal with when attacking. Without knowing the size of the forearm hidden under the sleeve, an attacker might misjudge their grab and give their victim the advantage. One more possible reason comes from swordsmanship. More experienced and higher ranking Iaidoists usually have kimonos with longer and wider sleeves. One reason for this is that it takes a higher level of skill to do the techniques while negotiating a longer sleeve. Our sleeves are not just the things which cover our arms or that we use to wipe our sweat upon. Our sleeves can demonstrate to others our level of training and martial arts ability. That is why good martial artists always mind their sleeves. Today’s goal: The sleeve is a metaphor for how we do things. The best always take care of the smallest details. Watch this video about paying attention to small details https://youtu.be/c6RwlP2u2Oc Read more Aiki Dojo messages here: www.aikidocenterla.com/blog #aikido #aikikai #hombu #dojo #budo #sensei #acladojomessage #aikidocenterla #dtla #dtlaartsdistrict #littletokyo #budoquotes

Shinnen Akemashite Omedeto Gozaimasu Happy New Year! Aiki Dojo Message - Looking Ahead... Enzan no metsuke Focusing your gaze on the distant mountain Warriors are forward thinkers. Benjamin Franklin once wrote, Chess teaches foresight, by having to plan ahead; vigilance, by having to keep watch over the whole chess board; caution, by having to restrain ourselves from making hasty moves; and finally, we learn from chess the greatest maxim in life - that even when everything seems to be going badly for us we should not lose heart, but always hoping for a change for the better, steadfastly continue searching for the solutions to our problems. Replace the word chess with martial arts and Franklin adeptly describes what the martial arts are trying to teach - how to think ahead, remain calm when things are bad, find solutions to our problems and always remain hopeful. On average, most ardent chess players can see eight steps ahead, but the current World Chess Champion, Magnus Carlsen can see 15-20 moves ahead. A martial artist is always supposed to be several steps ahead of their opponent. This foresight enables the warrior to either not engage in a futile confrontation or to put themselves into the best possible position for success. Being steps ahead of our opponent is about strategy. By doing this or thinking that, we will hopefully bring about the best possible outcome. If we are optimistic, we can see many different possibilities and hopefully make the best possible decision. If we are pessimistic, we could get caught up in the story and end up not developing the best strategy. Thus, having a strategy prevents tragedy. 2021 can be what we make of it regardless of the coronavirus. Supposedly, there are still six months left of all this inconvenience. If we accept that as possible then how can we best use our time? How can we be 15-20 steps ahead? Prior to his death, Furuya Sensei used to constantly admonish us, There is no time left. The coronavirus illustrates that perfectly for us. We can wallow in misery, but a warrior knows that there is no time left and thus uses their time wisely. Today’s goal: Make a plan of action for the end of the coronavirus. What, where, or who will you be when the smoke clears? Watch this video to better understand Time: https://youtu.be/uABjILKAkTw Read more Aiki Dojo messages here: www.aikidocenterla.com/blog #aikido #aikikai #hombu #dojo #budo #sensei #acladojomessage #aikidocenterla #dtla #dtlaartsdistrict #littletokyo #budoquotes

Throwback Thursday - Happy New Year’s Eve Reverend Kensho Furuya Sensei posted this to his Daily Message on January 5, 2003. I saw this poem inscribed on the tang of a sword the other day - what a beautiful poem befitting a samurai warrior!... Dozei no Momo mo Sakura mo tsuzuku beshi Ichiban yari no ume no sakigake You companions of Momo and Sakura follow after me I the Ume are the first to ride into the enemy's line! - Shokusan nin, the poet In the traditional Japanese custom of New Year's, it is a time of renewal and a time to make a new start in one's life. For O'Sensei, it is a sacred" time which literally goes back to the creation of the Universe. Mircea Eliade, a renown professor of world religions, referred to this as "sacred time and space" or the "renewal of sacred time. It is for similar reasons that we celebrate Christmas, to renew or to revisit a very sacred event of the birth of Christ. By "re-living" or recreating this important moment in time, we bring ourselves close to this significant religious experience. In similar light, we celebrate the New Year as also a recreation of a symbolic "birth of new life" with the New Year. For the New Year, I have thought very seriously about the future of Aikido and as so many of us are anxious to move forward and create the Aikido want for ourselves. Before we can achieve this sacred" privilege, it is our obligation first and foremost to understand and master what Aikido was first intended to be - a martial art brought to its ultimate level approaching a distant realm in which we can achieve a profound "spiritual" awakening within our selves which may not only deeply effect our own personal lives but transform the thinking of this entire world towards peace. Please train hard. Note: The plum is the first to blossom in the New Year, the cherry blossoms and peach blossoms come much later. . . . . Read this post or other message posts here: Dojo Message www.aikidocenterla.com/blog #aikido #aikikai #hombu #dojo #budo #sensei #acladojomessage #aikidocenterla #dtla #dtlaartsdistrict #littletokyo #budoquotes #kenshofuruya

