Weed The Dojo

As Aikidoka we train to expand awareness of everything in us and around us as much as possible.  One method for training that awareness is to bow.  We bow when entering the dojo, before stepping on the mat, to begin class, to commence partner training, etc.

Another method is to care for our practice uniforms, our gi's.  The uniform should be clean, worn properly, fit correctly, folded correctly, etc.

Still another method to train awareness is to care for the dojo. We sweep the matt and surrounds before and after class.  We dust and vacuum. We clean the windows and take out the garbage.

To practice extension, we can begin entering the dojo as soon as we drive onto the grounds.  The rock garden especially is very much an extension of the dojo itself, and so caring for the garden by weeding, cleaning, and raking is very useful for cultivating a mindset of relaxed awareness.

Injury Waza: Training after Injury

Coming back the dojo after 2 months away with a debilitating shoulder injury, I found that there are lessons coming from training with physical limitations. One of the most important  was that training in an unusual way woke me up from memory-based, rote behavior,  into being more in the actual moment. Lacking a second hand to move uke’s secondary center, with my arm protected inside my gi, I had to rely on distance and momentum for one-handed shihonages and one-handed kokyus. If you take away reliance on muscle, what is left can be finding the power in hip movement and leg movement. It was exhilarating to uncover new ways to do old techniques. So training with a limitation ended up a good exercise in increasing awareness and moving out of rote behavior.

The other important lesson was a necessary adjustment in ego. We are all just temporarily able-bodied. Everyone gets injured.  Everyone ages. But I had great trouble accepting that what I could do even four months before was gone, not to mention skills and physical ability of 30 years earlier. I thought that this time my days at the dojo were over, and that that was the right decision.

But this mindset is itself a wrong construct, coming out of comparisons with others and with a younger self.  First,  I had to let go of judgments about what is required to belong: who should be allowed on the mat to train. Instead, at the dojo I found a group of fellow aikidoka wanting me to be there, willing to work in three’s so that there would be a partner available who could take ukemi.  I found support and was told that I had something to offer. I think other dojo members are not nearly as concerned with one’s own skill or the ability to train hard, as we would believe or fear.  I suggest that every person needs always to walk on the mat as if she owns it, without comparing herself to any other trainee. It really is freeing. If those comparisons are stopped internally, then every person’s training is indeed her own individual path.

Elaine Ryan, Ni Dan

Aikido in the non-Aikido world? Is there such a thing?

One of the most intractable conflicts of our the most recent 80 years continues to take lives and cause tremendous hardship for people.  Here is a perspective for consideration:

http://aikidonosekai.wordpress.com/2014/07/21/an-aikido-solution-to-hamas-rocket-attacks-by-corky-quakenbush/

This video was brought to my attention by H. F. Ito, Sensei. He says it gives an excellent representation of O Sensei's comportment, posture, and presence.

Aikido in Daily Life - Corporate Edition, Part 2

They usually come all at once.  Problems have a way of knowing when to gang up on you.  Be it work problems, or pack hunters on the urban streets sometimes things can come in waves and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.  We train with multiple attackers to remind us that we can deal with many issues, but only if we keep calm, stay centered and remember our training.  It teaches us to handle problems one at a time, and choose before the choice is made.  We often freeze up in difficult situations and forget that we have options, like which problems we will attack first.  Instead of waiting for the problems to pile up on top of us, we first try to be alert and see the issues coming.  Next, we choose which ones to deal with first, knowing that we may not need to fully resolve an issue before taking on the next challenge.  Continuous training helps us stay calm, keep breathing and look forward to life’s little tests, even when they bring their friends.

Celebrate the New Year by making a commitment to wellness and a peaceful spirit. Please join us at the dojo for a 9:00 a.m. class on New Year's Day.

Aikido in Daily Life - Corporate Edition, Part 1

If the pen is mightier than the sword, then corporate life isn't too far from combat. When we expect combat, we prepare accordingly, and so we should train accordingly for cubicle warfare too. 

Sometimes we see the punch coming, other times we get cold-clocked.  We must always be prepared for it by keeping our senses alert, being mindful of our surroundings and prepared for a response. 

Through Aikido we learn all of these things, but in a surprisingly transferable way.  Aikido teaches our body to hear more, see more and respond instinctively.  It helps our mind to filter the noise and concentrate on what's important.  It centers us, which gives us peace of mind and calmness of spirit.  


Whether your profession is samurai, salesman, or salad chef, we all face various types of conflict and we should train our bodies and our minds how to restore peace on the mat or in the meeting room.