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"The
Secret To Aikido Is the Way
I Stand Before You!"
Steven Seagal Shihan
BEFORE, STEVEN SEAGAL WAS UCHIDESHI TOO !!
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| Steven Seagal at Osaka-Japan (1974) |
This photo taken in 1974, is of Seagal at Ki Society Dojo in 1974 Japan. On his left is Nonaka Sensei ( cheif instructor Hawaii) and on his right by the window is Imaizumi
Sensei (founder of Shin Budo Kai Aikido)
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| Steven Seagal at Osaka-Japan (1974) |
This photo taken in 1974,
is of Steven Seagal being corrected on his posture by Tohei Sensei (10th dan) at Ki Society Dojo,
Japan while other Sensei look on and try to help.
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| STEVEN SEAGAL OSAKA - JAPAN (1974) |
(These photos are
under protection can not be copied)
The story of Steven Seagal has started when he was 5 years old
He was taken to an entertainment place where he saw an elderly
man was making strange moves. He was affected with those moves.
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| Steven Seagal is working caligraphy |
(These photos
are taken from Sensei Glenn Odle’s private collection)
Very Special Thanks to Sensei
Glenn Odle
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| STEVEN SEAGAL & BUSHIDO |
So
his interest in martial arts started. He studied Karate with Master Fumio Demura and gained the black belt. Besides this he
was interested in other arts like Kenjutsu, Judo, Kali and Kendo. When he decided to proceed with Aikido he became the student
of Sensei Harry Ishisaka. He received his 1st Dan degree in 1974 in Orange County-Ca from Sensei Koichi Tohei.
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| Steven Seagal in Osaka - Japan (1980) |
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| 1977 September Kameoka city-Japan |
This interest in Aikido took him to Osaka, Japan in 1974. There, he entered
the Dojo of Grand Master (O’Sensei) Morihei Ueshiba who introduced Aikido. This was not enough for him. He studied Zen
and Buddhism. Seagal became an expert on Far East Philosophy.
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| Seiseki Abe Sensei (10th.Dan) |
(Used with permission - NYAC)
very special thanks to Shaun Ravens, Chief Instructor - NY Aikido Center Aikido Doshinokai,
an Aikikai Affiliate
(This photo is under protection can
not be copied)
He started to live like a Japan and he learned to read Japan and write it as calligraphy from Seiseki Abe Sensei
(10th Dan).
He became a Buddhist. He deeply studied Acupuncture and Herbology
He married Miyako Fujitani who was also an Aikido Teacher in 1975. He started to
manage the Tenshin Aikido Dojo, which belonged to his wife’s family.
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| Sensei Miyako Fujitani - Sensei Steven Seagal |
This is the first Dojo in Japan that was managed by a Western Person.
On the other hand Sensei Steven Seagal is the first Western Person
who achieved the “Master”
degree in Aikido.
In Japan they called him “Shigemichi
Take” (Pathway to Prosperity). "Take" was a name coming from his wife’s
family.
For the world of Aikido, Steven Seagal is “Take Sensei”.
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| TenShin Dojo - Opening Ceremony - Osaka (1976) |
He returned to USA and started to manage the Martial Arts School
“Ten Shin Dojo” (Tenshin Bugei Gakuen)
which he opened in 1982
He entered the movie business in 1987. Mike Ovitz
who was the manager of many film stars was one of his students. He convinced Seagal for a screen test, which was very successful.So
in 1988 Seagal entered the movie world with his first film “Nico-Above the Law”
(These
photos are taken from Sensei Glenn Odle’s private collection)
Very Special Thanks to Sensei Glenn
Odle
(These photos are under protection can
not be copied)
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| Doshu Kisshomaru Ueshiba (1921 - 1999) |
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| Shihan Seagal,Doshu Kisshomaru Ueshiba & his son |
Very special thanks to Mr. Angelo Jansen for this great
photo
Steven
Seagal recieved 7th degree black belt in Aikido from
O’ Sensei Morihei Ueshiba`s son
Doshu Kisshomaru Ueshiba at 1995.
Steven Seagal's Philosophy
The
Path Beyond Tought
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| The Path Beyond Tought |
""Trust your doubt. Always fight
for your beliefs.
That is "the
path beyond thought.""
