Suffolk Institute
for Eastern Studies
Chief Instructor: Howard
Pashenz, Ph.D. 5th Dan
Dojo Affiliation: United States Aikido Federation
We offer training in the
Ueshiba style of
the Martial Art of Aikido,
T'ai Chi, and Vipassana (Mindfullness) Meditation.
THE SOFTER
SIDE OF AIKIDO
by Howard Pashenz, Ph.D.
When I first began studying Aikido I worked on the various self
defense techniques trying to move my hands and feet as directed.
Over the years I became more proficient and enjoyed throwing and
being thrown. I wanted to become as strong and powerful as my
teachers; they were my role models.
But there was always a question in the back of my mind about the
spiritual aspects of the art I loved. I knew the basic kindness
underlying Aikido. One never turned a joint other than in the
direction nature intended so there was no breaking or causing
permanent injury. And there were no striking movements taught
that would cause serious injury. In the actual practice, as we
alternated roles of attacker and Aikido defender, there was
never an attempt to compete or win. The attacker was providing
an opportunity for his partner to learn the Aikido self defense
movements; allowing himself to become vulnerable so his partner
could gain skill and knowledge. All this was certainly kind and
helpful but what made it spiritual?
The founder of Aikido, Morehei Uyeshiba, was described as a very
spiritual person. The art itself originated in his religious
enlightenment experience. O’Sensei felt himself to be an
incarnate of the golden Maitreya Bodhisattva.1 The name AIKIDO
that he chose for his art can be translated as “the path leading
to harmony with the life force of the universe”. Unbalancing an
attacker and then throwing him forcefully to the ground does not
look like a harmonious act. Maybe exploring the term “spiritual”
may help.
Spiritual is usually contrasted with the term secular, or
“material”. It refers to something without external form, the
energy underlying the material world. That energy, or feeling,
is usually linked to a creative source; and might be called God,
Buddha, etc. Scientific theory accepts the view that the
material world of form is based on the formless atomic world of
nuclear energy; that the two levels coexist simultaneously. So
there seem to be two different approaches, or viewpoints, from
which our present existence can be examined. On one level we
focus on the physical aspects; the world of length, width, and
depth — and of “objects” that can be sensed through vision,
touch, hearing, smelling, and tasting. Buddhism adds an
additional sixth sense; the mind’s ability to sense thoughts and
ideas.
But the second level cannot be found through our sense organs.
It is “assumed” to be the “underlying source” from which the
material world continually emerges. The material, or mundane
world is a manifestation of this creative, formless underlying
force that is beyond the limitations of time and space.
Turning our “focus of attention” inwardly, and, without
conceptualization and language, leads to a pure “opening” into a
total, formless, unlimited experiencing of “presence”. Each of
us is this mysterious “appearing” - the combination of “the
worldly and the spiritual”. The theistic religions view a
creative God as the source of our spiritual dimension. Their
goal is then to conform, to harmonize with “God’s will”; and
thus lead a spiritual life. Buddhism, as a non-theistic
religion, would view everything as a manifestation of the
creative life force itself. In that sense everyone and
everything is interrelated, a momentary expression of the one
life force. The “DO” of Aikido is the
11 K. Uyesbib Aikido 1972, Hozasnsha Publishing Co. Ltd., p. 15.
A BUDDHIST
APPROACH TO AIKIDO
There seems to be an initial contradiction between Buddhism and
the activity of self-defense. From the Buddhist perspective, the
idea of an “individual self’ is one of the major obstacles to
making spiritual progress. Having an individualized self, a self
concept, a personal identity; is certainly of practical
necessity in order to function in society. But at the same time
it has a serious downside that creates immeasurable suffering.
To form the self, or ego, the original totality of experience
must be broken up into two groupings, or categories. There is
now the “self’ on one side, that must relate to everything
considered outside this self— the objective world as opposed to
the subjective. “I”, the subject, must now be constantly wary
and on guard against a “dangerous” external world. Gone is the
feeling of original “oneness” where there is just a peaceful
“resting” in the totality of immediate experience. Gaining
proficiency in self defense seems to be an attempt at
exaggerating that splitting, making the “self’ stronger and more
powerfi.tl; rather than seeking to restore the original unity of
the subjective and the objective.
