The Japanese martial art of Aikido (pronounced “eye-key-doe”) is a martial art unlike any other. Aikido translates as “The Way of Harmony”. It is often called “The Art of Peace” due to its philosophy of non-violence whereby an Aikido practitioner actively tries to protect an attacker from harm. Aikido teaches us how to respond to aggression with compassion, and how to resolve conflict in positive ways. There are no offensive movements such as punches or kicks, no competitions, and no-one is harmed.
Aikido practitioners blend and harmonise with opponents’ ki energy to neutralise attack, using beautiful circular and spiral movements as well as sophisticated joint locks, pins and throws. Aikido can be practised by men, women and children of any age as a form of exercise, martial art, moving meditation or spiritual practice, depending on the individual student’s goals and interests.
I’ve been a student of Aikido for 22 years now and I’ve been studying a style of Aikido known as AKI or Aikido Kenkyukai (Aikido Research Group) for the past 17 years, led by Yoshinobu Takeda Shihan in Japan. It is an inspiring and liberating style of practice that emphasises sensitivity and softness, and supplements classical Aikido technique with creative and innovative individual expression.
I made my first visit to Japan in 1998 to train with Takeda Shihan and I fell in love with the country and culture, not to mention the Aikido in his dojo! It was something else altogether. During this visit, I was invited to return and study, and so in 2000 I quit my job and I moved to Japan. I was privileged to spend the next three years living in Kamakura, a really beautiful and historic city south of Tokyo, and training intensively with Takeda Shihan and his senior students on a daily basis. It was an amazing time of my life.
I returned to Sydney in 2003 and began to share what I had learned in Japan, opening a dojo in the Bondi Pavilion. Over the years, the group has continued to grow and to attract more and more wonderful students, and we have since relocated to the inner city, to Chippendale. This year, we will celebrate our 10th anniversary and Takeda Shihan is making a special trip from Japan in November to lead the celebrations. It is a huge honour for us!
As one student pointed out, Aikido seems to appeal to the gentler, more considerate and compassionate person. The practice is very inclusive and absolutely anybody can learn. Every single person has a body that can be trained in some way. Regardless of your age or physical abilities, I welcome and encourage you to visit our dojo to watch a class and see for yourself. We currently have students as young as 3 years old up to students in their late 60s. There is no limit to training and what we can achieve together.
