June 2013 Newsletter

Teaching Aikido as a complete budo to adults and kids in Mesa, Chandler, and S. Chandler.

www.AikidoOfPhoenix.com

Whats Inside:
Senseis Corner Study How Water Flows From John Scanlin SenseiThe Seeds of Aikido are Sown (continued) Kids Corner Will You Accept the Challenge? Rank PromotionsSee whos recently been promoted The Lighter Side of AikidoAikido word search and some coloring fun

A Word from Sensei

From John Scanlin Sensei

Im hoping you get a chance to relax a bit this summer. Even if you dont have kids who are out of school now, this time of year lends itself to keeping cool indoors, getting away for a much needed vacation, or sitting poolside with a good book and taking a dip when it gets unbearable. Whatever summer holds for you it will most certainly present opportunities for you to practice the most basic principle of Aikido...the art of blending. As the picture on the cover of this newsletter shows we should strive to be like water and flow with whatever comes our way. In the Art of Peace OSensei says ...Study how water flows in a valley stream, smoothly and freely between the rocks This is why Aikido is a way, something to study for a lifetime. It is not easy to blend with what life presents us, but it is important to try. OSensei also said, In the Art of Peace we never attack. An attack is proof that one is out of control. Never run away from any kind of challenge, but do not try to suppress or control an opponent unnaturally. Let attackers ...Study how water come any way they like and then blend flows in a valley stream, with them. Never chase after opponents. smoothly and freely be- Redirect each attack and get firmly between the rocks hind it. Easier said than done. Attacks arent always physical. We have to take this idea and apply it to every kind of interaction we have with others. Blending isnt easy. Even after years of training youll continually have to fight the urge to spout off or fly off the handle in response to someones actions or words. Youll need to practice ki breathing so youll remain calm during chaotic times. Youll have to demonstrate restraint and patience in times of stress or frustration. Life is uncertain and chaotic and it will always be. That is why it is essential that we strive for harmony. For if we give in to the chaos we will sink into the pit of despair and be lost. We have to continually try for that is what keeps us on the path of the Way. Peace to you this summer. May you find time to rest and relax. Heres a short list of books you may want to peruse while you relax this summer: The Art of Peace Morihei Ueshiba (translated by John Stevens) The Essence of Aikido Bill Sosa The Principles of Aikido Mitsugi Saotome Aikido and the Dynamic Sphere A. Westbrook and O. Ratti The Way of the Peaceful Warrior Dan Millman

If you have life in you, you have access to the secrets of the ages, for the truth of the universe resides in each and every human being. - O-Sensei Practice of the Art of Peace (Aikido) is an act of faith, a belief in the ultimate power of non-violence. It is faith in the power of purification and faith in the power of life itself. It is not a type of rigid discipline or empty asceticism. It is a path that follows natural principles, principles that apply to daily living. The Art of Peace should be practiced from the time you rise to greet the morning to the time you retire at night. - O-Sensei Omoto is not like the established religions, which regard this world as an impure world to be abhorred, religions that only aspire to a future heaven or paradise It is quite impossible to rule the people of the world with military or intellectual power. I believe in the end, this can only be achieved by the power of a new religion free of old conventions, a religion that is essential to spiritual union. - Onisaburo Deguchi When we last left OSensei he was living in the Northern wilderness of Hokkaido and training with Sokaku Takeda. He received news (about 1919) that his father was gravely ill, and he left Hokkaido to return to his native Tanabe to be with him (although some think it was also a way to get away from the ever-demanding Takeda). Along the way he learned of a new religion from a fellow traveler. He talked of the wonderful teachings of this sect, of miracle cures, and of its charismatic leader, Onisaburo Deguchi. The emotionally distraught Morihei decided on the spot to make a detour to Ayabe, and he ended up spending several days there. While seeking prayers for his father's recovery, he quickly fell under the spell of the sympathetic Onisaburo. And thus OSensei met the man, along with Takeda, that influenced him the most along his path to create our Aikido. Onisaburo Deguchi was a very charismatic, flamboyant Shaman (medium between the visible world and an invisible spirit world and who pracAnd thus OSensei tices magic or sorcery for purposes of met the man, along healing, divination, and control over natuwith Takeda, that inral events) who was the leader of the fluenced him the most Omotokyo religion. Omotokyo is considalong his path to creered a new religion of Japan and is an ate our Aikido. offshoot of Shinto. The 4 main principles of Omotokyo are 1) Purity through purification of mind and body. 2) Optimism, specifically believing in the Goodness of the Divine Will. 3) Progressivism as a means to social improvement. 4) Unification or reconciliation of all dichotomies (good and evil; rich and poor; humans and nature; humans and God, etc). The four can be thought of as a code for right living. By practicing them humans can live in harmony with the universe and lead a heavenly life in spirit and flesh. When OSensei learned of his fathers death he decided to move to Ayabe in an effort to find spiritual direction under Onisaburo Deguchi. OSensei embraced these principles and became an enthusiastic Omotokyo practitioner. Onisaburo Deguchi was one of the most interesting people in Japanese history. A prolific writer, poet, calligrapher, sculptor, and ceramist, Onisaburo left a vast cultural and artistic legacy that is truly awe-inspiring.

