Awakening Integral: Part 6 Aikido as art & Integral application

Two of the most challenging aspects for anyone claiming the Integral perspective is first discovering how to translate Integral into their life, and then actually applying that translation as a practice personally, culturally and professionally. Here at Integral Aikido we are constantly pursuing these two aspects. We place a high value in having a solid foundation in traditional aikido practice but what really excites us is using our practice as a vehicle to push the leading edge in the evolution of consciousness and culture.


As a transformational path Aikido provides a traditional cultural context, a trans-personal philosophy and effective practices that nurture development across many lines. Aikido is a well established way and point of view from which to translate and give meaning to the world. It has been around a while and you pretty much know what you’ll get.

Integral, on the other hand is still an emerging structure in consciousness and culture and it’s applications are in a dynamic process of discovery. As an emerging potential for me Integral’s real gift is that it gives us permission to venture out there on the evolutionary cutting edge where we become the agents for change. By applying the integral frame to aikido we are laying down tracks for aikido’s culture to evolve in an integral way. Where as traditional aikido gives us a beautiful holding and depth of established traditional structures, Integral gives us an evolutionary orientation and permission for exploration,  discovery and creativity. It supports and encourages us to manifest the world we want to live in.


Over the past 3 1/2/ years Integral Aikido has endeavored to provide a traditional aikido learning context with (almost) daily aikido classes, periodic aikido seminars and workshops, and regular meditation gatherings and retreats. Furthermore, we have hosted traditional events such as an International Aikido seminar with Christian Tissier Sensei, 7th dan, as well as 3 10-day Vipassana meditation retreats with Sayadaw U vivekananda.



As for pushing the leading edge of culture and consciousness, Integral Aikido’s past evolutionary activities have included regular Integral Practice workshops, Integral Aikido seminars, Integral Meditation workshops and courses, and the innovative merging of aikido and contact improvisation w/ our “Aiki-contact” jam sessions. We have also been honored to host Integral teachers such as Integral Zen Sensei and Big Mind facilitator Diane Musho Hamilton and Aikido Sensei Patrick Cassidy. And, of course this includes  the project that is dear to our hearts “Aikido Without Borders”, which is an Integrally informed N.P.O.

Below is a quote form Integral musician Corrado Rustici that expresses beautifully the exciting potential for all of us riding on the emerging wave of integral.




“From one point of view, you can say that if you're a person who's into integrative activities, then you will obviously manifest that in whatever you do. But from my point of view as a musician, I enjoy the fact that I can also be very pragmatic about defining this new genre. To me, being an integral musician is not only about where I'm coming from as an individual but about pushing the edge technologically and culturally as well.... By accepting and not refusing new technologies, [we] are creating a new art form that will mirror the trans-modern world that humanity will eventually belong to.”

Corrado Rustici
Integral Musician
EnlightenNext magazine, Oct-Dec 2007




“We are creating a new art form that will mirror the trans-modern world that humanity will eventually belong to.”

What a beautiful quote. Integral brings a depth, breadth and greater meaning to an art that is already rich and boon bestowing. How we apply that to a world that humanity will eventually belong to is totally up to us.




*I've included some of the flyers of our activities that express how we are exploring the leading edge of Integral in both consciousness and culture.