Aikido 'The Hyde Dojo'

Congratulations to George Siougas who has achieved the grade of Shodan. A very good grading! Well done George.

"Aikido is an Individual Journey.
I avoid trying to sell it.
Just do it and feel it.
If you don't feel it, you can't understand it.
If you think too much, you seperate your mind and body.
Aikido brings them together."

Nobuyoshi Tamura Shihan 8th dan
1933-2010

This piece of wisdom should be ingrained in all students of Aiki.

“Harmony doesn't mean getting along with people at any cost just to avoid a confrontation. Harmony as used in aikido does not involve compromising at all. Rather, Aikido's harmony brings different, even opposing, elements together and intensifies them in a way that drives everything toward a higher level. “

-Mitsunari Kanai, Uchideshi of Moirhei Ueshiba and Founder of New England Aikikai

Find the Aiki Ken and Aiki Jo in empty handed technique.
Each weapon informs taijutsu.

Weapons commonality teach centering, grounding, expanding, extending, and aligning. Additionally, weapons can refine our understanding of space and angles, mechanics and power generation.

Each weapon has an essential uniqueness that can provide insight.
For example, the blade of the sword informs our sword hands, triggering the use of weight on the underside. Movement with the sword as body extension allows us to ‘feel’ past our physical self.
The tip of the Jo magnifies an essential awareness of a continuous extension and alignment. It delineates the circles/spirals involved in a technique. We observe that a small circle generated from the interior (center) can create a much larger, more effective, exterior circle.
Each weapon also employs a specific mindset and spirit.
These details gift us with nuance that refines empty handed technique.
We may notice Improved reflexes, speed, accuracy, and power.
We can sense better alignment, calibration of energy, tactile sensitivity improved spatial awareness.

Gathering insight this way universally informs.
Study these relationships.

-G. Breeland, 6th dan

Obata Sensei showing sword techniques. Please click on link.


https://www.facebook.com/100050606044159/videos/603937226360218

Please note that as an experienced/advanced aikido practitioner we are all one Aiki family. One family doing O’Senseis aikido.

There may be differing interpretations, emphasizing differing elements, but no matter what ‘style’ you come from, observe and receive with an open mind.
When we train outside of our ‘style’, we can still maintain the commitment to our lineages while practicing differing ways. View this as opportunity to increase our capacity for physical versatility.
Do not just identify what is different, but ‘train the eye’ to find the common method. Observe what is demonstrated and reproduce it (specifically, not just as a ‘vague approximation’). Then study, do common principles remain intact?

There are many gifted teachers with individual perspectives, observe the subtle (or not so subtle) differences and challenge yourself, can we adapt?
Do not get ‘fixed’ doing Aiki one way.
As well, refrain from insisting that ‘your’ way is the ‘only’ way. Our differences can make us contextually rich. We may not all have the same opinion but we are, nonetheless, involved in the same conversation.

-G. Breeland, 6th dan

Yoshimitsu Yamada Shihan
1938 - 2023

We acknowledge the body of lifetime work from Yamada Shihan, who began training in 1955. As 8th dan, he was presently the chief instructor at the New York Aikikai, and President of the United States Aikido Federation (USAF).
His contributions are immense and he will be deeply missed.