Takemusu Aikido Ireland Spring Course 2014
21-22-23 March 2014
Waterford – Kilkenny
Simone Chierchini – International Aikido Academy Director
Takemusu Aikido Ireland Head Instructor
Happy St. Patrick’s Weekend. Hope fun is being had by all. The Takemusu Aikido Ireland Spring Course begins this Friday at 7.30 in our Waterford Aikido Dojo. Please contact Joseph on 0857245321 if coming. It is possible to arrange accommodation.
In the troubled times we are living in, Aiki-En Italy is a project that offers its participants the experience of an alternative lifestyle built on Budo. Aiki-En Italy gives us an opportunity to live together in the name of Aikido, sharing an experience based on its principles of peace, harmony and mutual collaboration.
Aiki-En Italy is not only a martial arts project, but also a social and ecological concept. At Aiki-En Italy we strive to live in a sustainable and self-sufficient way, joining our passion for Aikido training with pleasant work in the garden, growing vegetables, tending fruit trees and taking care of courtyard animals. The daily practice of Aikido is blended with agriculture, family life and grounded feeling.
Aiki-En Italy enrolees are live-in students (uchideshi) that live with the teacher and his family, as opposed to the external students (sotodeshi) that only come to train but live outside the Dojo. The unique experience of being an uchideshi implies that the student is not only doing Aikido on the mats, but also living it together with the teacher, his family and other enrolees, like an Aikido family.
Time spent as an uchideshi is characterised by the creation of a special bond between sensei and student. Besides studying in depth the basics of the Art, the uchideshi gets to be exposed to the specific background knowledge of Aikido and its application in everyday’s life: traditionally, in fact, every part of the life of an uchideshi was part of the training itself.
Nowadays, taking part in a uchideshi program suits those that feel the need to step back from their normal routine for a while, it is also an ideal solution for those who want to undergo a period of intensive quality training, or simply having a holiday out of the ordinary. At Aiki-En Italy we wish to support people in their quest for achieving mastery of the Art, gaining/regaining personal balance and finding a new positioning in personal life.
At Aiki-En Italy, uchideshi practice Aikido daily—normally two classes per day plus special impromptu sessions. Uchideshi training does not begin or end with practising Aikido as the live-in students also share in performing various duties, going from Aiki-En maintenance to working in the garden and contributing their skills at special once-off projects.
Uchideshi usually develop their Aikido skills very quickly, at the same time learning how to manage themselves, people and situations. The challenge of becoming an uchideshi is one that must not be taken lightly. Accepting this responsibility will lead to valuable personal development through training, a process that is priceless in everyday’s life.
UCHIDESHI PROGRAM QUALIFICATIONS
UCHIDESHI PROGRAM EXPENSES CONTRIBUTION
To participate into the Uchideshi Program at Aiki-En Italy, all participants – no exceptions made – will be required to contribute to the general costs connected with your staying in the following measure:
These expense contributions entitle the live-in students to avail of:
Live-in students will be expected to share cooking/tidying up/laundry/maintenance responsibilities with sensei’s family.
Since occupancy at Aiki-En Italy may vary throughout the year, we require perspective uchideshi to apply at least two weeks in advance of the time of their intended staying. For general information about the Uchideshi Program email us here.
To enter the Uchideshi Program, applicants are asked to fill the form below.
We committ to answer to all enquires within 3 working days.
We are proud to announce that Takemusu Aikido Ireland has now joined IAA – International Aikido Academy, an independent Aikido umbrella organisation founded to protect and develop the work of Simone Chierchini and his associates, thus becoming the National Affiliated Association for Ireland.
Kilkenny Aikido sensei Joseph Kennedy has been appointed IAA Ireland Representative and as such will be a member of IAA Teaching Board and IAA Dan Grading Committee.
