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I've had a few moments of challenge lately which inspire me to reasses my idea of theory versus practice. In the lightest sense we are all...or at least many of us are in the habit of attempting to act in a harmonious manner with our fellow aikidoka and posasibly our fellow human beings. I feel like I practice this but have come across a few people who are pushing the edge of my harmonious capabilities. One of whom tends to hold people hostage with his pontifications even to the extent of making himself and his captive late for class, for the sake of what seems to me to be pointless blather. How do I blend with this? How do I politely cut him off and say 'you need to train now' and at the same time make it an awase instead an irimi. I understand that irimi sometimes is applicable, but sometimes it's a shortcut.
In a more serious example, I've had a few friends who have trained in aikido for years and never been in an altercation, but recently it seems that a few have had this come to pass. One friend stepped in to a bar fight that he wasn't invloved in with the plan of stopping it. Rather than attempting to cool it down he met physical assertion with physical assertion, without even knowing what was going on. Philosophically, it seems to be outside his repetoire of actions, yet he chose that path.
Many of us are not exposed to extremes, possibly even those which are beyond a mere bar fight, but we still hold these tennets of nonviolence aloft as the only option. Truly,
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So my comment 'chat' with Kelly got me to thinking...Why is it that there are a plethora of martial art dojos/schools in such vast quantities, but there are very few physical_permanent_places which teach the 'laymen' healing. Y'know the kind of place one could go to for a weekend seminar, like we have 'self-defense' seminars for those who want a quick learn. Okay, so we have little CPR and First Aid classes from time to time. So that's taken care of, but what about the equivalent of the dojo? What about a place that will teach a certain theme for a week that will cover, I don't know fractures and splinting, then the next week it's sucking chest wounds. And people would come and train for an hour and reflect on the philosohy behind saving a life? What if many of us had the same knowledge base as a paramedic, and some of us had the knowledge base of a Mobile Intensive Care Nurse, still slightly fewer had the knowledge base of a physician or 'non-traditional' equivalent? What if there were dojos for those who would learn how to counsel and facilitate psychological healing?
I project and assume that many of us would think such a thing is silly or pipe-dreamy, but the next question I would want to ask is why do we see learning how to use a sword (or insert anachronism here)as not silly? Why do we spend so much time training for a fight that may never come? Why do less of us (as a total populous) volunteer for the benefit of our fellows as an adendum to our training on how to i
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I am recertifying for CPR and taking the regular class rather than the recert class. The instructor asked the students what their greatest CPR fear was and an inordinant number of students said that their greatest fear was to do the CPR wrong. Some sounded as if they might do nothing rather than perform the CPR imperfectly. I was, needless to say, rather shocked.
It seems to be yet another manifestation of ego. There is such an attachment to performance that one might allow someone to remain dead rather than revive them. Okay, okay, maybe they don't realize that life or death means just that. Maybe they aren't privy to the idea that there are moments when action is more crucial than fear. Sometimes in those moments, setting aside anxiety and fear of outcome is more relevant to success than over analyzing moment to moment.
As it is true for saving a life, in emergency aid, so it is true in preserving one's own safety.
I believe that letting the mind run wild with "Why is this person attacking me? What did I do to deserve this? How could they have such hostility toward me to want to cause me harm? What if I am hurt badly, maimed, or even killed?" during the moment of no return is sure to end in folly.
Yes, do everything to disuade, prevent, divert, the hostile person before the attack happens. Do all you can to not injure them while keeping yourself safe. However, in the moment...
"Free of weakness,
No-mindedly ignore
The sharp attacks
Of your enemies:
S
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Okay so I had one of the university aikido students ask me a question relating to the Japanesey letting go of ego practice. By relating that humility and selfless service are all forms of keiko I may have mislead him into thinking that I've a handle on such a thing. Nope. I have not. I wish I could be a good example. I try. I attempt to provide service whenever possible. I listen to my sensei's instructions and do not question any aspect of them.
I have a major ego 'mole' however. I can't get past it. There is another student, a relatively recent uchideshi who has no reverence for the gift he is given by being allowed to train and serve. He is unkempt and not respectful to his sempai in such extremes that he attempts to freeze out and give instruction to them. I have witnessed him speak ireverantly even to sensei. Grrr! The big ugly here is that I am most invested in this because I was an uchideshi so long ago at this dojo and I feel like he is making a mockery of something I took very seriously. I wasn't a prime example of what a great uchideshi could be, but my heart was in it.
I have sat with this feeling and tried to convince myself to let it go. Still it gnaws at my bones. So again with the ego keiko.
Okay, so I know that this launches me fully into Nerd territory, really I was already there now I'm fully out of the closet.
I saw Return of the King a couple days ago. I've read the books, but it just hits me more when I get to see it.
What I love about Lord of the Rings: Yes, yes, neat costuming special effects, and lots of action scenes, but the movie is about friends and strangers coming together and doing what must be done against all odds. The bickering and foolish mistakes are overcome for the cause. The first to fall from grace (Boromir) is forgiven and his body ceremoniously given an honorable farewell. Over and over and over Pippin screws up and receives great objurgation from Gandalf, and over and over again Pippin perseveres. He remains with the group with the honest intent to help, even if not appreciated.
Then there is Sam and Frodo. Though Sam is rough and quick to jump to conclusion, Frodo has great love (-sigh-platonic) for him. As the story goes on, Sam sees Frodo turn farther and farther from him and still he remains his friend until a moment of rejection causes a moment of retreat only to turn and find his good friend again.
