Atari and Musubi: A deeper look into Endo Shihan's new DVD
Happy New Year!
Santa was kind enough to bring me Endo sensei's new DVD this year for Christmas. I wanted to take a moment to share with you my initial thoughts on this excellent training reference. 
My first impression of Endo sensei's new DVD titled, "Atari and Musubi", was that it continued the high benchmark of quality set by sensei's Kihon Waza DVD. Atari and Musubi is a professional quality production and, while it is in Japanese, it contains English subtitles that offer detailed explanations to Endo sensei's voiced-over lectures and comments.
Having followed Endo sensei's seminars for the past few years, this DVD covers much of what he has been emphasizing to us with regards to his style of aikido. Sensei's aikido has always been rooted in the fundamental idea of connection, but now he's making specific reference to concepts that up until recently one would have to infer on their own to understand. I'm sure my limited access to him has much to do with this new personal revelation, but even other teachers that I have come into contact with in Europe say that there is a definite direction to Endo sensei's teaching. The emphasis on atari and musubi seem to be at the heart of this movement.
Musubi
The concept of musubi is one that most aikidoka are familiar with. This term denotes the idea of tying together, connecting, or intertwining. Part of the word, "musu" can be found in the Founder's term, takemusu aiki. Osensei believed this described the highest form of aikido. With takemusu aiki, technique becomes transcended as attacks, defenses, and movements transition freely from one to the next with an unconscious flow. At this level, quite literally the first one to leave the "harmonious" flow is cut down and defeated. Osensei felt that as long as the aikidoka moved and operated in accord with this blending flow, no harm would come to them. Musubi, therefore, represents the tying together of energy and ki and it is integral to aikido practice.
As a tangent, the Founder's writings and verbal accounts constantly warned students to not force technique and become attached to physical contests of winning and losing. This would make sense because in a martial confrontation, deception and false attacks are quite common in order to trap an adversary into a compromising position. Therefore, to become "receptive" and in harmony with energy takes the conflict out of the equation and attacks can be resolved without the attacker feeling manipulated.
Musubi, as I believe it pertains to Endo sensei's message, is very important in the sense that uke must give the proper ki in order for both partners to feel the connection, learn how to move in connection with each other, and ultimately make their waza a unified effort. If uke simply grabs and stiffens up, or he grabs and is unable to move freely himself, this is considered by Endo sensei a meaningless and "dead" attack. He will often throw various atemi at his nage in order to misdirect and "relax" a static attack.
Think about this. In a martial exchange, both parties are thinking, breathing and moving beings. For one to stop and maintain a stationary position, even if they perceive that position to be superior, discounts the other's ability to adjust and respond to the conflict. Uke must attack freely and without an over-zealous desire to control. Only in this way can we learn to move as one with each other and explore energy and conflict resolution that has real application.
Atari
Atari is a concept that's not as well known, at least in the West. My first introduction to this term was from Robert House sensei, from Aikido of Commerce. Robert trained with Endo sensei in Japan in the late 80's and said he made many references to "ateru", which I believe is a reference to "atari". Robert described this concept as similar to the feeling of fly paper. There is a stickiness that uke must strive for in order to feel the ki of nage. The connecting point where uke and nage meet is the atari point. Only by maintaining this point can center and ki be transmitted to one another. This is not to say that this point is fixed or static. It can move up and down your body, it can be maintained with the hands, arms, shoulders, hips, even the head. This connection point shifts and moves during practice and it keeps the two as one unified body.
Many times when attacking Endo sensei, I had the feeling that he simply moved too freely and too quickly for me to keep up with him. I now understand this mainly to be because I'm often too stiff in my attacks. This goes deeper into the way I've always thought about how to "attack". I was taught to attack strong, fast, and focused on my target. The "rhythm" of my uke therefore tended to be attack and wait to be thrown! Many times, this feeling left me very frustrated because I knew this was not real, as I waited for the throw to come. Add to this that an atemi often followed my attempted attack, and this lead to much confusion within me with regards to aikido and "harmony"!
I've adopted a new philosophy on uke over the last few years (under the instruction of senseis Endo and Frank Ostoff, of course.) Uke to me now is a role of applying my energy to nage. The technique starts with me and ends when I stop attacking. Nage's job is to connect with me (using atari), move with me (using musubi), and my job is to present to him/her opportunities to manipulate my movement. Doesn't sound much like fighting, does it? That's because its not.
The Merits of Atari & Musubi Training
I know the concepts of atari and musubi can appear to be simply leading and following. In a sense this is true. However, don't be so quick to discount them. The significance in this type of training lies in subtly and sensitivity that is developed over years of practice. It is very easy to take large movements and make them small and direct. But this takes away the opportunity for exploration and communication. True, these are not concerns for the "warrior" or "serious martial artist." But how many of us are using our practice for life and death self-preservation? Isn't the ability to connect with others and understand them more useful in a civilized society? Besides, there are far too many better solutions to defending ourselves, i.e. guns, tazers, 911 or simply using our superior intellects.
The origin of Japanese budo is based on movement with weapons (bladed and/or wooden) and movement against weapons when one's weapon is broken or lost. When a situation comes down to body on body, the eyes are no longer the only sensory receptor to feel your adversary's intent. Taking center, extension of energy, and stiffness are difficult to "see" but the surely can be felt. At the shihan level, sensitivities developed through atari and musubi training can rationally explain acts of seemingly super-human strength, amazing feats of immovability, blindingly fast movement, and synchronization with movement to the point that one appears to move in "oneness with the universe." This is not mystical or magical phenomena! Its developed by putting yourself in learning situations, tens of thousands of times, over decades, and opening your mind to be able to understand them. This is what I believe Endo sensei's aikido training and message is all about.
So to conclude, this commentary probably reads an awful lot into what you'll actually see on the DVD. But these are ideas that I draw from it as I use it to study. Its this path that the CFA has been on for the past few years, and while I'd like to claim significant progress, we've taken but a few steps on very long path. Past demons still need to be exorcised, but we've been fortunate to have the opportunity to experience the power of Endo sensei's way, both through him directly and a few of his dedicated students. I thank sensei for further opening up his teachings to us and I only hope we can do some sort of justice to his message through our training.
Sincerely,
Dan Dease
Head Instructor
Central Florida Aikikai
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