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e-Aikitsushin

Online Newsletter of Aikido Kenkyukai International

Follow link to: http://www.aikidosydneycity.com/e-aikitsushin.html

Ralph Pettman's Book

GOING FOR A WALK IN THE WORLD: The Experience of Aikido
By Ralph Pettman

Ralph Pettman Sensei is one of the founding members of AKI in Canberra, Australia. He later moved to New Zealand and is Chief Instructor of AKI NZ. He currently lives in Wellington where he teaches world politics and aikido. An aikidoka since 1969, he is a 6th Dan in Aikido. He originally trained for fourteen years in the Aikikai style. More recently he has trained in the style of Yoshinobu Takeda, a leading student of Yamaguchi-sensei (who was an instructor at the Honbu and the proponent of a movement-oriented, collaborationist training method with a deeply spiritual rationale).

Download Ralph's book - MS Word 156KB 

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Aikido Information Websites

• See the Links page for AKI websites
• Aiki Web: www.aikiweb.com
• Aikido World: www.aikido-world.com/index.html 
• Yamaguchi Seigo Sensei, 9th Dan, official website: www.yamaguchi-aikido.com
• Endo Seishiro Sensei, 8th Dan, talks: http://member.nifty.ne.jp/aikido_sakudojo/talks-e.html
• Translations of Aikido terms from Japanese to English: http://www.journaled.com/MA/Aikido/japanese_terms_general.htm 

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Suggested Reading

• Morihei Ueshiba, Budo (the teachings of the founder)
• Kisshomaru Ueshiba, The Spirit of Aikido
• Kisshomaru Ueshiba, Aikido
• Compiled by John Stevens, The essence of Aikido: the Spiritual teachings of Morihei Ueshiba
• A. Westbrook and O. Ratti, Aikido and the Dynamic Sphere
• Koichi Tohei, Aikido with Ki
• Koichi Tohei, Ki in Daily Life
• Koichi Tohei, Ki Coordinating Mind and Body
• Richard Heckler, Aikido and the New Warrior
• Richard Heckler, In Search of the Warrior Spirit
• George Leonard, The Silent Pulse
• George Leonard, The Transformation
• Aikido Today magazine.
• Miyomoto Mushashi, The Book of Five Rings
• Dan Millman, Way of the Peaceful Warrior
• Taisen Deshimaru, The Zen Way to the Martial Arts

Good bookstores for Aikido books include:

• Planet Max Stores, City and Tuggeranong
• Hierophant, Griffith
• Smiths Alternative Bookstore, City
• http://www.martialartssupplies.com.au/store/subitm.asp?cat=37
• http://www.thingsofjapan.com.au/books.htm

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Local and Commercial Videos

AKI members can ask to loan or copy (where copyright allows) these videos. Ask your sensei about them.

• Takeda Sensei & O'Sensei: O'Sensei in the 1960s & Takeda Sensei in the 1980s. 
• Yamaguchi Sensei at Meiji University in the 1980s. 
• Yamaguchi Sensei in Memoriam Exhibition by various senseis in Yamaguchi Sensei's memory. Includes Takeda Sensei, Dojocho, Bob Gibbon, and lots of others. 
• International Friendship Aikido Gasshuku 1-4 April 1994, Canberra Easter Camp. Includes demonstration by and interview with Takeda Sensei. 
• Easter Camp 1996, Canberra Numata Sensei, 6th Dan, lead the camp. 
• Ishii Sensei, Turner Dojo, 1999. Ishii Sensei's clear instruction and detail captured by Drago Zovak
• Aikido at old Weston Dojo, Circa 1997. Nigel Carruthers-Taylor instructing. Owner: Nigel Carruthers-Taylor 
• Samurai Aikijutsu: Features Daitoryu Aikijutsu - the predecessor to Aikido. Toshihiro Obata instructs and demonstrates the techniques of Aikijutsu & Tameshigiri (live blade test cutting). Owner: Nigel Carruthers-Taylor
• The Magic of Conflict: Ki Society Sensei, Thomas Crumb, demonstrates Ki concepts and how to handle conflicts. Circa 1970s. Owner: Nigel Carruthers-Taylor 

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