Re: Aikido and Traffic
from my mirror column on irimi:
I often joke that irimi is the operating principle of my driving: take the path of least resistance; unhesitatingly but smoothly slip into openings as they appear. So perhaps what I need to bring back to the mat is: perceive everything that comprises the attack (ma'ai really being the integration of speed, distance, intent and time that experienced drivers automatically work with), have faith that the opening is there, and simply MOVE.
and
Once again, driving a car teaches me the lesson. My standard Brooklyn style u-turn on a busy street to physically claim a parking space reveals the irimi within tenkan: there is no way this maneuver involves an iota of backing up or retreat. It is nothing less than a fully committed entry. It just happens to involve a 180 degree pivot.
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