by SIMONE CHIERCHINI - Morihei Ueshiba was a strongly opinionated man that came from a culture where little space was left for discussion with the elderly. Even though most of his better-known quotes relate to general good-for-all philosophy, we have hundreds of indirect citations from his students where he appears to be not just the smiling "guru" guy that the Aikido establishment has been selling us for decades
by SIMONE CHIERCHINI - Morihei Ueshiba is universally presented and thought of as a good old man, the father of all the new age/hippy stuff about universal peace and love that every Aikido teacher loves to refer to. Was the founder only a wise old man talking mystic mumbojumbo - as the ufficial hagiography got used to present him? Here's ten first-hand quotes, reported by direct students, that seem to suggest that there is more to the picture than a lot of people like to think
Written by Gaku Homma's student Tony Dolan, after the AHAN Irish Seminar 2006 - organised by Simone Chierchini - this article gives us the perfect picture of an Aikido travel to Ireland by TONY DOLAN There I was in the middle of an intense session of motion and sweat when the question was asked. "Tony,… Continua a leggere Travels in Ireland
Gaku Homma with Simone Chierchini & family Written by Tony Dolan in 2006, this is the account of Gaku Homma's first visit to Ireland as part of the activities of the Aikido Humanitarian Active Network Aikikai Ireland-AOI (1) and Simone Chierchini invited Homma Kancho to teach a fund raising seminar in Donegal, a town about five… Continua a leggere Gaku Homma Visits Ireland for the Musubi Mat Fundraising Seminar
Originally published in 2001 by The Sligo Champion, this is a vivid memory of a typical martial arts trip to Japan
by PAOLO CORALLINI - Aikido study, regardless of the pedagogy followed or the “style” practised, requires a deep and constant application that may lead to achieving some technical skills, particularly when the student possesses the requisite attributes and sufficient talent. Unfortunately, many believe that to be good aikidoka is not necessary theoretical, spiritual, symbolic and cosmological knowledge of the Art
by SIMONE CHIERCHINI - We all enjoy having fun, there is no discussion about it. We all enjoy practicing Aikido in a friendly atmosphere - that does not need to be discussed either. Which is, however, the true place of asobi in Aikido? Having fun is a great means to an end, but be careful: where is the threshold crossed which the means becomes the end?
by MORIHIRO SAITO - The words spoken by Morihiro Saito Sensei on the occasion of his Koshukai in Turin in 1990 constitute an invaluable historical document for the history of Aikido. We are pleased to offer them in English and Italian (scroll down) versions, accompanied by the original video
by RICHARD PAYNE - Richard Payne, a former uchideshi of the Sunset Cliffs Aikido dojo in San Diego (US), has a second passion in addition to Budo - art and he does not lack talent, innovation and the ... courage to combine them in this form extreme of Aikido Body Art. Visually of great impact, his images go beyond any comment. Indeed, one is necessary: do not try to reproduce what you see!
Among the many questions that Hitohira Saito Sensei kindly replied to, you can read of the special connection between his father, Morihiro Saito Sensei, and the Founder of Aikido Morihei Ueshiba, at whose side he lived for 26 years; have an idea of the father/son, teacher/student relationship among Morihiro and Hitohiro; hear the version of… Continua a leggere True to Tradition – Interview With Hitohira Saito
Aikido Italia Network 