“According to our Association promotion test requirements students are required to be familiar with meiso ho(seated meditation practice) and kokyu ho (breathing exercises). Recently, a student testing for the rank of Nikyu was asked to describe these practices, and to say how they are important for budo training. He gave a very eloquent answer, which was accepted. After the test, he was privately asked if he actually did practice meditation and breathing. “I tried once,” he replied, “but they didn’t do much for me. What good are they anyway?”
In such a case it would be much better for a student to say plainly that he or she does not practice meiso ho orkokyu ho. At least this is honest. In any case, we know that this student’s instructor is probably also not clear regarding internal training methods, or at least does not teach them.”
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“Reiki is a spiritual practice developed in 1922 by Mikao Usui. After three weeks of fasting and meditating on Mount Kurama, in Japan, Usui claimed to receive the ability of “healing without energy depletion”. A portion of the practice, tenohira or palm healing, is used as a form of complementary and alternative medicine. Tenohira is a technique whereby practitioners believe they are moving “healing energy” (a form of ki) through the palms.
“Today is the anniversary of O’Sensei’s death. It is fitting that some students will be taking their aikido tests this week. We are carrying on the legacy of a truly unique and gifted martial artist. Tests are simply sign posts along the road to our development within the world of Aikido. Different schools and different styles of Aikido view Shinsas (tests) in different ways. I recently read about one person who viewed testing as not only the execution of techniques, but of the development of the person to fit with the idealized image of the head of that style. I can appreciate the aims and goals of other people’s versions as to what testing represents without having to endorse and/or share those views with what I am looking for in a test. I think that it is fair that I share with my students what I am looking for when students test under my supervision.
“Put simply, I see *Instruction* as being primarily focused on the study material, the very system for students to assimilate, eventually incorporate, and apply. Effective instructors rely on their own knowledge and confidence in their skill set, experience, and positive history of obtaining good results. It is a great place to start, as most students require such direction and follow up, regardless of the discipline or course of study. Great instructors exemplify enlightened purpose, superhuman effort and unyielding dedication over a lifetime of study and application of their craft.
“I had been brought up to be polite and not hit people. My partners, more advanced aikidoists, had a uniform reaction: “Hit me,” they said, then stood and waited until my strike connected with their body. It didn’t have to be a hard strike, but it did have to connect. When they decided I was getting the idea, they’d step out of the way as the blow approached.
The article below has been selected from the 
“Aikido is a martial art which aims at the cultivation of ki. The aiki in aikido refers to harmonizing one’s ki or vital energy not only with a partner, but with all living beings of the universe. This harmony enables one to realize that the flow of an individual’s ki exists as part of the flow of ki of the universe..” (pg 4)
The article below has been selected from the 
Together with the launch of our newest DVD title “Morihiro Saito: Lost Seminars, Part 6,” we are offering a set of 
“After a long break I’m writing again to add to this blog my thoughts inspired by the discussion at one of our videos in Youtube. The main point of the discussion is: which martial art is better, which one is more effective in real life situations.
Maybe I am seeing too much in this History Channel special, Warriors : Islands of Blood, which is about the Hawaiian fighting arts, but it certainly looks like a lot of the same movements we do for our Aikido practice, but adapted to attacking, with or without weapons, and dealing some pretty dangerous life-threatening attacks.
“Every martial arts magazine must apparently run an article on a regular basis that asks which martial art is more effective. Two martial arts are compared, and the various pros and cons are assessed. Then the author ducks the whole issue and writes a cop out about how neither is really more effective – it just depends on what your goals are.