#Inthe absolute critical moment sensei how to

What I want to honor here is his development of the theory of aikido as a вЂdoвЂ™, a way of life, beyond what he had learned from Tohei Sensei. This would help younger generations of students and teachers to develop a deeper understanding of the present state of aikido as answers to certain problems. Or the changes from kote gaeshi to kote oroshi and from tenkan to tenshin. What would need to be discussed are, for instance, the change from taigi to tsuzuki waza the gradual development of the tsuzuki waza's as a whole and the lessons that are hidden in the construction of the tsuzuki wazaвЂ™s. It would be good to put this in a perspective in which we can appreciate the amazing steps he has taken along his path, so that we don't take his results for granted. Sensei was always working hard to develop aikido further. What was especially surprising and fascinating in these encounters that he would always try to pose questions that no one would ask, because whatвЂ™s the use of questions that everybody asks? I never expected this to be the last conversation, but this is typical for last encounters. During practically all seminars we had shorter or longer conversations about something he had brought up in class the last was in February 2020 about the idea of history in вЂLola RenntвЂ™, Tarantino, Kurosawa and Nietzsche. Over these years, especially during the 1990s, we have exchanged long and detailed emails about such diverse topics as empire, democracy, time, recent political, or philosophical subjects such as вЂlanguageвЂ™, вЂconceptsвЂ™ and вЂnamesвЂ™. But in a new and constantly changing way. When meeting Yoshigasaki in 1988 I discovered that he began to speak more and more about the same problems and issues that had occupied me in my philosophy studies. After my relatively short but intense judo career I practiced for many years disciplines with a spiritual background such as tai chi, zen meditation, dance, yoga, even Aikikai aikido but these activities and philosophy remained two separate domains. The second was philosophy which caught me after entering university. There was no aikido in sight at the time. The first was judo, which I began to practice as a young boy and continued to practice throughout my teenage years.

There have been two things or, rather, practices where my immediate response after a first encounter was that I just wanted to make this a part of my life. The appeal of his teachings had much to do with my previous biography.

#Inthe absolute critical moment sensei how to

How to remember this brilliant and complex teacher and give tribute to his innovative work? A way to start is to begin with personal experience. The profoundness of his teachings deserves to be remembered, in an attempt to honor and capture at least something of his inspiring presence. In gratitude and with a deep feeling of loss I remember not only the lessons but also the many conversations we had over the years.

Since 1988 he has been my teacher and I was privileged to attend numerous fascinating seminars. Yoshigasaki Sensei died unexpectedly in February 2021, after having taught and developed Ki Aikido in Europe for over forty years.