ABOUT ABF, INTRODUCTION

When making important decisions about education and training on a subject, it is necessary to learn where it originates from and its history in order to understand and reach the goal.

Training in any martial art (the art of discipline), i.e. BUDO, born in Japan starts with learning and understanding the origin. The methods to reach the goal are different in concept for East (orient) and West (occident).

If this concept is hard to understand, it will be a long and a hard way for those who started or wants to start practicing BUDO or AIKIDO, even all their efforts may be in vein.

Aikido is developing everyday and the number of people practicing Aikido or claiming to practice Aikido is increasing day by day. When viewed from this perspective, the choice of teacher and instructor requires great attention especially in late years. Before going into technical details regarding teacher, instructor or SENSEI, let everybody go back to the time you first started Aikido, think as if you are starting Aikido today.

What is to be done first?

First is to find a real teacher and instructor, i.e. a real master. Then one must try to be a student of this teacher, try to establish the teacher student relationship. The important thing is to make the first step and pass the door. This door may be opened or sometimes it may not be. Perhaps it may never be possible for you to pass this door. You have a right to choose and so does the teacher. If you've made any mistakes in the first step, the way will be harder for you as you go.

So how should we search for a teacher realistically? What criteria should we consider?

First point of consideration is the personality, the character of the Sensei. Because Aikido will affect both the body and mind. If Sensei is pure, modest, happy, enlightening and the path to his/her heart is open then the education and training he/she will provide will be a reflection of this personality. Important thing is not only the technical beauty, practical applicability in a fight or providing good explanations with nice speech. All these aspects emerge naturally with a good and peaceful heart.

The second point is the teacher being dedicated to Budo and advanced in that path. That means having continuously practiced for years technically and spiritually and practicing more each day.

The third point, such a Sensei apparently has a great ability and strength to teach and instruct. It is a person who pays attention to everything and every subject, rightful, respectful and loving to the students, values everybody, thinks the future and success of his/her students.

The fourth point, and this is the most important issue among all, starting to practice from the scratch everyday without losing the power or strength. That is seeing oneself as a new beginner to Aikido and practice over and over. This means he/she has the strength to start from scratch everyday.

"Grand master - Great Sensei", one must immediately leave the “GREAT TEACHER” that sees himself a great master, stops practicing on the tatami, learning, eliminates the information and claims to know everything, needs nobody else, forbids his/her students and passes the time by talking and intimidating around. In that case it is better to stop before starting Aikido. One must avoid these.

A young teacher, with incomplete experience, imperfect technical and educative skill but continuously practicing on the tatami and trying to learn more and go forward, I believe that teacher is respectable, worthy of Aikido and it is possible to go further with him/her in the path of BUDO.

Don’t stop yourself by making absolute decisions particularly while making your choice; avoid materialistic convenience such having very beautiful rooms, modern, very good bar, very pleasant environment, inexpensive fee, closeness to your house, … Because if your life consists of these simple materialistic measures, stopping before beginning to walk in the path of BUDO would be better for you. It is necessary to have a great willpower and grow with BUDO decency to walk in the path of Aikido steadily.

What does it mean to grow with BUDO decency and what needs to be done?

First of all, you must accept practicing on the tatami bravely, faithfully, with persistence, modestly, without the purpose of profit, without the purpose of getting a Dan and with politeness.

First, what you need to know to get started is defeating four great threats in the practices in which you train until you knees are skinned, hands are injured and covered in sweat :

KYÔ - Surprise
GHI - Anxiety
WAKU - Indetermination
Ku - Fear

These are all vital in BUDO and very important in our lives. After defeating these mistakes, shortcomings, you need to gain four main virtues:

First REI - Politeness: The art of behaving in the most polite way to everyone inside and outside the Dojo.

Second CHOKU - STRENGHT: The energy that is formed by the unification of mind and body to struggle against the difficulties of life the combined head and body, the energy is born.

Third SEI - TRANQUILITY: Controlling oneself with balance, calmness, serenity and determination.

Fourth SOKU- SPEED: Speed of judgment, being aware to never be mistaken, the ability to immediately respond in the best way no matter the situation.

Your body will be in harmony with the mind by practicing these and the techniques every day. Then BODU will enlighten your life and you will find freedom. Techniques will be simple and will born truly shining. You will realize that winning and losing are the same. Therefore you will abandon selfishness, YOUR EGO. You will slowly approach becoming “a complete person in all respects”.

If not knowing is a shame for a day, not learning is a shame for life

We need to know, or learn, the meaning of words used in BUDO. One example to these is the words is “SENSEI” we hear a lot during practice. In this regard, it is wise to make some comments.

SENSEI: is a word consisting of two Japanese kanji (SEN and SEI). Consists of two words from the literary aspects:
SEN: Previously, a prior, priority, future, the place to be reached, direction, top, the first order, power, wit
SEI: Life, to live, to use, carry a child to be born, clean.

When translated to English under the light of the above descriptions, the meaning in BUDO is teacher or master. Important thing is to understand the underlying meaning of these words. It is not a simple word for those who are aware i.e. for those who are grown with BUDO decency. It is a respectful and honorary title. It signifies a person that walks ahead, shows the path, uses the guidance of knowledge, has high values of humanity, is modest, has personality and character, has a clear path to his/her heart, is enlightening, and is without ego. It is one of the greatest titles one can have in BUDO. To bow down to and being a student of such a person is the greatest value. That is why I chose Nobuyoshi TAMURA Sensei, and have been walking in his path for 35 years. People in BUDO must not bow down to anybody. Otherwise that means you have chosen being a slave. Since everybody is responsible of themselves, it is your decision whom to call Sensei. I suggest you read the above again if you do not wish to be a slave.

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Nebi VURAL
6.Dan - AIKIKAI de TOKYO
Eurasia Aikido Organization Technical Director
National Technical Instructor of French Aikido and Budo Federation ( CEN )