Koichi Tohei
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Koichi Tohei |
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"Technology today touches nearly every part of our lives. Through ever more impressive development of machines, the process continues. Computers put men out of work; pushing a single button is enough to start nuclear war. Gradually, though, the world has begun to remember that it is man for whom the machines must work, and not the other way around. We recognize now that science, for all its achievements, has done little to help us understand ourselves or realize our potential. There is no sense in waiting for science to do it for us. Each of us must now take it upon himself to understand his true nature and strength. The Chinese classic Saikontan says that we stand like beggars at the gate, forgetting the infinite power given us by the universe". Koichi Tohei |
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Born in the Tochigi prefecture north of Tokyo in 1920, Koichi Tohei was born to an upper class fanily. He graduated from the economic department of Keio University in 1942. In 1932 he became a pupil of Judo and continued it until 1939 when he met O' Sensei Morihey Uyeshiba and entered the world of Aikido. He was amazed by the fact that he couldn't deal, inspite of his Jodo trainig, with this older man. He quickly became a serious student of the martial art. His studies were interupted by the army service. He was sent to china where he found out the importance of being calm and mind and body unification. After the war he returned to be an uchi - deshi to O' Sensei. In 1953 he was sent to Howaii by Uyeshiba and by that was the first teacher to introduce Aikido in the United States. In 1952, He was conferred the 8th Rank, then in May, 1960 the 9th Rank, the highest in Aikido. In 1971, he founded the KI NO KENKYUKAI in which the principle of ki and the unification of mind and body are taught in datail. Also, on May 1, 1974 he established Shinshin Toitsu Aikido (Aikido with mind and body unified.) |
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