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Tenshin Aikido
WHAT IS TENSHIN AIKIDO
Technically, there is no such Aikido style as Tenshin Aikido. Tenshin Aikido is just the methodology that Take Sensei (A.K.A, Steven Seagal Sensei) taught from within his dojos bearing the 'Tenshin' name. It is not officially a separate style of Aikido. It is just his unique approach to Aikikai Aikido.
In fact, Take Sensei is organized under the Aikikai Aikido World Headquarters meaning his particular Aikido can not be identified as anything but Aikikai.
However, anyone with any experience in a traditional Aikikai dojo will tell you, after visiting a dojo under the Tenshin discipline, that it is quite different. And we are not just referencing the fact that the stance is different, strikes are more realistic and the techniques are tighter. It is the deflections and precision footwork that really earn Tenshin its unique branding. This is what gives the technique distinctive effectiveness that clearly separates it from the rest.
Many who have previously studied Aikido but new to the Tenshin system have been quoted as stating "It is almost like starting over". The differences are so vast that most seasoned Aikido practitioners know exactly what is being referenced when the term 'Tenshin Aikido' is mentioned.
It is for this reason 'Tenshin Aikido' has become identified as a separate style among the Aikido world. While in the political sense, it is not its own style, and just another branch from the Aikikai ancestry, there is no denying, it is a very distinct and unique bloodline.
So What is our Tenshin Aikido like?
Let's begin by touching a little deeper into traditional Aikido. Traditional Aikido gets its foundation from Budo, which also acts as the foundation for several other martial arts such as Judo and some forms of Jujitsu.
However, tradtitional Aikido is taught as a form of meditation; the Ketsu-In (or action) portion of the Sanmitsu from Buddism and Zen.
The traditional Aikido techniques are often large circles, creating flowing almost dance types of movements. It is a wonderful and fun way to practice moving meditation. However, trying to perform these meditative movements in a combat situation is where it gets problematic. Even though Aikido's base is in Budo, O'Sensei's Aikido in later years was much softer than his practices earlier in his life, when his techniques were tighter and were known to be quite martial.
Current traditional Aikido taught via the Aikikai, produces O'Sensei's later, softer 'meditative' form of the art. Our Tenshin styles of Aikido focus on O'Sensei's earlier, more martial forms of Aikido.
While Araujo Sensei spent many years studying traditional Aikido, he was constantly in search of a form of the art that could be used effectively. He searched for a decade until Araujo Sensei experienced and trained in Tenshin Aikido under Steven Seagal's shihan direct students and disciples/deshi's.
After training under such a unique and functional application of the art, Araujo Sensei embraced the teachings of his own Tenshin style Aikido which serves as the foundation of Aikido.
Araujo's Sensei's Aikido has evolved into a very unique form of Aikido focused on the martial side of the art. Because of this, it only stands to reason that Araujo's Sensei's own interpretation of Tenshin Aikido blaze its own path as an independent form of Aikido. Currently organized under an independent martial arts federation, His own International Bushido Tenshin Aikido Federation can focus on a functional and practical form of Aikido instead of the meditative. Both forms offer tremendous value and both are valid approaches differing only in what a new student is looking for; art or function.
Araujo Sensei embraced the Tenshin Aikido methodology. Just as Tenshin Aikido is Take Sensei's interpretation of Aikikai Aikido, Araujo Sensei's Aikido is his own interpretation of Tenshin Aikido. Araujo Sensei's Aikido is built upon the foundation of Tenshin Aikido. This, combined with the addition of Araujo Sensei's own methodologies and teachings.
His Tenshin Aikido is an intense Martial Arts for intense situations. Training can appear intimidating at its higher levels. Attacks are fast and powerful, technique is quick and fierce. But fear not, students are not required to do anything beyond their current skill. Proper instruction and guidance will guide each student to the higher levels.