Above Peter Bussell, 4th Dan, instructing a seminar.
(Photo © 2002 Peter Bussell. All rights reserved)
I first became acquainted with Peter Bussell several years ago from an e-mail I received announcing an unprecedented ---- never done seminar, featuring two well-known and respected senior Aikido instructors from entirely different Aikido organizations. Through Peter’s own efforts, he was able to arrange Koichi Kashiwaya, 8th Dan, Chief Instructor of the USA Ki Society and Larry Bieri, 6th Dan, an Aikikai Shidoin, to commence the first joint Aikido seminar, August 14th and 15th, 1999. This was a huge success and became the model by which all other seminars featuring instructors of various Aikido federations and styles, pattern from. I, myself felt that this was an honorable and most earnest effort by all three individuals involved: Koichi Kashiwaya, 8th Dan and Larry Bieri, 6th Dan, and Peter Bussell, 4th Dan to show true Aiki at work. After all --- Aiki, according to Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido - is practiced as a living martial art, everyday, in and out of the dojo. I was very flattered and honored to be asked to announce and feature his article, on this historic seminar.
Peter Bussell is the founder and Chief instructor of the Ryurei Aikido Dojo in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. His organization offers Aikido, Shinkido – coordination of Mind, Body and Spirit, -- and Shinki-Ryoho – Kiatsu or Ki – therapeutic massage.
Ryurei Aikido, an independent Aikido dojo, has evolved with its roots from the direct influences of Gozo Shioda 9th Dan, David Lynch 6th Dan - Yoshinkai Aikido, Koichi Tohei, 10th Dan, Ki No Kenkyukai, and Shin Shin Toitsu Aikido - the very foundation of Ryurei Aikido is the study of Shinkido.
Peter’s Aikido training started 39 years ago, under the tutelage of David Lynch, 6th Dan. He was born in Wellington, New Zealand. His first years of Aikido study were in Auckland. During his teen’s and 20’s – several visits to Japan over the subsequent years, with time at the Yoshinkai Hombu Dojo when Gozo Shioda Sensei was alive, and then at the Ki no Kenkyukai. He emigrated to Canada, in 1977. He lived the first 4 years in Toronto, Canada and ended up in Ottawa in 1981, where he presently lives and instructs Aikido.
This interview was done in person with Peter and myself, in Ottawa, May 2002. We were both instructing what has become affectionately known as our:
“Aikido, Her’s and His Seminars".
Can you tell us about yourself and how you became interested in Aikido?
"I work for the City of Ottawa in what would be termed the welfare department. And I started Aikido while at college in 1965."
"1964 was my first year at college/university. In high school I had been very active in gymnastics and very conscious of my body – fitness conscious. When I went to college, academia was the name of the game, so I didn’t do anything physical. About August 1964 or around there, my Dad wanted some help one weekend – some physical work. I was so sore after that weekend – that I thought “You’ll never get to be 40 years old if you don’t do something about your fitness!” So I thought, “what should I do? I thought I might start Judo. So, I went to a Judo dojo and enrolled in Judo. The classes were on Friday night. I used to arrive about an hour or so before the class started. At that time there was an Aikido class so I used sit and watch. I thought that it was very interesting and it looked very good. But I had started Judo and so continued with the Judo class. I had been doing Judo for about 3 or 4 months when we were then allowed, as new students, to go to the free practice on Saturday afternoons. So, I went to free practice one Saturday. When I got there, some fellow wearing a brown belt said: 'Hey common – you –', so I went in there to practice with him. He threw me instantly and I landed on my knee, and my knee just went poof – inflated like a balloon. I thought to myself, 'I don’t need this. I’m at university – and I was only going to do this for fun and to keep me a little but fitter, I don’t need injuries.'”
"So, I never went back to Judo. Then a few months later I was getting so unfit and I seriously felt that I needed to do something. I thought I might go and look at the Aikido and see what it was like. It had looked interesting. But the Aikido teacher had moved out of that dojo, I was able to track him down. I went and took one class, and went back and took another. As we say in our dojo: Now the hook was in and set I never stopped."
Who was your instructor then?
"My instructor was David Lynch Sensei and his wife Hisae Lynch Sensei. Mainly, David. They were a young couple, just married. When I first started Aikido, Hisae was still teaching, but shortly after was pregnant with their first child. So she wasn’t training as much. After their first child (Kenichi) grew a little, she started back again training. That was many years ago."
What were your most memorable moments with David Lynch, at his dojo?
"David ran a very, very good dojo. He had come from Japan after studying Aikido, as an uchideshi, at the Yoshinkan Hombu dojo. He was the first New Zealander to have done any Aikido and he introduced Aikido to New Zealand. So it was a very privileged position really - I was one of his early students. It wasn’t long before Aikido was an everyday occurrence for me. Sometimes twice a day – you know some of us practiced 14 –18 hours a week. I became a very close student of his and at one time, maybe the closest to him. It was a very special relationship. After a relatively short time maybe two and half years or so, I decided I had to go to Japan. So, I was the very first student from New Zealand to go back to Japan with David and Hisae’s sponsorship. At that time it was very difficult to get a visa to study Aikido in Japan. As a matter of fact, my visa was the very first one issued in New Zealand for a student to go full-time to live in Japan to study aikido. But it was only through Hisae and David’s contact with Shioda Sensei that made that happen. Also David had a close relationship with the Japanese Consul General in New Zealand at the time. I also knew the Consul General quite well, because both his children were learning aikido in David’s dojo at that time. It was sealed for me to go to Japan. So it was a close relationship at that time, I roughly spent as much time in David’s company as I did at my own house. I think he is seven or eight years or so older than me. He was like an older brother, but yet a sought of aikido father to me. It was really that type of relationship for about 8 or 9 years. It was a very special relationship to me."