The Aiki Dojo 2 Minute Technique - Non-contact Aikido with a Jo Many areas are experiencing surges in coronavirus cases. Aikido training is typically done with a partner. Our dojo in Spain Aikido Kodokai Salamanca- España has come up with some innovative Aikido techniques using a jo to replace the need to grab directly. Enjoy! Sometimes there's no time to read a lengthy message or watch a long documentary. So we've created these quick and easy 2 minute techniques to help you... improve your Aikido technique and knowledge. Keep an eye out for them every Wednesday. Enjoy! Watch other Aiki Dojo videos here: http://www.aikidocenterla.com/aikido-videos #aikido #aikikai #hombu #dojo #budo #acladojomessage #aikidocenterla #dtla #dtlaartsdistrict #littletokyo #2minuteaikido https://youtu.be/E4nocbv-aYc

Aiki Dojo Message - Situational Awareness All things can be deadly to us, even the things made to serve us; as in nature’s walls can kill us, and stairs can kill us, if we do not walk circumspectly. - Blaise Pascal, Author A warrior is supposed to have situational awareness or an awareness of their surroundings at all times. Situational awareness can be broken down into three parts: perception of the elements in the environment, comprehension of the situation, and projectio...n of future status. Seems like commonsense. O’Sensei is quoted as saying, Shihonage is the foundation of Aikido. All you ever need to master is shihonage. Some take his quote to mean that shihonage is the only technique one might need. Maybe. However, if you look at the kanji for shio (), perhaps he is talking about situational awareness. Shiho translates to mean the four cardinal directions (NSEW) but it can also refer to one’s surroundings. For fun, one can posit that being aware of one’s surroundings is the foundation of Aikido and that one only needs to master their surroundings to master Aikido. In Aikido class, when we act as nage or tori, we are supposed to be able to place our opponent when throwing them. We shouldn’t throw them where they could get injured or injure others. When we throw someone into another person, it shows a lack of skill, nefarious intent or low situational awareness. Likewise, when we are the uke and being thrown, we should be setting ourselves up to be placed into a position which is safe and most advantageous for us. For instance, in crowded classes we shouldn’t lay on the floor for extended periods of time because someone could fall on top of us and get hurt. By practicing both roles, we learn to become more situationally aware. Being situationally aware doesn’t mean paranoid. Situational awareness means being mindful of not only what we are doing, but also aware of what is going on around us. Today’s goal: The easiest way to be situationally aware is to put down your phone and get out of your own head. Watch this video of the situational awareness of pilots to better understand situational awareness in martial arts training. https://youtu.be/pAx1v7nQmss Read more Aiki Dojo messages here: www.aikidocenterla.com/blog #aikido #aikikai #hombu #dojo #budo #sensei #acladojomessage #aikidocenterla #dtla #dtlaartsdistrict #littletokyo #budoquotes

Aiki Dojo Message - Mushin - Nothingness "Emptiness which is conceptually liable to be mistaken for sheer nothingness is in fact the reservoir of infinite possibilities." D.T. Suzuki... Warriors aspire to nothingness. In Aikido training, we are trying to achieve a state of mushin () or nothingness in our training. At this place, we can be equanimous where we observe instead of react. Often times people think that mushin means to not think, but that isn’t quite the case. The non-thinking part is the deactivation of the conscious mind while allowing the unconscious or subconscious mind to flow. When we reach this state, we are in the flow of the ki or ki no nagare () and when this happens we are supposedly in accordance with the flow of the universe where nothing exists. D.T. Suzuki’s assertion implies that where we find nothing is where everything exists. 2020, the year of the Rat was supposed to be auspicious as it was the beginning of a new Lunar cycle in Chinese astrology. However, 2020 was quite a stinker of a year. When we think back about 2020, what will we think, feel or remember? As someone said, 2020 was so bad they named it twice. Yes, but the question is, What did you get? For me, I didn’t get nothing. Oops, nothing? Nothing is defined as not a single thing, but nothing in this sense means that if I didn’t get nothing then I must have gotten something even if it was unintentional or unwanted. If you are like me, I mostly learned. I learned new skills. I learned new things about my body. I learned how important the little things are to me like my family and my friends. Yes, 2020 sucked on many levels, but it also brought me so much that I am grateful for. I, for sure, didn’t get nothing. I am forever grateful for all the people who read my posts and watched my videos. I look forward to 2021 with great hope and anticipation and I wish you all the best in the coming year! Today’s goal: Be grateful. You may feel that you didn’t get anything that you wanted but I am sure if you dig deep enough, you can realize that you didn’t get nothing. ;) Watch Alan Watts explain mushin https://youtu.be/2ABtVOnwHmo Read other Aiki Dojo Messages here: www.aikidocenterla.com/blog #aikido #aikikai #hombu #dojo #budo #sensei #acladojomessage #aikidocenterla #dtla #dtlaartsdistrict #littletokyo #budoquotes

The Aiki Dojo 2 Minute Technique - Atemi or striking for Kata-tori Ikkyo. Sometimes there's no time to read a lengthy message or watch a long documentary. So we've created these quick and easy 2 minute techniques to help you improve your Aikido technique and knowledge. Keep an eye out for them every Wednesday. Enjoy!... Watch other Aiki Dojo videos here: www.aikidocenterla.com/videos #aikido #aikikai #hombu #dojo #budo #acladojomessage #aikidocenterla #dtla #dtlaartsdistrict #littletokyo #2minuteaikido https://youtu.be/I1L3Wxk5hSc

