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The Buddha’s Advice To An Aikido Sensei

5 Qualities Of A Spiritually Mature Teacher

The early Buddhist term for a teacher is a  “Kalyanamitta” – which means a “Noble Friend.” I love this phrase because it reframes the role of the teacher and student, and how this holy relationship impacts your life. In this blog post, I will share with you the advice the Buddha gave in his teaching on the 5 qualities of a “Nobel Friend.” As Aikido is a higher path of practice, I think that these guidelines are especially relevant to Aikido teachers. This is the Buddha’s advice to an Aikido Sensei.

Miles Kessler Sensei
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2 Teachers On Self-Reflection In Aikido

w/ Wendy Palmer & Miles Kessler

The practice of self-reflection is essential for growth at any stage in Aikido. As a teacher, having the chance to practice and reflect with other teachers is something I highly value.

Wendy Palmer & Miles Kessler - Self-reflection

This past May I had the great pleasure of hosting an online global tele-summit called Aikido At The Leading Edge. It was an amazing event that brought so many gifts to my life, and the lives of over 2,300 people. Perhaps the greatest gift for me was that I had an opportunity to connect with 46 amazing teachers from the global Aikido community.

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The Soul’s Journey Through Aikido

w/ Koichi Barrish & Miles Kessler

The martial art of Aikido is a spiritual practice. It is a spiritual practice because the technical application of Aikido is “nested” within a universal humanistic philosophy. And this philosophy is further nested within an Absolute spiritual perspective.

Koichi Barrish & Miles Kessler Aiki-Discussion

Aikido’s founder, Morihei Ueshiba, referred to this as the manifest, the hidden, and the divine. The manifest is the realm of physicality and techniques. The hidden is the realm of principles and philosophy. The divine is the realm of spirit Absolute.

This is a developmental frame that reflects the spiritual potential of human beings. Practicing Aikido in this framework activates growth and development. It will constantly challenge your egoic limitations and continuously lead you forward into your spiritual potential.

“50 Aikido Experts Give You Their #1 Practice Tip For Keeping Your Aikido At The Leading Edge” by FREE eBook, Edited by Miles Kessler

Compiled from the Aikido tele-summit, “Aikido At The Leading Edge.”  Join 50 of the world’s top Aikido teachers as they answer a single question; “What is your #1 tip, or practice advice for someone to keep their Aikido at the leading edge?” 

Christian Tissier, Robert Nadeau, Linda Holiday, John Stevens, Richard Strozzi-Heckler, Wendy Palmer, Robert Frager,  Jan Nevelius, David Shaner, Joe Thambu, Koichi Barrish, Patrick Cassidy, and many more!

Get Your FREE eBook Today!

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“What Is The Dharma Of Aikido?”

An "Aiki-Discussion" w/ Teja "Fudo Myo" Bell & Miles Kessler

The word Dharma is an ancient Sanskrit work meaning “Spiritual Teachings”, “Universal Principles”, or “Ultimate Reality.” And even though it isn’t always held this way, Aikido is an art that rests on the foundation of universal principles. This is the “Dharma Of Aikido”.

What Is The Dharma Of Aikido?

By all accounts, Aikido’s founder O Sensei had a profound spiritual awakening into ultimate reality. It was this awakening that transformed his martial arts into Aikido. Ueshiba’s Aikido was a profound expression of the Dharma, which in Aikido has one fundamental taste: Conflict becomes resolved into wholeness.