Quote:
Rick Berry wrote:
"While a few students' listening skills are lacking, some require the development of proper decorum in dealing with people's feelings or the lack of natural abilities. Students of lower rank who demonstrated greater skills were intimidating some higher ranked students. This may happens in a dojo more often than most people think."
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I agree... In fact, after some lengthy reflection, I have found that this is one of the many benefits my meager 3 years of aikido has granted me: an ability to consider the situation carefully and quickly.
As our dojo is growing more and more, and now that I have a role of a "senior" student. . . I see newer students pushing their own and others' limits, needing to be helped in understanding the ettiquete and duties around the dojo. I have begun to learn how to consider how/when/where to guide these students.
I have discovered that with this development it's become easier for me to consider many more aspects of situations before I put myself, my opinion, offer my assitance, etc.
I truely enjoy this new found self-reflective aspect of the art and I think that this is a big part of the "centering" and "claming" effect that aikidoka try to explain to non-pratictioners.
FWIW
Elizabeth