Aikido Alive U.K. 合気道 - Aikido in a living relationship. A non-violent spiritual martial art for body, mind and heart. An integral spiritual discipline in a living dojo blending aikido, yoga and meditation with directed spiritual inquiry.
Björn Säw Sensei, 5th dan Aikikai, began training traditional Iwama Takemusu Aikido in 1974 in Sweden. He traveled to Japan to further his training under Morihiro Saito Sensei in Iwama and studied in O Sensei's Iwama dojo between 1987 and 1993. Björn received his Nidan from Saito Sensei. In September 2002 he founded Aikido Alive London where he teach his own development of takemusu Aikido with clear emphasis on spiritual awakening and understanding.
Björn was a student of American spiritual teacher Andrew Cohen from 1991 to 2003. With much experience of meditation and spiritual contemplation he highlights the importance of the spiritual aspects of the art.
Since Saito Sensei passed away Ulf Evenås Shihan has awarded 5th dan to Björn Sensei.
Jo Suburi: 14. Hasso Gaeshi - Uchi. 15. - Tsuki. 16. - Ushiro Tsuki. 17. - Ushiro Uchi. 18. - Ushiro Barai. (Apologies for the brain bleed in the video mentioning the wrong name twice or trice.)
Aikido Awakenings This first meeting online is the beginning of a long series of invitations, to dojo-chos and students alike, to learn and dialogue about what constitutes spiritual freedom; how it stands alone and how it overlaps with our practice of Aikido. We will inquire into the nature of O Sensei’s realisation: Both of his martial interior understanding and of his purely cognitive insights. We will question our own understanding of these matters in order to get a clearer picture of what constitutes spiritual liberation, for our body and mind. We will explore the living quality of Oneness, individually and collectively: What it means in Aikido and what it means in the world. This is not a forum where we get to take centre stage. We will explore a shared perspective we all partake in equally. We come here to come together in a unified vision. Not in a superficial agreement but in a real experience of a shared consciousness that will come about through us putting aside our differences. Just as we’re meant to leave our Ego at the door as we step onto the mat. We will learn about our individual Ego and how it separates and creates division as we speak through the habit of self referencing. This is meant to wake up the Aikido world to O Sensei’s focus on the Spirit and for us to gain a clear thorough understanding thereof. In a real practical sense and not as mere theory.
I think you guys may have another video similarly detailing how you demonstrate 1st Kyu, with a lot more comments, but in this video, I really like the energy of all the techniques from both partners. Really well done, thanks for sharing.
Saito sensei was my teacher when I lived in Japan. While I no longer train in Iwama style, I cherish the memories of him and of the Iwama dojo and Aiki Shrine. Many great friendships were forged there.
I've practiced some Japanese sword art. It's interesting how your kamae uses a slight "crouch". I've tried it and noticed how it relaxes the shoulder and makes the technique come out smoother. Thanks!
Sorry I come from another martial art (shotokan karate) but I was wondering, is it normal that you finish your step AFTER the strike ? I'm asking because I've always learned that the step and the strike should arrive at the same time, so I'm curious if it's a specificity of my discipline ?
The jo practice of O Sensei (Morihei Ueshiba, founder of Aikido) originate in Hozoin-Ryu spear (yari) techniques. But see more here: www.e-budo.com/forum/showthread.php?32257-Aiki-ken-jo-origin
Great Video Sensei Bjorn, there is some interesting movements I have not seen before. For example I believe you have taken the first movement of Ichi no Tachi and created another awase form from this, wonderful.
Hi Andrew, yes the space is so small so sometimes I do ken suburi 4 and 5 on the spot. Also I incorporate migi and hidari awase practice with both shomen and yokomen continuous defensive response, moving to the right and to the left alternatively. The Kentai iichi mentioned above does not refer to the suburi nor to the kumi-tachi. It refers to the unified body and sword we need to develop throughout all of the exercises. The final exercises, cutting the belly entering towards the right and spinning around, and the last, cutting the belly (or striking) entering to the left, are just additional practices to migi and hidari awase. Practices we did in Iwama with M Saito Sensei back in the day.
+Aikido Alive London 合気道 Hi Bjorn, thatis interesting. You Said "The final exercises, cutting the belly entering towards the right and spinning around, and the last, cutting the belly (or striking) entering to the left, are just additional practices to migi and hidari awase". Now It looks like shihonage when you do this, infact the happo giri you incorporate looks exactly the same as the cutting in eight directions I beleive this is what you mean by ken tai ichi, sword body as one. I totally understand this is an extension of the basic migi hidari awase, so would you consider this movement as shihonage in sword form?
Yes it's the same motion as in shihonage. Yes but the kentai iichi feeling also carries over to jo, and to tai-jutsu; the ease of a unified blending regardless of weapon: Riai
Hi Thomas, it's not really true what you say. If you have trained in Iwama you will have seen both versions. If you are only moving the jo around and up without parring an incoming tsuki, yes then there is a possibility to let it rotate at its midsection, but if you parry a tsuki thrust you'll need to hold it 1/3 in on the jo in order to get the right amount of lever or reach and balance in order to execute properly. You can see that demonstrated in slow motion with my partner in the clip. Also, holding it in the mid-section makes it rotate too fast and you have less control, and the ending position your hand-grip ends up too high on the jo, making it ineffective for the next move, whether that be a shomen uchi strike or a tsuki. Please ask your teacher to show you the parry of an incoming tsuki, and you'll see what I mean. Thanks for the comment, Bjorn
but I do also see Morihiro sensei having his hand a little lower than the middle, but apparently there has been a move the later years where going to the middle consequently is the new way.
Things did, and do change over time yes, but the "old" ways are never discarded. The new versions always build on what was there before, and we'd always keep practicing in several ways, understanding their respective usage. Now to understand Hasso gaeshi we need to know it is foremost a block and a parry for an incoming tsuki or yokomen, and therefore you can't let it rotate with the hand at its midsection. Please try in practice and you'll see.
