Behavior

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[Chiburi]

How has Aikido affected your behavior? I find, that aside from the common answers of heightened awareness, and acute balance, etc, I am greatly altered because of my training.
I have no sense of personal space, because Aikido is such and up close and personal art.
When I enter a room, I automatically note all the entrances, exits, and good hiding places.


And on another note, does anyone ever worry that we might develop masochistic tendencies because of the ukemi shocks to our bodies? There has been more than one time when nothing relieved the tight stresses in my body except a nice slam into the mat.

I find that I ignore pain a lot of times, like I'm used to it. Does this happen to anyone else?

How are your habits altered?
:confused:

[Mark Freeman]

When I enter a room, I automatically note all the entrances, exits, and good hiding places.


Why, is someone out to get you Amanda, or has practicing aikido made you paranoid? ;)

regards,

Mark

[SeiserL]

IMHO, paranoia (fear) and acceptance is pain (usually and indication something is wrong) are not useful byproducts.

I came from the bashing arts. I do find that Aikido training as made me less confrontational, more relaxed, aware of my surroundings, and self-confident.

[sullivanw]

I've become calmer and less easily ruffled, more aware, and have more presence. Confidence and discipline have increased. Somewhat paradoxically, interpersonal boundaries seem to have both strengthened and weakened. In a good way, as far as I can tell. Oh yeah, I now fear no door, because I now extend through them and they easily move aside. Especially the ones with the long push-bar! :)

-Will

[Jill N]

Since practicing aikido for more than ten years, I am more calm in tense situations, more confidence and a bit less clutzy. I am also much less likely to be intimidated by bigger people (most are bigger than me.) No trouble meeting problems head on, I get that "entering" feeling from randori when there is a problem at work, at home, whatever. I want to take care of a problem quickly, though, so sometimes I have to wait for those around me to catch up.

e ya later
Jill

[Jeanne Shepard]

I'm not afraid to fall down! It's not the end of the world!

Jeanne :p

[connie brown]

I have more respect for other people and value formalities more in everyday life. I keep wanting to bow to people and say "hai." :)

[James Davis]

Since practicing aikido for more than ten years, I am more calm in tense situations, more confidence and a bit less clutzy.
I'm not at the ten year mark yet, but I can understand. :)

I am also much less likely to be intimidated by bigger people (most are bigger than me.)
Yup, I know all about being little. :p

No trouble meeting problems head on, I get that "entering" feeling from randori when there is a problem at work, at home, whatever. I want to take care of a problem quickly, though, so sometimes I have to wait for those around me to catch up.


lol. :D Sometimes I think it bothers my boss when she presents me with a problem or a special task and I just smile and say "Okay." Being here with a bunch of worriers, I get some pretty strange looks at the meetings! :)

[Amir Krause]

How could I know ?

I practice Aikido for almost half-my life by now, and all of my adult (post teen). I have no basis for comparison, what would have happened otherwise.

I do attribute some behaviors and tendencies of mine to aikido. Such as preferring not to get in a head to head confrontation and find some circumventing way to achieve my gaols with less resistance. But I am no longer sure if it Aikido or just my character ...

Amir

[Takumi]

I have only been practicing Aikido for about 7 or 8 months now and I have allready noticed a drastic change in my behavior. I use to be more prone to fighting, whether it be verbal or physical. And now I use a more Aikido approach I think. I would rather resolve it peacefully than create more of a conflict just because I am angry.

In terms of the becoming more accepting of pain. I really haven't found much of Aikido to be painful at all so I have had no reason to become more accepting of it. I loooove the feeling of ukemi, but I don't feel pain from it.

[hapkidoike]

When I enter a room, I automatically note all the entrances, exits, and good hiding places.


Hey, just because your not parinoid, doesnt mean that they are not out to get you.

I really dont think that aikido has modified my behaviour, except to the degree that I go to the same place at the same time every day. I have always been uber aggro and confrontational. But I get off on confrontation, it is an important part of our condition.

[Esaemann]

Hmm! paranoid.
Oh well, dao doesn't define behavior .. it is what it is.

[Lucy Smith]

paranoid? i think its aware, thats good
im much more aware now, with only a year of training.
i also have a better posture

[SeiserL]

IMHO, actually awareness (external focus on what is) and paranoia (internal fear based fantasy) are thought patterns of the mind, not behaviors of the body.

[Jonathan Guzzo]

I'm a better dancer now.

[Mike Galante]

How has Aikido affected your behavior? I find, that aside from the common answers of heightened awareness, and acute balance, etc, I am greatly altered because of my training.
I have no sense of personal space, because Aikido is such and up close and personal art.
When I enter a room, I automatically note all the entrances, exits, and good hiding places.


And on another note, does anyone ever worry that we might develop masochistic tendencies because of the ukemi shocks to our bodies? There has been more than one time when nothing relieved the tight stresses in my body except a nice slam into the mat.

I find that I ignore pain a lot of times, like I'm used to it. Does this happen to anyone else?

How are your habits altered?
:confused:

Hi, when learning Aikido, you are brought to the threshold of a bigger world. When doing so, your sense of self will change. All you are experiencing is your little self. Your fighting self. Big self will not feel this way. Big self will alter your perception and your force field. Uke and enemies disappear because you no longer see the world the same way. At that point your Ki has taken you into a much larger infinite world. That is why it is so wonderful, it cannot be mastered in one or 10 years. If you use terms like "masochism, you are buying into a psychology model of a person. The spiritual person has learned to detach from his body and sees more, senses more, knows when the attacker is coming before he comes. Ask a psychologist about ki, see what they say. Ask them about the soul, see what they say. these are earth bound philosophies.
If uke is keeping mind in the center, then ukemi becomes softer, even break falls. It is very healthy to take ukemi.
ignoring pain is a good thing. if you hold on to it, you create blocks, of fear, which weaken you. Why focus on pain, keep a positive mind and you will become stronger. stay in your one point and you will not be hurt.
Don't buy into the martial aspect of Aikido, that is merely the form, the essence is to transcend the lower self and be reborn at one with the universal life force (ki). - Phew!
All the Best :cool:

[SeiserL]

Ask a psychologist about ki, see what they say. Ask them about the soul, see what they say. these are earth bound philosophies.
Go ahead, ask.

It is only from being grounded on the earth (body/mind) that one can see the beauty of the heaven (soul/ki).

Again there is a pre/trans fallacy that supposes these are mutually exclusive, when IMHO they are mutually supportive and interdependent.

[Kevin Leavitt]

Good points Lynn. I know we are getting a little into the whole religion/philosophy side of things, but I think the belief that these things are separate (mutually exclusive), is what causes the conflict and suffering in us and the world.

Aikido, at least in principle, I believe is a good practice to help us reconcile this.

This is what the practice does for me, or has made me aware of. Now the challenge is to instill and ingrain the habits into my daily life so I stay focused on this.

[SeiserL]

I think the belief that these things are separate (mutually exclusive), is what causes the conflict and suffering in us and the world.
IMHO, all the mystics taught a unification of duality. Including O'Sensei's beloved Omoto.

To truly change our behavior, we have to change the mental map or paradigm on which it is based.