He must have been very proud of you, being able to go to Japan. You represented him as a student of his.
"Maybe. Before I went to Japan we had some visits from groups of Japanese from the Yoshinkai. For instance Japan Airlines Aikido club was a Yoshinkai dojo. A whole group of Japan Airlines Aikido club members - decided they could get an aircraft for very little – they had about 30 of them and took an aircraft and flew to New Zealand for three weeks or so. So we had 30, mainly Yudansha, that had arrived and we trained with them every day. Shioda Sensei was supposed to come for this trip, but he couldn’t come at the last minute, because he had broken his Achilles tendon (if my memory’s correct). So, he couldn’t train for six weeks. Instead of him coming, Kushida Sensei and Inoue Sensei came. As you know Inoue Sensei is the dojo cho now and Kushida Sensei is in Michigan where he has been for about 30 years or so now. But these were two 8th Dans that came and Wow! That was pretty magnificent for our whole dojo."
"I guess I was a representative of the Yoshinkai from New Zealand at that time (when I went to Tokyo) – the first one back there. That was special. And I felt I was treated special. Shioda sensei was unbelievable!"
David Lynch, what did you like about him? Was there something - charisma, as an instructor, as an individual? Otherwise you wouldn’t have stayed there. What was it - if you could put it into words?
"It is hard to pinpoint. But David is a very charismatic person. He’s got an incredible sense of humor. He took Aikido very seriously. He was someone you could respect, but also really like. He has a warm, caring, generous and gentle personality. It wasn’t just me that stayed with him – there were innumerable numbers of people. Like any dojo, there was a lot of turnover too, but those that stayed – made up a hard core of inner students there. Thinking back, there were probably 10 or 12 in the inner core and now 38 + years later there are still about 6 of those persons that are still practicing Aikido. I think that is very special. And not all of us, but many of us still correspond with each other, this includes people that are older. When I first started Aikido I was 19 years old, and another person was probably in his late 30’s or early forties, he is still practicing and he is still very active. He loved to challenge the younger ones, like me. We had a nickname for him (Lynch had nicknames for almost everyone), and this guy was known as the Beast." (He laughs lovingly and his warm smile glows).
"And he is still the beast. He still writes to me. Of course, he knows that I subsequently went from the Yoshinkai and started practicing with Tohei Sensei and the Ki Society (Koichi Tohei), and he knows I still practice a lot of things in a similar way to the Ki Society. He still writes to me: “Well, so - are you still doing your fancy dancing?” (We both chuckle in delight with the delightful humor of the phrase). It’s memories like that from that era – from those people that are very special."
"Eddie Wong Sensei 6th dan, is now the head of the Yoshinkai in New Zealand. He joined just a little before me. It seems that being of Asian background he is very loyal to the Yoshinkai and would never ever leave. Of course, this was his first and only aikido school and that’s where he studied. Eddie and I were the first Kiwis (New Zealanders) under Lynch Sensei to reach Shodan. I guess we were the first home grown shodans in New Zealand. Eddie was my Best Man at my wedding."
He is very dedicated.
"Very dedicated. You know, he has been doing this a very long time too, and still runs the dojo."
"You don’t find this dedication often. It is very difficult to keep dedication ongoing because of other circumstances. I’m not saying that anyone that is dedicated is serious and only those people that show this type of dedication are serious. There are situations such as yours, or even myself where we have had to, or chose to, switch our organizations."
What influenced your interests in martial arts?
"When I first started, I had no real interest in martial arts. The motivation for it was purely to get my body into shape! (We laugh hilariously)."
You happened upon a big opportunity!
"Yes, it has changed my life completely! (We laugh)."
"I would like to say that the most influential teacher I’ve ever had, has to be David Lynch Sensei – you only ever have one first teacher. He is very dear to my heart. I’ve had my differences with him over the years, but have never lost my respect and admiration for him. He is still my first teacher and I still have correspondence with him. We are much closer now than we were at the end of our first 10 years when we had a parting of the ways. I think that is a reflection on my immaturity at that time."
"But he was one of the most influential people and aikidoka for me. After that (ten years in the Yoshinkai) I went with Tohei sensei. And in terms of the Aikido I practice now, I suspect Lynch and Tohei Sensei were the most influential teachers."
But Lynch being your primary and first instructor . . .
"Yes, because he set the foundations and my experience has been – I often describe the Yoshinakai as the “Holiday Inn of Aikido”. It’s very consistent. It doesn’t matter where you go in the world you get exactly the same standard of quality and techniques and exercises. Whereas my experiences of Aikikai, you get a thousand different interpretations (we both chimed) of Aikido, But Yoshinkai is fundamentally identical where ever you seem to go. And my foundations were built on that and they are still influential in it. Less and less in many things but not the basics."
So you were given strong basics.
"Very strong basics. And my experience has been – I have numerous Aikido people that come to my dojo now that have had previous experience – and if they have had Yoshinkai experience for 3 or more years – they’ve got really good basics. But that’s the only school that I found that is so consistent.
Dan started his aikido at the Yoshinkai, his basics are very sound, Gary came from the Aikikai and we at first had to work on much of his basics."
So a technique will not really vary a lot from one instructor to another, with one country to the next.
"Right, right, that has been my experience."
