"Keep Moving, Keep Breathing"

April 4 was appropriately marked by a traditional class by Sensei Pleis. Training always makes for a better day and it had us thinking of Sensei Don in all the right ways.

Thursday marks the anniversary of Sensei Don's exuberant dive into the river of Ki.  What follows is a repost from one year ago.  The dojo continues to live, breathe, and grow and continues to connect us to each other and to Sensei Don.  We owe immense thanks to Sensei Mike and Carol for making that possible and many thanks to all for training.  

 

I celebrate today and am holding on to it as the last I had to share the Earth with such a noble and gifted human being, a mentor and friend to so many.  I am breathing every breath with full appreciation for how it connects me to him on this day.  

Snowstorm Waza

How do you harmonize with a snowstorm to gain understanding about Aikido? Power goes out. You’re stuck in the house.  It’s too windy to have fun outside.  Worst of all, you can’t make it to the dojo.

I’m always balancing obligations against opportunities to get to the dojo.  It’s always a negotiation and one way I know how good training is for me is that I keep making the argument.  I often wish I didn’t have to balancing anything.  That the argument would go away.  For a weekend, the snowstorm granted my wish and while it kept me away from the dojo it actually contributed to my training.  I began to wonder what I would do if the option of going to the dojo were taken away from me. What if it weren’t there or something happened in my life that prevented me from training?  

After I enjoyed the opportunity to sleep late on Saturday, I started to reflect on how I felt (physically, emotionally) without the option of going to the dojo.  Could I live like that?  I got news that the dojo was without power.  I began to worry.  How was the roof?  How was the power hook up? The mat? I was really looking forward to my next class.

Later in the week I was really feeling ready to get back but on Tuesday I had an accident while working out in a gym that required sixteen stitches in my leg.  The swelling went down, but I can’t risk messing around with the wound until the stitches are out.  I want to train. But I can’t. 

The only thing worse than having to negotiate against other obligations for training is not having the option of training.  

Organizing Response

Aikido training helps us prepare effective response to violence but how to respond to the Newtown attack?

Below are a number of links that provide some means of response.  They come from an education newsletter that is also listed at the very bottom.   Perhaps they offer a path to keep moving.


http://www.monroeps.org

The Newtown Alumni Fund is giving monies donated to the local Rotary Club Fund: (Newtown Alumni Fund, PO Box 3217, Newtown, CT 06470)

If you want to act, do something kind and share it via #26Acts, tweets about acts of kindness in memory of those lost.

And if you want to take a small step toward making our communities safer, join One Million Moms for Gun Control and write your Senators and Representatives.

https://www.edsurge.com/n/2012-12-18-opinion-compassion-courage


Sensei Don often said Aikido is a discipline of action not passivity.  Here is an essay I had broadcast on the subject of Newtown.  

http://www.ripr.org/post/hope-midst-tragedy

"Sensei" Murray

Just sharing this quote from today's New York Times's interview with Bill Murray:

". . . The more relaxed you are, the better you are at everything: the better you are with your loved ones, the better you are with your enemies, the better you are at your job, the better you are with yourself."

Well said Mr. Murray. 

See the full interview here: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/02/movies/bill-murray-star-of-hyde-park-on-hudson.html?smid=pl-share

Since Sensei Don’s passing, my training has been a little bittersweet.  He passionately wanted us to keep the dojo healthy and vibrant, and so we have.  Yet, we’re left to redefine our training in his absence even if we would have it otherwise.

A recent Saturday class with Sensei Mike felt like that foundation of healthy, vibrant training upon which our dojo is built.  Class was energizing.  We nearly had to go to three lines.  We had brand new students and many Sempai.  Everyone was extremely positive and focused.  The energy was palpable- I felt like we were gliding on the mat. 

I can’t wait until next class to move that passion forward. 

Knowing It All

Steve Blass, the former major league pitcher, often speaks about a syndrome for which he has unwanted fame.  One night, after years of being very successful, he came into a game and could not throw a strike for anything.  He struggled to regain his ability for a couple more years, but in essence his career was mysteriously over. 

Recently I was training with fellow Sempai and it came to light that I was not capturing center.  The technique was Morote Dori Kokyu Nage and for some reason, I just wasn’t getting it.  Was I having a moment like Steve Blass’s?  Something wasn’t right.  Working with sempai to find the glitch I was shocked when he pointed out my elbow positioning.  It was elevating in exactly the way I’ve coached people not to elevate.  

My question was, “Why am I doing that?”  It’s likely because of a new weight training exercise I added to my workout. The exercise requires the elbow to elevate in exactly the manner of my unsuccessful Kokyu Nage.  This has happened before when my tennis game has invaded my technique or my baseball swing overtakes Aiki Ken.  

That’s why knowing it all is never my goal on the mat.  I always focus on doing my best (the spirit of Bushido) while remaining open to the fact that my best can be better.  Feeling and feedback help to sort out my tennis game and baseball swing from effective technique.