Inspiration drawn from an on-line journal ...
I've been thinking about why I study / practice aikido. There are many reasons. At first I wanted to merely get back in shape. I needed a club environment to help keep me accountable. Then I started more physically rigorous training -- lifting and running and all as outlined in the Body-for-Life program. So aikido served as a 'good stretch' and helped me maintain my flexibility and balance. But lately, I'm beginning to see many, many day-to-day applications of this martial art. I see opportunities to practice aikido in my professional career as a decision coach and group facilitator. I see opportunities to practice aikido whenever I'm dealing with my headstrong family members. I see myself returning to equally headstrong ways and then having to remind myself: "there's a third option."
Life is full of challenges. We are hard-wired to respond with 'fight or flight' behavior. But the third option is 'flow.' With aikido I'm learning more and more that going with the flow -- blending with the energy that's presented to me -- makes a whole lot of sense.
The following set of questions and statements were found on the Aikido Journal. These thoughts by Alex Corper capture related questions and thinking that I'm presently grappling with (pardon the wrestling pun for this sport is a part of my personal history).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“… I still believe that seeking to create harmony in our crazy world is a noble goal, but one which requires a ‘warrior’ spirit.”
“… Why does practice a martial art to promote peace and harmony? Why not meditate, or become a devout Christian or Buddhist. If a person wants fitness, flexibility and inner peace why not just do yoga?”
“… If, on the other hand, a person wants to learn street-smart self defense, why spend years learning how to control people who are attacking you, with the philosophy of doing minimal damage?”
“… Is Aikido really effective? [Is it] effective as a stress relieving, pleasant way to become a more peaceful, harmonized person, or effective as in, break the neck type iriminage? … Is Aikido effective as a budo of love? … [Is aikido] a warrior’s path leading to embracing and valuing other human beings in every possible way?”
“… In my mind the study of maai [and/or randori are the physical techniques that should lead us to the same study at a deeper level. What is the right mental and emotional distance from another to give them respect, but also to preserve our own space? If needed, how do I enter another's center without losing myself?”
Inspiration/Source: “Getting back to Aikido, whatever that is” a blog-comment by Alec Corper on January 17th, 2006 as found on the Aikido Journal.
Life is full of challenges. We are hard-wired to respond with 'fight or flight' behavior. But the third option is 'flow.' With aikido I'm learning more and more that going with the flow -- blending with the energy that's presented to me -- makes a whole lot of sense.
The following set of questions and statements were found on the Aikido Journal. These thoughts by Alex Corper capture related questions and thinking that I'm presently grappling with (pardon the wrestling pun for this sport is a part of my personal history).
“… I still believe that seeking to create harmony in our crazy world is a noble goal, but one which requires a ‘warrior’ spirit.”
“… Why does practice a martial art to promote peace and harmony? Why not meditate, or become a devout Christian or Buddhist. If a person wants fitness, flexibility and inner peace why not just do yoga?”
“… If, on the other hand, a person wants to learn street-smart self defense, why spend years learning how to control people who are attacking you, with the philosophy of doing minimal damage?”
“… Is Aikido really effective? [Is it] effective as a stress relieving, pleasant way to become a more peaceful, harmonized person, or effective as in, break the neck type iriminage? … Is Aikido effective as a budo of love? … [Is aikido] a warrior’s path leading to embracing and valuing other human beings in every possible way?”
“… In my mind the study of maai [and/or randori are the physical techniques that should lead us to the same study at a deeper level. What is the right mental and emotional distance from another to give them respect, but also to preserve our own space? If needed, how do I enter another's center without losing myself?”
Inspiration/Source: “Getting back to Aikido, whatever that is” a blog-comment by Alec Corper on January 17th, 2006 as found on the Aikido Journal.
posted by John Lesko at
11:03 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home