It will be consistent and it won’t be confusing for a new student that visits another dojo on another continent.
"I suspect so."
If you’ve picked up books on Yoshinkan Aikido, the footwork and techniques are consistently the same, so it is easy to follow.
"Yes, very much so."
What was the most valuable lesson or actualization in your Aikido training? Realization or awakening.
"The most influence on my Aikido as an event, would be meeting Tohei Sensei (Koichi Tohei, 10th Dan) and being introduced to his Ki principles for Coordination of Mind and Body, as he said. It has opened so many doors and so many new ways of looking at things. I just said how I respect and admire the Yoshinkai so much. When I was in the Yoshinkai we spoke about the “hard schools of Aikido” and the “soft schools of Aikido”. Yoshinkai was a hard school of Aikido and Aikikai was a soft school. "
Editor's note: All references to Tohei Sensei denotes Koichi Tohei, 10th Dan, former Chief Instructor of Aikido World Headquarters, Tokyo, Japan, and founder of Ki No Kenkyukai Headquarters, also in Tokyo, Japan.)
"At that time, in New Zealand, we only saw a few Aikikai people, primarily two Japanese Sandans, -- Takase Shihan, now head of the Aikikai in NZ and another, Honda san, from the Kansai area – subsequently I discovered that the Aikikai represents a huge spectrum of “styles” And this was spoken of not in a derogatory term, but as a different “style” of aikido. And consequently when the Ki-Society started it was considered to be a softer school than the Aikikai. Well I started off in the very hard school of Yoshinkai. And I would suspect that Ryurei Aikido (Peter Bussell’s style of Aikido) is probably the softest school in existence now. I find Ki-Society incredibly hard compared to Ryurei Aikido. By hard, I mean very muscular and strength oriented. And it was the influence and great teaching ability of Tohei Sensei that opened me up to that."
"We were speaking earlier about the interview that Stanley Pranin of Aikido Journal did with Tohei sensei and how among other things that Tohei Sensei had said, was that the greatest thing that O-Sensei had done was to teach people to relax. I really believe it is. Maybe not the greatest thing but it was certainly a very very important thing he gave. I suspect that maybe 95 percent of the Aikido world has no idea what he, Tohei, meant by that, (Hence the subsequent derision accorded Tohei Sensei when that interview was published) and has no idea what the power of true relaxation is. It’s interesting because I was very much influenced by those principles that Tohei Sensei taught. And unlike Ki-Society dojo where they say they practice the Ki exercises that Tohei Sensei taught, but in my opinion, in reality just do a mechanical movement without the real thing that Tohei was striving to get across. I can go into a Ki –Society dojo and do a seminar or teach a class there. They seem to have lost (maybe forgotten) much of what Tohei Sensei was teaching – Ki wise. My observation is that a huge percentage of the regular students have a rudimentary understanding of Ki in general. Their desire and attitude is wonderful – don’t get me wrong, this is not intended in any negative way. There are a few individuals that have what Tohei Sensei was teaching, but it seems to have been lost or is being lost. I hope the Ki Society dojos don’t take this the wrong way. They are striving to do their best, however it seems to me that the Ki Society’s well qualified teachers are spread pretty thin and so many of their dojos only meet a highly qualified instructor once a year or so unless they are able to travel as individuals. I wish they all had the opportunity to go to Japan and spend time there. Or go to Seattle and spend time with Kashiwaya Sensei. Of course there are other wonderful individual instructors in the US Ki Society, but as I said, they seem to be spread fairly thin."
"Tohei Sensei has said many times that when he first came to the United States he was teaching these things and everyone was doing them. And he went back to Japan. Then he came back to the United States 3 or 4 years later and found that “they” had lost it. I find that he is not here, so they’ve lost it all over again. (Perhaps this is explained when I remember Tohei Sensei informing me that he cannot teach me anything, it is for me to learn it – how true.) Kashiwaya Sensei is too busy to be teaching these exercises to all the dojos in the Ki Society. He manages to visit a few dojos each year and then it is usually for a weekend seminar and so there is no intense tuition of these Ki exercises to the rank and file membership. This is not a criticism but more an observation. "
"You know with new students coming to our dojo it is a good six months with two Shinkido classes a week before they are starting to get quite competent with the Ki exercises. Most Ki Society dojos that I have been able to observe go through a series of Ki related warm up exercises but few have classes dedicated to learning about Ki. Some of those dojos offer one dedicated Ki class per month. "
"In contrast Imaizumi Sensei, Shin Budo Kai, has regular Genkido classes each week. (Imaizumi Sensei was the first USA Chief Instructor for the Ki Society in 1975 – he accompanied Tohei Sensei to New Zealand in 1975 prior to locating in the USA.)"
"At Ryurei Aikido – every class we do some Shinkido – we do a lot more in depth study of Ki than most Nth American based Ki-Society dojos ever do. That’s why I say we have evolved into a much softer school of aikido because practice of these Ki development exercises will have that affect. We really try to practice what we preach. It is telling also when we get aikidoka who are new members or from elsewhere who, as is often the case, want to challenge you. With some arriving at 6’ 5” - 350lbs, it is pointless to try to out muscle them. At 115lbs it is just not going to happen that way for me with almost anyone. When you understand Ki their size, weight or physical strength makes little difference."
Your students are very serious about their Ki studies. They just don’t talk about it – they’re thinking about it thoroughly. They have fun doing things that I show them but they are very serious about how they do things.