Lastly, and very well illustrated in the most recent movie, there is a time of seemingly eminent destruction. All members are faced with rediculous opposition and yet they keep going with what they believe in. Sam believes Fordo will destroy the ring; Frodo redeemed only by Golum. The rest of the group believing that Fr
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I once received a business card belonging to a martial arts instructor which read (among other things) ‘conflict resolution' and I thought it was humorous in an ironic sort of way. This has gotten me thinking though; do we as individuals, I mean those of us who choose a path training in the martial arts, choose it because of a possible need to resolve conflict? Whether it is real physical conflict, psychological conflict, or emotional conflict, or some sort of irresolvable spiritual conflict; is there a need to resolve? I think it is in me. I think I dislike conflict. I think it is normal for all people to dislike conflict, but there is so much superfluous conflict, I mean there is so much bunk that is needlessly created in life.
So what I wonder is that there are reasons that firefighters and police officers and lawyers and counselors become who they are. There is a psychological root to why we choose our path. Is it that we are in great need for control, do we want to express ourselves through cruel acts, or are we attempting to resolve conflict? Many of us didn't choose baseball, dancing, drumming, swimming, diving, or sailing. We chose a martial art.
So if it -=is=- conflict resolution; could there also be an underlying want/need to create or perpetuate conflict in order to have the psychological satisfaction of ‘winning' or resolving the conflict? Could we be unconsciously seeking the neurotransmitter reward by finding ways to manifest then resolve conflict?
So after having finished my research and taking a few days for the generic winter celebration we here in Northern California used to call Christmas, I thought I'd reply to some of the posts addressed to me on the 'Science/Etherial' thread.To my surprise I found it missing. I looked on my own history and found no trace of the thread. I can only assume that it had been stricken from the forums area because it was considered too controversial.
I am left with a monologue rather than the preferred dialogue. I prefer the latter even if it is fraught with conclusion jumping, ad hominem, and grand standing. There is always potential for synthesis, for understanding, and every once in a while a paradigm shift from either perspective.
So the title of my journal entry is ‘Spirit of the Intent' for a reason, I should jump into that. What I was trying to get across in the ‘Science/Etherial' thread is that the manner in which a person addresses an argument (regardless of ‘side') is important. To attack a person with great disregard for common courtesy, or the most minimal amount of respect is worthy of reflection. As I had said it before, I am guilty of this action as well. The question is purpose. What purpose is served by using disparaging adjectives while making an argument? Is this short-term therapy for some who feel impotent in their daily lives? Could it be that conflict resolution for martial artists can only be that of martial rhetoric? Is it possible that there is a self-p
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I typed this out in response to a post that seemed to embrace the separation of the Iwama school from Aikikai, I'll elaborate when I have more time.
Speaking as an aikidoka who practices the Iwama facet of aikido, I think that it is important to remember the 'ai' in aikido is not just about harmony of the body, but also harmony of the mind, and relation to our fellows.
Rejection and apathy seem to run counter to the 'ai' aspect and I would hope that any person involved would examine their part in the ordeal. Still, harmony is dynamic, so all parties are responsible for blending and adjusting.
I do not know the 'real' story of this move, nor do I think most of us will ever.I'll still accent on my preferred Iwama forms, and hold M. Saito and H. Saito in very high esteem, but I'll not question the legitimacy of any other style, nor will I think of myself as separate from any other aikidoka.
I would encourage all who have strong feelings about this subject to examine the origin of those feelings and perspectives, and begin to relate them to the 'ai' aspect.
more...
I think what stands out to me is the idea that people say "my aikido is the True Aikido". I understand that a person can be passionate and feel loyal to their form and to their teacher, but noone is exactly O'Sensei in the sense that they do not have his body or his experiences, so we are our own manifestations of O'Sensei in the best manner that we can recreate.
Growing up, especially with an ogre for an older brother, everyone for themselves was an important part of survival. This expanded as I got older to avoiding the predators that my father would bring home. Being on guard against manipulation was paramount.
Logically, when I began dating, I understood that giving was important, but wound up in an LTR which reflected the take aspect more than give, and I found myself with the short end of the stick again.
In the midst of that relationship, I decided to become an uchideshi and requested to join the program. I was very thankful that my sensei accepted me. I didn't fully understand the depth of the internal work necessary while training as an uchideshi but it was exactly what I needed.
Give up your ego, exist for the continuance of the dojo, just be in that place of service. What? All the deep survival elements within me were hitting reject buzzers, especially since there was such a struggle of will between my partner and I at the time.
There was a zen-like place which I found myself while cleaning the shomen, or working in the garden. I really like clearing brush and digging trenches. It feels like simple, meditative, noble work. Using an axe like doing tanrenuchi allowed me to readress my wants in life, my path, my perspective on how I meet the world and the people in it. Improving my shomen cuts became only part of the activity. Developing a few 'cuts' of definition in my delts was just icing.
okay so I know this is part of my personal keiko, a challenge for me. I am irked by unnecessary domination. When I meet someone on the matt, I do not try to show them my talent by roughly throwing them down, and snapping through an immobilization. First, because I do not know their level of ukemi skill, which does not necessarily match their rank. Nor do I know their joint limits. Second, because I think it is rude.
So it has been several years since I have trained regularly under my original aikido sensei and I wanted to go back. I found myself training with a dohai who really seemed to be overtly trying to blast through, which I have often found to have a root of low-technique skill. He also has attempted to give me correction/instruction during formal class, while sensei is on the matt, which has been a damme in the past.
Finally, one time he tried to give me a verbal and physical correction during class and I froze him out, he then tried a reversal and I reversed his reversal.
{grr} I know...damme. I shouldn't do things like that. I should awase and let him be. This is a challenge for me. First, it is disrespectful to sensei, second... dude you don't know me, let's figure each other out before you decide that I need your infinite wisdom. Let's do that working together pointing out flaws after class during informal keiko. So this feeling is so strong in me. How do I awase?