Michio Hikitsuchi Shihan remembers O’Sensei…

COMMENDATORY NOTE

Twenty years, already, have passed since O’SENSEI, that miraculous Budoka without precedent, passed away!

It is truly a pity that we are no longer able to see his divine techniques. I am absolutely certain that KAISO (MORIHEI UESHIBA Sensei) was a KAMI incarnate, because he devoted his entire life to finding a way to perfect Japanese BUDO,  in creating AIKIDO, in which there is no brutal element, just like running water which never stagnates. I have unforgettable memories of KAISO’s words, as we talked of one thing and another. He said to me once: “it is as if the wind were blowing through me”.

KAISO’s BUDO was fresh and spontaneous, and without attachment. It was a true expression of the state of his soul. More than this: his power was absolute, and if you attacked him with an inimical spirit, you were flattened, as if struck by lightening.

It is impossible that a BUDO so fashioned were created by human intelligence. The one who could create AIKIDO is the highest Cultural Spirit of Japan. He can only be an emanation of the gods. It is because KAISO polished his soul till it was pure that he became a living temple of the gods.

KAISO had a deep faith in the KUMANO SANZAN (the three mountains of KUMANO); at the same time he loved the magnificent landscape and the gentle climate of this region. This is why he wanted to come and be in SHINGU, as a haven for his old age. It is certainly for this reason that in the shrine of my Dojo, AIKIDO KUMANO JUKU, KAISO’s divine spirit resides.

The teaching of AIKIDO has as its goal the creation of human beings who know truly how to harmonize with one another, by suppressing their aggressive spirit, and thus contribute to the realization of world peace. Being embued with the spirit of AIKIDO, we train our spirits to not be combatative and our techniques to never attack.

What is AIKIDO?  The characters for AIKIDO signify the way of harmony with KI. The character for BU signifies the laying down of arms. And so, it is not permitted to fight against other people, or to compete. And so I think that according to the meaning you attribute to the character for BU, your destiny for good or ill is determined. So isn’t it tremendously important for people who study BUDO to understand this meaning?

The AIKIDO Dojo is a sacred space, where we work at purifying our life and at polishing our body and our heart. It is the place of the Way of an honorable life, where we entrain to the technique of the spiraling, magnificent dance which creates the flow. It is wrong to learn attacking techniques in order to fight against other people, and to have a killing spirit. I would wish that you choose well your way – because training  demands your whole life.

LOVE gives birth to harmony; harmony is accompanied by joy, and joy produces treasures.

This is the reason for the creation of the universe. And so this is the spirit of the great way.

Gérard Blaize, 5th Dan [as of 1988], came to SHINGU for the first time in 1975. Since then he has trained constantly with me. He is that rare thing, even amongst Japanese: a practitioner who is a seeker: through his seriousness and his utter application and dedication.

On this occasion, it would be desirable, that everyone should reflect on their own training, so that we might play our part in developing true AIKIDO, as directed by KAISO, in order to contribute to the search for world peace.

[Signed:]
AIKIDO O-KAISO SHIN UESHIBA MORIHEI

CHOKUDEN JUDAN HIKITSUCHI MICHIO

[tr. note:  this is Hikitsuchi Shihan’s forward to Gérard Blaize Shihan’s book – it is noticeable how much like an Inka-jo the latter paragraphs read – and it should be particularly noted that Hikitsuchi Shihan signs it the old-fashioned way:  with the entire lineage:  O’Sensei’s name first, followed by his own name.]

– – – from   Aikido : recherche du geste vrai  by  Gérard Blaize,  pp. 12-15

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