Welcome to the new Ki Notes newsletter for Loudoun Valley Ki Aikido. My intention is to deliver one of these a week with some tips, reflections, news, and a review of our week in training.

I appreciate you taking the time to review the newsletter and please reach out to let me know your feedback!

-Matt Doetsch-Kidder

Tip of the Week

As we return from our summer break, it's important to approach our training with a balanced mindset. The transition back to regular practice after time off can be challenging. With the right approach, it can also be a time of renewal and growth

• Start Slow, Build Gradually: It's tempting to jump back in at full intensity, but remember that your body and mind may need time to adjust. Pay attention to your body's signals and avoid overexertion. This is a marathon, not a sprint.

• Set Clear Intentions: Take a moment to reflect on what you want to achieve in the coming months. Whether it's improving a specific technique, deepening your understanding of Ki principles, or simply maintaining consistency, setting clear intentions will help guide your practice and keep you motivated.

• Mindful Movement: Focus on moving with awareness. Reconnect with the basics, paying close attention to your posture, breathing, and the flow of energy through your body. Mindful practice not only prevents injuries but also enhances the quality of your Aikido

• Consistency Over Intensity: The key to long-term progress is consistent practice. Even if you can only attend one class a week, regular attendance will yield more benefits than sporadic intense sessions. Make your training a priority, and you'll find that the routine soon becomes second nature.

• Rekindle Your Passion: Remind yourself why you started practicing Aikido in the first place. Whether it's the physical challenge, the mental discipline, or the sense of community, reconnecting with your passion can reignite your commitment to the art.

Dojo Wisdom: Reflecting on the Journey

Make it a habit to reflect on each class after it ends. Take a few minutes when you get home to mentally review what you learned—whether it’s a specific technique, a principle of Ki, or an insight gained through practice. Maybe even write it down in a training journal. This reflection helps reinforce your understanding and allows you to see how these lessons can be applied to your daily life. The more you connect your training with your everyday experiences, the deeper your practice will become.

Returning from a break offers us a unique perspective. We have the chance to see our practice with fresh eyes, to approach familiar techniques with renewed curiosity, and to deepen our understanding of Aikido as a path to unity—both within ourselves and with others.

Use this time to not only refine your techniques but also to reconnect with the deeper purpose of Aikido. Let every movement, every breath, and every interaction be a step toward “a Universal Mind of love and protection that helps all things grow and develop”, both in the dojo and in your daily life

Training Week in Review

Monday (August 26, 2024)

We did Ki Breathing and worked in detail on Oneness Rhythm Exercise.

Five Principles of Ki Breathing

1. Exhale gradually, with purpose and control.

2. Exhale with a distinct but barely audible sound.

3. At the end of the breath, Ki continues infinitely like a fading note.

4. Inhale from the tip of the nose until the body is saturated with breath.

5. After inhaling, calm the mind infinitely at the one point.

Oneness Rhythm Taiso

From Matthew Attarian Sensei recently:

I’d also like to introduce to you the Oneness Rhythm Taiso and Oneness Rhythm Exercise that HQ has been working on for a little over two years. However, before I proceed any further, I would like to make one thing very clear...

THIS IS NOT A "NEW" ONENESS RHYTHM!! The Oneness Rhythm we have been practicing since Tohei Sensei created it in the 90s remains the same, its purpose remains the same, and it is NOT, BY ANY MEANS, being replaced with these exercises.

I will explain these exercises more thoroughly below, but first, please go to this link and watch the videos where Michiru Yamaguchi Sensei (an Instructor at Seishinkan Dojo and good friend of mine) and I [Matthew Attarian Sensei] were used as the models. There are four total videos. You can also download the songs at the top (next to the musical notes under 音楽).

For clarity, here are the main Japanese character translations so you can know the video differences and what is being said to help guide your training:

前後 - Front and Back (version 1)

前（鏡像）後 - Front (which is flipped to be like a reflection in a mirror) and Back (version 2)

前 - Front

後 - Back

右 - Right

左 - Left

So, WHAT is Oneness Rhythm Taiso and Oneness Rhythm Exercise?

Oneness Rhythm Taiso (ORT) is the first half, 3 minutes, of the videos in the link (beginning and ending with the wrist shaking exercise). Oneness Rhythm Exercise (ORE) is the entire 6 minute video.

HOW do I do ORT and ORE? 

As you would have seen in the videos, pretty much everything is taken from oneness rhythm. The order is different and some of the movements are simplified a little bit, but everything you have learned about the Oneness Rhythm movements carries over to these exercises.

WHY were these created?

In a recent online event, Kaicho Sensei explained that the purpose for these exercises was to create a simpler version of Oneness Rhythm for people who 1) can't / don't want to do Aikido training (due to age, physical injury, etc) but want to practice mind and body coordination while in motion, and 2) can be used (if necessary, but not required) as an easy progression to help people build up to the Oneness Rhythm we all know.

In these exercises, the movements' exact form is not as important as developing and maintaining mind and body coordination and fostering relaxation within us. This is because we all have different body shapes, sizes, and physical capabilities. Yes, there is a "correct" form to the movements, but more importantly than that is "are you maintaining mind and body coordination throughout?"

Think of these as a bonus training opportunity that everyone is welcome to do at their leisure. You are not required to begin teaching this or practicing it at your dojo, and it will not be added as requirements in future promotion tests.

Wednesday (August 26, 2024)

We spent this class reviewing Ki Testing, Bokken, Forward Rolls, and Rytotedori Shihonage.

Five principles of Ki testing

1. Do not test the physical strength of the body, but test the immovable mind.

2. Test according to the ability of the student.

3. Do not put down the student, but make him understand.

4. Learn by testing others.

5. Do not teach only how to pass the test, but teach the meaning of the test.

Five principles of Kenpo with Ki

1. Hold the sword lightly.

2. The tip of the sword must be calm and steady.

3. Make use of the weight of the sword.

4. Do not slacken your Ki.

5. Cut first with the mind.

It was fantastic to see folks on the mat this week after our summer hiatus. Let’s commit to consistency, and together, we’ll continue to grow, both on and off the mat!