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Students focus through Aikido
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Ever feel the need for a deep breath?
In the Aikido (eye-key-doe) club there is plenty of room for breath. This student organization focuses primarily on harnessing energy to find a “way of harmony with the spirit of the universe,” according to the Aikido club student organization printout.
Club president Jay Pageler, a marketing and management major, has been studying Aikido for several years, and encourages anyone to undertake this Japanese martial art.
“It’s very relaxing,” Pageler said.
According to Aikido website www.aikidofaq.com, Morihei Ueshiba, born in Japan on December 14, 1883, combined his studies in budo, or the martial arts, with his religious and political ideologies to create this unique martial art.
Ueshiba decided on the name “aikido” in 1942.
Ueshiba’s techniques eventually spawned many other schools of Aikido including elements from Karate, Judo, and other Japanese martial arts.
Aikido aims primarily to balance the mind and body through conscious exercise, and to learn personal protection.
Jillana Slocum, former Aikido student and current treasurer for the club, said that Aikido appeals to her because it is non-violent.
“Aikido promotes inner peace and a connection with other people,” she said. “It offers a way of looking at conflict without threatening or feeling threatened. It is a win-win resolution for conflict.”
Dr. Chris Kantarian, a colon rectal surgeon and musician, instructs students of the Aikido club. As a ’sensei,’ (or teacher), he organizes the Aikido meetings, and designs his instruction for the University.
“Aikido at BSU is technically a club sport, but it is also a 1 credit class. I design it to get the essence and value (of Aikido) in a compressed time,” Kantarian said.
Kantarian has been practicing Aikido for 20 years. He also has studied other martial arts, including Kendo, Ishin-ryu and Karate for 8-10 years.
“Aikido is not just a martial art,” Kantarian said. “Aikido is the joining of life energies, not an isolated practice. However, Aikido is not a religion or a church. The underlying principle is gratitude for life and existence.”
Kantarian teaches from the Ki School. The essence of Aikido is the cultivation of ki [a vital force, internal power, mental-spiritual energy]. Kantarian teaches from a style further developed by Koichi Barrish, who re-worked the Aikido process. Ki places emphasis on mind and body being unified, and is characterized by soft movements that often involve the practitioner jumping or skipping during the movement.
“It is preferred that students commit at the beginning of the semester, to prevent inhibiting the current students enrolled because the people have committed to train are making general progress in a class with a duration of one semester” Kantarian said. “The only requirement is that you show up.”
Paul Greear, Special to the Arbiter