JAA-Aikido
excerpt from the JAA website.
the idea ot Aikido
The aikido of this association aspires towards a state of ‘mushin-mugamae’ (literally no mind - no posture) and aims to keep our body healthy and improve our personality through training and study of both ‘kata’ (fixed form) and ‘randori’ (free form).
The royal road of Budo-training lies at the training and study of ‘kata’ left by our precursors and the practice oi randori’ as an alternative for real battle, both exercised without any bias.
With the ‘Aikirandoriho’-system invented by Professor Kenji Tomiki we take distance from the self-righteous tendency of only practicing kata. On the other hand, with the training of kata, we overcome the narrow-minded win-ning-is-everything mentality when only practicing randori. By adding a more theoretical aspect of learning we come closer to the ideal state.
By learning we mean not only the abundant concepts included in the study of the art of aikido, but also the foundations of personality, being the study of classical canon of east and west and the forming of a scientific mind. In this international society where many racial and religious disputes occur, we need good Japanese people who through Budo can contribute in realizing world peace. The aspirations of a healthy body, broad cultural knowledge and improvement of personality by practitioners of aikido can be the foundations that contribute to world peace.
The supreme state of Japanese budo is characterized physically by ‘mugamae’ or no posture, and mentally by ‘mushin’ or no mind. ‘Mugamae’ is a posture without posturing, ‘mushin’ is a transcendental state of mind. Or should we say that the first is rather aimed for after training the idea of basic posture, and the latter rather a slight awareness of things we hold on to? In each case they are not easily achieved. But they serve a conceptual purpose.
The aim of this association is the upbringing of capable aikido loving people who prove useful in Japan and outside, through the spread of the aforementioned aikido.