"I also teach a course in Shinki-Ryoho – we have taken Kiatsu-ho, done a lot of study on it, incorporated some aspects of Chi Ni Tsang and Reflexology into it and have taken it a whole lot further. The most amazing thing about this is that I give the first level of Shinki-Ryoho (which is a five week / 30 hour course), where the first two weeks is just the introduction to Shinkido principles. Which are a little bit different than Ki-Society principles in that I’ve added one principle to it. Tohei Sensei had a 'coordination of mind and body'. We call it ' The Shinkido Principles for Coordination of Mind, Body and Spirit'. His principles for coordination of mind and body are: Keep one point, Relax completely, Keep weight underside, Extend Ki. We added one in between the last two, number four we call: ' Detach from all '. Because when people focus on One-point, they just focus on their navel and they think: ' Ohhhh . . . keep one point, keep one point, keep one point . . . and it all goes to hell.' You can’t focus on something otherwise you are too attached to it mentally or too attached to it physically - and you won’t get Coordination of Mind, Body and Spirit. So we’ve introduced it – we teach that in Shinki-Ryoho because that’s what makes Ki flow. Shinki-Ryoho is dependent on your Ki flowing very powerfully."
"I know many people will totally dismiss the existence of Ki. That is because they have not been exposed to anyone who has a modicum of understanding of it. When I administer Ki in Shinki-Ryoho, I have to be careful that the recipient’s skin is not too moist. On three occasions, I have done it when their skin is damp and I have felt the tip of my thumb getting hotter and hotter, actually painfully so. When I have finally stopped, there is a heat blister on the end of my thumb. Where else did that energy come from? There is no movement involved. The most amazing thing is that the students that have gone through Shinki-Ryoho and have graduated, if they are Aikido students – they come into the dojo – unbelievable! (Peter exclaims loudly). Their Aikido has just leapt ahead in huge strides and their Shinkido is now equally unbelievable. Yesterday at the seminar, there was a woman who came in and started in the afternoon. She has completed the Shinki-Ryoho course. She was on the mat doing Shinkido exercises she has never seen before. This was basically her first time on an aikido mat. Instantly she did the Shinkido exercises, as well as anyone on the mat. So what I’m saying here is the training we give them in Shinki-Ryoho has changed so many Aikido people as well as their Aikido. Shinki-Ryoho gives them a very solid understanding of Shinkido, and Shinkido principles. It is unbelievable how it affects their Aikido."
"When I first held a Shinki-Ryoho course here last year, I had many Aikido students in the course. The rest of the dojo didn’t know what they were doing other than that they were doing this Shinki-Ryoho course. Suddenly, ' . . . wait a minute - what’s going on in this Shinki-Ryoho – we want some of that. Their Aikido had changed so much '. So it goes back to the same idea that Tohei Sensei was saying – learn these principles, teach these principles, be able to do these principles."
Your style of Aikido, what emphasis does your Aikido have? What is its emphasis?
"My emphasis is on minimum physical strength to make the Aikido work along with the use of Ki technique. Minimal physical strength is desired. As Shioda Sensei said, anyone who can lift 15lbs can do aikido."
"The term Ryurei translates as elegant, fluid movement. That combined with the aspect of no physical strength, I think, epitomizes my idea. The smoothness will come around with no physical strength. However the basis of it is Shinkido. We also often look at the technique from the point of view of the bokken, it is always a good guide."
"I’m not a big person as you can see. I told you earlier I discussed the idea of Shioda Sensei weighing only 105 lbs - and being 5 ft. tall, if that, doing amazing things and obviously not having the physical strength to do that. He had to have something. "
"We were talking earlier about small people in Aikido. I also think that Aikido is a small persons’ martial art. Very large people have a difficult time in Aikido, because they have always been able to use muscle to achieve most things. It doesn’t work that way in Aikido."
What have you learned so far in instructing Aikido? The nature of the role as an instructor, you find yourself learning from the students in the process of imparting knowledge and lessons.
You are influenced by your students and sometimes learn more from them than you ever thought was possible. Can you describe these lessons? What has this done for your personal Aikido?
All of these questions are things people have asked me, and other instructors that may not have the courage to ask – would be interested and curious. I know that I love to hear the various answers and compare them to my own.
"I think the first major lesson I learned, as an instructor is that different people learn in different ways. And so one way of teaching a technique or exercise or whatever it is you are teaching does not necessarily work – you have to find many ways to teach that same thing. Because people learn in different ways, they are turned on by different words, etc. You know, Take a class of 12 people and teach them a new technique – the first time for each one of them. And then watch them. You’ve made your points, you’ve said what you’ve wanted to say, you’ve demonstrated it as many times as you want. Then watch them and you’ll see 12 totally different ways of doing that technique. You’ll say: ' I didn’t show that – I didn’t do that.' (We chuckle heartily, because we’ve all experienced this). But that’s what they’ve interpreted. So I think the main thing is to be a good instructor, you have to be a good communicator. I find that, as smart as humans are as animals, we’re pathetic as communicators. We’ve got so far to go in communication. I wish I could communicate better. But by teaching you learn so much more about an individual technique. You just do it – to start with automatically. But when you’re teaching you have to analyze what you’re doing. Then when you start analyzing what you are doing – you find that you don’t do what you said (or thought) you were doing. You actually do something quite different to what you think you are doing. And you can demonstrate it and say, 'this is what I’m doing', and then they are doing exactly what you are doing – but it doesn’t look like what you think you are doing. (We chuckle hilariously)."