IAASC Member Associations – updated October 2013: Takemusu Aikido Ireland, IAA Iran, Aikido Italia Network, IAA Saudi Arabia
Operations starting officially on 01/01/2014
VISIT IAA WEBSITE FOR FULL DETAILS ABOUT THE ACADEMY’S OBJECTIVES
Takemusu Aikido Ireland Autumn Course
16/17 November 2013
Simone Chierchini
IAASC Technical Director
16/11: THOMASTOWN (CO. KILKENNY)
Jerpoint Camphill
www.norevalleyailddo.com
Schedule: 10-11.30 (Bukiwaza), 11.45-1.15 (Taijutsu) & 3-4.30 (Bukiwaza), 4.45-6.15 (Taijutsu);
from 6.15 Kyu Grading
SUN 17/11: WATERFORD
Black Belt Academy
www.waterfordaikldo.com/
11-12 (Bukiwaza), 12-1(Taijutsu) & 3-4 (Bukiwaza), 4 – 5 (Taijutsu)
Organisation: International Aikido Academy Simone Chierchini
Info: Joseph Kennedy (+353) 0857245321
Fees: One Day 30 euro, Weekend 50 euro – Concession available
I want to begin by thanking Simone Chierchini sensei for offering some of his precious time to your “trusted comic-book-man San Ovo”. I took the liberty to ask him 5 small questions to put together this little interview, that I am now sharing with you, friends and brothers of the Orbassano dojo Bushi No Kami
by OSVALDO RIGHETTO
OVO SAN:
If Aikido was a one of the five senses, which one would be?
SIMONE:
Certainly the touch. There is no deeper way to perceive movement and capture the emotions of a person.
OVO SAN:
How important is for you, sensei to bring Aikido where there is none?
SIMONE:
More than any rank or qualification. I did it already for 20 years and will continue to do so until my strengths will permit it. I prefer tilling virgin territory rather than fight to put foot on soil already trodden by all.
OVO SAN:
Do you consider yourself someone who brings harmony and peace in the name of Aikido?
SIMONE:
I am trying to pacify myself , first of all , and to communicate a good example with my acts . I hope to be remembered in the future as a good coordinator of people’s common purposes, rather than as yet another pupil of some famous sensei. The value of an aikidoka should be measured by his ability to live a balanced and solar life, by his capacity to positively affect the Aikido community and society around him, gradually expanding the diameter of his actions as a kind of concentric circles that flow from the first.
OVO SAN:
What would you change in Aikido today?
SIMONE:
Nothing. It is not for anyone to change the macro-systems, we can only live in them. In my micro-system (family, dojo , organization) , I want to bring Aikido outside the narrow confines of the dojo, making it more visible and useful at a community and social level. I want to live it with my children and students as a daily dimension, and not as something to be done a couple of times a week, like a course in English.
OVO SAN:
When you sees a junior student, do you ever think whether you were like him or not?
SIMONE:
No! but simply because I started to go on the mats when I was not walking yet , so obviously I do not remember…
Thanks again, Chierchini sensei
Your friend Osvaldo
Originally posted in Italian on http://www.aikidorbassano.it/?q=node/306
Provisional training plan for the next few months:
NOVEMBER 2013: Thomastown: Autumn Course & Kyu Grading
FEBRUARY 2014: Galway – Winter Course
APRIL 2014: Takemusu Aikido Ireland TRIP TO ITALY
Please take note and get organised
Takemusu Aiki! For sure I do not want to make an attempt on explaining this highly spiritual term. But, I would like to tell you a personal anecdote of how I came in touch with this term at first hand
by ROBERT MAIER
In the late Eighties, when I came to the Ibaraki Dojo in Iwama for the first time to study Aikido at Saito Sensei´s I had almost no experience in Aikido at all. Having lots of ideas in mind about the Spirit of Aikido, which I got from several Aikido teachers of different styles in Germany I longed for the ultimate truth that might be given to me by the closest student of O-Sensei Ueshiba, Saito Morihiro Sensei. But, nothing came over to me. Saito Sensei even refused to tell anything about the spiritual side of Aikido. There was nothing but mere technical training. Every now and then he suddenly gave very short demonstrations of his marvellous Takemusu Aikido. He always ended up with a infectious smile saying “It’s technique, no magic!”.
Now I really have to admit that in the beginning I regarded Saito Sensei as being only a quite an uneducated railway worker who could not get even a glimpse of O-Sensei’s spiritual teachings. So my hunger for learning something about the spiritual background of Aikido still was not satisfied. The only straw I could catch at was “It’s technique, no magic! Ha,ha,ha…” And believe me it was really hard technique. Even as a former Karateka I doubted that changing over to Aikido had been the right decision for my further budo life.
