Aikido is a Japanese martial art that was designed in the 20th century with a specific purpose in mind. It is unique in its dedication to a specific ethics that changes the way conflict works globally, rather than simply defeating adversaries. The ethics that accompanies aikido practice explicitly requires redirective responses which accompany and preserve an attacker through the conflict process, as well as the extension of these “aiki” principles into everyday life. 

In this way, the process of practicing aikido as a martial art is similar to the dialogical process of the liberal arts in which ideas and their advocates are entertained as guests, a process which may lead to the development of authentic citizenship. Both aikido and liberal studies have the opportunity to create an ongoing learning community which works by way of differences toward a deeper understanding of the tensions involved in thinking, moving, and being. Participation in this process frames human endeavor so that it may become more humane, committed to justice, and more subtle so that power is exercised wisely.

Donald N. Levine was the Peter B. Ritzma Professor Emeritus of Sociology and the dean of the College at the University of Chicago. At the time of his death in 2015, he was the most prominent in a group of academics and professional martial artists around the world who teach courses which integrate learning aikido with liberal education at the curricular and institutional level. This course is rooted in his scholarship.

My name is Brandon Williamscraig and I have been studying aikido since 1990. I am ranked a 5th degree black belt, and am Founder of Free Aiki Dojo and Chief Instructor of Golden Bears Aikido at UC Berkeley. My Ph.D. and primary academic interest is in the relationship between psychology and mythology--the study of interpretation, imagination, and culture-making through belief narratives. Professor Levine recruited me in 2008 to join in the work of moving forward the theoretical and practical study of peace and conflict. With many others around the world, we created public programs, projects, conferences and an administration for an international NGO, called Aiki Extensions, home of the Training Across Borders initiative which gathers aikido leaders from peoples and countries in direct conflict so that they may train together and co-create peaceful relationships. I created the Martial Nonviolence ™ method and the Peace Practices™ project at Association Building Community, and continue to be actively engaged in the work of which this course is a part.

 

Aikido & Practicing Peace Like A Martial Art

 

DRAFT Syllabus (proposal) for St. Mary’s College - January Term 2017

Brandon Williamscraig Ph.D., instructor

Julian Wilner, apprentice, course assistant

 

This course has three aims:

1. to expand knowledge about conflict and ways of dealing with it responsibly;

2. to explore themes and resources for cultivating character and understanding others;

3. to introduce the Peace Practices of Martial Nonviolence (aikido, language, performance, and facilitation) as a means for dealing with conflict and the cultivation of citizenship.

I believe that this class offers a unique approach ideally suited for January Term, but requiring some explicit clarifications. Each week is a unit building on previous work, such that each learning outcome is required to be able to do well on whatever comes next. The fitness of students for a martial arts class should not be a major concern. While aikido techniques are used to offer a feast of nonviolent conflict resolution principles, combat of any kind will not be on the menu.

I. SOMATIC AWARENESS AND AIKIDO

Aikido the Connector (embodied ideas about sensation, feeling, mind, spirit, soul)

• Mind > body (mental framing and emotional balance)

• Body > feelings (postural structures and expression of affect)

• Mind > body > energy (alignment of intention)

• Body > perceptions > mind > spirit > soul (relaxation, connection, and systems)

These are modes of learning through aikido, attending to experience and collaborative inquiry with training partners.

Which conditions support intense bodymind learning--dedicated place (dojo), uniform (dogi, if available), attitude (shugyo) and disciplines of safety and respect: 1) for Place; 2) for self; 3) for partners; 4) for /experienceteachers; 5) for conversations; 6) for Truth?

The mat-dojo as a place for learning the martial Way (budo) Respect in the dojo (li / rei)

Elements of martial practice: Tai sabaki (body management). Stance (kamae; hanmi). Changing hanmi. Stepping and pivoting. Sitting (seiza). Turning falls into rolls, if mats are available. The dojo/training process as a place for learning about one’s self. Centering experiences. Testing for centering and ki extension.

Technique(s): Tai no henko (katatedori tenkan) “You’re wrong!” “I’m listening.”

“Why Aikido?” Context of study profoundly shapes learning results.

Announce plan for remainder of course - take questions on syllabus

Reading assignment informed by this session and preparing for the next.

 

II. INQUIRY INTO CONFLICT

Preparatory Stretching and Body Management exercises based on Session One

Technique(s): Katatedori kokyunage (wrist-grab, breath-throw).“You’re wrong!” “Let’s sit.”

Broaching the study of anything. Is it? Why study it? How to define it? Why define it that way? (cf. “essentially contested concepts”) Why/How study it?

Broaching the study and redefining/normalizing conflict. Aikido practice as collaborative associative inquiry.

Attacking sincerely and falling safely (ukemi). Investigating conflict on the mat. Types of conjoint training. 

Seminar discussion of reading

Technique review

Reading assignment informed by this session and preparing for the next.

 

III. ELEMENTS OF AND TRAINING FOR CONFLICT

Preparatory Stretching and Body Management exercises

Technique(s): Katatedori kotegaeshi “Me first!” “Let’s go together.”

Motives, means, and consequences in conflictual interaction

Three part model: basic, expanded, and immediate

Elements of martial engagement: Distance and timing (ma-ai)

Categorizing attacks and types of responses.

Seminar discussion of reading.

Technique review.

Reading assignment informed by this session and preparing for the next.

