Fujita Sensei Seminar in NZ

An invitation to AKI Aust to join this seminar saw 3 AKI members from Balmain attend the seminar hosted by Auckland Aikikai, at a scout camp facility on the shores of Manukau Harbour on October 27/28th. We were also fortunate to attend Mt Eden (AKL Aikikai) dojo on the Thursday prior to camp for Fujita Sensei’s class.

Fujita Sensei’s instruction was precise and focused on taisabaki and maai- (body movement & distance). He also performed many variations of traditional waza especially based on the backward stretching movement. Very interesting! He emphasized the importance of “ Yahazu “. Which means the notch in the end of the arrow where it butts onto the string.

“ 矢筈　the edge part of the arrow “

This is an unusual and old term but allowed some wonderful insights as he said that the hand should be positioned as if it was ‘yahazu’.,That is, the space between the forefinger and thumb, should be in position already and the part of ‘uke’s’ anatomy ( such as wrist in nikkyo or neck in irimi nage etc) was brought to that notch where control could then be exerted. Hence the combination of ‘taisabaki, maai and yahazu’ created the foundation of competent technique. Fujita Sensei also had many anecdotes about his time as a deshi to Osensei and his warm and jovial manner was inclusive to all.

The hospitality and friendship shown to us by Rosso Sensei and his AKL Aikikai members was exceptional. They really set a high standard of consideration and hospitality. The food and accommodation far exceeded any expectations and we three agreed that we were truly humbled by their kindness. All international guests, regardless of grade were presented with a beautiful certificate of attendance signed by Rosso Sensei and Fujita Sensei as well as each person receiving a hand carved greenstone pendant. Their generosity was remarkable and touched us all. We were all made to feel very special.
This gasshuku also allowed us to meet aikido practitioners from Australia, New Zealand and Tahiti clubs. The head of Tahiti Aikikai, Andre, was a true gentleman and energetic beyond his years. Usually with all gasshuku there tends to be one or two who one prefers not to partner due to different approaches but at this event this was insignificant. Sunday afternoon after training, many of us retired to the Waiwera Hot Springs just north of Auckland to soak away the sore muscles and spend the last bit of adrenalin on the hot water slides. Now they were a blast!

The three of us then spent the next 3 days traveling to Rotorua for a Sledge experience down a river and soaking in natural hot springs, hot creeks and even a hot waterfall. All in the bush! Everyday was another hot springs. Hire car split 3 ways was ridiculously cheap for the week and accommodation was log cabins in motor camps (which were only $25 /person per night and absolutely perfectly maintained and in full bloom due to spring time).
I can strongly recommend and in fact encourage any aikidoka to put AKL Aikikai gasshuku on your calendar and see a bit of NZ very cheaply. In fact I hope to gather a few people for next year.

I sincerely thank Rosso Sensei and his yudansha, especially Stefan, Rhonda, Billy and Kelly, for their friendship and assistance. We had a great time because they applied Osensei’s wish for Aikido to be a means to draw people together. They did so with sincerity and consideration and a real joy.
Steve Seymour

Neutral Bay Dojo New Location

Impressions at Neutral Bay dojo
At the beginning of 2007, our dojo moved locations. We had been in North Sydney for 18 months in a wonderful, newly refurbished dance studio. Now, we train in a church hall at St. John’s Uniting Church in Neutral Bay. The church is quiet and very spacious. The surroundings provide a calming, peaceful and relaxing atmosphere. We have even turned off all the lights in the church and trained in candlelight. What a difference this makes to the mood in the dojo!

Our membership has doubled since the beginning of the year. The Neutral Bay area has strong community links and we have a lot more local influence in the mix of members. Most people that have joined the club this year have no previous exposure to a martial art.

Our new location also has an especially deep spiritual association for me. It was in this church that I married Mary-Anne, so it’s not only in aikido that circular movements occur. An added connection is that the Minister who married us, Trevor Jennings, brings his children, Liam and Gabriella, to kid’s class. My children, Francesca and Justin, continue to train in aikido and they bring their friends along from Neutral Bay Public School which is only two blocks away.

These are my impressions of Neutral Bay to date. Everyone sees aikido differently. From beginner to advanced student to parents of children, it’s interesting to read how others view the aiki way.

Jason Nyilas

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Two of my children began Aikido at the beginning of February and love attending. They like the balancing and dodging games with the Pilates balls in particular. It is such fun watching my five year old daughter squeal with absolute delight as she participates fully in every activity. Where have her traces of shyness gone to?

Having a Dojo in the setting of a church building is a wonderful blending of cultures and a symbol of the diversity which makes living in Australia such a rich experience. The ambience of the peaceful setting compliments very much what I understand to be some of the rationale behind Aikido: that of responding to violence with non violence which goes hand in hand with the teachings and practices of Jesus Christ, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King and others. It also points forward to the hope that one day all human beings will live together in peace and harmony.

