incredible results. I still occasionally teach the high grades with a shinai. In the earley 1960s I was asked to carry out a Aikido demonstration at the British Judo Council's National Championships in London. It was to be the most important demonstration to date. The VIPs were the Japanese Ambassador and Lady Baden-Powell, wife of Lord Baden-Powell, who was then the head of the World Oranisation of Boy Scouts. Kenshiro Abbe Sensei and Masutaro Otani Sensei, 8th Dan, another Japanese master, emphasised how important this evening was, and wanted an impressive display from the Aikido people. Whilst we were waiting to go on, a Judo Dan grade approached Otani, who was speaking to the Japanese Ambassador, and said: "Hey, SMiler". I couldn't belive the disrespect and took him to one side. We were in a confrontational situation when Derek Eastman, who had been outside smoking a cigarette, called me to inform me that we were due on stage immediately. We rushed onto the stage and as I performed the technique. Mr Eastman's cigarettes and matches fell from his go, onto the stage. I was already upset from the previous incident, and now this embarrassment was the final straw. I smashed Mr Eastman all over the tatmi (mat) and back again. When demonstrating knife defence, the knife went thought my gi and I felt the blade against my stomach and thought: "My God, it's in me!". I dropped to my knees with Mr Eastman in immobilisation as I withdrew the knife from the hold in my gi. I expected blood to flow but... nothing! It turned out to be just a graze. I looked in the front row, and staring at me with shick and horror was Her Ladyship, and I knew by her face that any hopes we had of entertained of securing her sponsorship for Aikido had disappeared. In fact, Her Ladyship was quoted as saying: "That was the most horrific display of violence I have ever witnessed". The Japanese Ambassador, on the other hand, congratulated us on a excellent display.
In those days, the style we practised was hard and positive, as well as being defensive. If I had only know some of the thing I was later to acquire from Nakazono Sensei's teachings, this could of given Aikido a major boost in the U.K.

Could you talk about your own philosophy of Aikido and feeling on Budo (the 'Way')?

I still practice the old, original Aikido, which appeals to my positive nature and attitude. The early traditional style of Aikido is that of O'Sensei as a young man - a fighting man. My own understanding of O'Sensei's life of Aikido was that he deleloped Aikido as a fighting art as well as a positive form of self-defence. His life changed as he became older and so did his Aikido - he became more involved in the philosophy of his art. I have heard and read of other sensei who were close to him, who said they could maybe only understand 10%of what O'Sensei taught. If that is true, then what chance have we of understanding the depths of his mind?
I have met many Western sensei who have delved so deep they almost think there Japanese. I always tell my students that we are practising a Japanese Martial Art, but remember, we are Westerners, and therefore we must reach a happy compromise between East and West. I teach some Japanese words, but I don't go "over the top". When I was tecahing in America, I was asked to vist a large dojo in Texas. Everything they said was in Japanese, so I tried to look as if I understood, but to be honest I dodn't have a clue, and I don't suppose a Japanese person would understand much of our Western interpretation of their language either. I am often asked what are the best books or videos to buy, and I always point to the tatami and say: "That's where it's at!".
In the beginning, Abbe Sensei would not discuss ki (spirit, mind, energy) - he said you had to be 1st Dan before you could understand. I still agree with that. What I find a little disturbing in Aikido is that some people really believe that ki is almost a form of magic. Abbe Sensei's method was that you first trained very hard physically to develop your spirit and mind. He said that when the body says it say its tired the strong mind will over-ride it and carry on.
Some teachers of Ki Aikido have had previous study of traditional Aikido, and this, along withthe practice of ki, is good. But the students who have been taught only ki style cannot fall back onto good, solid, traditional style when in difficulty with certain techniques. My own students are aware of ki and it meaning, but it is not a word use very often. I teach students the flow and power of breathing as an important part of there excerise and Aikido training.
During Nakazono Sensei's last vist to the U.K., he asked me to be his assistant at a demonstration at a venue in Acton, London, for Otani Sensei. Chiba Sensei was there too, but only as a spectator. Knowing how hard Nakazono was from the past experience, I feared the worst and thought I was in for a hard time, but Sensei was a little older and had changed dramatically. I think he threw me only twice, and then we spent about an hour kneeling while