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 > External Aikido Blog Posts

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!

Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 11-30-2010, 08:20 PM   #1
Marc Abrams
Dojo: Aikido Arts of Shin Budo Kai/ Bedford Hills, New York
Location: New York
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 1,302
United_States
Offline
076) Mindful Waza Practice: December 2010

There is a saying in Japan that in the summer you train your body and in the winter you train your mind.  We will enact this expression as we enter into these winter months.  We spent November looking at some foundational material.  There were some classes in which we never even got to the point of putting some “basics” together to complete a technique.  I hope that students recognized the profound depth that is contained with the “basics.”  Our techniques are truly useless unless we have a real understanding of the basics and can employ them under highly stressful conditions.
We will begin an in-depth exploration of waza.  It is highly likely that we will not move beyond the practice of a single technique per class.  We will seek to understand what are the foundations contained within one technique (in response to a particular attack).  We will push each other to demonstrate an ability to execute a technique that represents some degree of competency of some “basics.”  We will work towards an awareness of  the mental aspects, energy aspects, appendage aspects (movement of arms and legs), core movement aspects, and connectivity aspects contained within each technique.  We will work towards identifying strengths and weaknesses in these areas and in our ability to integrate these areas into the completion of waza.
Mental aspects include an awareness of our mental state throughout the continuum of the execution of a technique.  Where and what is our intention?  Am I focused on myself, the other person, us…?  Does my awareness change during the execution of a technique.  Energy aspects include an awareness of what type of energy am I and the uke putting forth?  What is the nature and intensity of that energy like.  What happens to the energy level during the course of a technique?  Appendage aspects delve into our footwork and how we use our arms.  The footwork is separate from the arm-work, yet it all needs to be integrated in order for a technique to work.  Core movement aspects involve how we utilize our core structure so that we can move while maintaining balance and power without allowing the attackers force to negatively impact our balance and power.  Connectivity aspects involve when and how we connect with the attacker.  We need to look at when we establish a connection.  We need to gain some understanding as to the mental, energy and bodywork aspects of that connection.  We need to look at how we maintain and manage that connection from the approach of an attack, to the attack, through the the successful execution of a technique.
Mindful waza should be a mentally taxing experience as we try and gain some awareness of these many areas when we practice our techniques.  The challenge for us will be to not become bored and/or lackadaisical in our roles as uke and nage.  We need to be continuously mindful and thankful for each and every opportunity to experience something to learn from, even though the outward appearance might be the repetition of an attack and technique for sustained periods of time.  If we are lucky, we will have “wormhole” like experiences where we are no longer focused on the outward execution of a technique.   We will be drawn into some aspects of the waza that informs and educates us about some of the foundational material.  This will help us to progress in our development in this wonderful art.  We will all need to work hard together to push ourselves and our partners as we spend these winter months engaged in mindful waza.
Marc Abrams Sensei


(Original blog post may be found here.)
  Reply With Quote

Reply


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

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
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
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
The Nage/Uke Dynamic - Guidelines senshincenter General 47 02-20-2006 05:20 PM
The Living Way: Thomas Merton and Budo senshincenter Spiritual 0 03-01-2005 12:54 PM
Article: Big Mind, Little Mind by George S. Ledyard AikiWeb System AikiWeb System 5 12-11-2004 03:49 PM
Article: Lack of Spirituality by George S. Ledyard AikiWeb System AikiWeb System 23 09-11-2004 02:20 AM
Misogi Practice in NY Misogi-no-Gyo Spiritual 3 01-27-2004 04:22 PM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 07:17 AM.



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