ISSUE 15 NOVEMBER 2017 Chiba Sensei offers a solution to the contradiction between Diamonds and Rocks and Order and Freedom raveling extensively, I have seen many styles of Aikido in the world. Some of Tthem were beyond my imagina- tion to be called Aikido. I used to worry about this, and think about what I should do about it. But gradually I became less and less worried, and in fact I am no longer worried about it at all. First of all, there is nothing you can do about it - you can’t be responsible for it. Secondly, I came Chiba Sensei to the realization that as long as the people practising enjoyed it, and as has to be competent, with a strong long as Aikido enriches their lives or foundation and responsible in their is meaningful in their lives, I should teaching. Furthermore, I believe it is be pleased and happy regardless of important to have a historical sense its physical form. of this profound art left to us by the Of course we should not be blind generations before us, supported by to what’s going on in the Aikido deep conviction and respect. world today. We should strive There is a Japanese expression hard to maintain and preserve the “mixture of diamonds and rocks”. quality as best we can. However, Of course I see that in the Aikido the nature of Aikido is strongly world today. So what does it matter? self-developmental and allows A diamond as a precious stone itself to develop harmoniously carries its own value and beauty. At with the environment and various the same time, a rock also carries a human conditions. Idealistically value and use. If Aikido is the path and hopefully, we have to rely on that truly reveals the principles of the conscience and sincerity of the nature, we should be able to live individual teacher. In other words, with the contradiction between whoever is involved in teaching order and freedom. continued on page 2 CONTENTS 1 Diamonds and Rocks Shihan TK Chiba 2 Picture review 3 Misogi 2017 Jean-Luc Busmey 6 Kazakstan 2017 Alexander V Gheorghiu 9 Paris Course May 2017 Rowan Mason 10 BB Autumn Course 2017 Wellington Tsang 11 Picture review BIRANKAI EUROPE NEWSLETTER EUROPE BIRANKAI Closing date for submission for May 2018 issue: 31 March 2018 MUSUBI BIRANKAI EUROPE Diamonds and Rocks... continued from page 1 Founder Shihan TK Chiba 8th Dan This world is so interesting. It evident and inescapable, and there- is so dynamic and beautiful in its fore what is to perish will perish in European Birankai Shihankai as-it-is-ness, because there are things its natural course. Norberto Chiesa 6th Dan, Birankai like diamonds and rocks coexist- France ing without conflicting against one Gabriel Valibouze 6th Dan, Birankai another, and everything is in its Shihan TK Chiba France place in its own right. Needless to Birankai Founder Dee Chen 6th Dan, British Birankai say, this should not be our excuse Tony Cassells 6th Dan, British Birankai to avoid responsibility. The law Excerpt from article published Chris Mooney 6th Dan, British Birankai of nature, of cause and effect, is in Sansho, Summer/Fall 1994 MIke Flynn 6th Dan, Scottish and Borders Birankai Daniel Brunner 6th Dan, Birankai Switzerland Patrick Barthélémy 6th Dan, Birankai France Mrs M Chiba, Special Guest at British Birankai Autumn Joe Curran 6th Dan, British Birankai Course 8-9 October 2016 celebrating 50 years since Chiba Sensei came to the UK Member Countries Birankai Austria Birankai France Birankai Germany Dee Chen Photos: Hellenic Birankai Birankai Israel Birankai Poland Birankai Portugal Birankai Switzerland British Birankai Scottish and Borders Birankai BE Musubi is published twice annually in May and November. English edition available on www.britishbirankai.com and the French edition on www.birankai.eu/shiun_fr.html Individual article reflects the author’s own views. All submissions may be edited due to space constraints and should be sent to the Editor. Editor (English): Dee Chen [email protected] Editor (French): Jean-luc Busmey [email protected] Sub-editor: Wellington Tsang [email protected] Design Consultant: Franco Chen © Copyright 2017 All rights reserved. Reproduction is prohibited without express written permission 231117 2 BE MUSUBI NOVEMBER 2017 Misogi 2017: A great vintage When a raging snowstorm challenges a group of Aikidoists in France there can only be one winner Photos from from Photos ollow- ing T K Chiba FSensei’s recom- Barthélémy Patrick mendations, misogi is an op- portunity for a Jean-Luc Busmey limited number of people to establish a close and sustained relationship between partners in contact with natural surroundings. Therefore ideal conditions consist of a wild en- vironment, snow and a tempera- ture never reaching 