This seminar is about the power of Aikido for Conflict Resolution, and particularly the aspect of the power of beneficent intention which is a key but sometimes forgotten aspect in Aikido.
What is the purpose of the workshop ?
The purpose of the workshop is to let you discover :
- The practical and direct understanding of how the power of ‘compassion’ and/or beneficent intention as a practical inner state works for conflict resolution and dealing with agression and violence.
- A paradigm shift in how you see conflict resolution. From a struggle to an opportunity to improve the lives of all involved.
- The embodied understanding to prevent violence and skillfully resolve physical or non-physical conflict without violence, victimhood or resentment.
- Aikido without form : Understand how you can protect yourself and the attacker and nillify the attack.
- Offer yourself the gift of discovering how your body can embody compassion and higher human values and how this inner state transforms conflicts.
What is the purpose of the workshop ?
The workshop objectives are :
- Discovering our natural body response to stress and conflict : attack back (fight), shield (also called freeze) or withdrawal (also called flight).
- Experiencing practically how those responses don’t usually bring a resolution but can create more resistance or conflict.
- Learn how to sense when our survival mechanism kicks in and how it prevents us from adopting a peaceful resolution to conflicts or deal with challenges that are coming when we are under stress.
- Discover the power of connection and beneficent intention in conflict resolution.
- Learn how to train your body so that you can get access to more of your ressources during conflict and by-pass your emotional responses.
- Learn how to maintain connection during stressful situations.
- Learn how to embody beneficent intention or compassion during conflicts and how that truly works.
- Experience with the ability to connect in an authentic way with people even when things aren’t working well.
Teaching approach
This workshop is going to be experiential and the learning happens through the body.
Simple movements (handshakes, light grabs or holds, walks forward) done in pairs like lets you discover how your body is behaving during stress or conflict and what prevents you from keeping compassion then.
Working at slow speed with safe levels of authentic moving forward energy, participants learn to quickly recognize their automatic defense responses. Then, using beneficent or benevolent intention, they will learn how to transcend those automatic responses to create flow or an harmonious resolution to the conflicting situation.
Participants are welcome to bring challenging situations they had to handle. Role plays will also be used so participants can translate the physical situation into a business situation (responding in an benevolent or kind loving way when we are challenged, attacked verbally or in a conflict, learning to lead without using force). Repetition and precise teaching will ensure that the new behaviors can become embodied.
Who is this for?
This is for anybody who is confronted with violence, agression and who would like to find a better way to resolve those while protecting yourself and the relationship with the person attacking. It is geared towards social workers, educators, managers in difficult sectors, parents with difficult violent behaviors…
Language
The seminar takes place in English. We can provide some help for translation of key terms to French if needed. Full translation won’t be provided.
About the teacher
Corky Quakenbush is the Sensei at the Kakushi Toride Aikido dojo in West Angeles. He started his Aikido training in 1983 under Megan Reisel, a student of Misugi Saotome Shihan. Corky is heavily influenced by the teachings of Kanshu Sunadomari Shihan (author of Enlightment through Aikido). Other influences and inspirations include Wendy Palmer’s Leadership Embodiment and the work of Paul Linden.
Place of the workshop
The workshop is going to take place in our Dojo des Anges in Liège. Our dojo is located in the botanic garden area of Liege, a beautiful, calm and easily accessible area of Liege. We are also a 12″ minutes walk from the Liège-Guillemins, the main train station in Liège.
Liège (Luik, Lüttich) is centrally located in Europe (30 min. from Aachen or Maastricht and 2h30 from Paris by high speed train). It is well served by public transport, motorways and airports. Liège is located 1h15 from Brussels Airport or Brussels Chalerloi.
Please see our information page on accomodation in Liège to let you choose a suitable venue for you.
Schedule and prices 2018
Monday the 25th of June 2018
from 09h30 to 13h00 and 14h30 to 18h00 (7 hours)
Registration & payment
Due to the personalised teaching and maximum efficiency for this workshop, we want to create for this workshop and the size of the dojo, we limit the size of the group to maximum eight participants.
Early bird registration and payment (registration and payment before or on the 18th of May) :
- 175 euro per person (private or public company) (group discount possible if you register 5+ persons, please write us)
- 95 euro per person (individual person)
Late registration and payment (registration and/or payment after the 18th of May):
- 195 euro per person (private or public company) (group discount possible if you register 5+ persons, please write us)
- 115 euro per person (individual person)
Inspired from text “The power of beneficient intention for conflict resolution”, copyright (c) 2014-2015, Systemic sa, The Focusing Center