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<blogEntry id="1414">
	<title><![CDATA[Becoming the Centre (Mon. Jan. 17/Tues. Jan. 18, 2]]></title>
	<body><![CDATA[Mostly thought fragments today...

Though I'm motivated enough to get out to class every day (and you have to be to do all that walking in Winnipeg Winter weather --- ahh, the joys of not owning a vehicle; the windchill puts hair on yer chest...arr!) I wish I could feel the same about journalling here.  I mean, there's always a great deal to ponder.  I just don't always feel like logging it all.  After awhile, things start feeling like the usual same-old, same-old.

Anyhoo, I'll do my best.  (Though this feels like having your teeth pulled.  I wish I didn't feel so blah about my own Aikido.  That might have something to do with it.  Yes, there's a great deal to be learned and a great deal to write about.  But I guess I'm at this low point where I feel like I want my body to do the thinking for me...I spend so much time being introspective.  I know the merits of it full well.  I wish I could explain this apathy I feel towards writing these days.)
 
We're starting to focus on test techniques again, so I spent the past couple of days on Shomenuchi Nikkyo.  Oh, the usual.  Working on improving timing, that blasted hand turnover (gosh, I hate having such tiny hands --- I do it just fine with Ken as uke, but then he has small hands too), silly little details that make a world of difference.  You know.  Posture.  Maintaining tension on uke's arm.  Stuff.  (See what I mean about this being like pulling teeth?  Gak.)

I did, however, make note of a good point Sensei made when he was helping Ken and Garry with Ikkyo Ura --- wrapping uke around you like a stripe 'round a candy cane (or barber pole); making uke have to move with you.  I was considering this along with other principles like taking uke's place --- thinking of how it's a lot like becoming the centre.  Here you have two independent centres with differing energy that meet and become one --- nage's centre is the one around which everything moves; uke's energy gets sucked into this other and is redirected.  You see it a lot with all the spiralling that happens in nage's movements.  Spiralling downwards, spiralling upwards like a spring or a coil.  Heh.  As always, it sounds so good "on paper".  Trying to actually DO it is another thing entirely.  :-P

I need a break.  (From writing, not Aikido.  Sheesh.)  Thankfully, the next couple weeks or so will provide it, as my family will be heading off to the Philippines again (this time for a real vacation) and I'm planning on attending the seminar in Manila with Sugawara Shihan in early February.  A three day seminar with a hombu shihan for  5US (60 Philippine pesos per session, and there are 5 sessions --- a weekend seminar here in Canada is usually  60CAD)...can't beat that! ]]></body>
	<date>01-19-2005</date>
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