One day, rummaging in the books and papers former uchi deshi had left in the chisai shokudo (small kitchen) of the dojo, most of them not worth mentioning, I found a postcard written by a student back home to the others left behind in the Iwama dojo: It showed two saints walking along their path one of them saying with a big gesture to the other: “Believe me, Takemusu Aiki is the best!”.
The following weeks and months I learned that bearing these two sentences in mind was all I needed to find access to the spiritual side of O-Sensei’s Aikido. Next I noticed that despite the feeling of brutality of the techniques of the Iwama Sempai as uke, there was no force on their side. My inability of taking correct ukemi made the techniques brutal to me. By the way, Nemoto Sensei, another generous and humble Sempai of the Iwama Dojo with brilliant ukemi showed me the right way in a private lesson.
So I came to the conclusion that if you have proper kihon waza training there is no need of talking and speculating about the Spirit of Aikido. It is all packed within the techniques passed on from O-Sensei by Saito Sensei in Iwama to our present Shihans Paolo Corallini and Ulf Evenas. All you need is the belief that what you are doing is the right way for you.
Try hard to be as humble as Saito Sensei used to be and concentrate on always bringing out the best form of the technique you are practicing with all your mind and body.
Takemusu Aiki the ‘undescribable’ term, is manifested in the huge number of techniques Saito Sensei has got from O-Sensei and systematized in his great heritage called Takemusu Aikido, which helped me a lot over the years, in my private life and as well as in my work dealing with children of all ages and social backgrounds and difficult to educate. When I get stuck in a problem not knowing how to deal with it I always step back to the practical excercise of Takemusu Aikido and an answer will show up.
It’s all in the technique! Go ahead, practise Takemusu Aikido and unpack…
Robert Maier, Aikido Zentrum Teising, Germany
Reproduced with the authorisation of Takemusu Aikido Association Italy © – All Rights Reserved – Special thanks to Paolo Corallini shihan
There is more to the picture than the simple mechanics of Bukiwaza.
Here’s a few hints by Simone Chierchini
Takemusu Aikido Ireland Spring Course 2013
Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny, Ireland
23-26/05/2013
Takemusu Aikido Ireland Summer Camp 2013
Simone Chierchini, 5 Dan Aikikai, Takemusu Aikido Association Italy Senpai
24-25 August 2013
Camphill Jerpoint, Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny
For Directions please see norevalleyaikido.com or Call Joseph on 0857245321
INFO ITALY: Simone Chierchini – Tel (+39) 3453943286 Email: schierchini@gmail.com
TRAINING SCHEDULE: Saturday 24 – 10-11.30 Bukiwaza Aikijo, 11.30-1 Taijutsu; 15.30-17 Bukiwaza Aikiken, 17-18.30 Taijutsu, 18.30-19.30 Special Keiko (by invitation only). Sunday 25 – 9.00-10.30 Bukiwaza Aikijo, 10.30-12.00 Taijutsu; 13.30-15 Bukiwaza Aikiken, 15-16.30 Taijutsu
FEES: Standard – Full Course 50€, One Day 30€; Unemployed & U18 Full Course 35€, One Day 20€; (( children free))
Friday 23 August we will have a class in the Waterford Dojo, starting at 7.30pm. Everybody welcome!
On Tuesday the 9th July three Takemusu Aikido Ireland Instructors took part in the Cow View Farm Summer Camp.
We taught two classes that day. With the younger children aged 3 till 7 we covered Kokyu exercises, some basic Aikido techniques and a few games.
For the older children aged 8 till 11 we had a more traditional class covering kokyu, kihon and some bokken practice.
Fun was had by all, and I suspect we’ll be seeing the kids again.
The Cow View is a new project started this year by Marie Barry. Marie and her husband Arlie also ran a fabulous festival last month and promoted several local bands in the process. This is their facebook page:
www.facebook.com/CowViewFarmSummerCamp
by Joseph Kennedy
AIKIDO MAYO 