Trevor Jennings (Minister, St. John's Uniting Church, Neutral Bay)

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I was first introduced to Aikido by Jason. I have had a chronic lower back problem for many years and Jason felt that Aikido would help my situation. I was slightly sceptical when I attended my first session: the way that people were falling, being thrown and rolling all over the dojo made me more concerned that I would cause myself injury rather than alleviate my problem. But over the following months, and now years, my back has become far less of an issue. It's not cured it but it has certainly helped.

However, even though I started Aikido purely from a health perspective I have taken away far more than a physical improvement. The variety of people from all sorts of backgrounds that train in the dojos is amazing. The art of Aikido can be and is practised together by people at very different levels of ability. There is little, if any, ego on the mat and training is done at the pace of an individual. It is not a 'macho' one-on-one competition with a winner and loser. It is a journey of learning for the individual but one that is undertaken with the wider group. It is martial art, but it is far more. To really understand this you must come along and experience; not only what happens on the mat, but also the deep friendships that blossom whilst having a quiet drink afterwards with everyone.

Richard Morgan

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Having never been involved in a martial art and a little past my prime, I was intrigued to come across Aikido with a philosophy of non-aggressive physical training combined with a stimulating mental purpose. Finding the dojo was easy, and although I was a bit nervous on my first night the group were cheerful, welcoming and supportive of a complete novice. Neutral Bay dojo has a calm, friendly and learning atmosphere that welcomes students of all levels. Since attending my first session, I look forward to the classes each week and it is with disappointment that I miss one.

I have found aikido something that allows physical exertion and focused training without attempted to shape and mould a person directly and which provides a form of meditation through movement.

Ben Clohesy

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I'm also a new comer to Aikido, and was persuaded that this might be a good way to help strengthen my back and ankle, whilst learning about self-defence. I've never been in a fight, and regularly upgrade my Reeboks, which would be my first line of defence if I were to find myself in an unpleasant situation, but it has been fascinating watching how balance and timing is far more effective than brute strength.

This particular dojo is very friendly with a few very experienced folk who are generous with their advice and help. I usually find I've had quite a stress free, low impact work out by the end of a session - more than you would expect from first observations.

Mark Edmonds

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If anyone had predicted a year ago that I would be positively looking forward to physical training twice a week - let alone a 'martial art' – I would have laughed (politely) in their face. But then, so much about aikido, and the Neutral Bay dojo, is unexpected... The quieting atmosphere created by training in a church space. The intuitive, flowing and utterly uncompetitive style of teaching - and learning. The almost immediate growth in my own sense of physical awareness and competence. (Not to mention being able to touch my forehead to my kneecaps for the first time in many, many years. Not on everyone's 'To do' list, perhaps, but there you go.) The rare mix of respect and good fellowship in the relationships. The way two hours on the mat just flies by. And that strange and wonderful thing whereby the more tired, reluctant and fed up you feel at the end of a working day – the better you feel after aikido!

To me, aikido is a bit like jazz. Or a bit like dancing the tango. The underlying culture is rich, the technique fascinating and the practice (no doubt) rewarding. But the best moments are when you surrender to the flow of it; when discipline gives way to freedom; when everything comes together in movements so effortless - and so effective - that you almost have to laugh... And I'm only a beginner. I don't know if those moments of joy and surprise lessen with time. I hope not.

Claire Wright

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Apart from all the usual reasons for taking up a martial art (self defence, fitness, confidence building, fun) I have a specific interest: I'm onto the idea that as humans, we are not as separate from one another (or as independent) as we think. I'm investigating the possibility that what we notice about ourselves is only a fraction of what we actually are. More interestingly, that a part of us of which we are unaware, is in fact the same in us all.

I believe that Aikido offers an ideal environment in which to explore this territory. In the dojo, we work together to investigate techniques that have remarkable outcomes. Although only a beginner, I have quickly found that it really is possible to safely subdue an attacker by using an almost imperceivable amount energy. This is mostly achieved by focusing the mind, instead of resorting to muscle power.

They say that when the student is ready, the teacher will come. Each time I leave the dojo, I reflect on what I have learned from different people in the group. I have come to see them all as my teachers, operating under Jason's skilful guidance. Jason manages to bring something new to each training session, and always calmly maintains a friendly and supportive environment with plenty of humour. The needs of each person never seem to escape his attention.

That the dojo is located in a place purposed for spiritual development, is for me most appropriate. I grew up next door to a church but never once attended it, nor any other. I have come to be broad minded about religion, and have found ways that I can talk to people of different religious persuasions by translating their symbols into ones that I can relate to. It is nice to finally find myself in a church, pursuing my own spiritual development.

Steve Schofield

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I decided to try Aikido for no better reason than the first session was held in a studio next to my flat and a friend dragged me along. I thought I would give it a try and see what it was all about. A year and a half later I am still going. I am still going because of the fascination that comes from learning Aikido; it is not like any other martial art I have tried. It is subtle - strength and size do not get you anywhere. So far it has taught me a lot about my balance and movement, although I feel that I have only just scratched the surface of what there is to learn.
I am also still going because I greatly enjoy the company of the other people who go the dojo. From my first session everyone has been very welcoming and happy to put up with my clumsy attempts to learn moves. It makes learning the art a joy.
If anyone else is mildly curious about Aikido I would definitely recommend coming along for an evening. Like me, you might suddenly find a new passion.
Chris Pearson

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Jason and Andrew do a great job teaching us newbies. I think Aikido is the most practical martial art to learn in today's environment.