5°C. Having judged the weather too comfort- able during the past winters, it was decided to postpone the date Ardèche under snow to January so as to benefit from a more ‘suitable’ climate. On storm and that the next this particular point the kamis days are expected to be were to meet our wishes beyond tough; access to the site is expectations. not recommended. In fact Tempo was set from the very a strong wind rose during start. Heavy snowfall made driv- the night and everything ing difficult; trucks stuck across got buried under about 1 the road or a car having trouble m20 of powdery snow. driving uphill and in need of a push Our yurt started to were our lot on the way. Reaching yield dangerously under strenuously the plateau under the enormous snowdrift. constant but windless snowfall, we In time our environ- hear that we are in the eye of the ment changed, we felt like lost in the middle of Siberia. In the morning the weather got even worse and it became impos- sible to prepare After dinner our meals outside. Our field kitchen seemed to soon disappears under the snow have been buried under an and we have to spend as much avalanche and we had then time to find it again. All this wear to carry our outfit inside the us down thoroughly and our head yurt. sometimes feels heavy during zazen. Collecting wood with Trips we are making out to snowshoes is rather hard train are conducted following the and demands three times as principle of the ‘rope’ with one of much energy as usually. The us ahead on a recce opening up wood we have to find, cut the way in the powdery snow and down and bring back (or the others following putting their rather drag back) to camp, snowshoes in his tracks. Visibility After dinner continued on page 4 NOVEMBER 2017 BE MUSUBI 3 Photos from from Photos continued from page 3 misogi may be going to last a little longer than expected. is bad and walking made difficult The sweat lodge ritual is a key and potentially dangerous if one misogi moment. The snow brought Barthélémy Patrick gets lost. We keep in mind that this year a special dimension to it. not so long ago, lost people had Holes and trenches we dig in the lost their life on the plateau during snow soon make the place look like heavy snowfall and strong ‘burle’ a battlefield. As it is impossible to (local French name for this kind of find enough material to build it, so wind). then we shall use snow! That is how During drill, we find that snow I learned that snow could with- and wind coming together form stand heat better than I could have a dangerous mixture. Weapons’ ever imagined. Even though the training under snowfall and wind walls are made out of snow and the is really something! Wind squall heat reaches 100°C, we do not end are equal to blows intended to up in a pool of water. What we take throw us off balance and fall; for granted is often contradicted clad as we are in heavy clothing by reality and this can be applied and snowshoes, getting back on Snow? what snow? our feet by ourselves is then very difficult. What a fine opportu- nity to improve centering and body balance! At times the wind becomes the real adversary that we have to confront. Facing its assaults, movement become autonomous while spirit steps back and watches. On the third day, the wind gets the best of Patrick Sensei’s tent which breaks down. This tent was a veteran from Himalaya and the Kazakhstan steppe but could not take on the ‘ardeche burle’. Amazing! We begin to think that Fabrice wood collecting Going out in the wild 4 BE MUSUBI NOVEMBER 2017 Photos from from Photos Patrick Barthélémy Patrick Patrick Sensei’s tent (before breakdown) From left to right: Ivan Peyron, Jean-Luc Busmey, Thierry Moulinet, Patrick Barthélémy Sensei and Fabrice Mahieux to martial arts: we should experi- In the end this misogi left me ment on a regular basis and never with the feeling of having a bird on rest on certainty. Within the lodge my shoulder (in reality). It remains we let the vapor burn our body as a very outstanding souvenir, and spirit at leisure before releas- especially during the past August Jean-Luc Busmey 4th Dan ing our energy by diving into the heat wave. Now… Every misogi Dai jyo kan snow, thus coming instantly from a being unique, let’s try to imagine Bagnols sur Ceze temperature of +100°C to a minus what the next one is going to be Birankai France something: what a whiplash! like. And have a nice trip! 31/08/2017 Translated by Jean-Luc Busmey/Norberto Chiesa NOVEMBER 2017 BE MUSUBI 5 Alexander Gheorghiu reports on his trip As the spirit of Aikido spreads over Kazakhstan Chris Mooney Shihan stresses the importance of kihon any to teach in the country some years school in July 2017.