Aiki Dojo Message - Merry Christmas For a warrior, everyday should be Christmas. Christmas reminds us to be grateful and true gratefulness requires mindfulness. Mindfulness means that we are in command of our actions and aware of our thoughts but we also realize that the two are not necessarily 0ne in the same. It is said, Every action begins with a thought, but, the question is, Is that thought true or real? Recently, I read an article in Nature titled Acute social isola...tion evokes midbrain craving responses similar to hunger which discussed that in our midbrains, isolation and hunger act very similarly. Thus one could posit that when we are hungry, we might be lonely and when we are lonely, we might just be hungry. That made me think of Aikido. In class, before we begin training with our partner, we say, onegaishimasu or please, bow and pause for a brief moment. In a sense, we are starting with mindfulness. When we start off on the right foot, those things tend to have a better outcome. Someone once said, Well begun is half done. Starting with an act of mindful gratefulness enables us to appreciate our partner’s support and sacrifice. If we don’t start mindfully, we run the risk of allowing our bad day to seep on to the mat and end up acting like a bully or hurting someone. Thus we need some way of separating our thoughts and feelings from our actions. Training enables us to mindfully discern what is really going on and separate the thought from the action. Thus, gratefulness enables us to be mindful which enables us to live peacefully. In Zen and the tea ceremony, a common adage is nichi nichi konichi which usually translates as Every day is a good day but it can also mean Live meaningfully. Realizing that every day is a good day enables us to live meaningfully and that begins with thankfulness. Thus, before we eat our feelings, fall down the black hole of the internet or get mad at someone and do something we may regret, we should mindfully check in and see what is really going on. Christmas is a day which is supposed to remind us to be grateful, but warriors don’t need a reminder because they are always mindful of their thoughts and thus they are always grateful. Have a great and safe holiday. Today’s goal: Pause for a brief moment and take a breath in every time you wish someone Merry Christmas. Watch this video to learn more about the power of gratefulness https://youtu.be/UtBsl3j0YRQ Read more Aiki Dojo messages here: www.aikidocenterla.com/blog #aikido #aikikai #hombu #dojo #budo #sensei #acladojomessage #aikidocenterla #dtla #dtlaartsdistrict #littletokyo #budoquotes

Aiki Dojo Message - A Warrior Values Life Nasake ni hamukau yaiba nashi There is no sword which can oppose kindness ... A warrior understands the true value of life. Life, like budo, can seem like a singular pursuit because after all, we are on our own journeys. In budo, one of the most prolific realizations that a person can have is that everyone suffers. A year ago today, we got to learn this lesson painfully when one of our students, Michael Stinson, took his own life. Sadly, most of us never knew the extent to which he was suffering. Michael was one of those behind-the-scenes types of guys who was always friendly, respectful and kind. Most people don’t know that Michael designed a lot of the things for the dojo like our website and newsletter. It’s easy to get caught up in our own BS and overlook the people around us especially when they are accomplished. Training is supposed to teach us to be in the moment and to be mindful of ourselves and others. Michael’s passing teaches us first hand that we aren’t alone in our suffering. The antidote to suffering is kindness and compassion and they are more powerful than any weapon. Michael needed to know how much we all valued him and how important he was to so many people, but isn’t that all of us? Most of us take for granted the impact that we have on other people’s lives. Aikido training teaches us how to care for the wellbeing of our opponent, but this care doesn’t end at the edge of the mat. Every person suffers and because of that fact, they all deserve kindness and compassion, just as we do when we are suffering. We treat each other with kindness not because we are weak, but because it’s a demonstration of our true inner strength. Michael lives on in our memories and his passing teaches us to be kind to one another because we are all suffering and because all life is precious. Today’s goal: Be kind because everyone is suffering on some level. If you’re struggling, you don’t have to suffer alone. Get help, we’re all in this together. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255 Watch David Foster Wallace's excellent Kenyon College commencement speech about suffering. https://youtu.be/ms2BvRbjOYo #aikido #aikikai #hombu #dojo #budo #sensei #acladojomessage #aikidocenterla #dtla #dtlaartsdistrict #littletokyo #budoquotes

Giving Tuesday The Art of Peace begins with you. Work on yourself and your appointed task in the Art of Peace. Everyone has a spirit that can be refined, a body that can be trained in some manner, a suitable path to follow. You are here to realize your inner divinity and manifest your innate enlightenment. Foster peace in your own life and then apply the Art to all that you encounter. - Morihei Ueshiba Merry Christmas!... Christmas is upon us. We, at the Aikido Center of Los Angeles and the Furuya Foundation, hope that all is well and that you are staying healthy. Today, we release Volume Four of Furuya Sensei’s Art of Aikido Video series. We hope that you enjoy his video series. If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody. Chinese Proverb This holiday season, the cases in LA are surging and many small businesses are in need of help. Many of them are struggling. If you have the means, please steer your business to them this holiday season. As part of Giving Tuesday, please donate to your favorite charity or social program. The Aikido Center of Los Angeles and the Furuya Foundation support these charitable organizations to name a few: Little Tokyo Service Center Terasaki Budokan Zenshuji Soto Mission Higashi Hongwanji Nishi Hongwanji Karate-tori ryote-mochi - two hand grip Ryote-tori - two hand hold Practicing serenity Reigi-saho - etiquette in the dojo Koshinage - hip throw Words of a Zen Master Words of Yamaoka Tesshu, swordsman #aikido #aikikai #hombu #dojo #budo #kenshofuruya #acladojomessage #aikidocenterla #dtla #dtlaartsdistrict #littletokyo #givingtuesday2020 https://youtu.be/-zb099Gwmew

