Description of the Major Concepts

“Aiki Lab” is another name for “Dojo” (read more), the artificial conditions that you create in order to develop yourself. This is not something that is provided ready for you. In such a case, it will be useless in term of your self-development goals and you are called an “observer”. Within your Aikido practice, you always need to be fingering out your personal role and involvement as an integral part of your Aiki Lab. In this case you will be a “participant”.

The “Aiki Lab” concept underlines the essential role of “other” people presence, influence and your mutual interconnectedness in the creation of the special focused environment for Aikido practice. The “Aiki Lab” is not something static – it is an ever changing set of relations and attitudes influencing you and targeting your self-development process. The focused environment, the Aiki Lab, can bring you up as a true Aikido warrior.

The Higher Purpose

The Aiki, fulfilling power of Love, can be found among people, not among the walls. The concept of “Dojo” is more attributed to the physical place, equipment and objects of decoration for certain symbolism goals. Behavioral patterns are sometimes also attributed to the idea of Dojo. The concept of the “Aiki Lab” by Suomin Aikido Academy does not reject the need in availability of certain conditions for Aikido practice – they can be a good support, and some of them are mandatory – but we claim that the organization of the practice among the Aikido practitioners has the foundational and utmost importance. It is far beyond friendship based on a common interest to a certain activity. Aikido practitioners must undertake much greater efforts in their relations and attitude development – in terms of understanding the methodology and the practice values – in order to progress in creation of the focused environment where the true Aiki could be revealed.

Synergy among Aikido Practitioners

A kind of synergetic force among Aiki brothers, created by the mutual efforts on the way of purification, can become the vessel to attract Aiki and reveal the true state of things. When the Aikido practitioners have reached certain clarity of understanding the way how they assist each other within the practice; only when united by mutual efforts and goals do the practitioners progress. For instance, you need certain amount of efforts to make in order to understand what “cooperation” in Aikido means. Aiki Lab section here is aimed to provide you with such clarity.

‘Life and Death’ Game

Aikido practice is eventually a ‘Life and Death’ Game. You learn to play the Game within years of preparation, which is (1) body building process and (2) technical based. If you do not progress in understanding of this divine Game, you are going to nowhere. The sphere of physical actions is only a shell preserving something much more important within. Only by examining the shell do we have an opportunity to get the idea of the seed inside. When your body is ready, you can play your intentions. Actions empty of intentions – which often take place due to the absence of preparation – can teach you nothing. You must know how to carefully approach the phase of your Aikido practice when you heart becomes the target of Aiki, ready and prepared. Ultimately, you will need to see where you make the choice between Life and Death. We are here to help you figure it out.