Remember to take off all jewelry before class like watches and dangling earrings. Stud-type earrings and low-relief rings are okay.

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Throughout his life, Onisaburo was often quite flamboyant, taking delight in wearing richly textured costumes of his own design and posing as a wide variety of deities, mostly Buddhist or Shinto. He would dress as a shaman, and often even took up the appearances of female divinities. His outlook on life tended to be eclectic, sometimes even to the point of being outrageous. Like most Omotokyo followers, Onisaburo believed that the original kami founders of Japan, were driven away by the kami of the imperial line. This placed him in opposition to the authorities at the time. For this reason and the fact that Omotokyo was against the militaristic attitude that Japan was taking (being a military dictatorship), Omotokyo was an illegal religion and its leaders (including Deguchi and to a lesser degree OSensei) were often jailed and its buildings were destroyed. Under the guidance of Onisaburo Deguchi, Ueshiba engaged in farming and spiritual training. The enthusiastic and hard-working Morihei quickly won Onisaburo's confidence. Having learned of Morihei's martial skills, the Omoto leader encouraged him to provide martial arts instruction to followers of the religion. This led to the opening of his first dojo in his private residence, the Ueshiba Juku, where he taught the Daito-ryu jujutsu techniques he had learned from Sokaku Takeda. OSensei taught martial arts and engaged in farming in Ayabe, and acquired a reputation as a great instructor. He continued this lifestyle and taught many powerful military leaders until about 1927 when he was encouraged by some of his important students to go off on his own and open a dojo in Tokyo, which he did. He maintained his dedication to Omotokyo the rest of his life but the seeds of present-day Aikido were now sown. The combination of the influences of these two enigmatic, quirky characters (Takeda and Degushi) is evident as we practice our Art today. Keep the Spirit strong!

Have a great summer and I hope you accept the challenge and choose to focus on some aspect of your Aikido training. Look at the end of this newsletter for a fun way to help you with the names of the hand stretches, aiki taiso, and some techniques. Have fun and Ill see you on the mats! Hand undos (stretches):
Kotegaeshi1st hand stretch, wrist turn out, pinky side of hand on chest Nikyo2nd hand stretch, one hand on top of other, bring wrist to chest Sankyo3rd hand stretch, wrist stretch with palm being pushed away from body Katate osa4th hand stretch, pizza stretch Tekubi shindo5th hand stretch, wrist shaking

Aiki Taiso (exercises done alone that relate to technique):

Udefuri Chayoko Undospinning exercise, step-turn-step back while arms swing out & wrap around body Tenkan Undohandshake exercise Funakogi Undorowing exercise, point with wrists & hold eggs in cup of hand, hips-hands-hips-hands Shomenuchi Ikkyoprotect from strike to head, arms up, hands make triangle, hips-hands-hands-hips Tekubi Kosa Undowrist crossing exercise, squat while crossing wrists at center

Basic Techniques:
Wrist escapego over the thumb Arm grab escapeyank hand out of pocket as you step back Yokomenuchi kokyonagefrom a strike to side of head; hook elbow, go down & around Katatori kokyonagefrom a grab near shoulder; trap & slide as you step back Munetsuki kotegaeshifrom a punch to stomach; out & around, flat hand, backwards downstairs Munetsuki sankyofrom a punch to stomach; slide step, open the door, go through the door, upside down handshake

Aikido Principles:
Aikidothe way of blending with energy Kienergy that flows through all things Shodo-o-seisucontrol the 1st move, be aware so you can react quickly Dochu no seicalmness in action Masakatsu agatsutrue victory is victory over yourself Shugyoimproving through hard work and sweat

If you come early please use that time to prepare yourself for class by stretching, doing ukemi, aiki taiso, or practicing techniques with someone.

