Writings
of Nobayashi Tamura
Chapter 6 - Relations with other Martial Arts
"Aiki (as distinct from Aikido) is the origin of all martial arts. This is what the Founder of Aikido wished to express when he named his art takemusuaiki.
Aiki consists in uniting oneself with the ki of the heavens and the earth. Aiki is not exclusive to budo but is part of all human activity. Applying the principle of Aikido to events will help us understand them better; acting in accord with this principle will make our actions easier.
This principle applies to daily life, to social relations and to modern science.
Bujutsu and Budo were created by men who lived on the edge of life and death. Driven by an unshakable will, such men built up layers of experience, invoked the gods and prayed beneath waterfalls.
Bujutsu and Budo are not merely techniques. Their value comes from using asceticism to go beyond technique. The techniques originated from the specific circumstances of their creator's life: the place, the era, the human situation. Thus if you are given a chance, widen your horizons and practice or watch techniques anytime an occasion presents itself.
Compare and see what you can integrate in your own practice of Aikido. But beware; the idea is not to copy the other arts nor to mix them together!"
Chapter 8 - Beginners
Beginning Training
"Beginners should start learning Aikido through basic practice such as tai no henko, ukemi, etc.
In order that they come to understand the nature and meaning of Aikido, beginners should be handled with patience, kindness, attention and precision. This will progressively bring them to a more intense level of practice.
At first, beginners feel lost and don't know what to do. The teacher's role is to avoid this situation. A beginner who is sitting alone on the side of the mat without a partner is proof that the education of the older students in the dojo is lacking.
If this situation occurs, it indicates that the dojo members lack awareness regarding how to maintain a general harmony among human beings during practice. They are not sensitive to the feelings of others. The teacher must strive to create a working atmosphere of mutual respect and harmony so that the students to are highly attentive and behave in this way even when the teacher is absent. This education must take place on a daily basis.
In fact, such an atmosphere should be established without explicit intervention. Everyone should know these rules and put them into practice. Beginners will then effortlessly be integrated, thanks to the atmosphere in the dojo."