Welcome to AikiWeb Aikido Information
AikiWeb: The Source for Aikido Information
AikiWeb's principal purpose is to serve the Internet community as a repository and dissemination point for aikido information.

Sections
home
aikido articles
columns

Discussions
forums
aikiblogs

Databases
dojo search
seminars
image gallery
supplies
links directory

Reviews
book reviews
video reviews
dvd reviews
equip. reviews

News
submit
archive

Miscellaneous
newsletter
rss feeds
polls
about

Follow us on



Home > AikiWeb Aikido Forums
Go Back   AikiWeb Aikido Forums > Columns

Hello and thank you for visiting AikiWeb, the world's most active online Aikido community! This site is home to over 22,000 aikido practitioners from around the world and covers a wide range of aikido topics including techniques, philosophy, history, humor, beginner issues, the marketplace, and more.

If you wish to join in the discussions or use the other advanced features available, you will need to register first. Registration is absolutely free and takes only a few minutes to complete so sign up today!

Comment
 
Column Tools
Learning Through Feeling
Learning Through Feeling
by The Mirror
05-19-2011
Learning Through Feeling

This month's "The Mirror" column was written by Linda Eskin © 2011.
Last October, in the column I wrote here, I addressed my experience of learning with the body - acquiring motor skills like tying one's shoes, writing the alphabet, or playing a musical instrument. As someone who can readily assimilate factual and conceptual information, it surprised me to discover that I needed to shown over and over again, and practice many repetitions, correctly, to learn the seemingly simplest movements and postures. It was frustrating at first having to slow down to my body's speed. But I've gained a lot more patience in the short two years I've been training, and I'm mostly able to allow my body the time it needs to develop these new ways of moving through space and relating to others.

In a way I have been offering my body the same kind of consideration one might have for a horse in training, or a pre-verbal child. But it's been an unequal relationship, and a patronizing one. Mind over body. Mind calling the shots. Mind being the mature and magnanimous one, gently and generously caring for poor, dumb, slow Body. "There, there, it's OK, I'll go more slowly, so you can understand." Mind taking Body to the dojo to get better at body things - relaxing, centering, breathing, grounding...

But over time a new aspect of the relationship has begun to reveal itself. It turns out Body knows a thing or two, if only Mind would shut up and listen. I've begun to see Body as the wise one. Body drawn to the dojo, telling Mind to hush and be still.

Through my Aikido practice, including focused body awareness process work and meditation, I have become open to paying attention to what I feel, to giving my feelings their due respect and attention, as a legitimate source of information. Indeed, it's what has allowed me to really feel at all. Settling down, becoming quiet and still enough to listen, and sensitive enough to feel, have been some of the direct benefits of my training. At the most basic level, I am more able to access and act on important feedback about how my body is doing. Am I well, or fighting something off? Do I need rest? Do I need to get up and move?

But on a deeper level, it has given me a way to discover or confirm what is true for me, beneath the very rational, compelling, fast-talking chatter my mind offers. Sensei and a dear friend, both of whom have been teaching me the value of looking inside, have helped me through a difficult transition over the past year. They have prompted me to check in with my body. What do I feel? What's going on with my breathing? What is my body telling me? Does contemplating a particular outcome tie my guts in a knot, or bring a feeling of lightness and ease?

They mean these questions in a very literal sense. The answers have been revealing, often contradicting what I've been saying about myself. I've been learning to notice what's really there. Being open to noticing what's true for me in this way has allowed me to see more clearly where I actually am, and where I'm going, and has helped me make good decisions that I literally feel comfortable with.

I suppose I should not have been surprised to learn that it's not only in Aikido that I try to muscle my way through, try to force the technique I intended to do, try to force the outcome to fit the preconceived notions I've become attached to. And I've been discovering the value of feeling and moving into the actual direction and flow of life, joining with it, and getting behind it, instead of fighting it. Imagine that.
"The Mirror" is a collaborative column written by a group of women who describe themselves as:

We comprise mothers, spouses, scientists, artists, teachers, healers, and yes, of course, writers. We range in age from 30s through 50s, we are kyu ranked and yudansha and from various parts of the United States and styles of aikido. What we have in common is a love for budo that keeps it an integral part of our busy lives, both curiosity about and a commonsense approach to life and aikido, and an inveterate tendency to write about these explorations.
Attached Images
File Type: pdf themirror_2011_05.pdf (97.0 KB, 0 views)
Old 05-19-2011, 04:22 PM   #2
SeiserL
 
SeiserL's Avatar
Location: Florida Gulf coast
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 3,902
United_States
Offline
Re: Learning Through Feeling

Great column. Compliments and appreciation.