Shihan Steven Seagal, Shinto Priest
The Path Beyond Thought
(2001)
Directed by: Binh Dang
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| This animation is taken from mayhem_manager web site |
"One of the most
important things in these degenerative times is to be able to have the humility in your heart to be able to look up to the
masters who taught us." "I'm not, by this analogy in any way, inferring that these are my last days. But if you look
at the last days of Miyamoto Musashi, for example, he became sort of a hermit and went up in a cave and did meditation and
wrote "Go Rin No Sho." I am feeling closer like that than going out and opening up another dojo and setting up an Aikido
organization."
"I don't know whether or not my Aikido has evolved or not, but I can say, in terms of what I aspire to do,
people like myself aspire to be able to break into the truly mystical and esoteric realm of being to perform feats in the
material world with mystical power, rather than physical power. That's something I'm still struggling with."
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| irriminage |
"Steven Seagal's Aikido
is so rhythmic, you may think at this is dancing.."
kotegaeshi
gokyo ura
segako-n
Seagal demonstrating an iriminage and a hombu ukemi
Close up of an iriminage and a hombu ukemi
"Aikido is based on Love, yes it is based on Harmony,
yes it is based on Oneness, and yes it is based on not having an enemy.
Even if somebody comes to try to cut my throat right now, in my opinion,they`re not necessary my enemy,
because I have what we call mushin.
When somebody attacks me I
don`t think about, I`m going to get him, I`m going to do this.
It`s just a state of mind, a heart without emotion, a mind without
emotion that I have, and the only thing I`d do is react to terminating the situation to the best of my ability."
Sensei Steven Seagal
Martial Arts History Museum Announces 2004
Inductees
"Each year,
the Martial Arts History Museum nominates 30 key pioneers, masters, champions and legends to be considered for induction into
the prestigious Martial Arts HALL OF FAME.
A voting process is provided for martial artists form all over the world
to vote for their favorite individual to be inducted into the HALL. This year, over 254,000 votes were received.
We,
at the Martial Arts History Museum are proud to congratulate STEVEN SEAGAL as being inducted into the MARTIAL
ARTS HALL OF FAME. He alone, received over 20,000 votes from martial artists from all over
the world. Congratulations!!!
As a new inductee, his name will be recorded for historic purposes and recognized in
the upcoming Martial Arts History Museum.
At this time, we formally invite Steven Seagal to the Martial Arts History
Museum Ceremony coming August 21, 2004 at the Hilton Hotel in Woodlands
Hills, California. This is a black tie affair that
focuses on giving honor and respect to him for all his contributions and accomplishments for the martial arts community.
A
video of his martial arts life will be displayed and a previous Hall of Famer will read his biography aloud, in which case
he will be handed a custom-made
HALL statue.
Michael
Matsuda
president, Martial Arts History Museum"
"MARTIAL ARTS PRICE OF
HONOUR"
To STEVEN SEAGAL
Action Movie Superstar Steven Seagal
To Be Honored In Las Vegas (2003)
March 3, 2003,
It was announced today that Martial Arts Action movie supertar Steven Seagal will be honored by the Hawaii Martial
Arts International Society in Las Vegas , NV on July 12, 2003.
He will be inducted in the Hawaii Martial Arts International Society's prestigious "International
Martial Arts Hall Of Fame". "Steven Seagal has made his mark in martial arts and hollywood history, he was one of the true
martial artist that got into acting, not an actor portraying a martial artist. His contribution to the world of martial arts
can not be solely measured by his movie credits but for what opportunities were opened up, that is something that we as a
part of the martial arts community must be thankful for. We are honored to have him as an inductee" Stated HMAIS Chairman
Professor Jamie Abregana, Jr.
Steven Seagal has starred in such movies as "Above the Law" , "Hard to Kill", "Marked for Death", "Out for
Justice", "Under Siege I & II", and "On Deadly Ground". Seagal also co-starred opposite Kurt Russell in a key cameo in
the action hit, Executive Decision and starred with Keenan Ivory Wayans as a Los Angeles cop hunting a serial killer in the
action-thriller, The Glimmer Man.
To his martial arts credit , he has been involved in martial arts
since the age of 7 and became the first non-Asian to organize his own dojo in Tokyo, one that, with over 2,000 students, remains
in operation today, this is an unequalled accomplishment. Seagal currently serves as CEO of Steamroller Productions, his Los
Angeles based production company which is involved in the development, production, financing and
marketing of television and motion picture product. He has just recently completed the production of two of the latest action packed films "Half Past Dead" and "The Foreigner", no release dates have been set as of this release.
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