Shinkage Ryu and Aikido

For some years Maruyama Sensei has been revealing an understanding and lessons for aikido using the kata of the Shinkage Ryu in his seminars, since 2003. The kata reveal much about ourselves and our aikido as it is an unforgiving practice where mistakes in our intent, timing and movement (e.g. through dodging and fighting) leave no place to hide. For open hand aikido practice the kata bring lessons in irimi (with a no matter the cost mindset), holding the line whilst being able to move our bodies off line, striking second but not being hit,  giving uke a chance, drawing uke and understanding the dynamics of ma-ai.

  To learn through these sword kata it requires our partner  uchidachi (the teaching role in the kata) to have enough experience to strike correctly and properly for us to learn these lessons something difficult to obtain except from seniors practitioners.  John Ward sensei has offered to bring leather covered shinai (the bamboo strip swords favoured in kendo) the preferred weapons of the shinkage ryu to practice as well as some insights as uchidachi. 

Here is a quick refresher on the kata.