I am often envious of "you people" who have a good kinesthetic and energetic sense to learning.

I lead with my head which has never been the fastest tool in the shed. But when my body does catch up (if it does), I like the results.

Thanks for another great column.

Lynn Seiser PhD
Yondan Aikido & FMA/JKD
We do not rise to the level of our expectations, but fall to the level of our training. Train well. KWATZ!
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-20-2011, 12:28 AM   #3
Linda Eskin
 
Linda Eskin's Avatar
Dojo: Aikido of San Diego, San Diego, California
Location: San Diego County, California
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 335
United_States
Offline
Ai symbol Re: Learning Through Feeling

Thank you, Seiser Sensei, for your kind comments.

I don't know that I'm one of "those people" by nature. As one who can learn and assymilate "mind" stuff really quickly, I was very frustrated when I first started training. Like running into a brick wall. It really irked me that Sensei would not just tell us how to do something. Even now I very often have to think things through in terms of angles, vectors, or visualizations, just to get it roughly correct, and then the kinesthetic learning can start to kick in.

The book Conscious Embodiment by Wendy Palmer Sensei was key to my seeing initially (still on a conceptual level) that we could learn from our bodies. But the real breakthrough was from a seminar my teacher, Dave Goldberg Sensei, taught just a few months into my training, about relaxing, and feeling and responding to what's really happening. It left a crack in my normal way of being that let a lot of light in. He is constantly working with us to be in our bodies, to feel, and to move and respond appropriately. It's challenging, but also great fun, and very worthwhile.

Many thanks.

Linda Eskin - Facebook | My Aikido blog: Grab My Wrist

"Heaven is right where you are standing, and that is the place to train." - Morihei Ueshiba
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-20-2011, 01:25 AM   #4
guest1234567
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 428
Spain
Offline
Re: Learning Through Feeling

Thanks for your thoughts provoking column Linda.
When I began with aikido I used my mind too much and for me it doesn't work, I'm too slow if I think too much, but leaving the body react trained due repetitive excercises the defence is much faster, and one thing my teacher said in one of the last classes: move the legs first do not to anticipate with the upper body.
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-20-2011, 11:22 PM   #5
niall
  AikiWeb Forums Contributing Member
 
niall's Avatar
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 394
Japan
Offline
Re: Learning Through Feeling

Interesting column, Linda, thanks. Yeah patience is important. And there's a paradox there. Analyzing what your body is doing isn't using your body, it's using your brain. And being in your body - as your teacher is encouraging you to be - might be possible without thinking about being in your body...

Niall

we can make our minds so like still water, and so live for a moment with a clearer, perhaps even with a fiercer life
w b yeats


aikiweb blog|wordpress blog
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-22-2011, 01:00 AM   #6
Linda Eskin
 
Linda Eskin's Avatar
Dojo: Aikido of San Diego, San Diego, California
Location: San Diego County, California
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 335
United_States
Offline
Ai symbol Re: Learning Through Feeling

Quote:
Niall Matthews wrote: View Post
... And there's a paradox there. Analyzing what your body is doing isn't using your body, it's using your brain. And being in your body - as your teacher is encouraging you to be - might be possible without thinking about being in your body...

Niall
An interesting point about the paradox, Niall. But the paradoxical situation isn't a problem, it's just one way of doing things.

I agree, on the training, muscle-memory side of things it's possible to just act, without the mind interfering or thinking about what's going on in your body. And it's possible to act more effectively when the right responses have been "programmed in" through training. The work we do in class isn't about analyzing, it's about being, and doing.

And you're right, that analyzing what's going on in the body requires the involvement of the mind. But the mind becomes the observer, noticing what's going on, rather than the director, trying to control it. That's where I found the value - in being able to watch and listen to my body, to here what it was telling me (in my life off the mat), rather than ordering it around.

