In Japanese, there are two expressions:
Satsujinken - the sword which kills, which takes life.
Katsujinken - the sword which gives life.

It is the same sword,
the difference is in the person who uses it.

To kill the desire within oneself
to hurt or kill another is
the meaning of the “life-giving” sword.

WHO WE ARE

Aikido is a tool we can use to stop violence. It involves the awesome ability that human beings have within themselves to change energy. It uses simple and natural principles. It can transform your life.

Arizona Aikido’s Prescott branch Katsujinken Dojo teaches the techniques and principles of the Founder of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba, as taught to us by his direct student, Mitsugi Saotome.

WHAT WE DO

The fact is everybody will face violence at some point in his or her life. At that moment, you, your family, your friends, your community, your children, everyone, will have to answer the question, “What do I do now.”

Most often, our reaction is to fight, or to run. That’s all we’ve ever seen. Win or lose. That is what we know.

WHAT IF THERE WERE OTHER POSSIBILITIES?

Aikido is a “Martial Art” and a “Martial Way”. It is a tool that trains us to have clarity at the moment of truth and to act appropriately. It gives us choices. It is the way we express our natural human dignity and say NO to violence.

That’s a pretty big claim. I feel confident in making it. Katsujinken is a Japanese word that means “The life giving sword”. It is a paradox. Using a tool that was designed to kill, in a way that “gives life”. It implies an extraordinary change.

Martial Arts were designed as tools of combat. Their goal is to eliminate the enemy as efficiently as possible. Aikido’s founder, Morihei Ueshiba, in a moment of inspiration, saw a way that these warrior skills could be used to protect both the victim of violence and the aggressor. This radical change in the context of martial training is the core of our practice. It is a simple intention, but it is not easy. It takes practice.

HOW IT WILL BENEFIT YOU

Remember that question, “What do I do now?” If you practice Aikido for a while, you will have some physical answers (techniques) that can protect you. If you practice longer, you will understand your anger and fear and aggression (your mind). If you make a lifelong commitment, your life can be transformed (you just might realize the awesome potential of being a human being).

HOW DO YOU BEGIN?

Call 928.717.6018 Come and observe a class in Prescott.
Make a commitment. Practice.

Rafa Mithuna, 5th Dan Arizona Aikido,
Katsujinken Dojo, Prescott, Arizona