Aiki Dojo Message - Warriors Enjoy Being Sore Mukashi no tsurugi, ima no nagatana Once a sword, now a vegetable knife... Warriors aren’t complacent. Short-term soreness is a sign of growth as the muscle micro-tears and is reborn stronger and healthier. Warriors love to be sore, but this soreness isn’t masochism. This soreness is the soreness that comes after a good training session. Normal people don’t like pain, but martial artists aren’t normal people. Martial artists are people of character and they believe in the power of doing. Soreness is a sign that we cared enough about ourselves and our craft to put in the work. The only people who don’t get sore are those that don’t really apply themselves. When a person gets out of shape, they lose their effectiveness and when that happens, the Japanese say, Once a sword, now a vegetable knife. Regardless of who we are, with age, our mind, body and skill are in a steady state of decline. I once read a study that a professional athlete begins to lose conditioning after 10 days of inactivity. The average age of a professional athlete is 33. I wonder how quickly a person who is 50 or 60 begins to lose conditioning or how easy it is to become a vegetable knife. In class, we are supposed to push ourselves to our physical limits so that we can grow. If we are not pushing ourselves, we are not growing. We push ourselves so that we can be effective when the time comes and that comes with a bit of soreness. Furuya Sensei used to refer to this mentality as, Cry in the dojo, laugh on the battlefield. Soreness is what a martial artist uses to temper the sword of their character. A regular person can procrastinate, but a warrior doesn’t have the luxury of tomorrow. The only true path is paved with effort and the reward for that work is soreness. Soreness brings us back to the now and reminds us that we are still alive or that we are still a sharp sword. Warriors enjoy being sore because they won’t accept complacency. Today’s goal: Realize that soreness is a privilege only afforded to the living. Enjoy it, it’s a sign that you are still alive. Watch this video about complacency: https://youtu.be/2QnsEebXhBs Read other Aiki Dojo Messages here: www.aikidocenterla.com/blog #aikido #aikikai #hombu #dojo #budo #sensei #acladojomessage #aikidocenterla #dtla #dtlaartsdistrict #littletokyo #budoquotes

Aiki Dojo Message - Winter Kindness Shinsetsuna kotoba hitotsu de san-kagetsu ni wataru fuyu no kikan One kind word can warm for three winter months... Welcome to Winter Solstice. The winters in Japan can be quite arduous. It the past, Japan was an agrarian culture and so if one did not prepare themselves properly, they would suffer and possibly perish. The country is small and the winters are harsh so the Japanese people have to work together. When we are in a bind, we need the kindness of others to survive. In Japanese, a popular idiom is Nasake ni hamukau yaiba nashi or that There is no blade which can oppose kindness. No matter who we are, how rich or powerful, we all need kindness. None of us would survive without it. In Aikido training, we rely on the kindness of our partner to not exploit the fact that we give them our bodies to train with. We throw our partners or pin them only with the adequate amount of power or strength. Without this care or kindness a person would surely get hurt in training. Nobody wants to get hurt and nobody wants to go home in an ambulance. Martial art training helps us to realize that anyone can be brutal or a bully - it is easy, but only a real person of character can be kind. The Japanese proverb, One kind word can warm for three winter months reminds us that every person is, on some level, dealing with some stuff. When we are wrestling with our own stuff we sometimes act inappropriately or without care or concern for others. Sometimes all a person needs is a kind word to help them get out of a funk. Our winter seems like it has been going on for more than nine months now and doesn’t seem to be letting up. Kind words are needed now more than ever. A true warrior’s weapon isn’t their sword but their kind words and benevolent actions. Today’s goal: Give someone a kind word when they least expect it. Watch this video to understand the science of kindness: https://youtu.be/O9UByLyOjBM Read more Aiki Dojo messages here: www.aikidocenterla.com/blog #aikido #aikikai #hombu #dojo #budo #sensei #acladojomessage #aikidocenterla #dtla #dtlaartsdistrict #littletokyo #budoquotes

