Michelle Manger Keip, RN, PHN, holds an advanced degree Black Belt in Aikido. She has been training in the martial arts and teaching health and life skills for over 29 years. Michelle is the Creative Director of Wellspring Aikido Arts, the co-founder of Core Dynamics and a senior instructor with Kidpower Teenpower Fullpower International.

Samurai Sprouts is a many-faceted, evolving program for 5 to 7 year olds. It offers the joys & benefits of Aikido-the martial art of-harmony-without the technical rigor. Basic life skills such as focus, cooperation and centering are explored in a fun games and martial arts format. In this article we'll explore a couple of activities with enough depth to transmit a sense of what a child might experience and what a parent might value. It's my intent to touch you, the reader, with inspiration, motivation and education. Enjoy!

The founder of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba, known as O'Sensei, once said, "To foster and protect life is both our mission and our prayer, and we call our path Take Musu Aiki. "Take" refers to courage and protection, the way in which the Samurai served. " Musu" means creative power and birth, the renewal of life. "Aiki", evokes unification, the harmonizing of all dualities. This clear, whole vision is the inspiration of my Aikido-rooted work with young children, Samurai Sprouts.

Children take readily to this balanced, transformational vision. They're eager to see themselves as significant and powerful, and the heroic image of the Samurai meets this core need. They naturally respond to other small beings who reflect back their own sweet innocence and vitality, and when I bring planted bright green sprouts to class, their fascination and delight is exhilarating. The tenderness of other young creatures evokes a child's own protective nature, and so the strong and the vulnerable aspects of a child come together with grace and peaceful power: Take Musu Aiki.

Aikido offers embodiment, the integration of body, emotions, mind and spirit through recurrent practices. We all learn best by doing. Recurrent practice is like watering a plant. The seed of beneficial being is planted, which we tend and water so the young sprout may grow strong and live well.

"Can we go on a Mission today?!" A favorite of the children is going on Missions, growing the story of being young Samurai serving the Good. Many already have pictures in their minds of what a mission might be, evoking challenge, heroism and the mastery of special skills. We go on Cooperation Missions, Harvest Missions and Protection Missions, to name a few.

Every fall we go on our River Mission, at the time of the annual Russian River Watershed Celebration. One translation of Aikido is "the Way of Connecting with the Power of Nature". The Japanese have an ancient code of reverence for Nature. Our River Mission is about both honoring and being one with the river.

One child at a time becomes the water flowing down the river pathway from the headwaters to the ocean. The path (the "do" of Aikido) is a physical presence on the mat represented by a long rope winding its way from the back of the mat to the Shomen ("head" of the training space or "dojo"). The rest of the children (in pairs or solo) become obstacles along the path that challenge the water-child on her mission of return to the ocean. With the help of props such as rubber cords, foam poles and ribbon sticks, the children enact passages along the river such as rapids, bridges and waterfalls.

Upon reaching the end, the water-child rinses her hands in a large bowl of water with ocean worn pebbles rolling in the bottom, as the bell ringer-child sounds the bell of mission completion. To close class we gather around the bowl to "ooh and awe" over the ocean pebble treasures. Each child carefully chooses a precious stone to take home and help remember this mission accomplished.

My son Rory, now almost 17 years old, was once enthralled by the allure of the cuteness and the "get rich quick" gimmick of collecting a famous line of beanbag stuffed animals. Now I bring his old green school backpack, brimming with the adorable critters, to Samurai Sprouts. Children who have been through a season or 2 of classes are thrilled when they see that green sack coming in the door. "We're going to do "Animal Power"! I love that game!" A predictably fun, easy and empowering community-building game, "Animal Power" is my favorite for the first day of a new class series.

It's a "follow the leader" format with a tantalizing twist. The sound and movement of each leader is inspired by the surprise animal picked out of the bag, with eyes closed. Each new child-leader gets to pick twice and then choose between the two they've pulled out. No one needs to be shown how to line up for "follow the leader". Everyone waits eagerly for the group to assemble and Sensei's sweet release, "Dolphin Power Leader, begin!" And they're off!

After everyone has taken a turn leading, we sit in circle. Our stuffed animal friends are gathered to sit in the middle. "It's time to say "good-bye" and "thank you" to our animal friends. You can pat them gently for a little while, and then we'll put them back in their bag." Invariably patting becomes kissing and hugging for some of the children. If anyone takes to tossing and thrashing, the group is reminded, "We're touching our friends, the animals, gently and with respect."

I could go on and on about the life skills, creative movement and emotional intelligence cultivated by "Animal Power". Instead, I'll leave that for you to discover some time when you play this game with a group of kids. Any old bag of stuffed animals or a shuffled stack of pictures of animals are the only props you'll need. And by the way, don't forget to take a turn being an "Animal Power" leader yourself!

A curriculum is a wonderful tool. For me, the great challenge and the greater gift of teaching young children is practicing being present, respectful, caring and connected, no matter what happens. You can be sure the unexpected shows up when a group of 5 to 7 year olds gets together. Being human, my ideals often enough don't match my behavior. Yet my intent remains clear. It's what we say, in Samurai Sprouts, the path of Aikido is about: protecting and growing peace in ourselves and in the world.

Samurai Sprouts springs from my own life path. Everything I've been given in this life is grist for the mill of transformation, becoming the flour and the flowers of Samurai Sprouts. Primary sources are my own quest to serve, my fascination with translating complex concepts into simple, usable practices (which led me to become first a home health nurse and later a hospice nurse) and my internal compass. I marvel at the mystery, guiding me to study with a multitude of pioneering teachers on my long, continuing journey of healing from child abuse to a life of Love-Power-in Action (my preferred translation of the 3 "kanji" or ideograms of Ai, Ki, and Do). I give thanks to Spirit, Nature, friends, family and community for helping me to grow in faith and love.

by Michelle Manger Keip