I have just finished practising Aikidô with about 2,000 people in Western Europe over a period of four weeks. Enthusiastic people got together at each training hall, and we were able to make each practice a very enjoyable and meaningful one. The number of participants in these seminars has been increasing every year. When I look at the good atmosphere of these practices, I believe that most of the participants shared my feelings. Above all, I was very much impressed by the words someone spoke to me in their locker room; that Endo sensei was an ambassador of peace.

This time, however, I encountered a group of people who had never practiced with me. I really worked hard during the two and a half hours to lead them to the relaxed atmosphere that I try to create in all my practices, but my efforts were in vain. I don't think that it was simply that my way of practice was not good for them. It seemed to me that they steadfastly followed what they had learned from their own teachers. The longer they had practiced Aikidô, the harder and slower they appeared, and their practice was merely becoming routine; practice in name only. I asked them for a more flexible and self-developing practice, however, at this request they were all the more at a loss.

In Japan, we have the adage "Sparrows never forget their dance, even at 100 years of age." I understand this proverb this way: What we learn for the first time becomes easily fixed within our body, and has a very big influence that we cannot easily forget. There is also another expression: "Spend at least three years looking for your teacher." I heard that this came from Zen Buddhism. A monk practicing asceticism in Zen Buddhism is called Un-sui (itinerant Buddhist Monk). This is based on the word "Kohun-ryuusui", which came from the story of a monk who visited many Zen temples, just like the drifting clouds and running water, and took the time to look for the mentor who could truly guide his practice of asceticism. This kind of idea has been forgotten these days. When people start learning something now, they tend to find the teacher who is closest to them. They just start learning without thinking what kind of teacher he/she is.

Many of the Japanese Aikidô-ka practice Aikidô only at their Dôjô or practice hall. They seldom have a chance to go to other place or to learn from others teacher. In contrast, Aikidô-ka overseas attend Aikidô seminars from near and far, to see different teachers. The former, who have a lot of information available to them, think "I understand this", and never consider things more deeply. The latter knows a large number of superficial techniques and are satisfied with this. There are problems of differences in traditional ways of thinking and other differences, however, both need to reconsider. That is, when we first start practicing, we must try hard to look for a good teacher. And for people who have already started, they should learn from as many teachers as possible, and try to practice with as many people as they can. And for the Aikidô-ka who continue to practice for more than 15 years, please try to find a good teacher based on your experience and judgement. Teachers do not necessarily tell you everything from A to Z. However, the true practice will begin when you select your teacher for yourself, and start seriously thinking about every move of your teacher, and of every explanation, even if it only be one word. (November, 1999)