Throwback Thursday - Merry Christmas [Eve] Reverend Kensho Furuya Sensei posted this to his Daily Message on December 25, 2002. Every year at this time, we all say the same things about Peace and Giving and Compassion, yet, we see the world has hardly changed and there is still so much fighting, war, violence and suffering. We are NOT doing a good job here on Earth. Wake up!... I was surprised this Christmas when I opened a few presents. One student presented me with a very unusual shaped package, all nicely wrapped, and told me that I would really like it and that the dojo could use it for many years. I was very curious so I opened it first. When I saw what it was, I was so surprised. It was a nice pair of scissors! Actually, when I first saw them, I was shocked. In Japanese culture, we never give "edged" presents such as scissors or knives as a gift. It is considered unlucky. Scissors mean to cut off one's ties or friendship. So initially, I was surprised to receive such a present. Actually, I shouldn't be surprised at all. Recently, at the Year End Cleaning, our cheap pair of scissors broke. Very nice present indeed! Still I was surprised at first and then I laughed when I remembered my Zen master. Many years ago, on his return from Japan, he brought all of us presents. When we opened them, we all got a pair of scissors and were shocked. What was our Zen master thinking? Was he leaving us? Such an inauspicious gift can’t be good! He looked at our surprised expressions and began to laugh. He was up to his old tricks. He explained: "The scissors, of course, are bad luck so I wanted to see your surprised faces with my joke, but when you look at them from a different perspective, scissors mean "good luck," not bad luck. We were all a little puzzled. He continued, "The scissors are only useful when TWO blades are connected and work together. Therefore, the scissors mean that we must stick together in order to do good. Indeed, the scissors is a symbol of good luck and friendship and not the end of it. Merry Christmas!!!!! Read this post or other message posts here: Dojo Message www.aikidocenterla.com/blog #aikido #aikikai #hombu #dojo #budo #sensei #acladojomessage #aikidocenterla #dtla #dtlaartsdistrict #littletokyo #budoquotes #kenshofuruya

Throwback Thursday - Our Lives Reverend Kensho Furuya Sensei posted this to his Daily Message on October 19, 2003. In Aikido, we talk so much about balance but realize very little what a truly profound concept this is and how important it is in our Lives. In Aikido, we chit-chat about ki () but do not realize how important it really is to feel and appreciate it in every action and thought in our Lives. We talk about harmony all of the time but do not realize how vital this ...is to our Lives and the world - take a look at what is going on around the world today with all of the war and destruction. There is a lot more in our Aikido than we realize at first. Study and practice hard to unveil all of its mysteries. Photo: Douglas Firestone taking ukemi for Furuya Sensei Read this post or other message posts here: Dojo Message www.aikidocenterla.com/blog #aikido #aikikai #hombu #dojo #budo #sensei #acladojomessage #aikidocenterla #dtla #dtlaartsdistrict #littletokyo #budoquotes #kenshofuruya

Aiki Dojo Message - Warriors Surround Themselves with Greatness Issho ko nari bankotsu karu 1000 die to raise one hero to fame ... Warriors know that greatness is not achieved in a vacuum. There’s a saying in Japanese, 1000 die to raise one hero to fame. One meaning of this proverb is that no one can achieve mastery by themselves. In the dojo, there are two unwritten principles: you must train hard and everyone must work together. The first rule is obvious as budo is supposed to be egalitarian and so those that put in the work will get good. Secondly, a dojo is a community where we are taught to set ourselves aside and put others or the greater good first. We see this regard for others in the daily cleaning of the dojo. We also see this other mindedness when we assume the role as uke () or the one who receives the technique. In training, the uke voluntarily gives their body to their partner so that they can attain mastery. The act of giving enables us to practice selflessness. The act of receiving also enables the nage () or doer to practice compassion, kindness and self-restraint. People training hard while putting others first creates a powerful symbiotic community of change. If a person wants to change their circumstances, the fastest way to do that is to change their community. In Japanese they say, When the character of a person isn’t clear, look at their friends. Who we choose to surround ourselves with says a lot about who we are. The adage, one bad apple spoils the bunch works both ways as the people with whom we surround ourselves with can either help us or hurt us. In my experience, those who became the best were those who put others first. Budo understands that we are all in this together and so in order to be the change that we want to see in the world, we have to first surround ourselves with those who are modeling that change. The paradox of budo is that the only way to true mastery is through helping others and that’s why it takes 1000 people to help us achieve our greatness and that’s why greatness isn’t achieved in a vacuum. Today’s goal: Who are you choosing to associating with? Are they helping you or hurting you? Watch: https://youtu.be/6GTnKW_rIxU #aikido #aikikai #hombu #dojo #budo #sensei #acladojomessage #aikidocenterla #dtla #dtlaartsdistrict #littletokyo #budoquotes

