Category Archives: Aiki-Conversations

Posted on

What Is An Aikido Response To Systemic Racism?

Judge Eric Moye, Malory Graham, Sam Taitel, & Miles Kessler

The recent killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin has unleashed a torrent of protests against systemic racism in cities across America, that have also echoed throughout the world. Regardless of where you stand on the issue of systemic racism, there is no denying that we are a society in conflict. To better understand the urgency of this issue, I invited several of my fellow Aikidoka to join me on a panel discussion & community call where we explored the question, “What is an Aikido response to systemic racism?”

Panel Discussion & Community Call
Posted on

10 Blog Posts For Coping, Resourcing, and Recharging During A Crisis

Your Aikido Resource

Over the past 4 years, I have written close to 100 blog posts at the intersectionality of Aikido, meditation, and personal development. In one way, or another, all of my blog posts explore the same essential question: What does it mean to walk a higher path of practice? A question that is very relevant in these uncertain times. I went through my archives and picked out 10 posts that I think will support you through these uncertain times. With Love.

Posted on

Aikido In A Time Of Crisis

Global Call on Aikido, Coronavirus, & Community

How can Aikido support us in the face of the current Coronavirus and COVID-19 crisis that we all find ourselves in? This is the question we held as we came together with over 100 teachers and practitioners from our global Aikido community for a special 90 min. call. This Community Call replay includes a Dojo-Cho panel discussion, breakout practice sessions, and community sharing. Join us as we collectively explored the issue of “Aikido In A Time Of Crisis.”

Posted on

Learning From The Tengu

Mastery And The Esoteric Path

Part of any commitment to a higher “Path” of practice (martial arts, meditation, yoga, etc.) is the need to put in the time to develop skills in your given field. But whereas developing skill is indispensable on any Path, gaining Mastery is an entirely different matter. The development of skill is in the realm of the possible. Mastery, on the other hand, is in the realm of the mystical. To gain mastery you must commit to the inner Path of learning from the Tengu.

Mastery And The Esoteric Path
Posted on

Integrating The Non-Dual Perspective

Dharma Bite w/ Patrick Cassidy

Is awakening a sudden experience, or is it a gradual process. Do you wake up with a radical explosion into seeing the non-dual nature of reality? Or do you come to “unity consciousness” through a series of smaller steps of insight until gradually you are living a life of non-duality? In this Dharma Bite meditation teacher Patrick Cassidy speaks about “Integrating The Non-Dual Perspective.”

Dharma Bite w/ Patrick Cassidy
Posted on

Conditions For Non-Duality In Aikido

Part 2 - Aikido & Non-Duality Series: w/ Patrick Cassidy

In the Zen tradition, they often use the metaphor of “the finger pointing to the moon.” The “finger” here, refers to practices that point towards the moon or, a non-dual awakening. But even though “fingers” point the way, the pointing practices themselves cannot get you to a direct experience of the moon. Simply put, when it comes to non-duality, you can’t get there from here. If this is the case then we should ask, what exactly are the conditions for Non-Duality In Aikido?

Patrick Cassidy & Miles Kessler
Posted on

Aikido & Non-Duality with Dan Messisco

Part 1 In This Aiki-Discussion Series

Nothing is more separating than conflict.​ Nothing is more unitive than spirituality. The martial art of Aikido attempts to walks this impossibly thin line as a “spiritual martial art.” If this is the case, then what does an expression of Aikido’s spiritual essence look like? If we are all spiritually connected, ultimately One, or not-two, then how can we express this non-duality in conflict? These are the questions I explored with Dan Messisco Sensei (6th dan Aikikai) in our recent Aiki-Discussion on Aikido & Non-Duality.

Posted on

EMBODYING CONFLICT RESOLUTION

Diane Musho Hamilton & Miles Kessler [Encore Post]

What does it mean to “embody conflict resolution”? In the below “Darma Bite” I continue the series of Dharma Discussions with Integral Facilitator & Zen Sensei Diane Musho Hamilton. In this excerpt from our discussion, we talk about conflict resolution in the field of mediation as compared to Aikido, and how they are in essence the same thing. I’m sure you’ll enjoy this short excerpt on “Embodying Conflict Resolution”.

Embodying Conflict Resolution
Posted on

Shu-Ha-Ri: 3 Stages Of Mastery In Aikido

Miles Kessler | Part 1 Of 4

What does it mean to create mastery in Aikido? Does mastery mean you are an untouchable fighting machine who’s better faster and stronger than everyone else? Or you are able to resolve any conflict that you meet in life, or that you have the demeanor of a Zen master? Let’s take a look at these questions through the lens of the traditional Japanese system of Shu-Ha-Ri: 3 Stages Of Mastery In Aikido.

Part 1 Of 4 | "The Ladder Of Development"
Posted on

The Union Of Meditation & Aikido

Dharma Bite w/ Dr. Ginny Whitelaw & Miles Kessler

Do you meditate or practice mindfulness? Do you also have a physical practice, like Aikido, yoga, dance, bodywork, sports, or art? Now here’s the big question… do your meditation practice and your physical practice come together for you? Or, like most people, are these two parallel paths for you? Two paths completely related, but not completely coming together. In this blog post, my special guest and I take a look at the Union Of Meditation & Aikido.”

The Union Of Meditation & Aikido