The Dojo
Aikido Oberursel stands for open-minded and respectful practice, and for continuous research. We maintain a lively exchange with an international network of friends. This is why we chose the slogan CONNECT ∙ EXCHANGE ∙ DEVELOP. The dojo was founded in 2013, and the first official class was held on 5 January 2014.
Head of the Dojo
Klaus Messlinger, 4th Dan Aikikai; photo: Julia Wagner
Klaus Messlinger took his first Aikido lesson in 1996. He practises in a number of dojos dedicated to the tradition of Yamaguchi Seigo shihan (1924-1996) and his direct students Endo Seishiro shihan (Saku/Japan) and Christian Tissier shihan (Paris). After having practised a number of years with Ulli Kubetzek (Frankfurt), his most influential teachers today are Jan Nevelius shihan and Jorma Lyly shihan (Stockholm).
Klaus sees tradition as a way of "passing on the flame": to him Aikido is a continuing research, a life-long development where everybody needs to discover their own path and their own interpretation of Aikido. In this spirit he regularly visits a large number of international seminars under various teachers.
Klaus is particularly interested in how he can establish a vigilant connection with his opponent that is not perceived as resistance or manipulation and therefore offers no starting point for violent behaviour: "I respect the energy of my counterpart and give it a new direction." Klaus finds it exciting to reach a state in which he takes the attack seriously and at the same time remains calm.
In the application, a clear technical execution and an inner form complement each other. This takes into account the physiological and psychological factors of the attack and very often utilises the subconscious and instincts to reach the opponent's balance and resolve the conflict. In Klaus’ research, the connection to the attacker (musubi) plays a central role, and how it enables him to affect their inner structure.
One of Klaus's particular concerns is to create an equal space for women in Aikido in order to achieve a balanced gender ratio among teachers in the long term.
The Logo
Our logo is made up of three concentric circles, drawn by hand with ink. The imperfection of the circles stands for the individual path every Aikido practitioner is following in the art. The logo stands for a number of ideas, in particular:
- Tree rings (growth and development)
- Wavelets caused by a drop in the lake (harmonic movement from silence)
- Contour lines of a mountain (perseverance and vision)
- Three reference points of techniques: centre, contact and distance
- A target symbolising concentration and focus on one task at a time
- Resting in oneself and simultaneously being aware of ambient space
- Three ensō symbols from Japanese calligraphy, expressing the moment when the mind is free to let the body create
- From inside out: Why? How? What? (Read Klaus Messlinger's personal answers)
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