Aiki Dojo Message - There’s No Hate in Budo In order to establish heaven on earth, we need a budo that is pure in spirit, that is devoid of hatred and greed. Morihei Ueshiba The goal of budo training is to cultivate sei () which means inner peace or serenity. To have this inner quietude we need to understand hatred. Yoda once said, Fear is the path to the dark sidefear leads to angeranger leads to hatehate leads to suffering. Understanding this, the best warriors ...train themselves not to give into hate. In the old days of budo or martial arts training, hate and anger were acceptable means of motivation because training was supposed to prepare warriors for the harshness of battle. Thus, in the short term, anger and hatred can be very quick and effective means of motivation. The problem is that sooner or later hatred and anger become toxic and we end up succumbing to them. There’s a Chinese proverb that is apropos, Hatred corrodes the vessel that carries it. Anger and hatred are really just outlets for dispersing fear. Psychologist, Carol Tavris said, Depression is not 'anger turned inward'; if anything, anger is depression turned outward. Follow the trail of anger inward, and there you will find the small, still voice of pain. Reading this, we realize that hatred and anger are really forms of self-violence, but we also understand that we cannot be truly at peace if we are filled with anger and hatred. We only hate others because we hate ourselves and that’s why we train to cultivate inner peace. Likewise, if we have inner peace then naturally we are at peace with ourselves and others as well. Training teaches us how to dispatch our opponents, but the real opponent that we are defeating is ourselves. The more at peace we are, the better we are at dealing with that which confronts us. Training educates the warrior to not fall into the trap of hating others because they know who the real opponent is and that’s why we train to cultivate inner peace. Today’s goal: Cultivate inner peace and be the change you wish to see in the world - get out and vote. Watch this video of Yoda's wisdom and inner peace. https://youtu.be/2QFIoQpbULc Read other Aiki Dojo Messages here: www.aikidocenterla.com/blog #aikido #aikikai #hombu #dojo #budo #sensei #acladojomessage #aikidocenterla #dtla #dtlaartsdistrict #littletokyo #budoquotes

Aiki Dojo Message - Even Warriors Have Bad Habits Kanpeki muketsuna hainai Nobody’s perfect ... Warriors strive to be the best. Being the best isn’t a destination but an idea. It’s an idea because there are varying degrees of what makes something or someone the best & so best is merely a qualitative state. Being the best doesn’t mean being perfect or without fault & oftentimes what makes something the best sometimes lies in its imperfection or wabi-sabi in Japanese. This idea of embracing imperfection is something that we learn & is reinforced in training. The teacher demonstrates an ideal, students strive to perfect it, teachers correct them & the cycle goes round & round. At some point, hopefully, the student realizes that there’s no way to truly make the technique perfect & they learn to accept what they can do & what they can’t. To be good at budo lies in simply doing one’s best - not in being perfect. Voltaire said, Perfect is the enemy of good. In Kendo, one’s gaze is supposed to be enzan no metsuke () or Focusing your gaze on a distant mountain. Thus maintaining our focus on the ideal rather than achieving it is what leads us to mastery. To be the best, we must focus on being the best. Focusing enables us to not get hung up on the mishaps or being perfect. Perfection only leads to burnout, frustration or quitting. Allowing or accepting our bad habits enables us to accept ourselves for who we are. Our bodies may not move exactly like the teacher’s but we can still move with a sense of confidence, fluidity & grace & this is achieved with acceptance. This isn’t to say that we just go crazy & give into every vice. We still have to keep our feet on the ground & our gaze on the distant mountain. No one can be the best 100% of the time. Being the best lies in accepting ourselves - the good & the bad. Even warriors have bad habits, but despite them they still focus on being the best. Today’s goal: Habits make you, you. Don’t be so hard on yourself - nobody’s perfect. Watch this Ted Talk to understand habits. https://youtu.be/OMbsGBlpP30 Queen and David Bowie’s Under Pressure is an example of how two people’s explosive personalities can create something great. https://youtu.be/YoDh_gHDvkk Read other Aiki Dojo Messages here: www.aikidocenterla.com/blog #aikido #aikikai #hombu #budo #sensei #acladojomessage #aikidocenterla #dtla #dtlaartsdistrict #littletokyo #budoquotes

Aiki Dojo Message - A Warrior Stands Their Ground Nuitara saigo Draw your sword because this is the end ... A warrior stands their ground. When I was a student, I felt like Furuya Sensei was overly strict on me and I always felt singled out. To me, training in his strict dojo was a gaman taikai () or test of wills and for many years, I felt discouraged and wanted to quit. Training is supposed to teach us character and how to stand up to what’s confronting us. There’s a saying in Japanese which is apropos: Nanakorobi yaoki () or Fall down seven times, get up eight. Every day in Aikido class, we get to practice getting back up after being thrown down. We aren’t supposed to get mad or take it personally, but just get up and get ready to be thrown again and hopefully do it with a smile. In theory, it’s easy, but in practice when someone just crushed us it can be much harder. When things get tough and things aren’t going our way, it’s easy to just quit and look for something more palatable or less ego crushing. It’s much harder to draw our sword and stand our ground. When we are cornered and up against insurmountable odds, we are supposed to fight with all our might and never give up. Fearing that warrior spirit, Sun Tzu advocated, Never put your enemy into a corner. Many students with great potential have come into the dojo, but sadly leave because they didn’t have the warrior spirit to stay the course when things got tough. In the dojo and in life, our trials and tribulations are testing our conviction and character and they are supposed to be hard because they forging us. Instead of automatically quitting, we should take some time, rest and look inward and reevaluate. This respite will give us the wherewithal to either leave or stand our ground. How long we hold out, especially when things aren’t going our way, speaks volumes about our integrity, character and commitment and that’s why a warrior stands their ground. Today’s goal: The artist, Banksy wrote, If you get tired, learn to rest, not to quit. Don’t give up, stand your ground. Watch this motivational video: https://youtu.be/41Zjh3AirjU Watch Tom Petty sing I won't back down: https://youtu.be/nvlTJrNJ5lA Read other Aiki Dojo Messages here: www.aikidocenterla.com/blog #aikido #aikikai #hombu #dojo #budo #sensei #acladojomessage #aikidocenterla #dtla #dtlaartsdistrict #littletokyo #budoquotes

