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Old 09-01-2005, 12:28 AM   #9
Jeanne Shepard
 
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Dojo: Puget Sound Aikikai
Location: Seattle
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 351
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Re: Aikido survivors (Voices of Experience)

Quote:
Clark Bateman wrote:
Because she is talking about "going through the motions" (her words) This does not evoke the feeling of "doing their best". And not all lead through Aikido. . Wanna bet? I can't count the times I've seen someone "going through the motions" when it was obvious that they would rather have been somewhere else. Open your eyes. Train with somebody whose mind is somewhere else, and then tell me that, especially if you (or they) get injured.

What you are missing is that I am not talking about who is better or more able. I am talking about dedication, without which you should not train, regardless of whether you are able to get yourself to the dojo. Big deal. You owe it to yourself, your teacher, and your fellow students to not be on the mat without your best attitude, and purpose, any more than you should be behind the wheel without maximum sobriety. Not gonna walk the walk? Stay home. "Going through the motions" does not cut it, and I hope your Sensei is wise enough to see it this way. If he does not expect more than that from you, it is regrettable.
I'm glad I train at a dojo where the teachers see that sometimes dedication is getting to the dojo and training at all.
If you haven't been in a space where that can take all you have, you may not be able to understand what it takes.

Jeanne
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