Anyone reading these pages is likely familiar with the term Dojo (道場), the place where one lives the path, the Do. Today, however, we speak of Nyokodo (如己堂), literally, “the hall (of love) as for oneself.” The world of martial practice is quite polarized when it comes to the topic of love. On some tatami, […]
…Write Amen and share. If you’ve been on social media for a while, you’ve surely come across “like-and-share” posts. They come in different variations: from pictures of puppies to politicians, from sunsets to more or less sacred and religious-themed images. The latter differ slightly in their call to action, where “like” is replaced with “Amen,” […]
Sensei (先生), senpai (先輩), kohai (後輩): the practice of a martial discipline revolves around these three figures. Every human experience is based on the interaction between those who were “born first” (sensei), who trace a path for their fellow travelers. Among such travelers, there are those who joined the journey earlier (senpai, the companion who […]
In some martial disciplines, such as Aikido, Judo, and Ju Jutsu, it is essential to learn how to absorb a technique by falling. Accessible to Everyone The teaching of ukemi (受け身) plays a crucial role for practitioners of all ages. In fact, a significant part of an adult’s decision to continue or quit training depends […]
To explain the wonderful and complex uniqueness of each of us, it is often said that each of us is a universe. The term universe holds particular significance in the teachings left by the Founder of Aikido. For such reason, we believe it is important to investigate the term he used, uchu 宇宙, and offer […]
Do we know how to attack? Nice figurines When we train children and introduce them to techniques in response to strikes or cuts, the tatami comes alive with tiny figures from a mechanical creche -little statuettes slicing through the air, rigid as marble. Or throwing a punch that inevitably diverts at the last moment, missing […]
Is the constant and incremental practice of a discipline an ally to our growth and well-being? Or is it exactly the opposite? It depends. To try to outline an answer, we need to look at how our system works. Pleasure and reward Our system is so well-designed that it releases dopamine when it perceives positive […]
Who is Prosper Weeder? Could he possibly be yet another guy nobody has ever heard of, who gets named a sevenfouteenth dan and shihan at the Kagami Biraki? Nothing of the sort. If we look at the kanji that make up Morihei Ueshiba’s name, 盛平植芝, and translate them literally one by one, the result is, […]
The plaque placed by NASA on the Pioneer 10 and 11 probes captured the imagination of us kids born in the seventies and eighties. It had it all: the mystery of space exploration; technology making giant leaps; the curiosity, mixed with hope and fears, of wondering whether we are alone in this Universe. The plaque […]
Wingy è uno dei sei passeri che abitano sotto le tegole del tetto del nostro ufficio. Lo chiamiamo così perché ha una piccola striscia bianca su entrambe le ali, che lo rende ben riconoscibile in mezzo agli altri. In foto potete vedere il Dojo in cui Wingy e i suoi compagni si esercitano. Il Dojo […]