Throwback Thursday - Knowing Reverend Kensho Furuya posted this to his Daily Message on May 10, 2003. In our view, we tend to think knowing and doing are the same functions but in Japanese traditional martial arts, they indeed are not. "Knowing" something does not mean we can do it, and visa versa. We understand them separately and eventually bring them together to create true knowing. Knowing something, but not being able to accomplish it (do) is not considered ...knowing at all. Watch this video of Sensei being interviewed. https://youtu.be/ZpV8jsmzXoE Read this post or other message posts here: Dojo Message www.aikidocenterla.com/blog #aikido #aikikai #hombu #dojo #budo #sensei #acladojomessage #aikidocenterla #dtla #dtlaartsdistrict #littletokyo #budoquotes #kenshofuruya

Aiki Dojo Message - A Warrior Thinks Of Others Yaiba ni tsuyoki mono wa rei ni suguru The best warriors surpass all others in decorum... The word samurai () means the one who serves. To truly be of service is to be selfless. Letting go of the self is supposed to be one of the highest teachings or levels in budo training. Reverend Kensho Furuya had to leave Japan and return to the US when he heard that his grandfather was terminally ill. When he arrived home, his grandfather was on his hands and knees changing out his grass for Dichondra which is a green plant that looks like grass but never needs to be mowed. Sensei asked him whyand his grandfather replied, Dichondra is easier to take care of than grass and I don’t want your grandmother to have to work too hard when I am gone. Sensei recounted this story and thought that it was very samurai because on the eve of his grandfather’s passing, he thought of someone other than himself and did not want to burden anyone after his death. Sometimes, a samurai would burn incense in their helmet before a battle. It was customary to cut the head off of a downed opponent as proof of one’s participation and prowess on the battlefield. Cutting someone’s head off is a messy business and so the smell of incense was a gift or moment of pleasantry among all the messiness of an unpleasant act. The reason why a samurai tries to be of service is to teach themselves selflessness because as the unknown authored quote goes, How you do anything is how you do everything. That’s one of the theories behind Aikido practice. Each person takes a turn being uke or the one who receives the technique. Acting as the uke, our partner acts as the opponent and willing gives us their body to train with. In doing so, they practice and reinforce this idea of non-violence and selflessness. Warriors are people of character who always think of others first. Anyone can be selfish or self-centered, but only a strong person can be selfless and serve others. Today’s goal: Be strong. Don’t make it about you, make it about the other person. Watch: https://youtu.be/mTsvSAItPqA Read other Aiki Dojo Messages here: www.aikidocenterla.com/blog #aikido #aikikai #hombu #dojo #budo #sensei #acladojomessage #aikidocenterla #dtla #dtlaartsdistrict #littletokyo #budoquotes #kenshofuruya

Aiki Dojo Message - Warriors Learn From Their Mistakes "We learn little from victory, much from defeat." Japanese proverb Warriors love mistakes, everyone else hates them. Shoshitsu Sen XV once wrote, When you follow the Way of Tea, no matter how you think you may disgrace yourself, it will not be taken as disgrace or shame. Make mistakes, be rebuked, stand corrected and learn. The grandmaster’s words ring true for budo as well. Mistakes are just errors in judgement and mos...t of them are benign and hopefully don’t result in catastrophe. Teachers are supposed to point out where we have made mistakes so that we can improve. The problem with making mistakes and being corrected is that most people take it personally. In the past, training was supposed to help students develop thick skins and desensitize them to the pain, hardship and cruelty of battle and life. If they could endure the training, many students realized their own potential and became successes in their regular lives. I remember one student who drove a taxi and after achieving black belt under Furuya Sensei, he realized that he could do anything he set his mind to and went to medical school and became a doctor. Later, he became resentful of Sensei’s strict discipline and left not realizing that learning to deal with Sensei’s strictness was the reason why he became successful in the first place. Nobody wants to make mistakes but warriors know that mistakes can show them where they need to put in the work and that’s why Sensei always used to say, Cry in the dojo, laugh on the battlefield. Learning to not take it personally enables us to make mistakes constructively which enables us to grow and improve and ultimately become successful. Taking things personally only makes us resentful and prevents us from using mistakes as guides in our training. Thus, it’s not about making mistakes, but in how we deal with them that is important. Mistakes are just mistakes. Make mistakes, learn from it and use them to make yourself better. Warriors learn from mistakes. Today’s goal: When you make a mistake, don’t take it personally - just learn from it. Watch: https://youtu.be/Xmvpx1kIEBQ Read other Aiki Dojo Messages here: www.aikidocenterla.com/blog #aikido #aikikai #hombu #dojo #budo #sensei #acladojomessage #aikidocenterla #dtla #dtlaartsdistrict #littletokyo #budoquotes