A traditional Zen resolution of this seeming contradiction is to
become so proficient in the self defense techniques that they
are no longer thought, or planned by the self. They become
“habitual responses” without any intervening thinking between
the stimulus of the attack and the responsive Aikido defensive
response. In other words, there is no self doing, or directing;
it is a spontaneous action without an “actor”. And this can lead
to amazing power and speed. Yet there is something that leaves
me uncomfortable with this explanation; and ithas to do with
compassion. The “selfless”, automatic, powerful, response has
the capability of doing immeasurable injury of a life
threatening nature. There is no judgment or evaluation to limit
its severity since the intellect has been bypassed with the
disappearance of the self. I believe this contributed to the
violence of Samurai Class warriors; and later to the atrocities
perpetrated by the Japanese military in China during World War
II.
Is there some way of gaining that almost unbelievable “selfless”
level of proficiency yet still remaining kind and compassionate?
I believe there is, and this will be explored in the following
section.
THE
HJNAYANA AND MAHAYANA APPROACH TO AIKIDO
There are two major groupings in
Buddhism. The Hinayana is the earlier form that began in India
as a modification of traditional Hinduism. It focused on the
meditative practice of Mindfulness by monks and nuns. Over the
centuries it evolved and was influenced by the various cultures
in which it took root. In China it took on aspects of Taoism
which led to Chan Buddhism. It became Zen Buddhism in Japan;
both Chan and Zen are considered forms of Mahayana Buddhism. But
the basic underlying philosophy of all of Buddhism is the
seeking to develop both wisdom and compassion. Zen appears to
focus heavily on the development of wisdom; realizing that the
self, together with the intellectual conceptual process,
prevents a more basic, direct, and immediate experience to
spontaneously emerge in the present moment.
As previously mentioned, the Zen approach to Aikido would be to
“lose the self’
in the totality of the self defense technique itself as it
becomes an immensely powerful outpouring of energy without any
limitation by the intellect. But compassion is “negated” since
it requires thought and judgment. The “saving grace” is that the
techniques that make up the art of Aikido were designed
“compassionately” to eliminate the breaking of joints, etc.
I believe there is another approach to practicing “Spiritual
Aikido” from a Buddhist orientation that can still include
compassion. It would also be based on giving up the sense of an
individualized self but in a different way. Instead of an
individualized. self (subject) facing an attacker (object), this
ego self would “expand” to now “include the attacker”. Attack
and defense become one total, connected, reciprocal movement.
And there is no longer an attacker and a defender; only this
single harmonious “happening” that is viewed objectively as
“self defense” but is experienced as “oneness” without limit.
There is no thought of a self that needs to defend itself
against an “objective” attacker; only a moving together without
the feeling of any separation. How is this accomplished?
Analyzing the use of breathe may be helpful.
One of the methods of developing powerful technique is to
coordinate the technique with the outbreath. A kiai, or loud
verbal outcry, is seen in many striking arts and with the use of
weapons. This is effective for the purpose of focusing energy
however there is an inherent drawback; it is only half of the
natural cycle of life. The inhalation is neglected. What can be
gained by this initial joining and “taking in” of Uke, (the
attacker) as simply a pure “sensory experience”. Just as the
inbreathe is spontaneous and natural at the end of the out
breathe, this “open acceptance” permits a naturalness and an
inner openness” that allows an enormous amount of new data to
enter one-s awareness. Now the attacker can be “felt” rather
than known; he is the “other half’ of myself. Now we can move as
a “single unit”; in a reciprocal fashion. This has two major
advantages. The attacker can be led and controlled without being
physically touched. And the second advantage is that his balance
can be known so he can be unbalanced with only “finger-tip”
force. An unbalanced attacker is of little threat, needing a
solid base for any forceful strike. This allows the defending
Aikidoist to feel “almost invulnerable”;leading to soft, smooth,
precise geometrically accurate movements that are amazing. And
here is where kindness and caring are safe and appropriate.
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TRAINING
LOCATION
Directions To This Location
Suffolk Institute for
Eastern Studies
86 Terry Road • Smithtown, NY 11787
(1/4 miles north from Rt. 347 Nesconset Highway)
(631)
584-6085
Email:
suffolki@aol.com
Mailing Address
330 Moriches
Road
Saint James, NY 11780
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