Linda Eskin - Facebook | My Aikido blog: Grab My Wrist

"Heaven is right where you are standing, and that is the place to train." - Morihei Ueshiba
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-22-2011, 01:06 AM   #7
Linda Eskin
 
Linda Eskin's Avatar
Dojo: Aikido of San Diego, San Diego, California
Location: San Diego County, California
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 335
United_States
Offline
Re: Learning Through Feeling

Thanks, Carina. :-)

Quote:
Carina Reinhardt wrote: View Post
... one thing my teacher said in one of the last classes: move the legs first do not to anticipate with the upper body.
A good way of putting it. We have a similar focus on moving first from our base, and not getting caught up in fiddling with the details of hands and arms.

Linda Eskin - Facebook | My Aikido blog: Grab My Wrist

"Heaven is right where you are standing, and that is the place to train." - Morihei Ueshiba
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-22-2011, 01:18 AM   #8
Linda Eskin
 
Linda Eskin's Avatar
Dojo: Aikido of San Diego, San Diego, California
Location: San Diego County, California
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 335
United_States
Offline
Lightbulb Re: Learning Through Feeling

The mind/body discussion reminds of a point from "A Soprano on Her Head," which is a great book about learning music, learning to sing, and learning any motor skill. One thing the author talks about how people who can read music fluently often have trouble making the transition to learning my ear, and people who can pick out a tune after hearing it once or twice find if difficult to bother to learn to read written "little black dots" music. Even though each gets by very well using the way with which they are most comfortable, they are limited by having only the one way.

It's similar in Aikido. If you can get by pretty admirably by using your mind to figure out (however quickly) which technique is called for in a particular situation, it's hard to back away from that place of comfort and competence to explore the awkward new territory of feeling and responding from the body. At first it doesn't seem like a better way at all. But being able to appropriately access both approaches, in music or Aikido, makes more options available and offers more freedom of expression.

Hmmm... I'm going to have to go back and read that book again now.

Linda Eskin - Facebook | My Aikido blog: Grab My Wrist

"Heaven is right where you are standing, and that is the place to train." - Morihei Ueshiba
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-22-2011, 04:54 AM   #9
SeiserL
 
SeiserL's Avatar
Location: Florida Gulf coast
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 3,902
United_States
Offline
Re: Learning Through Feeling

Quote:
Linda Eskin wrote: View Post
The book Conscious Embodiment by Wendy Palmer Sensei was key to my seeing initially (still on a conceptual level) that we could learn from our bodies
Great book and good lady.

I got introduced to this stuff in NeuroLinguistic programing that states we store information mentally based on the sensory organ we talk it in (usually visually, auditorally, and kinesthetically).

That's where I found out I was an auditory learning and that most school work was visual. Changed my life.

Good discussion.

Lynn Seiser PhD
Yondan Aikido & FMA/JKD
We do not rise to the level of our expectations, but fall to the level of our training. Train well. KWATZ!
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-22-2011, 04:56 AM   #10
SeiserL
 
SeiserL's Avatar
Location: Florida Gulf coast
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 3,902
United_States
Offline
Re: Learning Through Feeling

Quote:
Linda Eskin wrote: View Post
The mind/body discussion reminds of a point from "A Soprano on Her Head," which is a great book about learning music, learning to sing, and learning any motor skill.
WOW Yes!!!

Another good book.

Have you been raiding my book shelves?

Lynn Seiser PhD
Yondan Aikido & FMA/JKD
We do not rise to the level of our expectations, but fall to the level of our training. Train well. KWATZ!
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-22-2011, 06:06 AM   #11
Mary Eastland
 
Mary Eastland's Avatar
Dojo: Berkshire Hills Aikido
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,476
Offline
Re: Learning Through Feeling

When I do free style I
notice that my mind is completley quiet. I accept what is and together uke and I find out what will happen.

However, when I do partnered technique after Ron has taught something my mind has some things to say.

I have been noticing a mess of feelings because I am moving differently again as my knee is a bit undependable and sore.

I read in Dan Millman's book "The Warrior Athelete" that my body would do most anything I ask of it if I ask gently and not force a solution.
Thank you for some great reminders.
Mary

Last edited by Mary Eastland : 05-22-2011 at 06:08 AM. Reason: spelling again
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-22-2011, 06:07 AM   #12
graham christian
Dojo: golden center aikido-highgate
Location: london
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,697
England
Offline
Re: Learning Through Feeling

I like it. I was recently explaining a similar point to Mary Eastland on Ron Ragusas blog.