Check out the Tera Budo Terasaki Budokan’s virtual celebration. This project was something that Reverend Kensho Furuya was involved in from the beginning. We are proud that it is finally coming into fruition. Check out Michael Van Ruth doing Iaido and other students from the dojo demonstrating Aikido. We can’t wait for this to open. #aikido #karate #kendo #iaido #budo #dtlaartsdistrict #littletokyo

Aiki Dojo Message - A Warrior Masters The Basics The other day, someone asked me to explain about how one would take their opponent’s center and how they could use their opponent’s ki () or energy against them. I politely explained that before all of those advanced things, they should first master the basic movements or kihon-waza. I don’t know if he understood me or not. The reason why students should master the basic physical movements first is because those movemen...ts form the basis of being able to use their opponent’s ki or take their opponent’s center. If we don’t master the physical movements then we will only be using physical strength or speed which will eventually fade as we get older and thus we will always succumb to someone younger, stronger or faster. Discussing Kendo as one ages, Moriji Mochida, Kendo 10th Dan said, It took my body 50 years to learn the basics of Kendo. After I reached the age of 50, that’s where the real training began. This is because I finally began to practice Kendo with my mind and heart. When you reach 60, your legs and hips begin to weaken. You learn to conquer these weaknesses with your mind and heart. At age 70, your entire body begins to refuse to moving. This is when you learn how to not use your mind or heart. If you do not use your heart, your opponent’s heart becomes a mirror of your own. Reading this, it seems that different physical difficulties arise in each decade and so before we reach a certain age, we need to have mastered certain things. If we don’t, those things will echo into our future and cause us trouble. That’s why we should strive to master the physical movements first before we get into the more advanced techniques. Just like painting or cooking, everything in life is a process and like all processes we need to follow the steps in order to achieve mastery. That is why the best warriors first master the basics. Today’s goal: If you find that you are having a hard time, just go back to the basics. Watch Tada Sensei talk about the basics here: https://youtu.be/mywxAJ5WfR8?t=481 Read other Aiki Dojo Messages here: www.aikidocenterla.com/blog #aikido #aikikai #hombu #dojo #budo #sensei #acladojomessage #aikidocenterla #dtla #dtlaartsdistrict #littletokyo #budoquotes

Throwback Thursday - Relationships Furuya Sensei posted this to his Daily Message on April 4, 2003. There is nothing more blessed than to live a simple life, work hard and have a few good friends. This is the way I think nowadays. Maybe it is my age and I am getting old, but looking over everything I have done - I think this is what I value the most. We can make ourselves very busy and try to do everything we can but we only get weary and bored. If we don't work hard we cann...ot even realize our smallest dream. People always come and go in our lives but it is those friends who are always there by our side that make the biggest difference of all. We focus on money - one day we are rich and the next day we are poor. We focus on fame - but people soon forget who we are as soon as we can no longer entertain and amuse them. Our fancy car gets scratched and old and is soon worth nothing. What do most people want in this life? I think most people do not know for themselves. In Zen, there is an old saying, "The treasure sword is in your hand." We hold a great treasure without even realizing it! Read more about Furuya Sensei here: http://www.aikidocenterla.com/kenshofuruya Read this post or other message posts here: Dojo Message www.aikidocenterla.com/blog #aikido #aikikai #hombu #dojo #budo #sensei #acladojomessage #aikidocenterla #dtla #dtlaartsdistrict #littletokyo #budoquotes #kenshofuruya

Aiki Dojo Message - A Warrior Finds Weak Points Warriors are adept at finding weak points. One of the things training teaches us is to recognize patterns. Within patterns are rhythms and like all rhythms there are highs and lows. The high is where the opponent’s defenses are the strongest. The low is where there is a suki () or an opening because the opponent’s defenses are the weakest. The repetitiousness of training allows the student to get into a flow state which is ak...in to a meditative state and when this happens the brain begins programming the techniques into their subconscious. Subconscious or unconscious programming is used to create what we would call kan () or intuitivemovement in Japanese. We use kan to deal with an attack but it’s also used to intuitively recognize when there’s an opening to attack. With subconscious programming, our bodies learn to move without conscious thought which is supposed to be faster. To illustrate this point, on average conscious action takes 500 milliseconds and subconscious reaction takes 12 milliseconds. The more repetitious training we do, the stronger our subconscious reaction becomes. At some point in training, we get adept at reading our opponent’s patterns and using that information to defeat them. With experience, we also begin to realize that the true enemy lies within and then we then turn our discriminating eye inward so that we can see the patterns which are holding us back. Each of us do things consciously or unconsciously which are helping us and hurting us. The trick is in knowing the difference and breaking the habits that are keeping us from being successful or happy. O’Sensei referred to defeating ourselves as masakatsu agatsu or The truest victory is over one’s self. Warriors are good at finding weak points but, in life and in training, the real weak points that we are searching for are our own. Today’s goal: Look for your habitual patterns or weak points and change the one’s which are holding you back. Watch: https://youtu.be/-FkAiSGSFJE Read other Aiki Dojo Messages here: www.aikidocenterla.com/blog #aikido #aikikai #hombu #dojo #budo #sensei #acladojomessage #aikidocenterla #dtla #dtlaartsdistrict #littletokyo #budoquotes