w/Luke Archer

I've been fortunate to converse with some of the most brilliant minds in Aikido. Sometimes, a connection happens that truly feels like a deliberate cosmic coordination. I first heard about Luke Archer'sVerbal Aikido dojolast year during my talk with Quentin Cooke sensei. Of course, I was instantly intrigued, but it landed on a large, subsequently misplaced, 'look into this later' list. Then, recently, out of the blue, Richard Moon Sensei reached out to introduce us. When you get recommendations pointing to the exact same person frombothQuentin CookeandRichard Moon, you don't ignore it. Their dual endorsement made it evident that Luke Archer is doing something truly amazing, practical, and functional with Aikido principles out in the 'real world'. In 2009, Luke was asked to develop an innovative conflict management process to help professionals handle intense, interpersonal crises. Rather than teaching people how to win a debate or shut 'their opponent' down with a clever comeback, he channeled O-Sensei's fundamental vision: how to defend yourself while simultaneously protecting your attacker. This led to the foundation of Verbal Aikido. While he started practicing physical Aikido over twenty years ago, that journey has been marked by persistent injury challenges. These constraints have rendered his time on the mat to an on-and-off cycle, training for a year or two before being sidelined for another. But rather than seeing this as a limitation, He's embraced it as a teaching gift. This regularity of being put out of action has been a constant whisper to 'stay a beginner'. Relishing the role of novice can keep the somatic experience of vulnerability, confusion, and struggle fresh. 'Beginner's mind' directly informs his work, allowing him to extend genuine compassion and understanding to people who are entirely new to de-escalating. Luke reminds us that O-Sensei noted we don't truly understand Aikido until we can perceive it on its physical, spiritual, and psychological levels. Verbal Aikido is a key psychological and linguistic application of principle. It's designed so that when a verbal attack is thrown at you, you can find your way back to center and avoid creating unnecessary tension. Verbal Aikido triggers a somatic 'reboot'—an active choice to step away, observe internal holding patterns, and remove defensive armor so we can return to a cleaner, quieter state of aliveness. Luke emphasizes how the more we counterattack, push, or resist, the more violent energy we'll receive in return. Verbal Aikido is a method of non-resistance that prioritizes the relationship over 'who's right'. But in this episode we don't just talk theory, Luke allowed me to try out a Verbal Aikido scenario in real time. You'll have to listen to the episode for that. No spoilers here ;) Verbal Aikido isn't just a one-time seminar; it's a lifelong practice. Luke's verbal dojo has been running weekly practice sessions for eleven years. It functions precisely like a traditional physical dojo, complete with 'verbal stretching,' a grading system, and structured 'verbal sparring' where practitioners rotate roles as Attacker, Practitioner, and Scribe. I hope to have Luke back on very soon to discuss much more in greater depth and detail. So stay tuned for that! Many thanks to Aiki Extensions for their continual support of this project. Check out the amazing work they're doing over at:Aikiextensions.org And… please don't forget to check out the new Ki to the City Bookstore for Richard Moon's inspiring work of vivifying literary art,Create a Beautiful World