"I heard that O-Sensei was once asked if he could demonstrate a technique again. He said no, I’ve done that. I can only ever do that technique once. And when you think about it – that is correct. You can only ever do a technique once. Just like uke can only ever attack you in that way once. You can never really reproduce it absolutely. So I find that with the different individuals you are trying to teach - they may be gripping you in a different way, or they have a different reaction when you move in a certain way – so you learn how versatile you have to be."
"I don’t know what your experience has been, but mine has been that you get very meek / mild placid people, and then you get very aggressive and incredibly strong physical people that are there to challenge you. And you have to have a lot of control over yourself. Especially when you are less experienced, it is easier to think quietly: “He’s challenging me now, ” or whatever your suspicions are, and you have to prove you can make it work. Whereas the last 15 years or so, I just say – forget it, I don’t have to have make this work right now, because if I do I might hurt this guy and I don’t want to do that. Let him learn about this slowly. So I never accept a challenge from a new student. I’ll let them think whatever they want to but I’m not going to show them I can do that just for the sake of doing it. So the ego disappears when you are teaching well, I believe. But you learn about the way the human body works – the physiology of it, by teaching. I’ve learned how different each body is. It teaches you about techniques that you have to be able to adapt to whoever the uke is and whatever the uke is, their level of expertise or whatever their “non-level” of expertise is. And then put it into different words or different ways for different people because they don’t learn exactly the way I do. You have to be respectful of them and find a way that communicates to that individual. So that any given technique, I might have 20 different ways to teach it. You have many different personalities to deal with. You know, I think that is the most amazing thing for me. It takes a long time to appreciate it."
You’re right – you can explain one way to one person but you’ll have to explain it totally differently to another person. You have to identify the different people and how they are going to absorb and disseminate that information.
Some people need more explanation, and some people need no explanation but need to feel the Aikido movement from the instructor.
"Absolutely. In fact I’ve found that is the most effective way of instructing. For them to feel it. Especially with a very large or very strong person who doesn’t appreciate how much strength they are using. You are trying to tell them ' Now don’t use strength”, or you’re trying to tell them (gently) ' Relax '. They say, 'I am relaxed!!!' (In a very loud and frustrated voice.) (We both laugh hilariously). I tell them (gently and softly) ' No, you’re not relaxed.'. He smiles knowingly but understandingly."
I’ve got to say Koichi Tohei had the best method of communicating and showing the strength of Aikido. He used to have many, many demonstrations and classes where he would have spectators come up to try to lift him and bend his arm. When showing the power of Ki, none could lift him when he would utilize his one- point.
"Yes. Although I do remember Tohei Sensei having a hard time with his unliftable body once during a public demonstration in Auckland. A huge Maori fellow (A native New Zealander) simply lifted him off the floor. The second time he was not successful though."
"On the subject of keeping weight underside, 8 years or so ago I had some pretty large people in the dojo. One of them was 6ft 6 inches, 275 pounds. He was Canadian Arm Wrestling Champion two years in a row. He could bench press 500 pounds. There was another 6’ 2”, 240 pounds with a 56 inch chest. He was almost as strong as the other. The two of them together couldn’t lift my 115 pounds off the floor. Even if they got underneath me, they could not lift me at all. I said, 'bring the other fellow over', who was about 6ft., 195 pounds. So, the three of them couldn’t lift me. Now these three guys together could lift about 1,100 pounds. To add insult to injury, as they were trying to lift me up - they collapsed all over the floor! They still didn’t believe it after all that."
"You know, we were talking about teaching in different ways and how many different ways we need to be able to instruct – the Shinkido and in teaching the 5 Principles for Coordination of Mind, Body and Spirit, we probably have a repertoire of close to 3,000 different exercises, only to illustrate 5 principles. And these have come about because we need so many ways to reach as many people as possible. But it also serves another purpose in that you have much more interest and very interesting things to do in the Shinkido study."
What would you exchange with other Aikido instructors (advice, tips, etc.). For instance, I have quite a few instructors that have written to me exchanging situations where their students (shodan, nidan, and once in awhile a sandan) that have shown poor behavior, such as starting trouble on the mat, becoming arrogant, threatening to leave the dojo for another dojo, etc.
"I think that whatever you are doing in the dojo, you have to be able to get up in the morning and look at yourself in the mirror. In other words you have to maintain your integrity and self-respect."
"It was originally said to me by David (Lynch) – we’ve spoken many times about how we both want to run a professional dojo – not a commercial dojo. There is a very distinct difference. It is part of having integrity – being true to yourself and to Aikido. Part of that being true to myself and the integrity of my dojo – no one gets a grading from me that hasn’t worked for it, earned it and demonstrated it. Not just in technique, but in attitude, behavior, in their own integrity. I try to maintain high standards. It is about Bushido and Budo as well as Aikido. I will also rescind a Yudansha grading, at least Shodan and Nidan anyway, if the aikidoka ignores their responsibilities as far as the etiquette and “behaviour” are concerned and ignores all suggestions to adjust their ways. Higher than that, I would consider myself to have failed in my judgment of them if they regress so far that I need to consider rescinding their rank."
"We are independent and we are going to be compared. I make a very brash statement to my students and as I have stated it. I have to be prepared to back it up. “I guarantee that you will never be embarrassed by your rank, in any dojo in the world.” If I can do that, and it will happen that they are not embarrassed – then I think I have done my job - from that point of view. But as far as the Aikido and so forth is concerned, I want to be true to what I’ve learned from whomever I have learned it. After I pass on, I want to be able to meet David, Tohei and O’Sensei and not feel the need to turn away, but to face them straight on and feel good about what I have done in Aikido."
