Vancouver West Aikikaiwww.vancouverwestaikikai.com

Instructional Policy and Codeof Conduct: A Guide for
Instructors and Students
Prepared by
Ishu Ishiyama, Chief Instructor
1. Aikido, founded by Master Morihei
Ueshiba, is a way of harmonizing with theunlimited ki (=energy) of the Universe; it isa way of transcending conflict and creatinga world of peace and love for all livingthings.
2. Aikido helps us cultivate a strongmind‐and‐body and develop ourbreathing to be attuned to the powerof the Universe. Through the practiceof the art of Aikido, we polish ourcharacter and purify our ki, and also
help each other develop personallyand spiritually to a higher level.
Eventually, we will be at a level where
we can guide others and improvesociety as a whole with the heart ofAiki.
3. Aikido is a way of shugyo (trainingand self‐discipline in the pursuit ofenlightenment), and the teachings

embedded in Aikido are profound andsacred. The dojo is a place for suchshugyo. The instructors, teachingassistants, and the students of Aikido
must keep this in mind and engage inearnest training toward self‐
improvement.
4. During practice, students must follow
the instructions closely, train
seriously and safely, and make every
effort to minimize the possibilities ofinjuries and accidents. Training must
be carried out pleasantly andharmoniously in a non‐competitive
spirit.
5. Students must adhere to the given
instructions, and refrain from a self‐
serving manner of practice, including
inappropriate applications of ara‐
waza (vigorous or dangeroustechniques), kaeshi‐waza (countertechniques), henka‐waza (modified orunexpected techniques), or renraku‐
waza (combined techniques), unlessthey are instructed to do so. Students
must avoid engaging in unproductive
resistance or competition with eachother. When practising Aikido
techniques, the tori and the uke must
follow the instructions, endeavour tolearn accurate forms, and practise theproper flow of ki, as well as help eachother in this learning process.
6. Students must refrain from engaging
in private conversations andunnecessary chats, being inattentive
to instructions, or making excuses fortheir inattention or inappropriatemanner of practice. Instructors andstudents must engage sincerely inlearning and training in the spirit ofharmony, and stay aligned with thekey principle of Aikido.
7. Instructors and assistants must be
kind and patient with students anddemonstrate a sense of responsibility,gratitude, and respect in dealing witheach student. Instructors, as modelsof Aikido practitioners, must treat
students as precious beings entrusted
to their care and guidance.
Instructors must accommodate each
student’s physical strength, technicallevel, age, personality, and personalconditions. They must make every
effort to prevent injuries, anddiscourage students from usingunnecessary force in practice ordisplaying competitive or aggressiveattitudes. The manner of instruction
must convey humility, care, andgentleness to students. Instructors
must be clearly mindful of their roleand responsibility as teachers incharge. They must not behave
condescendingly or competitively
toward students. Students should not
be subjected to disrespectfultreatment by anybody for any reason
which might result in diminishing
their self‐respect or creating feelingsof anger or hurt. The same code ofconduct applies to instructional
assistants and senior members whowork with junior members.8. Instructors must be humble andsincere in dealing with dojo members,
and display sensitivity and attentive
care. They must recognize and correct
their own shortcomings and poor
habits, and work toward achieving
the state of unified mind‐technique‐body (i.e., shin‐gi‐tai) in the spirit of
Aikido. They must engage in theprocess of shugyo and self‐discipline
together with the students in class,and also work together to build amature community for learning andtraining.
9. Instructors must be mindful of theirrole and responsibility as teachers
and leaders in relation to the otherdojo members and the whole Aikido
community. To that end, instructors
and sempais at the dojo must be
committed to improving themselves
and becoming good role models.
10. All Aikido practitioners may be regarded as
Founder Ueshiba’s students. We must
engage in shugyo, and always express
gratitude and respect to the Founder andhis successors, our teachers, and sempais(= senior students). We need to protect andnurture all living things that are kept alive
and fulfilled by the aiki (= the loving ki) of
the all‐embracing great universe as well as
the life force contained within everything.
With thankful and humble attitudes, must
we live each day and treasure therelationships with other people, nature, theUniverse, and all that we experience. If we
do that, we can embody the spirit of Aikido.

当道場の指導方針と稽古への心構え
バンクーバーウェスト合気会
道場長・指導責任者 石山一舟
1. 開祖植芝盛平翁の創始された合気道は、無限なる天地宇宙の気と和合し、対立を超え、平和で万有愛護の世界を築かんとする道である。
2. 合気道を通して心身を鍛え、呼吸を正し、気と技の練磨を通して己を磨き、お互いの精神的向上を求め、さらに合気の心でもって社会を良くし、人を導くものである。
3. 合気道は修行の道であり、その道の教えは深く神聖なものである。そして道場はその修業の場であり、合気道の指導者と門人はそのことを肝に銘じて稽古にいそしみ自己の練磨に励むことが肝要である。
4. 合気道の稽古において、門人は指導者の言うことによく従い、真剣に、すなおに、安全で事故のないようにすべし。そして、稽古はのびやかに、｢争わざるの理｣の心でもって和気あいあいと行うべし。
5. 稽古では指導されたこと以外の自分勝手な稽古をしてはいけない。指示なく不適切な荒技、返し技、変化技、連絡技、および不必要な頑張り合いや力比べをしてはいけない。合気道における形の稽古では、取りも受けも指導に従って正確な技の形と気の流れを習得するように努め、互いに助け合うべし。

な振る舞いをしてはならない。指導者が門人と対立したり、門人の自尊心を傷つけたり、怒らせたり、あるいは門人の間でそのような行為がないよう、指導者としての役割と責任を自覚すべし。道場の後輩に対する先輩や指導アシスタントの態度・行為についても同じである。
8. 指導者は慢心することなく誠実に細やかに人と接すべし。また指導者は心技体において己の至らぬ面や片寄りや癖を直すよう努力し、門人と共に修行にいそしみ、よりよい道場にして行くために協力し合っていくことが必要である。
9. 指導者や先輩は門人・後輩を導き、人の上に立つ者としての自覚を持ち、人の鏡となるように精神的な向上に日々精進するべし。
10. 合気道を修行するものはすべて開祖の弟子であると思い、開祖をはじめ歴代の道主、自分の師、先輩諸氏への感謝と尊敬の念を持って修行に励むこと。森羅万象をつかさどる宇宙の愛気を受けて生かされているすべての生命体とその中に宿る生命力を大切にし、感謝と報恩の気持ちでもって日々の生活をおくり、人、自然、宇宙などすべてのものとのかかわりを大切にするべし。そこに合気道の精神が具現されるのである。

6. 稽古中は私語、無駄話、泣き言、よそ見、言い訳をひかえ、指導者と一丸となって修行に励むべし。
7. 指導に当たるものは、門人を大切な預かりものとして、責任と感謝と慈しみの念を持って親切丁寧に指導すべし。門人の個々の性格、体力、技術、年齢、境遇を尊び考慮して、けっしてけがをさせたり、粗末で軽んじた扱いをしたり、強制したり、偉そう(Document originally prepared in Japanese, English
translation 2009‐11; revised 2011‐3‐08)
Acknowledgments
The author wishes to thank the following VWA
members for their valuable editorial suggestions forthe current English version: Liz McKinlay, Bruce
Riddick, Dave Bursey, and Gudrun Dreher.