Miles Kessler

Biography
Interview

An interview with Miles Kessler

by Mats Alexandersson
Source : Mats' website - www.iwama-ryu.se

What is your full name age and rank in Martial Arts ?: Miles Kessler, 41 years old, Iwama style - Aikikai 5th dan

Where were you born ?: Dallas, Texas, U.S.A.

Where do you live today ?: I'm currently residing in Israel.

What is your current occupation ?: Aikido teacher.

What is your education ?

Traditional American public education through high school.
1 year Iwama uchi deshi apprenticeship under the supervision of the late Morihiro Saito sensei and Hitohiro Saito sensei (89/90).
7 years of daily training as Iwama dojo soto deshi with the late Morihiro Saito Sensei and Hitohiro Saito Sensei (90/97).
Japanese language and cultural studies, including Tea ceremony and Kyudo.
A Cumulative total of three years of monastic life on intensive meditation retreats under the guidance of Sayadaw U Pandita in Burma, and Sayadaw U Vivekananda in Nepal.

When and where did you first start Aikido ?: I first began Aikido in 1985, in Dallas, Texas, at "South-Western Aikido" (Seidokan style).

Who was your first Aikido teacher ?: The late Bill Sosa Sensei.

Who would you say are your main influences in Aikido ? What do you feel these people have especially passed on to you ?

The late Bill Sosa Sensei : an appreciation of his maturity as a Human Being, his tremendous personal power, and his courage and integrity as a living example of what he taught.
The late Morihiro Saito Sensei : an appreciation of his clear and precise technical mastery, his logical and progressive understanding of Aikido didactic, the need to consistently and seriously "put in your time" of intensive training in an appropriate environment, his beautiful way of being, and the tremendous value of close association with remarkable people whom embody the very qualities of ones own search.
Hitohiro Saito Sensei : an appreciation for his high level of technical skill, his mastery of Taijitsu and Bukiwaza, his powerful expression of applied principles, and that the criteria for a persons maturity in Aikido is to be determined in their ability, not by rank and time.
Peter Ralston (founder of "Cheng Hsin") : he showed me the "keys" that unlock the doors to the inner realms of principles. Providing the tools for the development of ability. Opening up worlds that are rich, profound, limitless and fulfilling.

What qualities do you find important in an Aikido teacher ?: An important quality to posses as a teacher, any teacher, is the ability to continuously stay open and question the known. This necessarily involves taking risks, having an attitude of acceptance towards change, being open to making mistakes and holding an understanding that mistakes offer a great potential for learning. Continuous exploration and learning promotes growth in the art as well as maturation of the Human Being.
Further qualities of an Aikido teacher are having a satisfactory level of technical skill, being proficient in theory and having a practical understanding of the inner principles of the art. These are all elements to be gained through intensive training with an appropriate guide.
Finally, having the skills to facilitate these aspects and in turn guide others in their development is essential. To do this effectively it is necessary for a teacher to be able to "see" a student and understand where they are at in their development. Not just technical development, but intellectual, emotional and spiritual development as well. Then from such an understanding give appropriate guidance that is relative to the students level while maintaining a deeper and broader perspective of the art.

Can you pin point a few important moments in your history in Aikido ? Perhaps moments you feel contributed to you taking a new direction in Aikido or of some other importance.

Making the move to Japan to undertake one year of uchi deshi training with Saito Sensei at the Iwama dojo. The benefits gained during this period of total emersion were great and continue to bear fruit to this day.
The 7 year period spent as soto deshi in Iwama was an important part in the process of development. A process which involved continued development of Aikido skills, a broader understanding of Japan and Aikido's cultural context, a gradual "de-programming" after my year as uchi deshi, and an opportunity to view from the outside some of the dysfunctional and unhealthy aspects of my relationship to uchi deshi life. It gave me the perspective to distinguish between the aspects of the dojo that were truly valuable and beneficial, and those aspects which were merely self limiting and destructive.
Leaving Japan. A sense of completion of a long term commitment and beginning a new phase of life.
Going to Burma to practice Buddhist meditation and subsequently meeting Sayadaw U Pandita. Undertaking the training of the mind and learning the skills and practices necessary for overcoming the negative tendencies of the ego. Facing and practicing with conflict at its very source, the mind.

