Shinshin Toitsu Aikido is Aikido based on “Shinshin Toitsudo”.
The purpose of Shinshin Toitsudo is to train our mind and body so that we can maximize the inherent power that we humans possess.
I teach practitioners of sports, arts, business, and many other fields, but I am not teaching Shinshin Toitsu Aikido techniques to these people. I teach “Shinshin Toitsudo”, which is the foundation of Shinshin Toitsu Aikido.
The K-1 Super Lightweight Champion, Tetsuya Yamato, is one of these persons. Rather than directly applying the techniques he learned in Aikido to kick boxing, he is training with me to be able to fully utilize his power in important situations.
The most important thing in any field is to be able to fully demonstrate the power we naturally possess. No matter how capable or how skilled we may be, it is meaningless if we can’t exert our strength when it is needed most.
Many people are seeking and practicing Shinshin Toitsudo daily for this reason.
“Shinshin Toitsu” means we are “one with the Universe”, i.e., your Ki is extending. Oneness of mind and body is not Shinshin Toitsu, but it is called “Shinshin Ichinyo” (mind and body are one).
If we engage in various tasks while maintaining “Shinshin Toitsutai” (Unified Body), then we can fully demonstrate the power we naturally possess.
“Toitsutai” is a state in which our body and mind are unified.
Breathing done with Toitsutai is “Ki no Kokyuho” (Ki breathing)
Meditation done with Toitsutai is “Ki no Ishiho” (Ki meditation)
Exercise done with Toitsutai is “Ki no Taisoho” (Ki exercises)
Treatment given with Toitsutai is “Kiatsuho” (Kiatsu)
Many people tend to think each of these as a “method”, but that is not the case.
Let’s take “Ki no Kokyuho” (Ki breathing) as an example. In the narrow sense of the word, “Ki no Kokyuho” could refer to a method or “how to”, but in the broad sense, “Ki no Kokyuho” means breathing done with Toitsutai in general.
If done while maintaining Toitsutai, all kinds of breathing, including normal breathing or breathing with vocalization, are all “Ki no Kokyuho”. It is not a special “method”, so all of us, not just a limited number of people, can do it, if we can fully demonstrate the power we naturally possess.
Koichi Tohei Sensei taught us the broad sense of “Ki no Kokyuho”. But, if we [mistakenly] understand it in a narrow sense, then we cannot get the essence of his teaching. “Ki no Kokyuho” is just to breathe comfortably with Toitsutai in the first place!
One of the benefits of Shinshin Toitsudo is that anyone can do it, regardless of age and gender.
In Shinshin Toitsu Aikido, people who trained very hard as young students often find it difficult to continue training as they enter the workforce or start a family.
However, more and more people are coming back to the training every year, after recalling their experience of the benefits of our training in daily life.
Some people start practicing with their children, others resume training after retiring from work. The reasons and circumstances are different, but these people are now practicing with enthusiasm and vigor.
When asked what they thought about the training, many of them say that they just worked very hard at Aikido training when they were students and didn’t think too deeply about Shinshin Toitsudo.
As they gain more life experience, however, they seem to understand the importance of “Extending Ki” applied in daily life. Many things happen in our lives. Sometimes we face adversity. It is precisely at such times that what we learned through training at the dojo becomes useful and seems to encourage us to want to practice again.
Some people begin training again to become instructors as their second careers. These people often want to open their own dojo or school after they retire from their job and have more time.
Activities involved in Shinshin Toitsudo have nothing to do with age, so we can be of service to others for a very long time throughout our lives – people can live to be 100 years old these days!
From October 2023, new classes specialized in “Shinshin Toitsudo” will be offered at the Shinshin Toitsu Aikidokai Headquarters dojo in Tokyo.
These classes are highly recommended to those who have given up on training Aikido. This is a great opportunity for anyone to start practicing at Shinshin Toitsu Aikidokai.
We also invite members who are already practicing Shinshin Toitsu Aikido and would like to deepen their understanding of Shinshin Toitsudo, by using the guest participation program.
Translated by Mayumi Case
Edited by David Shaner
Eastern Ki Federation
https://easternkifederation.org/
Original article in Japanese: 心身統一道とは (Shinshin Toitsudo towa)
September 1, 2023
https://shinichitohei.com/japanese/04-%e3%83%a1%e3%83%bc%e3%83%ab%e3%83%9e%e3%82%ac%e3%82%b8%e3%83%b3/27741/
