Furuya Sensei throwing Ken Watanabe with Jo
Throwback Thursday
Furuya Sensei posted this to his Daily Message on May 27, 2002.
Seichu no Do means “Movement in calmness.” This comes from the complete saying, Seichu no Do, Do chu no sei or “Movement in calmness, calmness in movement.” This calmness does not come from a mental other-worldliness or from a psychological denial of what's going on around ourselves. It is a calmness which is derived from complete training which allows us to think and move freely at will. As we develop awareness of ourselves or the technique through training, we should also be aware of our mental state, how we are aware, how we are focusing our energies and how we are concentrating our energies towards the action. In incomplete training, as soon as one issues speed or strength, they immediately lose their balance or timing. When we try to only develop our strength then we become stiff and inflexible, this is not complete training. When we try to go faster and break our posture, become confused or lose focus on what we are doing, this is not complete training either. When we try too hard, and cannot blend with our opponent, this too is not complete training. Our techniques should be strong and well balanced, without being forced, stiff or awkward. We should move quickly but not be rushing things. We should be strong but also not muscling it. Within the technique, we should be aware of the time and space in order to see and be aware of everything else around us - this is Seichu no Do. Within our own technique, when we should always feel balanced and at ease with ourselves, without any idea to show off or demonstrate our strength, this is true movement in calmness. There is no end to Aikido training. As we train, the spiritual aspects of the art only get deeper, wider and more profound.