What is in that shines out?

~~Do you hold any particular image/feeling inside yourself (mind/heart/spirit) while training? If so, what?

I don't hold it in - HAPPY! No matter how frustrated I might get at my body's seeming inability to follow my brain's command, I am happy on the mat. Don't know why, and don't really need to.

I try for open and interested. Amused or angry are generally the two I actually feel. More often the former than the latter thankfully,

Mark

Interesting question Paula. I don't really know. I focus on the feeling of the moment. I guess when I am training it is the one time that I am totally in the moment and taking in all the input from my surroundings and my uke. I guess it is as close to being "at one" as I can get!

Paula Lydon wrote: ~~Do you hold any particular image/feeling inside yourself (mind/heart/spirit) while training? If so, what?

LOL. Yeah, I'm always asking one of the following question:

Where's my front foot? Where's my front knee? Where my hips? Where's my back foot? How's my back leg? Should that be my back leg right now? How's my back? What about my hips? What about my head? How about my arms? What uke? Timing? Does that hurt as bad as it looks?

A tactile sense of total silence or an all encompassing roar of total solitude or singularity - both of these would be close even if they may appear here to be opposite. Both are related, for me, to a kind of investment at which training becomes a kind of moving prayer - a kind of contemplative exercise where present and presence dominate all the ways in which the world is lived, felt, and understood. When I am not teaching, or training to teach, when I am just training, this is always where I return.

I think part of training is developing a quality you want to improve. For example, there are certain times I want to feel and develop "connectedness" or "awareness" of surroundings, etc. Or maybe fast recovery from falls or throws. Most of the time, I try to just let the feeling come to me after we silently meditate before the session begins....but defintiely right after practice, I usually feel a happy kind of tired.

Three Different States for 3 different states of mind...

1. When training/practicing I look for solidity and togetherness
2. When teaching I look for coolness and inspiration
3. When doing Aikido (aka...in the zone) I look for emptiness/receptiveness that is being filled...and no, I can't explain it any better than that <wry grin> although I think I understood what David meant...

Interesting question. Cheers,

--Michael

Tolerance. How Huo Yuanja of me .

great post! this may sound silly, but i try to extend a feeling of light both when being uke or nage. at the very moment of collision/contact with my partner i try to extend a feeling of kindness and benevolence that looks (in my mind) like a sphere of light at the point of contact. i find myself doing this practice all the time now, for instance: when shaking someones hand, when someone gives me a hug, or even at a distance when there is a negative/angry/insane person in my vicinity on the bus or at work (of course i dont throw them silly. since i am a beginner i feel that it is very important for me to get into good habits like transferring positive energy towards others. this has nothing to do with religion btw, this is my own personal tony-ism that helps me to train on and off the mat.

tony

Pure, utter, complete joy. An intense lightness of being and awe at the wonder of it all.

Sometimes delighted laughter...every class opens my eyes a little more in some way.

Hello to you all, I'm new here.

What shines from within? Just to mention, I am not an aikido techniques expert or anything, I'm just a guy who "experiments" with many forms of the martial arts and a kind of traveler.

Paula's question at the beginning, about this extension or being of feeling is very interesting. If you haven't gotten the aikido book "Aikido and The Dynamic Sphere" you should get it! Over my time and space of experience with "myself" I am understanding that the extension of the self "is" the art you study and master. It is "self mastery" that all true and beneficial ways of the martial arts should direct. This shining outwardly is in fact that very thing, expressed through physical manifestation using the body to express the mind from the human spirit or active force that animates our flesh.

Most westerners, including myself, are taught much differently and even somewhat inferior to easterners concerning the spirit of humans and the mind's potential upon and with our bodies.
Easterners are taught about such things from youth through cultural awareness and mind/body foods!
Westerners on the other hand are usually taught surface reality and peer usually mainly from the tangible and physical reality only. Even religion contributes to a false sense of spirituality, it should not be mechanical service, but spiritual expression to both God and the universe from within the human being, expressing the essence of their life, this is the nature of this shining or expression.

As with aikido especially, one should realize this was not an art intended on duplication or mere mechanical movements, but founded on pure expression of the divine through human vessels.

When you practice these forms that they become "formless" and pure expression of your intent and heart, imagine expressing yourself to your opponent purely from your essence or true self, and as you gain the qualities of, love, respect, joy, peace, and hope, and gratitude, as well mercy, you will fully to your capacity express them physically with any movement, no matter if it is a hand shake, throw, or smile, or even a warning to an enemy, it will contain love as its root and be genuine!

That's what seperates the "average" from the so called "masters", they trust it and it is real!!

On my own journey I am learning that this is the "Way" expressed the same but with different form from men like foremost Jesus, and prophets, and even the O sensei of Aikido!! You must individually seek the pure truth of reality that all the universe and beyond is a physical manifestation of materials compressed from the "realm of spirit", "God's dwelling" so therefore your body and mind when unified with this truth and more, it will express not only your own light of love and truth and justice, but also the universe and it's Creator!!

Seek not the teachings of men, but search and find the pure "Way"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Respectfully,

Centerion

before and after practice we do "mokuso" so a minute or so, I usually try to visualize light encompassing everyone in the dojo, and extending into the universe. I also try to talk myself out of having negative feelings for some members of the dojo. "I can practice with anyone, I can take that person's ukemi, I can explain techniques to beginners, be nice, be nice..."

This is going to sound a bit strange, but it makes sense to me so I'll share. I once had professor in college who was an aikidoka and he said something one day that really described the state I'm in when training. He was talking about being in the present moment. Most of the time it seems we are either thinking about the past or the future not just being present in the moment. When I'm having a great training day I have this experience, I feel happiness, but I'm not thinking about anything, everything is just that moment. This might sound a little strange, but if you've had the experience you know what I'm talking about. I just thought what he said was great because I'd never heard that feeling verbalized before, but when he said it I instantly knew what he was talking about. Okay I'm rambling now and everyone must think I'm nuts so, I'll stop now. At any rate the topic just reminded me of that.

Paula Lydon wrote: ~~Do you hold any particular image/feeling inside yourself (mind/heart/spirit) while training? If so, what?

I'd describe it as "sincere positivity."...but I don't think it, I try to feel it.
Take care,
Matt

Hrmmmm.....

During warm-ups, when sensei announces backward rolls, my first thought is "oh sh*t, my second is "pain" my third is "I'm going to look like an idiot" my fourth is "just do it, this too will pass..."

Most the time, in actual class, I am so caught up in the moment, I really don't know what I think. I am just there, learning, training, sometimes teaching, incorporating all. However, I do know that if I have had a bad day, have no energy, but manage to get my butt on the mat, I walk away feeling happy, excited, energetic, and generally, very tired and sore....a good feeling.

Brenda

Good question!

Mindy Imbuido wrote: He was talking about being in the present moment. Most of the time it seems we are either thinking about the past or the future not just being present in the moment.

This is very hard: to let go of what you know, want to know, and do the best you can at that particular moment. Again, again and again.