Unlimited Creativity

In the ages of Morihei Ueshiba, he always emphasized the Takemusu Aiki 武産. What is it?

Takemusu Aiki, also known as Unlimited Creativity, is a concept by O'Sensei about the way of Aikido should be. It must harmonize with all things and be able to do technique as freely as possible.

In Takemusu Aiki, there are many factors, but the three most important factors are Self-development, self- discovery and Flexibilitiy. In other words, we should not train blindly, that will not bring improvement. To improve, we must further develop ourselves day by day as we train. Discover the rights and wrongs on you.

Flexability is the ability to chage in times of different situation. To be flexible, one must be calm and clear his/her mind with emptiness. That is unlimited creativity, able to do techniques so freely that you don't even have to think. For the techniques are dead but your mind is bursting with live and energy. Use your mind to revive these techinques and blend into different situation.

But before flexibility and using many different techniques, we must learn the techinques, from basic to advanced. Pursuit is not allowed, to eager ask for "sercet techniques"should be discourage. One must be patience to what he/she is doing. When he/she is doing a technique, it take times to learn, understand and further develop or improve. By asking sercet techniques, you broke the basic foundations that helps you to further improve.

Can Ki disappear? NOPE!!!!!

The Way of deception

The universe consists of the two primordial opposing forces; Yin and Yang. It was the two forces that create the very world we live in. Therefore the world is spilt into two part; heaven and earth, light and darkness, fire and water, and then to the ten celestial processes that created this world fully.

In Budo, especially Aikido, emphasize the borrowing of enemy's dashing forces to counter him/her. It is to use deceptive methods to bring down the enemy. If one do not use deception because people think it is cunning and evil, then he/she does not really know the world well enough. It is wise to use deceptive methods in order to obtain good result. As I said before, Aikido is a hard and soft martial art.

Deception is to look weak when being strong, look strong when being weak. As Sun Tzu said in his Art of War, all warfare is based on deception. Cloak your true intention from your enemy, clear your mind from confusion and thoughts. Disguise where you are going to strike.

One of the most common deception is the "hand-ups" position. To lure your enemy that you are surrendering, while plan to counter-attack him when he/she is distracted. As Aikido represent the balance and unity of yin and yang, therefore deception is needed to hide your true intent from your enemy.

Grading for Blue to Blue-gold

Grading: Blue to Blue-gold (6th Kyu - 5th Kyu)
Duration: 1hr or so

Requirements:

• Yokomen-uchi Shiho Nage (omote + ura)
• Katadori Nikyo (omote + ura)
• Basic Techniques from the blue belt grading (omote + ura)
  

Basic:

• Irimi Nage
  
• Shiho Nage
  
• Ikkyo - Nikyo
  
• Tenchi Nage
  

Addition:

• Free style
  

All the requirements above can be found in website of Aikido Zhen Qi Shu.

GOOD LUCK
TO
THOSE WHO ARE GRADING

The BIG word - COURAGE

A good martial artist may display good techniques and fighting skills, but if he/she face a group of barbarians or fighters that are charging towards him/her, will he be able to display the once good fighting skills.

Courage is the word when facing your enemy. Courage overcomes any obstacles you face, it help you to feel confident and be forward-looking. Courage of a general may rise the morale of the army. Courage may make the enemy fear and think twice before attacking you. To dash forward an attacking blade is courage. Courage is not fierceness or wildness. To solve a problem with courage, one will face risk without fear and will tackle when situation changes. Wildness is daring without a direction, you may rush aimlessly, but you may fall in the enemy's trap or get caught easily.

Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm
Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes it is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "I will try again tomorrow."
Success means having the courage, the determination, and the will to become the person you believe you were meant to be
Courage consists in the power of self-recovery
Courage is the solution to fear.

Way of a warrior

Tao of martial

Train in excess to compensate the weak
Excessive illusive compensates the empty spots
Energy become internal strength, then become power,
and lastly become nothing
See not with the eyes, but the soul in the liver
Hear not with the ears, but the spirit in the kidney
A wise one will sit in solace for self-improvement

Shall the four limbs be motionless, feeling:
The wood of the west soul
The gold of the east spirit
The fire of the south deity
The water of the north spirit

Attempts to enhance one's capabilities against heaven's will
Are but foolish notions doomed to failure
Meditate faithfully and attain success by humility
Utilize the functions and power of the body well
Sharpness of the eye, Clearness of the ears
Smelling of the nose, Sensing of the touch
Harness the senses into immense power
Power becomes nothing while the eyes become soulless

Be one with the universe and cosmos
Maintain a stable and comfortable stance
Have a behavior of calm and quietness
With the mind of nothingness
Represents the balance of Heaven and Earth
In the left hand, hold the qi of Yang
In the right hand, amass the qi of Yin

The Values of Aikido

Aikido is the way of harmonizing one with the universe, therefore there are many hidden values inside. Respect is a very important value in Aikido, but are there any other values that are important to Aikido or other martial arts?

Aikido is also related to the art of 武士道, Bushidō , the way of a samurai/ warrior. In Bushido, there are seven types of virtue, they are:
,

• Rectitude 義
• Courage 勇,
• Benevolence 仁,
• Respect 礼
• Honesty 誠,
• Honour 誉,
• Loyalty 忠,

These are the seven virtues that a samurai, warrior or a person who study or practice martial arts. The information was inspired by the four Confucian classics - the Analects, the Great Learning, the Doctrine of the Mean and Mencius.

Bushido, also known as the way of warrior, stated that a true warrior should have frugality, loyalty, martial arts mastery and honor until death. During the era of samurai, they were a gropu of violent warrior. It was Confucianism that inspired them to become wise and non-violence to others. There are other codes such as Filial piety, wisdom and respect and care for the old ones.

The true way of Aikido, is not to oppose nature, heaven. Expressing violence unnecessarily is opposing Heaven, Earth and Humanity. Jiang Ziya during the Zhou Dyansty said that the world is not the possession of a person but to everyone in the world. It gain the world, one must win the heart of the people through virtues such as generous and care/ concern.

Aikido is the movement of nature, therefore one must be with the universe, with the cosmos, then can they truly decipher the meaning of Aikido. Noted that people who try hard to mediate and study long hours on it, will never find the true meaning of Aikido. Aikido is truly deciphered by people who act compassion and use action more than words in the book. You can read but if you never show through action, you are not knowledgeable in Aikido.

The true meaning Aikido lays in the movement, not the words.............

Introduction

Welcome to My blog, Aikido sg, the blog dedicated to martial arts/ budo such as Aikido. Aikido is defined as a self-defense art founded by the great martial artist, Morihei Ueshiba. Here are the things I will show during my 5 years of training Aikido.

Firstly, i'm from the Singapore school of Zhen Qi Shu. Zhen Qi Shu was founded by Sensei Awyong 6 years ago until now. Zhen means upright and filled with spirits, Qi mean Ki, the mental energy and Shu means the school. Zhen Qi Shu consisted of members who devoted in Aikido, who not only train Aikido, but also find friendship and wisdom.

Here, i will share with u my opinions and experiences i got, about the way of budo and aikido. What is the secret behind Aikido. And things about ZQS.