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Aikido Ki Society North Queensland Inc.
Aikido martial arts and Ki development classes in Cairns, Mossman and the Atherton Tablelands - Queensland, Australia.
Officially affiliated with Aikido Ki Society International HQ (Ki no Kenkyukai), Japan.
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Learning and teaching (Michael, 2010)
What can we gain through learning Ki Aikido? The ability to protect ourselves and others while becoming more peaceful people, unity of mind and body, health, fitness, positive life habits and harmonious relationships! By applying its principles, we can begin to lead lives of mastery.
I trained in Japan for three years under the founder of Ki Aikido, the legendary Master Koichi Tohei and his senior disciples. When I came back to Australia I was determined to continue to learn from the best and that is why I moved 3000km with my family from Canberra to Cairns to learn under Roby Kessler Sensei.
Aikido Ki Society NQ offers genuine Ki Aikido, just like in Japan, because the instructors regularly attend training under world class masters there. I have trained for many years with all the senior NQ instructors and have found them to be very friendly, sincere and generous with their knowledge. I thoroughly recommend them and the art to people of all ages and sizes.
Although I now live and teach Ki Aikido myself in Melbourne, I continue to visit Cairns and Mossman each year for intensive practice. There is no better place to practise true relaxation and being one with Nature!
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How the martial art of Aikido saved my skin (Andrew, 2009)
I started training with Roby and Greta in 1993, and stopped grading from 1998 after getting my 1st Kyu and moving to Brisbane, although I still train occasionally. I have only once had to test what I learnt in a violent situation I could not avoid - but that isn’t the point of this testimonial.
In early 2000, I was riding my motorbike on the outside past a line of stopped traffic in Brisbane city, when a taxi decided to pull out of the cars and turn right down a side-street. He smashed into the side of my bike, just clipping my left foot, and sent me and bike flying. I landed - a perfect break-fall! The bike was smashed up, but I went sliding towards the gutter, and just before I reached it was able to stand up, unhurt except for a bruise on my foot.
I have fallen down on more occasions than I’ve had to defend myself. Falling down can hurt. A lot. Aikido saved my skin each time - learning how to fall is one of the most useful skills I’ve picked up in Aikido training!
Roby and Greta are wonderful people who teach Aikido with patience and gentle humour. Go for it!
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Sandra (2011):
Both my boys attend and look forward to going to Aikido every week. I have seen great benefits for both boys with improvements in their confidence and resilience. This is a fantastic experience for children, a martial art that is completely not aggressive, focusing on self-defence but also and perhaps more importantly about being balanced in body and mind, and also giving discipline but in a gentle encouraging manner.
The instructors are amazing, they are patient and encouraging with all the children. My boys always look forward to going to training.
My younger son has been diagnosed with Auditory Processing Disorder and the Audiologist recommended Aikido as being beneficial to helping him overcome and strengthen the linkages between his brain. I have noticed an improvement in his coordination since he has commenced training. He has also used Ki breathing when he has gotten frustrated or stressed and has commented on how it helps calm him down.
My daughter who is currently 5 has already stated that she can't wait till she is old enough to start Aikido too.
The skills are life-long skills that are beneficial to children and adults and I highly recommend Aikido due to the benefits I have seen for my own children.
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Aikido and the Ki Principles in teaching (Mark, High School Teacher, 2011)
Aikido is a martial art similar to that of tai-chi in that it seeks to promote health and the use of Ki energy for peace and harmony with the individual and with others. As such it is a perfect tool for teachers and students. Schools are an unusual setting where large groups of young people work together to learn and mature in a safe and respectful environment. The study of aikido emulates this, with the emphasis on respect and understanding for the purpose of peace, learning and advancement.
My aikido training has given me opportunities to learn ways to remain peaceful and calm even under extremely dynamic and challenging circumstances. The training involves meditative breathing, stretching, set movements with wooden weapons (staff and wooden sword) and techniques for various attacks. As a practitioner of aikido one learns not only how to defend against attack, but to harmonise with your opponent, whether attacking or being attacked. The aim of the training is not to learn techniques to attack, but ways to peacefully and harmoniously find balance in one's own life, as well as with others. The Japanese word 'ai' means to join with or match, and 'ki' is energy (what is called 'chi' in tai-chi), and 'do' means a way/ journey or path.
My first class of aikido in the Mareeba dojo showed me the difference between someone trying to use strength and someone who simply remains calm and extends ki. Training regularly involves tests to allow the individual to judge whether they are remaining calm and extending ki. The theory behind these tests is that the body is controlled by our minds, and so in order to gauge our state of mind we can test and train our bodies.