 

IV. ESCALATION / DE-ESCALATION: PERSONAL SOURCES

Preparatory Stretching and Body Management exercises

Technique(s): Menuchi Iriminage “You!” “Tell Me More”  

Paradigms of escalation. Escalatory effects of different responses to attack Counter-attack. Acquiescence. Moving off the line. Taking a hit. Offline with connection.

Escalatory effects of different forms of aggressive expression Expressing antagonism in a relationship.

Seminar discussion of reading.

Technique review.

Reading assignment informed by this session and preparing for the next.

 

V. ESCALATION / DE-ESCALATION: SOCIO-CULTURAL SOURCES

Preparatory Stretching and Body Management exercises

Technique(s): Shomenuchi Ikkyo Omote/Ura “You!” “Do you mean that/this?”

Social mechanisms for controlling escalation

Bodymind mechanisms for controlling dispositions to escalate Positive receptivity. Reframing and redirection. Embodied responsive techniques for controlling escalation

Seminar discussion of reading. REFRAMING ASSIGNMENT DISTRIBUTED

Technique review.

Reading assignment informed by this session and preparing for the next.

 

VI. VIOLENCE

Preparatory Stretching and Body Management exercises

Technique(s): TBA

Dimensions of violent engagement. Training for courage Entering the line of attack.

Staying centered under stress Multiple attacks (randori). Irimi waza.

Seminar discussion of reading.

Technique review.

Reading assignment informed by this session and preparing for the next.

 

VII. MARTIAL NONVIOLENCE

Preparatory Stretching and Body Management exercises

Technique(s): TBA

Conceptions of non-violent engagement

Training for Calm Control. Mushin. Reframing and redirection.

Leading the mind.

Seminar discussion of reading.

Technique review.

Reading assignment informed by this session and preparing for the next.

 

VIII. IMPROVISATION AND PERFORMANCE

Preparatory Stretching and Body Management exercises

Technique(s): TBA

Using imagination to connect real life with training. Framing all conflict as training.

 

IX. MEDIATION AND FACILITATION

Preparatory Stretching and Body Management exercises

Technique(s): TBA

Happo giri undo

Third parties in the management of conflict

Hovering awareness (zanshin).

Position and timing in mediating conflict. Conflicts with multiple parties

REFRAMING ASSIGNMENT DUE

 

X. PEACE PRACTICES AND CULTURE-MAKING

Preparatory Stretching and Body Management exercises

Technique(s): TBA

Review of Readings and Discussion of Final Paper

Bringing real life concerns and working with them on “the mat”

 

XI. LIBERAL, MARTIAL, AND PERFORMING ARTS - KINDRED DISCIPLINES

Preparatory Stretching and Body Management exercises

Technique(s): Student choice

Bringing real life concerns and working with them on “the mat” across domains

 

XII. OTHER ASPECTS OF CONFLICT AND LEADERSHIP

Preparatory Stretching and Body Management exercises

Technique(s): Student choice

Leadership consulting

Bringing real life concerns and working with them on “the mat”

 

XIII. THE AIKI WAY AND MYTHOLOGY AS PARADIGM

Preparatory Stretching and Body Management exercises

Technique(s): Student choice

Classic formulations Ueshiba, The Spirit of Aikido

Quotations from Aikido Masters: Ueshiba, Saotome, Doran

Training as ritual and vice versa

 

XIV. PUTTING IT TO THE TEST - A

Preparatory Stretching and Body Management exercises

Technique(s): Review

 

XV. PUTTING IT TO THE TEST - B

Preparatory Stretching and Body Management exercises

Technique(s): Review

 

XVI. ENDING

Demonstrations of Preparatory Stretching and Body Management exercises

Final papers due

Testing and Celebration

RESOURCES

 

Texts In Hand

Richard Strozzi Heckler, In Search of the Warrior Spirit, selections

Dave Lowry, Sword and Brush: the Spirit of the Martial Arts

Rory Miller, Scaling Force: Dynamic Decision Making Under Threat of Violence

Marshall Rosenberg, Nonviolent Communication, selections

John Stevens, The Shambhala Guide to Aikidō, selections

Kisshomaru Ueshiba, The Spirit of Aikidō

 

Articles, Essays, Exercises, Media, and Presentations 

Bondurant, The Conquest of Violence: The Gandhian Philosophy of Conflict, 3-41

James, “The Moral Equivalent of War”

George Leonard, “Taking the Hit as a Gift”

Lorenz, Aggression, Intro, ch. 13;

Donald N. Levine, Aiki Waza Michi Shirube (Aikido Training as a Signpost to the Way): Selected Essays on Aikido and Nonviolent Interaction. 2nd enlarged edition. 2013.

http://www.donlevine.com/uploads/1/1/3/8/11384462/aiki-waza.pdf

 

Optional

David Baum, Jim Hassinger, The Randori Principles: The Path To Effortless Leadership

Elana Rosenbaum, “Mindfulness based stress reduction” [videorecording]. Disk 3 Session 5 “Mindful Communication, Use of Aikido, Joining and Connecting with Interpersonal Mindfulness” [Will not be viewed in class]

Ariel D. San Pedro, St. Mary’s College Thesis (M.A. in Leadership), Aikido integrated leadership: a physical embodiment of 21st century leadership

Kisshomaru and Moriteru Ueshiba (trans. Izawa and Fuller), A Life In Aikido: The Biography Of Founder Morihei Ueshiba