Explore the anatomy of half moon pose and how it relates to the ukemi for ikkyo and iriminage.
http://www.yogajournal.com/article/beginners/half-moon-pose-2/
http://rasayogacafe.blogspot.com/2013/10/ardha-chandrasana-half-moon-pose-anatomy.html
Sunday, May 17, 2015
Sunday, May 10, 2015
Deshi Assignment: ikkyo ukemi
I searched for videos specifically focused on taking UKEMI from shomenuci ikkyo, as ukemi is our theme this month.
Surprisingly hard to find really good ukemi - nearly all the videos I found focus on nage's role.
Eventually I found one, which I thought was interesting & also a really unusual way of taking ukemi from shomenuci ikkyo, which I'd never seen before:
"feather fall" as taught by University of South Florida Aikido (Tampa Florida, http://usfaikido.com).
https://youtu.be/NvjvEVoreU4
It is clear that uke has to be really committed (with their center) to the attack, in order for this ukemi to work. Also uke needs to be fearless about heading face first into the mat!
Surprisingly hard to find really good ukemi - nearly all the videos I found focus on nage's role.
Eventually I found one, which I thought was interesting & also a really unusual way of taking ukemi from shomenuci ikkyo, which I'd never seen before:
"feather fall" as taught by University of South Florida Aikido (Tampa Florida, http://usfaikido.com).
https://youtu.be/NvjvEVoreU4
It is clear that uke has to be really committed (with their center) to the attack, in order for this ukemi to work. Also uke needs to be fearless about heading face first into the mat!
Deshi Assignment: Ikkyo and Irimi Nage (Kelly)
Ikkyo
Here's also a video of Christian Tissier doing Ikkyo from Morote tori, which we don't usually do in class so it was interesting to see it executed. What is interesting is that you would instinctively want to push using your right hand but you really just need your left hand to do all the work!
Starts off a kokyuho but turns into ikkyo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dld4spyypuU&spfreload=1
Iriminage
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgLtIUhluX0
I also like how Mary Heiny shows in this video the importance of where you are in relation to your uke (i.e. your center should stay with your uke's center). It may seem like an obvious thing but the way she demonstrated it was a good visualization of how it doesn't work when you are too close or too far.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPYRx8entzs
Here's also a video of Christian Tissier doing Ikkyo from Morote tori, which we don't usually do in class so it was interesting to see it executed. What is interesting is that you would instinctively want to push using your right hand but you really just need your left hand to do all the work!
Starts off a kokyuho but turns into ikkyo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dld4spyypuU&spfreload=1
Iriminage
Here's a video of Mitsuteru Ueshiba doing Iriminage. I think it is interesting when he brings uke around, he is also getting low. I am not sure if it's because he is short and it helps to give him more leverage?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgLtIUhluX0
I also like how Mary Heiny shows in this video the importance of where you are in relation to your uke (i.e. your center should stay with your uke's center). It may seem like an obvious thing but the way she demonstrated it was a good visualization of how it doesn't work when you are too close or too far.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPYRx8entzs
Saturday, May 9, 2015
Deshi assignment: Ikkyo (Amanda)
=======
Guy Hagen
Aikido Chuseikan of Tampa Bay
At this year’s Winter Intensive training seminar in Florida, Saotome Sensei spoke a lot about the meaning of “ikkyo”. Ito illustrate, he shared a story about a time from when he was training with the Founder, O-Sensei Morihei Ueshiba:
“O-Sensei would frequently say, ‘ikkyo whole life.’ Once, I responded, ‘Sensei – I already know ikkyo!’ O-Sensei responded, “Baka! (fool!) You not understand the deeper meaning of what I say!'”
Saotome Sensei said there is both an “omote” and “ura” meaning within O-Sensei’s statement “ikkyo whole life.” The “omote” meaning simply refers to the time it takes to learn the technical performance of the technique, and that can indeed can learned in a short period of time. However, the hidden part of the meaning is much more subtle. When O-Sensei referred to “ikkyo” he often was actually referring to approaching each opponent and each attack with a fresh mind, and with no expectation from previous training since each situation is unique, each attacker is unique, and each time an attacker strikes, her reactions and responses will probably be unique. “Ikkyo means ‘first chapter’, like the first chapter of a book.”
Although it might of been hard for many people who were listening during the seminar to catch, Saotome Sensei related the term “ikkajo” (the older name for “ikkyo”) to the Zen “Icho-go Ichi-e” (there is only now, there is only this opportunity).
I followed up with Sensei in his hotel room during lunch, and he further discussed the relationship “ikkajo” and “Ichi-go.” Always new mind. Never treat your attacker like an old wife for old husband, always treat them with fresh eyes, “Ikkyo” is a state of mind and philosophy that transcends any physical activity.
We further discussed the importance and quality of that state of mind. Sensei made a triangle of his fingers and said three words (Sensei loves puns and the accidental meaning found across homonyms)… “AtTENTION,” “inTENTION,”, “inTENSITY,” but not “tension.” He said it is a difficult paradox to summon the level of wakefulness and attention necessary to approach each situation with a truly alert and martial mindset but without tightening the body. He emphasized that when he says “ikkyo your whole life,” he means not just always having that mindset every time one is attacked, but trying to cultivate that state of mind throughout one’s entire life, every day, all day!
We joked that some people practice forceful, stiff, and muscular ikkyo technique their whole lives too. Sensei laughed, “yes, that is also another meaning; some people stubborn, tense mind whole life!”