Aikido has kept me physically and emotionally healthy, and I would recommend it to anyone. In particular I think that people with a busy or hectic lifestyle who have to deal with a range of different personalities would greatly benefit from the training.
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Beth (2011)
My 12 year old son has been attending the Cairns Dojo since he was 7 years old. The 5 years has demonstrated the organisations reliability and commitment to the strong Aikido principles which guide it.
As volunteers, the teachers dedication and firm but kind commitment to the children and adults classes three times per week is highly commendable
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Grace (2011)
I have been doing Aikido for 2 years. Currently I am in grade 11 and I have found that since starting Aikido I am so much more calmer and focused in all aspects of my life but especially school. During stressful times of the school year I use my Ki breathing techniques and my stress levels have definitely remained manageable.
My parents have also commented that I am much more organized which also lowers my stress levels. Apart from that I find I am now more flexible and generally feel more balanced. The last thing I would mention is that the people I have met at Aikido are really nice and I have made new friends. I would definitely recommend to anyone that Aikido is a worthwhile sport to participate in.
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Olive, Veterinary Nurse (2011)
Ki Aikido has not only helped me with anger management by calming my thoughts and therefore my approach to situations, it has opened my mind to my surrounds helping me be a safer driver by having a clearer perception of what's around me allowing me to be proactive to situations that arise, also by having a clearer mind, Ki Aikido has assisted me at work by reducing stress levels and improving my customer service skills by being calm and cantered I can address issues clients have and assist them in reaching a solution without aggravating confrontations.
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Peter (2011)
My name is Peter and I am 50 years old and only become involved in Aikido 18 months ago. I now find that I utilize some of the key elements of Aikido on a daily basis. These techniques have enabled me to lower my stress levels at work and I find myself more productive.
Even today I utilized Ki breathing technique prior to a job advancement interview and my stress level was significantly less than any interview I have done previously. I find that no matter how tired I am prior to a training session I always feel more invigorated after. I have experienced neck pain for the previous seven years, but after six months of practising Aikido I have found my neck pain has disappeared. Aikido has truly been of great benefit to my well being.
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Chris (2011)
I started Aikido 6 years ago in an effort to get back involved in some type of Martial Arts because I hadn't studied since my teenage years. I didn't know anything about Aikido when I started but realised that I wish I had discovered it earlier in life. Aikido has strongly helped me spiritually as an individual also developed confidence in everyday life. My approach to tasks from mowing the lawn to walking in the rainforest and talking to people are all done with an Aikido frame of mind. One cannot understand this until they have studied it and understand what Aikido is all about. A way of peacefulness and directing energies appropriately. Aikido is something that will help develop calm of mind in even the anxious of people and will benefit all who give it a go especially, of course, those who commit to the study.
I have not attended a class for some time now but only because my family commitments and work but I still practise Aikido values at home and in everyday life. If I didn't discovered Aikido I'd still be the hot-headed, anxious individual I was before, it has brought the most rewarding gift to me - happiness. I look forward to working with my schedule and hope to include Aikido classes into my life again.
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Christina and Adam (2011)
Both our boys do Aikido Ki, they have both shown improvement in self-esteem, self-control, and self awareness, they both now have the skills to be able to defend themselves if ever the situation should arise, they have both shown better behaviour control in all area’s of their busy lives like: the school environment/scouts etc., 1 of our boys has a joint/physical issue and Aikido has helped him to stay strong in mind and body unified to gain control of his aches and pains so that he can stay physically active and healthy and limber, both children love attending Aikido and we would thoroughly recommend it to all people.
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Dammika and Rod (2011)
We have been training and been members of this Club for a number of years. In this time, the club has given us the opportunity to be educated in the discipline of Aikido. In learning this discipline, we have benefitted immensely in our personal as well as professional life. We are very grateful to the volunteer Instructors who are highly trained and dedicated in educating us in the way of Aikido.
In training, we have observed, the Club attracts students from all walks of life and all age groups. From very young children to teenagers, young adults and seniors. The Club operates in rented premises and is fully functional as a Aikido Dojo. The Club annually hosts international Aikido teachers from Japan which attracts students from all over Australia. We have taken part in many of the Club’s social events as well as professional development events. We have observed that the Club totally operates with volunteers and the generosity of its professionally trained Instructors.
We intend to continue and deepen our understanding of Aikido with the Club. We would like to mention here, that the Aikido Club provides, an organised and very professional service to the members of the public in Far North Queensland. It is an invaluable service that must be supported by all us for its continuation for the benefit of future generations of the Community in Far North Queensland.
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