Big News! IT'S COMING!!

Within the next few days I am planning on publishing an essay that will be revolutionary   in the world of Aiki arts!  This essay was published over a decade ago in Japanese, but is hardly known even in Japan.

It was translated into English by Mr. Douglas Walker.  I served Mr. Walker in the capacity of consultant during its translation.  It was completed years ago, and Mr. Walker allowed me to decide when the time would be right for its release.

I think the time is right!

This essay was written by Shirata Rinjiro about a year before his death.  The essay is largely Shirata sensei’s explanation of Ueshiba’s explanation of Aiki and Aikido.  As such, he explains the Way of Aiki from the pragmatic to the esoteric, from the micro cosmic to the macrocosmic.  He also explicates how Ueshiba Morihei began teaching the Way of Aiki until how last taught the Way of Aiki.
 

Due to the fact that Shirata was raised in the generation immediately after Ueshiba his approach is a bit more systematic and accessible.  This is probably why Shirata wrote the essay in the first place, to help explain his teacher to those in the following generations.  I will be providing further supportive commentary to the text to benefit trueaiki.com readers, since they were likely born more than a generation or two after Shirata Rinjiro, and the majority of trueaiki.com readers are non-Japanese.
I will be publishing the essay in “bite sized” pieces. Consequently, this will require many posts to cover.  I am both excited and a bit nervous to be doing this now.  Obviously, this doesn’t have to be the last word on the subject.  On the contrary, I most certainly hope that it isn’t.  Nevertheless, I am nervous, because I sincerely hope that this contribution to the Aiki world will be appreciated for what it is, a seminal piece of Aiki literature which, here to fore, has been cherished by  a few and yet unknown to most.

• Those interested in Aiki history will happily add this to their collection of information.
• Those interested in how Ueshiba conceived of Aikido will be pleased to add further clarity.
• Those interested in how one of Ueshiba’s initial students understood his teacher specifically, and Aikido in general, will be delighted.
• Those enamored of Shirata Rinjiro, will be moved.
• And, those that knew, or suspected, that the “new” teaching and training of Aiki,  is not new, and is identical to that of Ueshiba Morihei and his Aikido, you will be justified!

IT’S COMING!!!