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Old 07-13-2007, 09:30 AM   #33
jennifer paige smith
 
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Dojo: Confluence Aiki-Dojo / Santa Cruz Sword Club
Location: Santa Cruz
Join Date: Feb 2007
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Re: Understanding fascia and tensegrity

Quote:
Mark Murray wrote: View Post
So, what are you focusing on when you do this practice? In relation to internal, fascia, and tensegrity?

Thanks,
Mark
Hi Tarik, I'm glad to hear that you got an invitation in the mail to see Anno Sensei while he is here. I got a letter from Aikido Santa Cruz, too. Mine wasn't an invitation.

Tarik went into the practice as we've done it with Anno sensei in the post above. We don't, as he said, take it apart in such intellectual terms. Partially because that is a science language that isn't included in the language that Anno Sensei speaks. Anno Sensei is a retired paper mill worker who spent the bulk of his life working and training and studying when he wasn't caring for his family or Hikitschi Sensei. He teaches Aikido organically and in the language of the founder. A beautiful reminder that intellectualism isn't neccessary (necessarily).
My ear;ier American teachers taught it in different ways. Mostly to ground your feet deeply(Ten), align your spine to the heavens(Chi) and row evenly from the hips while keeping your head up (high heavenly bridge). Anno Sensei speaks of I-Ku-Mu-Su-Bi and following the five circulations of breath as we meditate and row at the same time.
The meditations of The sun goddess, the Water spirit of purification, and the Position we occupy in the center of the Web are progressed throughout the practice.
The entire practice is circled in a meditation of the power of Nature and the "thread" of mankind: musubi.

The movements of the practice are like those of aiki warm-ups. They look kinda funny on their own, and then, wadda ya know, joe? They are the very same movements that are applied in the execution of technique during class. When done for their own sake, they are entirely powerful and releasing.

I try not to clog up my mind with thoughts of fascia, tensegrity and anything at all when I'm doing this or any practice. What emerges in the context of the exercise, while my mind is released from it's over involvement and is involved in the actual movement, is much greater than anything I could have ever thought to meditate on ahead of time. Whatever gifts of education, delight,sorrow, experience, work, relational issues, good books I've read, conversations I've had, or any stimulus to my being is open for emergence during my practice. It is grounded in the form and the leadership of the sequence, but it is a form of heart purification and inner intellience to allow all of my gifts equal room in the body of my practice. Turns out they all have an equal place and an equal bareing (sp.?) . Sometimes thoughts of the fascia variety emerge, simply, when they do.

Not to run you around. This is just my best answer as I hear your question?
Do you practice Shin Kokyu?

Last edited by jennifer paige smith : 07-13-2007 at 09:34 AM.

Jennifer Paige Smith
Confluence Aikido Systems
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