What sort of advice for those persons that start out in Aikido with the idea of being an instructor? Some students get their shodan and start out being an instructor.
(Many instructors with 15 years and many more years behind us – DO NOT feel that shodan and nidan is instructor material.)
" Starting out being an instructor . . . that’s really an interesting concept. I also have some strong opinions on that. Because so many dojos - 'Oh, congratulations – you’re a shodan – now you’re an instructor' . You’ve met Jennifer. She’s a nidan now, as of two years ago (this interview was done 2002 May, Jennifer at this writing is sandan). She is my only instructor that has a Ryurei Aikido instructor certificate. Gary is a nidan. Dan is a nidan. They both have assistant instructor status. Jennifer doesn’t yet hold the position of being a senior instructor. Gary and Dan cannot grade. Jennifer as an instructor can grade to any mudansha level – she cannot grade above that. To be a senior instructor she will have to be at least a sandan and have a few more years experience. Before she received her assistant instructor level she had been teaching for four years. Once she’s a senior instructor then she can grade (promote) within two grades of herself under the Ryurei Aikido system. This way – my ambition is to maintain high standards. Both Gary and Dan, when they reach instructor level will help with grading, as does Jennifer. They will be given my blank examination sheets and they will mark them. I will then critique those with them, so that I can say ' Why did you give this mark for that? Because compared to what Jennifer and I have . . . '. So, I can compare their gradings with what I have. It is at the stage now, that when Jennifer and I mark a grading our sheets will almost be a mirror image of each other. So, it is working."
Yes it is.
"The others will say ' Well, I did this because of this . . .' .
I would say – “Yes, but what about that --- did you see that?” You know, from the grading instructor point of view it is the tiny little things that they miss --- the important critical and subtle things. So they have to learn to watch for those. You, I am sure, watch people doing technique and you can correct it on the mat – on the fly because you see something that most other people are missing. And it takes a long time to learn this. It doesn’t happen overnight."
" For a new instructor – I want to know where they come from. I don’t want brown belt instructors (brown belts – 2nd and 1st kyu). I don’t want shodan instructors particularly, you know. Maybe they can help out – they need to start somewhere. So, at that lower level (ikkyu, nikyu), yes they can help assist the instructor."
"For my dojo, the start of learning to instruct, they can start teaching how to do ukemi, or the principles of Shinkido. We can fine-tune them later, but that’s the start of learning how to instruct. And it takes a long process. So, for a new instructor they’re really an old instructor by the time they are a new instructor (ready to instruct by themselves)."
" I remember so often just teaching, how much you learn about the technique yourself. So, for me, I don’t know if I could ever use the term “new instructor” - maybe a newly official instructor, but they have a lot of water under the bridge by the time they are an instructor under me."
People have a misconception about the term “instructor”. Just because you become a shodan (1st level black), nidan or sandan - doesn’t mean you are an instructor or capable of instructing.
"Yes, this is so true. Some people will never be instructors. They may not have the personality for it. (I agree with him). Or even the desire to instruct."
Where do think your Aikido training has taken you?
(We both laugh.) I know this is an open ended or wide question to ask.
"It’s opened up so many different avenues and fields for me. Before I was working for the City of Ottawa, for many years, I was an independent self-employed person who was giving seminars and courses all based on Shinkido principles. Before I was with the city, the municipal government of this area was called the Regional Municipality of Ottawa Carleton. For 6 years, I had a contract teaching stress management and control, interaction with fellow workers and clients, and their own personal safety. From that came similar work with Customs and Immigration Canada a Federal government department, other municipal government departments – welfare departments – all over Ontario. Different non-profit organization dealing with mentally or physically handicapped persons and all their workers. To companies such as Nortel, we taught team building, stress management, and all from Shinkido principles which emanate from Aikido. It made me a good living for many years from that without having the Aikido dojo’s involvement. It’s taken me far and wide in meeting so many different people, meeting different businesses, and traveling to many different places of the world. I am sure without Aikido, I would never have left New Zealand, if I had not started doing Aikido. So, that means it has been responsible for me having gone to different parts of Asia, including Japan. It’s taken me to North America, Europe, etc. That would never have happened to me if I had not started Aikido – guaranteed. I’d be an engineer somewhere in New Zealand designing billboards! (He jokes jovially and we both laugh)."
What brought you to Canada anyway?
"I had been practicing in engineering in New Zealand and was dissatisfied and went into technical sales within the construction industry. Then I met a director of the US Company that owned the company in New Zealand. I was looking after him in New Zealand for three or four days and you don’t just talk about business. So he was asking about my aims and ambitions. So, I said that my wife and I would really like to go to Canada. He said, “I can guarantee a job in Canada. You write to me and tell me what you really want to do. And if it fits - I’ll put you in Canada.” So he did. And so we moved to Canada."
"Subsequently I left that company, I was with them for four years. I started my own company based on their products but in the Ottawa area. It was supplying specialized equipment in which I had taken their original product, designed things from it, and utilizing it. It was in the solar industry, but the sun went out. (He jokingly says this and we chuckle). And that’s when I turned to Aikido and Shinkido for developing these programs. And these programs developed for team building and stress management are well sought after. They don’t want me to do it – they want to get it."
Where do you see your current direction in martial arts, specifically in relation to Aikido?
In other words, where do you see yourself in about 5 years?
