Heaven & Earth 
Student's Site
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Aikido Taiwan

About Heaven & Earth 

Philosophy

• The Art of Peace
  Aikido is often referred to as the Martial Art of Peace. One of the most important aspects of Aikido which makes it unique to other Martial Arts is that Aikido strives to control an aggressive attacker using their own energy and at the same time doing everything possible to ensure that no harm comes to them. 

  While other Martial Arts focus on "taking out" an attacker, Aikido aims at first preventing violent encounters by cultivating self confidence and inner strength. If an attack is eminent and cannot be prevented Aikido techniques are designed to effectively control violent behavior while doing minimum harm. Many health care workers and law enforcement officers study Aikido for precisely this reason. 

  
  Heaven & Earth - Aikido

  At Heaven & Earth we encourage everyone to train together as often as possible. Senior students practice with beginners and vice versa. A master Aikidoist should be able to adapt their techniques to be effective and gentle on all types of attacks.

• Practicality in Techniques
  At Heaven & Earth we feel that Aikido techniques should be practical and useful in street situations. Having positive control of a situation gone wrong is very important (as mentioned above). 

Aikido is a Martial Art and in order to be effective must be practiced accordingly. There are Aikido styles which focus on physical exercise and tend to resemble dancing and these are ok for people who wish to pursue that style of Aikido. We feel that by practicing for reality as much as possible and at the appropriate level, will prepare people for a life and death situation if it were to ever occur. 

Heaven & Earth - Aikido

Many Aikido techniques need a committed attack in order to work effectively. As students progress in their training, attacks become harder and more realistic. Advance level sessions concentrate on working from real punches, kicks and grabs. If you do not move in the right direction at the right time you most likely will get hit, kicked or taken down.

• Spiritual Development through Physical Exertion
  Aikido as with many other styles Martial Arts is not only just a self defense or a way of fighting. The practitioner eventual realizes that the real battles are fought within. It is rare that one would ever need to use the physical aspects of Aikido on someone but I find myself using the mental techniques almost daily. 

Aikido has a very profane spiritual side to it which is not a belief system such as found in a religion (people of all beliefs practice Aikido and have no problems with it). It is rather, a way of looking at and dealing with life. People who practice Aikido for an extended period of time will discover Aikido techniques in everything they do. Trying to teach this aspect of Aikido is non effective, it must be experienced by each individual at the appropriate time. A teacher or master can only do their best to push you in the right direction and hope that you will be able to experience it. 

By taking yourself physically to the limit and then going beyond, phenomenal changes may occur within yourself and how you perceive the world. This is a result of pushing past the barriers you have established for yourself. Osensei, it is said was still practicing Aikido up until his death well into his eighties. Experienced followers of "the way" understand that they can only continue to practice and will never be able to master.

Aikido must always be practiced with a partner, students must learn to feel and react to the energy of another human being. This interacting of energy and awareness of the other people around us will influence our everyday life. 

• Loving Kindness
  Heaven & Earth Aikido feels that a true Aikidoist develops all aspects of their being. Students are encouraged to devote time helping people who needs a strong hand to hold onto. Chances are that we all may need that at some point in our lives and learning how to give is one of the deepest Aikido techniques. By devoting some of our time to helping others we learn that we are all connected and the view of "we and them" begins to erode, eventual we will discover that there is only "us".

Heaven & Earth - Aikido

Practicing loving kindness teaches us that compassion and understanding can be some of the most powerful  Martial techniques in our arsenal of throws and pins. To truly perform dangerous Martial techniques and not harm an opponent takes a powerful sense of inner security. The most dangerous Martial Artist/people comes from those who feel a need to prove their art and themselves. Learning to control our own ego comes from understanding the harmony of the universe which envelops us.

HEAVEN & EARTH AIKIDO

E-MAIL: aikido@heaven-earth.com

#401 Chang Chien Rd.
Hsih Dze, Taipei County
Phone: 886-2-2645-2390
Mobile: 0932301752
SKYPE: heaven-earth