The 108 Aikido Meditation Practice, created by Tom Gambell Sensei, is a silent, ritualized form of aikido training that blends movement, seated meditation, and mindfulness. It emerged in 1995 from Gambell Sensei’s curiosity about a long-rumored tradition of performing 108 repetitions of a single technique, combined with his desire to place the spiritual dimension of aikido at the center of practice.

Rather than following spoken instruction, practitioners choose one familiar technique and repeat it throughout the session. Training unfolds in cycles: partners perform alternating sets of four techniques, then sit facing each other in silent meditation until all pairs finish. A bell signals transitions between movement, stillness, and partner changes. Over the course of the practice, participants work with nine different partners, completing a total of 108 techniques. The session ends with kokyu dosa and a formal closing.

Silence is essential—there is no talking, teaching, or correction. This creates a rhythmic…