"I see – if we include in martial arts; Aikido, Shinkido, and Shinki-Ryoho, . . . in 5 years, ideally, I’d love to have a permanent dojo location, combined with a holistic therapy place right in the same location. Here we would teach Aikido, but we would also teach Shinkido just as one would teach Chi Gung or something like that plus the holistic therapy, being offered in two ways. One, as a teaching institution to teach Shinki-Ryoho, and two, as a Shinki-Ryoho treatment center. That would be ideal, a permanent place but not restricted to Aikido. In doing these other things, they have much more potential impact for the betterment of people, in general. Aikido is an interest. These other things have the potential to be much more beneficial for mankind."
"We are doing many things with Shinki-Ryoho. The number of people that I treat, who have been talking to western medicine or even physio-therapists, or some of the other holistic therapists, who have done nothing for them. They may have gone to them for three or four years spending thirty thousand dollars on these other treatments, and still they were not better off than they were fours year ago. Fifteen minutes of Shinki-Ryoho treatment, and they exclaim: “I can’t believe this!” You better come back for one more treatment. You go to some of these other different therapies, you sign a blank check that goes on for years and years. We usually say to people that if we can’t help you meaningfully in three treatments, then we stop."
"And I would like to explore this further and further."
What do you think of today’s Aikido? What are the weaknesses we have out there in Aikido? What can we do to remedy these weaknesses?
"I haven’t been out to see a lot of other Aikido. I’ve seen in recent years, some lack of good instruction out there."
Peter expresses a genuine concern for instructors out there, that are busy trying to cash in on Aikido --- large bank accounts instead of building good Aikido. He examines his own integrity – personally and within his own integrity with its relationship with Aikido.
"It starts at the top. If you don’t have good instruction and leadership at the top, how can you build a base? There are a lot of wanna be's (individuals all over the world that want to be 'sensei, be called 'sensei', and want to have a following of students calling them 'sensei'.)"
"You and I spoke earlier, saying that we are from a different era in Aikido. I suppose every generation says the same type of thing, but I seriously think that as we get further and further away from O’Sensei’s era of teachings. You and I have observed what has happened to Aikido from O’Sensei’s teachings to the next generation, to the next generation. We are now in the fourth and fifth generation. You and I can see the watering down of the technique in many instances. So, I feel it logical when you hear of the kung-fu groups and they are 23 generations old and you think that the guy that started it must be turning over in his grave!"
"I know that when I get up and I teach my students, and I have some very dedicated students – and I don’t want one clone of me let alone 200 clones of me. I want them to develop their own, but based on some principles and ideals."
"We spoke earlier and I can teach ten people one technique and get ten different aspects of that technique. So, the problem Aikido has per se, is to keep that continuity genuine. And it’s not because people are maliciously trying to change it, it’s just the way man is. So I see that is a weakness in Aikido but I don’t see any solution for that either. Other than better instructors and this may mean better students, too. Look at all the different “forms” of Aikido that have evolved just from the well-known uchideshi of O’Sensei and we can understand what is likely to happen in another two aikido generations."
I think that Morihiro Saito Sensei, as rigid as he is in keeping Aikido true – I understand where he is coming from. He has criticized heavily numerous instructors for changing Aikido. He has used O’Sensei’s manual as a guide for keeping the structure the same. Saito Sensei has kept his Aikido faithfully the same - since the time O’Sensei left Iwama Dojo.
"What I see though is – that O’Sensei was changing --- evolving his own Aikido throughout his entire life, till the day he died. That’s the nature of anything. It’s like a business, it’s either growing or dying. It can’t stay the same. And in that term of “growth” with respect to Aikido – it is evolving. It’s either evolving or stagnating. Shioda Sensei kept pretty much to what he learned from O’Sensei too. But he also allowed the Yoshinkai to evolve. Look how Tohei Sensei has evolved from what he learned from O’Sensei, does this mean it is not as good as Saito or Shioda, or does it mean it is different."
Sempai Kohai --- is it still alive? What do you see as its weaknesses and strengths?
"I see potential weaknesses in abuse of power. I see potential strengths in its old fashioned oriental way but it is the old fashioned way of “respect your elders”. Society per se could do with those old-fashioned values. But you have to be careful of the abuse. That’s always been around and always will be an issue. And some people will abuse it. Well, there’s not much you can do about that. I think the benefits outweigh the disadvantages."
"I’ve never specifically spoken of it in my dojo. But it happens. Its there as a natural thing. It’s not based on ages, but based on their experience."
Your seminar with Koichi Kashiwaya, Sensei of Ki Society 8th Dan, and Larry Bieri, 6th Dan - chief instructor of Finger Lakes Aikido in Ithaca, New York - where you brought in other instructors of other federations to instruct together. That was phenomenal. And the very first Aikido seminar of it’s kind! (Seminar August 14th - 15th, 1999, in Ottawa, Canada – hosted by Peter Bussell and his organization Ryurei Aikido.)
http://www.aikido-world.com/archives /News%20Archive/Harmony%20for%20All.htm
When I agreed to do a joint seminar with you, a friend of mine and fellow Aikidoka had asked me who was I doing this with and what organization was this for. I had told him about you and that you were the only one that had the gift to get two of the most respected Aikidoists of different styles and federations together to instruct at the same seminar – for the very first time in Aikido history! These instructors shared the spotlight together.
