Susan Perry (5)

from dust jacket

Morihei Ueshiba (1883-1969), founder of the Japanese martial art of Aikido, is one of the greatest and most beloved martial artists in history. Remembering O-Sensei is a protarait of Ueshiba as told by his uchi-deshi, the students who lived and trained with him as his discoples. This collection of memories-gathered heere for the first time-captgures the essence of this extraorditary martial arts master and visionary, revealing Ueshiba's teaching style, his daily habits, his show more philosophy of life, the lovable human aspects of his personality, and his deep beliefe that Aikido could be used as a means to creaing peace and harmony in the world.

The book also provides a snapshot of a fascinationt time in Japanese history when a student would apprentice with his master by essentially moving in with him and receiving instruction thorugh rigoruous training seessions, and also by serving him an observing his acgion in daily life, Mostg of teh studenss wlhose remembrances are included in this book went on to spread th teacing s of Aikido thoruoghot the world an became masters in their own right.

Contents

Foreword
Acknowledgments
Introduction
1 First Meetings
2 Training
3 Daily Living
4 Art of Peace
Glossary
Contributors
Credits show less

from cover

Aikido Talks contains intreviews with prominent American Aikido students and teachers, who describe their experiences with Aikido's legendary founder, discuss Aikido's philosophy, explore the warrior spirit, and relate Aikido to such diverse fields as play therapy, law-enforcement, Taiko drumming, and community buliding. More than a 'martial arts' book, Aikido Talks reveals how Aikido, as a martial art and spiritual discipline, has changed the lives and thoughts of 20 extraordinary show more people.

'The movements of Aikido are like something out of a beautiful dream. God knows, I don't get it right all the time! But those moments when I don't have to think at all, when I'm just there in the eternal present and everything is harmony, are truly transformative.'-George Leonard

'At [a demonstration] at Hong Kong University, I told a 16-year-old Judo student to come at me at any time with a real knife. I told him that we might both get hurt but that I felt the demonstration had to show what a real, unrehearsed situation would be like. He Lunged in to stab me. I can see him now. The sun shone on the knife just like we were in a movie set. All the spectators drew in their breath and let out with a great shout when I took him down'-Virginia Mayhew

'O-Sensei would call some of us up as ukes, have us push against a bokken he was holding, and show that we couldn't move his arm. One time, when he called for ukes with a sweeping motion of his hand, I said to myself, 'What the hell, I'll go for it.' I came in between two people who were already pushing on his bokken, and I was really trucking by the time I got there...But, when I hit that bokken, it was like hitting a building. It shook me right down to the soles of my feet. I remember that feeling to this day-one of the biggest surprises in my life.'-Terry Dobson

Susan Perry and Ronald Rubin, the Chief Instuctors of Musubi Dojo in Southern California, are the editors of Aikido Today Magazine.

Contents

Virginia Mayhew-Pilgrim and Pioneer
Terry Dobson-'Onegaishimasu!'
Robert Nadeau-Fire and Water
Mary Heiny-Technique as Conversation
Henry Kono-Yin, Yang, and Ki
Shinichi Suzuki-Breathing, Meditation, and Misogi
Frank Doran-Sweat and Joy
B.J. Carlisle-Martial Kahuna
George Leonard-Unending Possibilities of Harmony
Richard Strozzi Heckler-The Search for the Warrior
John Stevens-The Message and the Word
Kevin Choate-Climbing the Mountain
Fred Donaldson-The Play of the Universe
Mits Yamashita-Grappling and the Warrior Spirit
Patty Saotome-The Romance of the Sword
Robert Koga-Harmony and Law Enforcement
Jim Friesen-Banging the Drum
Massimo di Villadorata-World Traveler
Donovan Waite-Hunger for Aikido
LInda Holiday-Aikido as Community Building show less