Albeit I use a differentiation between three rather than two things ie: Spirit, mind ,body.

Often I inform people when I do Ki-atsu to learn to listen to their body more and usually I give them a 'joke' along the lines of it's trying to tell you something but your not listening. On inspection they find out I'm not joking.

What helps me is knowing the following. The body does indeed need repetitive actions to to get imbued with and used to the movements etc. The mind is the storage place for data and so during the action of Aikido should be quiet. The spirit, me, is the observer and as such should be with the body and observant of the body and all else at the same time.

Bottom line though, observation and mindfulness is indeed better than 'blindness and muscle.'

Good column.G.
  Reply With Quote
Old 07-13-2011, 02:41 PM   #13
sara2ab
Dojo: Dokki
Location: Cairo, Egypt
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 1
Egypt
Offline
Re: Learning Through Feeling

Thank you for your insight.
The sentence; "It turns out Body knows a thing or two, if only Mind would shut up and listen" describes perfectly how I feel. I have been practicing for a year and this is what I have most trouble with, so thank you, it is good to find someone who puts it in words

Best,
Sara AB
  Reply With Quote
Old 07-13-2011, 03:27 PM   #14
Janet Rosen
 
Janet Rosen's Avatar
Location: Left Coast
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 4,339
Offline
Re: Learning Through Feeling

Quote:
Sara Abou Bakr wrote: View Post
Thank you for your insight.
The sentence; "It turns out Body knows a thing or two, if only Mind would shut up and listen" describes perfectly how I feel. I have been practicing for a year and this is what I have most trouble with, so thank you, it is good to find someone who puts it in words

Best,
Sara AB
Sara, if it's any consolation, 15 yrs in I"m STILL having that one sometimes!

Janet Rosen
http://www.zanshinart.com
"peace will enter when hate is gone"--percy mayfield
  Reply With Quote
Old 09-06-2011, 11:28 AM   #15
Janet L.
Dojo: Obiji Ki-Aikido, Lawrence, KS
Location: Lawrence, KS
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 17
United_States
Offline
Re: Learning Through Feeling

I've found I am much, much more successful at doing what Sensei is showing me if I clear my mind and stop the internal monologue.

Now, I'm enough of a beginner that working on stuff like rolls is a major part of my training. If I try to do a simple front roll and try to think my way through it, I'll land on my head or shoulder hard enough it takes weeks to get back to normal. Clear my mind first, and it works like a charm.

That internal blabbermouth has been used to bossing the ol' klutzy body around, and with it in charge it takes ages for me to learn new physical skills. Shut it up, and I (the body) just gets stuff so much quicker it's amazing.

Thanks for confirming something I've really been wondering about.
  Reply With Quote
Old 09-06-2011, 12:11 PM   #16
SteveTrinkle
Dojo: Aikido Kenkyukai International
Location: Ambler, Pennsylvania
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 232
United_States
Offline
Re: Learning Through Feeling

"Lose your mind and come to your senses." (Fritz Perls)

  Reply With Quote

Comment


Currently Active Users Viewing This Column: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Column Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new columns
You may not post comment
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Similar Threads
Column Column Starter Category Comments Last Post
Transmission, Inheritance, Emulation 12 Peter Goldsbury Columns 32 05-16-2009 06:05 PM
A real exercise for building internal connections in the hands Timothy WK Non-Aikido Martial Traditions 2 11-05-2007 06:56 AM
Transmission, Inheritance, Emulation 3 Peter Goldsbury Columns 16 05-28-2007 06:24 AM
Poll: How helpful is feeling techniques in learning aikido for you? AikiWeb System AikiWeb System 13 12-15-2005 02:22 PM
Injury as a Learning Tool DaveO Humor 6 04-24-2003 07:21 AM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:54 PM.



Column powered by GARS 2.1.5 ©2005-2006

vBulletin Copyright © 2000-2024 Jelsoft Enterprises Limited
----------
Copyright 1997-2024 AikiWeb and its Authors, All Rights Reserved.
----------
For questions and comments about this website:
Send E-mail
plainlaid-picaresque outchasing-protistan explicantia-altarage seaford-stellionate