How would you like to see Aikido develop in the future ? What steps do you feel are important to take to get there ?: The development of Aikido has the potential to grow with the leading edge of the growth of Humanity as a whole. A growth that comes out of a firm grounding in the traditional structures from which Aikido emerged, while at the same time reflecting the highest values and potentials of the evolution of Human consciousness. The steps to get there would be to apply the principles of the art with an ever increasing sophistication to all aspects of our personal and private lives. Taking the modes of application as far as they will go and when faced with out-dated limitations, discovering new modes of greater inclusiveness and creativity.

Do you give seminars ? If so, where ?: For the past several years now I have been conducting a yearly seminar tour in Europe, as well as teaching other seminars in Israel, Turkey, the U.S. and New Zealand. I have also been teaching as a volunteer to support an Aikido group in Burma for the past few years.

Any other experience in the Martial Arts ? If yes, what were your main impressions ?: As a youth I trained at different periods in Judo, Kung Fu, Tai Kwan Do, Karate, Kendo and Iaido. These were all done for more or less short periods, between other school activities, team sports, and later part time jobs. I have always had a keen interest in all martial arts but it wasn't until I found Aikido that a much deeper search began to be fulfilled. In addition to Aikido training while in Japan, I also practiced Kyudo for about 3 years and I am impressed with its emphasis on simplicity, economy of movement, and high level of physical and mental concentration that is demanded of the practitioner.

What would you say, if you can single out one specific area, is the most important in Martial Arts ?: The process of development. An understanding that our practice is a process of growth and integration of the progressive stages of the path. A progression that involves development of basic technical skills, understanding of concepts and principles and their gradual integration, strengthening and sharping ability to an increasingly higher level, and an application of the principles with greater depth and sophistication. This process of development should also be reflected in the inner growth and maturation of the individual.

When teaching Aikido, what do you find to be more important to focus on ? Is there something special you think you have an obligation to pass on to students ?: The relationship between the form of Aikido and the essential principles of Aikido. Through the course of ones practice a shift naturally occurs towards an understanding and expression of the principles contained within the art. This is a process of integration in which the limitless potential of the principles gradually emerge, making available to us powerful and effective ways for the resolution of conflict. Aikido's form is a tool for discovering the principles of the Aikido relationship. Training and development of the form is indispensable. But it is only through direct experience and integration of the principles of the art that the individual can truly transform.
Honoring the value of the form, understanding the point at which the form needs to be let go of, and the ability to freely and spontaneously apply the principles is the challenge of every practitioner.

When looking at a student, what qualities do you look for ? What is important to be a good student ?: An open attitude of wanting to learn and basic trust. If it is there, even in the smallest amount, then there is always a possibility for transmission of the art to occur between the teacher and the student. If this element is missing in the student then even the greatest of teachers can be of no help.

What is your goal with Aikido ? Why do you practice and where do you want to go ?: Aikido has the potential to be a beautiful expression of limitless universal qualities. By cultivating an understanding of Aikido, qualities such as Respect, Confidence, Strength, Honesty, Creativity, Connectivity, Flexibility, Spontaneity, Harmony and (dare I say) Love, gradually begin to manifest within the individual. The actualization of these qualities offers us the opportunity to express them in relationship with others. This can be a deeply fulfilling experience because these qualities that are inherent in the art come from a source that is greater than Aikido itself. Our practice in Aikido is an expression of this greater source. This is why I practice.
Where do I want to go ? Where else ? To the source.

How would you define the overall goal of Aikido ?: The ultimate goal of Aikido is explicit in the name itself. Aikido is a "Path of Harmony". The realization of Harmony is a possibility that is available for each and every one of us walking this path. Why settle for anything less ?

What is your suggested road map for getting there ?: The path leading to the realization of Harmony goes directly through the territory of conflict. Both the conflict we experience in relationship with others and within ourselves. This is what the concept of "Takemusu Aiki" points to. A basic interpretation of "Takemusu Aiki" would be "harmony that emerges from conflict". It is in the realm of conflict that this "concept" is to be understood and its principle realized. This is the ground of our training, practice, exploration, experimentation, insights and understandings. I believe that this is the path that all "Aikidoka" must walk.

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