AikiLab – A Modern Approach to Aikido – Beginners Welcome

When:
04/07/2015 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
2015-07-04T10:00:00+01:00
2015-07-04T17:00:00+01:00
Where:
Highgate Library Civic and Cultural Centre
Croftdown Road
London NW5 1HB
UK
Cost:
£195 full week/£100 weekeend/£50 full day/£25 half-day taster
Contact:

Following his spell binding presentation last year at the University of London, The International Institute of Peace Studies (Scotland) and the Swiss Cottage Community Centre (London), sensei Corky Quakenbush is back in London to teach his innovative approach to Aikido known as Aiki-Lab – the result of more than thirty years of practice and research.

Sensei Corky classes are open to all – complete beginners and practitioners alike.
While most forms of Aikido are taught through the repetitive emulation of stereotyped katas, Aiki-Lab does not rely on such pre-planned techniques; its focus is on the flow of energy arising from the intentions of those involved, in order to create a space for aiki to manifest. In other words, the goal of Aiki-Lab is to develop a presence that allows for a “center-to-center” connection with an opponent leading to a spontaneous, harmonious response to an attack – known as an aiki resolution.

Topics to be covered in this event
Overview – How an understanding of authentic attack energy can positively alter your experience of Aikido, reduce habitual responses that take you out of harmony with the attack, and open the door to deeper levels of understanding of aiki
1. Principles of physical aikido: Connection, turning off the line of the attack, entering.
2. Consciousness of attack intention
     A. Energy flow as affected by intention.
     B. Energy flow between participants in a conflict situation.
     C. Learning to distinguish flow patterns and how they form into spontaneous manifestations of technique – or do not.
     D. Troubleshooting first level –
          a. Training to maintain attack intention
          b. Learning to notice and counter-train reflexive patterns
3. Commitment to attack relative to commitment to defence.
     A.  Limbic system responses to attack and attacking
     B.  Limbic system hypnosis
          a. Recognizing sub intentions through resistance
          b. Understanding the cognitive link to limbic system responses
     C. Building awareness of manifested intentions
4. Finding the optimal ki flow state.
     a. Developing a sensitivity to the flow state
     b. Understanding how ki flow state is differentiated between activities done alone, those  done in competition and those done in cooperation.
5. Strategies for training for the optimal ki flow state
6. Bio-mechanics in the aiki interaction
7. Principles of physical Aikido:  Manifestation of physical principles without set forms.
NB This is a not-for-profit event. Some concessions and/or bursaries may be available depending on costs being met.