========
It's incredibly hard to find a video of ikkyo that works. There are so many approaches to ikkyo, so many right approaches, and some wrong. It can be shallow or very deep. I picked Osawa Sensei's ikkyo, because his technique is alive, and fluid, and he keeps his elbows close, which is what I am trying to do.
But also I found this lovely Tamura Sensei video: https://youtu.be/ezyVI1PuZzw
Ikkyo isn't about manhandling someone. It's about doing something so quickly and subtly that you've almost changed their mind, perspective, and direction before they realize it's even happened. It's magical.
Guy Hagen
Aikido Chuseikan of Tampa Bay
At this year’s Winter Intensive training seminar in Florida, Saotome Sensei spoke a lot about the meaning of “ikkyo”. Ito illustrate, he shared a story about a time from when he was training with the Founder, O-Sensei Morihei Ueshiba:
“O-Sensei would frequently say, ‘ikkyo whole life.’ Once, I responded, ‘Sensei – I already know ikkyo!’ O-Sensei responded, “Baka! (fool!) You not understand the deeper meaning of what I say!'”
Saotome Sensei said there is both an “omote” and “ura” meaning within O-Sensei’s statement “ikkyo whole life.” The “omote” meaning simply refers to the time it takes to learn the technical performance of the technique, and that can indeed can learned in a short period of time. However, the hidden part of the meaning is much more subtle. When O-Sensei referred to “ikkyo” he often was actually referring to approaching each opponent and each attack with a fresh mind, and with no expectation from previous training since each situation is unique, each attacker is unique, and each time an attacker strikes, her reactions and responses will probably be unique. “Ikkyo means ‘first chapter’, like the first chapter of a book.”
Although it might of been hard for many people who were listening during the seminar to catch, Saotome Sensei related the term “ikkajo” (the older name for “ikkyo”) to the Zen “Icho-go Ichi-e” (there is only now, there is only this opportunity).
I followed up with Sensei in his hotel room during lunch, and he further discussed the relationship “ikkajo” and “Ichi-go.” Always new mind. Never treat your attacker like an old wife for old husband, always treat them with fresh eyes, “Ikkyo” is a state of mind and philosophy that transcends any physical activity.
We further discussed the importance and quality of that state of mind. Sensei made a triangle of his fingers and said three words (Sensei loves puns and the accidental meaning found across homonyms)… “AtTENTION,” “inTENTION,”, “inTENSITY,” but not “tension.” He said it is a difficult paradox to summon the level of wakefulness and attention necessary to approach each situation with a truly alert and martial mindset but without tightening the body. He emphasized that when he says “ikkyo your whole life,” he means not just always having that mindset every time one is attacked, but trying to cultivate that state of mind throughout one’s entire life, every day, all day!
We joked that some people practice forceful, stiff, and muscular ikkyo technique their whole lives too. Sensei laughed, “yes, that is also another meaning; some people stubborn, tense mind whole life!”
========
It's incredibly hard to find a video of ikkyo that works. There are so many approaches to ikkyo, so many right approaches, and some wrong. It can be shallow or very deep. I picked Osawa Sensei's ikkyo, because his technique is alive, and fluid, and he keeps his elbows close, which is what I am trying to do.
But also I found this lovely Tamura Sensei video: https://youtu.be/ezyVI1PuZzw
Ikkyo isn't about manhandling someone. It's about doing something so quickly and subtly that you've almost changed their mind, perspective, and direction before they realize it's even happened. It's magical.
Deshi assignment: Ikkyo (Wini)
I'd like to post a video of Tissier doing an ikkyo technique:
Also, here is his irimi nage. You might want to mute it, because the sound track is really annoying.
Monday, May 4, 2015
QOTD
While they tout their “accomplishments”…do 10,000 tsuki
While they impress you with how long they have “practiced”…do 10,000 men-uchi
For as many hours as they congratulate themselves …stand in kamae
While they argue the politics…sit still and become empty.
While they reach higher and higher for position…bow your head lower and lower.
While they impress you with how long they have “practiced”…do 10,000 men-uchi
For as many hours as they congratulate themselves …stand in kamae
While they argue the politics…sit still and become empty.
While they reach higher and higher for position…bow your head lower and lower.
Let no one define your worth with some imaginary status or title; let it be measured by your devotion to the daily struggles of practice.
By Jason Perna, Old City Aikido
Saturday, May 2, 2015
Ikebana Workshop
Today, we hosted the first (hopefully not the last) ikebana workshop with Charles Coghlan of the Sogetsu school of Ikebana. Coghlan Sensei, a Master Sensei in the Sogetsu School of Ikenbana, studied under Aiko Ii Sensei, a student of Sofu Teshigahara, founder of the modern Sogetsu School of Ikebana, earned his teaching certificate and began taking students in 1995.
He compared the modernist Sogetsu style of ikebana to jazz, whereas more traditional ikebana is like classical music. We learned about the history and meaning of ikebana, and he compared the structure of ikebana to the structure of haiku.
It would be great to do this again — maybe in the summer, and again in the fall and winter, to add a seasonal aspect to the practice. I'm looking forward to seeing what sorts of designs my dojo mates come up with for the kamiza.
He compared the modernist Sogetsu style of ikebana to jazz, whereas more traditional ikebana is like classical music. We learned about the history and meaning of ikebana, and he compared the structure of ikebana to the structure of haiku.
It would be great to do this again — maybe in the summer, and again in the fall and winter, to add a seasonal aspect to the practice. I'm looking forward to seeing what sorts of designs my dojo mates come up with for the kamiza.
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