My teacher is a 3 Dan in Karate, he has run a 100 km marathon, he has trained under a waterfall for 15 years. He always says that he is not so great when he trains in Aikido, under a waterfall,... There are many teachers who say: "I train you in Aikido, I train you under a mountain waterfall. Because of that I am good." But one thing that I learned from my Kawasaki teacher was his technique, but also I learned from his behaviour from his great willingness to follow the path that leads to the law of nature. He is very humble, bacause his teacher Sasaki Masanto(8 Dan in Karate) is also very humble. If I could describe him I would use the following words: humbleness, willingness and effort to improve. I am very happy to learn from my Kawasaki teacher. Thank you.
.....
When we do MITAMASHIZUME(CHINNKONN NO GYOU) - concentration after exercise FUNAKOGI) - the meditation to activate the soul, we make votes with imagination using the words that say:
"I am the same as the all creation in the universe. All the creation is me, myself.
All the creation is the wise existence. The wise existense is love. I am the God's son.
All the creation between sky and earth exists for me. Firstly I love all the creation, my mother country and the place where I live as well as I love the world deeply. I am unique, also I am everything. I am one, also, I am variety. I am I, also, I am you or he. I am God's son and my parents, the people who I know are as well as God's children. For that reason let all my friends be happy. In order to fullfil that destiny, these are my sincere desires."
These are the words of votes and wisdom that we inherited from Master Sasaki Masando(Aikikai 8 Dan). In summary, SHINTO(God - way) is just as HYOUDO(Way of war = AIKIDO). For that reason we together AIKIDOKA(practicant of AIKIDO) are goingg to dedicate the peace of the world to the spirit of AIKIWAGOU(harmony with the energy of love).
from master: Kawasaki Hironori (7 dan of AIKIKAI, 3 dan of KARATEDO) 15 of July of 2003.