"The most remarkable thing about this was that here were two senior instructors from different federations and not only did they 'share the spotlight', as you said but the first class Kashiwaya was the instructor of record – Larry Bieri was on the mat as a student. Then we broke for fifteen minutes. Then Larry Bieri was the instructor of record. Kashiwaya sensei, who out ranks Bieri sensei, was there on the mat as a student! I have never, ever seen that! Even instructors of the same federation never do that. You know two well-known East Coast Aikikai Shihan 'do' seminars together, but they are never on the mat together. Anyway, this went on for two days! Flip – flop, flip, flop (Kashiwaya and Bieri, as they switched instructing classes, they would attend the other’s class as a student actively participating on the mat with the rest of the attendees). At one time, I practiced with Kashiwaya as uke/nage and nage/uke for an hour --- I had never done that with him before. It was unbelievable! He (Kashiwaya) wasn’t instructing me. (Peter smiled and seemed to be tickled with the opportunity and sign of mutual respect). Bieri was coming on and instructing us both. (We laugh). A hachidan taking instructing from a rokudan – usually higher ranked instructors won’t (we both agree). I thought that said so much about both those men. And I sure respected them before --- and I respected them even more after this."
Larry Bieri, 6th Dan at the historic most successful seminar the weekend of August 14th and 15th, 1999, titled Harmony for All.
You’ll rarely see this type of behavior where both instructors humble themselves to show mutual respect. And this is a good example of good will amongst Aikidoists. "True living Aikido". They are setting examples as senior Aikidoka, in good standing. These may seem like small contributions, however – it makes a big difference to everyone in Aikido.
"This goes back to one of those questions you asked earlier, about what was wrong with Aikido. And that’s one of the problems – the politicization of it – and “this federation compared with that federation”, 'this dojo compared with that dojo', and 'this style compared with that style . . .' . Bieri Sensei and Kashiwaya Sensei went out of their way to show that they were doing identical things. Even though outwardly their style looked a little different, but when boiled down --- they were identical! We all have the same grandfather (Morihei Ueshiba – O’Sensei)! "
(I agree wholeheartedly).
"We really do! We may have slightly different methods to get there but essentially the same thing! (We are very excited)"
Do you have any advice for anyone in good practice habits??
"Good practice habits start with good respect for the dojo and the art. Set good standards of etiquette and for the dojo and practice them. You know, the foundations are based on allot of tradition and cultural things. They are all etiquette based. And if you maintain those – things seem to follow. You have spoken about my students (I mentioned to Peter that I found his students very proper, punctual in class, earnest, hard working and study hard.) And we maintain etiquette in the dojo. Once in awhile I have to call them out – even the senior students – getting tardy in their arrival time. And they think they can walk on the mat at any time. No! You wait. And if they’re consistently late – they’ll have to wait fifteen minutes before coming on the mat. If that doesn’t work, I take them aside and tell them that they know better – change your habits. Then they know and they change instantly. From that comes about respect for other students on the mat. Some people fool around on the mat. You teach them good manners and everything falls into place."
What would you like to see from your Aikido students? What would you like them to accomplish? What do you want them to get from your instruction? Where do you see them going?
"Almost all of my senior students – universally say they can never see themselves stopping Aikido. That says allot. We’re doing something that they’re enjoying and they feel they are gaining something valuable from it. That makes me feel good and I want to continue to be able to provide something that I see of value and goodness. I would like to see them grow, and grow so they can develop things themselves."
"We do have classes that are reserved for senior students. We’ll say: 'Cheryl, it’s your turn tonight. Show us a new technique or develop one.' Or next week when we do this, we want you to have a new Shinkido exercise for us to do. We’ll try it and we’ll critique it - and say, 'yeah this is something we’re going to put in the program' or 'no, I don’t think so'. (We both laugh). It just won’t be me saying it --- it will be us collectively. It encourages them to start thinking for themselves. Using the principles we’ve got, but developing new ideas."
"I think this is part of the evolution of things, Aikido and as people in development. And they are all so interested in developing their art and Aikido, and taking it into other fields."
"Peter here (Peter Zorzella, an Aikido student), he’s taking the Shinki-Ryoho course and is very much tied into reiki. He brought in a whole group of reiki people including his instructor in taking a Shinki-Ryoho course. Here are 6 or 7 practioners of reiki using more Shinki-Ryoho than they do reiki, when they are treating people. It’s not to say that it’s better, but they’ve found value in it. Peter found value in it – he’s delighted and so is the rest of the group. We’ve had Shiatsu people coming in – the same thing. Cause there are certain things we can do that they cannot and there are certain things that they can do and we can't."
I have a last question for the interview, I think I forgot to ask you earlier --- if you could ask a question of O-Sensei, what would you ask?
"To answer this question, first I would like to say I have two scenarios for this:
1. If I were to ask prior to his passing, it would be – 'Sensei, you appear to allow your senior students to have a completely free reign when it comes to teaching your art of Aikido. Do you think this may cause the art to regress in its development, or do you see this as a stronger way for the art to grow and develop?'
2. If I were to ask a question subsequent to his passing, maybe I would ask: ' Who, in your judgment - really "got" what it was you were teaching and showing us in the arts of Aikido. ' I doubt I would get an answer to this one though . . . . I would still like to ask it. So which ever of us gets there first - gets to ask "Okay?". And then has to get the answer back to the one left here.
Ha,ha. "
Peter Bussell, 4th Dan and Cheryl Matrasko, 4th Dan
I'd like to thank Peter Bussell for his true friendship, comradery, help, and generosity with helping us at Aikido World with maintaining good will and communications with all styles of Aikido, and promoting honorable conduct in the highest level of Bushido.
Peter is truly an excellent instructor, an honorable martial artist of the highest integrity, and is a tribute to Bushido and Aikido.
I am very proud to call him my friend.
Cheryl Matrasko, 7/4/2004 |
Sensei's thoughts;