”To injure an opponent is to injure yourself. To control aggression without inflicting injury is Aikido.” Morihei Ueshiba.

Dave Ferguson

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I discovered Aikido when I was living in Auckland for two years. I was looking for a self defence course and the only sport I had ever done was some yoga. Aikido has a similar spiritual component to yoga and I like its circular flowing style. I love coming to Aikido because it has a spiritual peacefulness, improves my strength, flexibility, coordination and reaction time. The people are interesting, great to work with and lots of fun; on the mat and socially. In Auckland I trained in Riai Aikido with Senseis Henry Lynch, Mike Ashwell and Danny McIntyre. When I returned to Sydney to live I was pleased to be able to train with Jason, who had trained in Riai Aikido with Henry Lynch in Wellington years ago so he is familiar with the Riai style. It’s interesting the circular trans-Tasman connections.

Astrid King

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When I was young I once saw a short film about Aikido on TV. I remember thinking how elegant and graceful it looked; almost dervish-like in the way the black belts appeared to float around the dojo. Perhaps I unconsciously made a mental note at the time to one day practice it. Well years have passed since then and strangely I now find myself in Aikido class every week. But even better I am with a group of similarly minded souls all on the same journey because ultimately it's not about self-defence at all - I believe it's really about the discovery of self and raising your own level of self-awareness. It's a slow process and there have been many stumbles and falls (literally) along the way but I feel that I am now at the stage of perhaps beginning to understand what Aikido is all about.

John Ivanac

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The thing that appeals to me most about Aikido is its philosophy of non violence, and the way students are taught to use their attacker’s energy to disarm their opponents. There is also care taken not to harm the attacker, to ensure they are not injured by the student’s efforts to diffuse the attack.

In so much popular culture, it seems revenge and violence are often presented as a way of solving problems. It is refreshing and affirming to see such respect for human life. I have enjoyed helping out during the children’s classes, and seeing their confidence and concentration improve. The games are great fun for all of us and teach the children to co-operate with each other in order to win.

Mary-Anne Nyilas

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At first when I started Aikido I found it very difficult, but when I was shown how to do the rolls and techniques properly I found it more enjoyable! Now, I have practiced Aikido for three years and I am a blue belt. Now that I know the basics in Aikido, I have moved on and I am doing more difficult techniques and rolls. They are very challenging, but fun at the same time. At Aikido, we also have fun games to play after we have done all the serious stuff.

Aikido, after all is a non-violent marital art, which basically teaches you how to defend yourself from others.

At the end of the day, I enjoy Aikido and I look forward to going to class to learn more difficult stuff.

Francesca Nyilas (10 years old)

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I’ve done Aikido for almost two years and I enjoy it. In Aikido I like learning defence techniques such as ikkyo and playing games such as tip and dodge ball. Also, I like the fact that there is no violence. It is very peaceful.

Justin Nyilas (8 years old)

A salute to Stephen Seymour Sensei - 5th Dan

Stephen Seymour was awarded his 5th Dan by the Doshu at a ceremony at Hombu in Tokyo Japan this 14th January. With usual humility, he kept this momentous event very very secret, but the Aikido world is very small and eventually all such secrets get out. So while he would not be so keen to see the achievement celebrated on a personal level - it is an achievement which celebrates and acknowledges both his contribution and the ongoing contribution of Aikido Kenkyukai.

Such a grade is about more than just technical excellence, which he certainly has, but is reflective of the dedication to the art over many years. He has been tireless in his pursuit of the art and extraordinarily generous in the time and commitment to anyone and all who are interested in 'finding their way'.

Steve often tells the story of about Stewart asking Takeda Sensei what should the grading panel be looking for when they are grading students. The answer Takeda Sensei was said to have given was a simple and single word, 'change'. No doubt this 'change' is about continual improvement in technique, hara, awareness and focus as well as spirit. However, perhaps we can consider another element and that is the impact that one person can have on a whole community and Steve has certainly had that. He has changed the lives of nearly everyone he has met on the mat for the better - especially of all those who have trained at Balmain Dojo.

In Australia, in our causal and knockabout way, we don't often stick to the full forms of dojo etiquette. We don't 'Hai Sensei!' and 'oous' with every bow and breath, but that doesn't mean that we don't respect our teachers. While we don't often call him Sensei, for many of us, especially those from Balmain, Steve is truly our Sensei to the very essence of the word is meant to convey.

We thank him - because of his contribution to both individuals and the group.
We salute his achievement - because it honours us all.
We honor the man - because he deserves it!

Congratulations Steve!


Louise Ingram