Kids Corner
Summer is a great time for taking breaks, relaxing, and doing things that you dont usually get to do during the school year and I hope that this summer is a great one for everyone! A warm welcome to all our new students. Its great to have you on the mats! Its hard to guess what kind of schedule you may have during the summer months, but Im hoping its not too hectic. In hopes of a lighter schedule Id like to challenge you this summer to focus on some kind of detail of your Aikido training. Following are just a few ideas: the names of the hand stretches, aiki taiso, and/or techniques.; do some reading on Aikido, OSensei, or some of the principles of Aikido; focus on fine tuning your ki extension by practicing aiki taiso (exercises we do by ourselves that relate to techniques), walking through techniques, or getting in some ki breathing. Whatever detail you choose try to work on it a little bit each day. Distributive practice increases the likelihood that progress will be made. The more frequently a skill is practiced the more likely improvement will be made. If youve just started training then reviewing what was covered in class is a good place to start. To help you I have included a list of the aiki taiso we use most often in class along with the hand stretches and some of the basic techniques and principles. If youre older and choose to do some Aikido related reading I listed a few books you might find interesting my article for adultsA Word From Sensei on page 2.

Rank Promotions
Hachikyu (green) - Dean Edwards, Dalraj Hundal Shichikyu (orange) - Daniel Raahauge, Sydney Milczarek, Kaleah Berlenbach, Angelica MacFarlane, Brock Curtice 1st Stepping StoneAlexandra Sundman 3rd Stepping StoneAlison Eierdam

Automatic or Recurring Payment Option Now Available

Aikido of Phoenix is now offering the option of subscribing to recurring payments for the Instructor fee. If you are tired of writing checks, remembering to bring cash, or remembering to pay the instructor fee online consider signing up for the automatic payment option. Its easy and you can cancel at any time. You do not need to have a PayPal account to utilize this option, just follow the steps as outlined on our website and then choose use another card. You can cancel the subscription at anytime by clicking on the unsubscribe button and following the prompts.

Keep your fingernails and toenails trimmed to prevent scratching others.

The Lighter Side of Aikido

Aikido Word Search
Have some fun finding the following Aikido words in the puzzle. The words can be found going up, down, across, or backwards. Ignore the spaces when searching for the words. Aikido Arm grab escape Funakogi Katateosa Masakatsu agatsu Munetsuki sankyo Nikyo Sankyo Shodo o seisu Shomenuchi ikkyo Shugyo Tekubikosa Tekubi shindo Tenkan Udefuri chayoko Wrist escape

Some Coloring Fun

Friends of Aikido of Phoenix

Do you have a business/service/product that you would like to promote? Do you know a business that you would recommend to your friends? We are always interested in helping each other by sharing information and/or making recommendations about businesses. If you know of a business or want to share information about your own business please let Teresa Sensei know and shell get the relevant information into the next newsletter.

Financial Planning for College

Garry Tan
480.442.7001

S & G Wealth
Scott D. Garber
Investment Advisor Representative 960 W. Elliot Rd Suite 114 Tempe, AZ 85283 Phone: 480-345-3300 Cell: 480-330-4496 E-mail: scott@sgwealthpartners.com.

http://savingforkidscollege.webs.com/

Amandara Therapeutic Massage

Brooke Ryan, LMT, CIMT
1801 S. JenTilly Lane St. A-18 Tempe, AZ 85281 www.amandaramassage.com www.amandaramassage.vpweb.com

The Relief Source

Chiropractic and Wellness Center, P.C.

Dr. Sonny Sampedro

Chiropractor 2815 S. Alma School Rd., Ste. 105 Mesa, AZ 85210 480-345-1964 Fax 480-345-1973 www.TheReliefSource.com Se habla espanol