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  #26  
Old 03-28-2011, 03:36 PM
Lynn Seiser
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The Box

Breathe in, inside the box
Breathe out, outside the box
What box?

I remember being told that first you learn the form, then you learn variations of the form, then you learn the formless. First you learn the ...
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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!

Last edited by akiy : 03-27-2011 at 04:02 PM.
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Old 03-31-2011, 04:55 PM   #25
Diana Frese
Dojo: Aikikai of S.W. Conn. (formerly)
Location: Stamford Connecticut
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Re: The Box

Lynn mentioned cross training and it reminded me of something:

It was l981 and a few of us from the Y Aikido class were on the lawn of a house one of the students was renting...

The kata Bassai looked fierce but I felt I had to say something polite when Chuck ( whom I later married as a matter of fact ...) offered to teach our group Karate. I remembered the demos our Aikikai had given at the Manhatten center years ago which to me, who had come from college modern dance and women's judo, looked scary.

But later, I thought about the offer, but by then Chuck had moved to Massachusetts. But his college friends were senpais in a dojo not too far away.... Eventually he moved back to our town and they encouraged me to persuade him to teach here.

First impressions are one thing, but by the time I saw the kata on the lawn, unknowingly I was already partway out of the box I thought I was in. Atemi had been taught throughout my years in Aikido, and as I got older I became more and more interested in balance exercises.

I had learned a few from various Aikido teachers and in two hour classes at the Y included these right after the warmups before the actual techniques. I told the students, "now we must do our Nureyev lessons," remembering that Joe Namath the football quarterback had taken up ballet to improve his footwork etc....
So although beginning Karate was not that easy for me, it was enjoyable and it made sense, the time was right.

Expandable boxes: when we see that what's on the other side actually does relate to what's inside ...

We do learn from others too, but Chuck and I are each other's teacher -- he's from Karate, I'm from Aikido. So I hope this story relates to this column, uke and nage and being each other's teacher.

The Y was a pretty big box where you can learn about a lot of things, meet a lot of people, etc....
Not a "big box store" but a pretty big box all the same...
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Old 03-31-2011, 05:23 PM   #26
Diana Frese
Dojo: Aikikai of S.W. Conn. (formerly)
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Re: The Box

oops, I left out that the Aikido demos were in the intermissions of Karate tournaments. I wasn't scared of Aikido, but probably would have been scared to be in an Aikido demo at the time. The karate tournaments looked scary. Sitting in the audience, however, I heard some people comment about Aikido, "Look, they're flying"
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Old 04-01-2011, 04:27 AM   #27
SeiserL
 
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Re: The Box

Quote:
Diana Frese wrote: View Post
Lynn mentioned cross training and it reminded me of something:
IMHO, because O'Sensei did not accept people unless they had a background in striking arts, the box called learning-to-punch was not included in the box called Aikido.

Now that people are coming straight into AIkido, learning-to-punch is still not included inside the box called Aikido.

One of the major observations and criticism of Aikido is that we have to go outside the box and learn an art to bring it back inside the box to restore the completeness of the previous box called Aikido.

I enjoy having many different boxes to play in.

Excellent point. Compliments and appreciation.

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!
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Old 04-01-2011, 08:06 AM   #28
Mary Eastland
 
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Re: The Box

A box or a path? If I wander too far away it becomes something else than what I started in. After being corrected I am free to choose again.
I have wandered far from my box or path on occasion. I am back ...gently expanding the perimeters.
Mary
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Old 04-01-2011, 09:15 AM   #29
SeiserL
 
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Re: The Box

Quote:
Mary Eastland wrote: View Post
A box or a path?
Good question.

IMHO, a box could be a path and a path could be a box.

Metaphors are flexible that way.

If the box is big enough it could contain the path. Take the box of honor, its with you where ever the path leads. Or is it the path of honor can take you in and out of any and many boxes?

Or was the question rhetorical or a koan?

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!
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Old 04-14-2011, 10:36 AM   #30
Lan Powers
Dojo: Aikido of Midland, Midland TX
Location: Midland Tx
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Re: The Box

MMMM Mine is more of a bag, really.
stuff it full, drag it around, rummage about in it to find your treasures....
fold it flat and drape it over your shoulders for your cape of power....
cloak of invisibility, snuggly comforter, dishrag of invisibilty
(for all the Eric the Viking fans)
I find that there is a hole in the bottom of it though, so I have to be careful to not lose the hard-gained treasures (at the time) I keep putting in. Lose some, others come, so...

yeah, more of a bag thing.
with a hole

Play nice, practice hard, but remember, this is a MARTIAL art!
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Old 04-14-2011, 04:13 PM   #31
SeiserL
 
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Re: The Box

Quote:
Lan Powers wrote: View Post
yeah, more of a bag thing.
with a hole
LOL

If it didn't have a hole there would be now way to put new things in or take old things old.

Thanks for reading and responding.

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!
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