Forgetting Technique

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[tedehara]

While learning different forms and techniques are fun, I've reached a point where I need to go for something a little more substantial.

To help me "forget" technique and forms, I've decided to try a meditative program. For those who are doing it, what type of meditation do you practice and for how much time per day or week?

[Alec Corper]

I'm curious as to how you know you have reached this point. For me the techniques and the forms themselves are the meditation, on the rare occasions when I can perform them in a state of "mushin", no mind, I experience, afterwards, the same kind of focussed peacefulness that I experience with sitting zazen and with prayanama. With respect perhaps you need to readdress the inner meanings of your practise before you look for add-ons to experience something more. Aikido, as in all true Budo, has many more dimensions than we commonly practise, not through lack of some secret, inner teaching, but through our own lack of mindfulness and awareness.

regards, Alec

[Alec Corper]

P.S.

Please excuse my brain, read pranayama for prayanama.

[taras]

I think meditation is good at any point of your training or your life.

Ted, you could ask your Sensei to give you a technique to practice. if you are interested in zazen you could try this http://www.mro.org/zmm/zazen.shtml

[tedehara]

I'm curious as to how you know you have reached this point. ...regards, AlecProbably because I haven't really taken up a program of meditation, and I can see the difference in performance between what I and others who have, are doing.

While I might know a technique, I still need to quit worrying about executing it. When I do a technique, I get caught up in the process of going from one point to another, instead of performing one movement.

Since I'm Ki Society, I figured on trying Ki breathing and Ki meditation. I'm not that familiar with zazen. I don't want to spend more time learning a different form of meditation. The other thing is that the breathing and meditation are considered to be part of the Ki Society curriculum.

[SeiserL]

I do seated Zazen for only 15 minutes a day. Have for years. Long before I began Aikido training. I try to hold a spectator observer role while I run or swim too. The awareness continumum without attachment has many bebfits.

I find that me-tsuki, or keeping my eyes soft focused on the distance, helps clear my mind. I also sometimes actucally whistle or hum to myslef as I work. Helps to distact the mind and find a rhythm or flow to the workout. Focusing on your breathing as you move does the same.

IMHO, its not the forgetting of the technqiue that matters, but the paying attaention to the flow that does it.

Hope that helps in some samll way.

[ian]

Hi Ted,

I feel a bit presumptious writing this post to you.

Although I do some chi-gung (holding the balloon), I do this mainly to teach my body to relax my shoulders whilst keeping my arms raised.

For me the best way to forget technique is a method advanced by Henry Kono:

1. simple exercise - ai-hanmi katate dori. Uke pushes slowly forwards. Nage turns and blends (creating some pressure against uke, but making sure it is even so although there is pressure, uke's arm still moves forward). Nage does NOT focus on his hand, but focuses on a point between his two hands (which are held about two hand spans appart and even). This is 'the centre' around which your body moves. You must not let your arms collapse (very similar to chi-gung holding the balloon, but hands out straight)

The pushing motion of uke takes them slightly off balance, and they tend not to keep their hand in centre. Therefore they tend to either let their arm drift up/down, forward (over-balancing forward), or even pull back.

As Nage you ignore uke completely, just focusing on even pressure and turning your body around this 'centre' between your hands.

This exercise can also be done with two hand grabs. All the techniques will naturally fall out (though some ukes tend to move in the same way so they are prone to the same technique). Done slowly this enables you to develop a blending and interchangeability between techniques which is not achievable with any other methods I'm aware of.

Also, if uke feels any resistance, they are allowed to stop Nage. However it should not be jerky (with uke just trying to counter nage) and uke must continue to supply motion (a push forward usually). IMPORTANT; when you are uke don't have the same mind set as nage (as nothing will work). As Uke you control the movement, as Nage you respond to the movement (uke's own motion overcommits them).

Apologies for the long post.

Ian

[ian]

P.S. A student who had been only twice managed to do techniques he was never taught (kaiten-nage, irimi-nage, kokyu-nage) using above technique.

Ian

PPS. the reason you forget technique is that you can't think of it - if you 'try' to do a technique uke usually senses it and locks out. If you are just moving with uke, it drops out. Obviously when uke's balance is taken (from his over extension/manipulation) you can continue motion, to prevent uke naturally regaining balance.