Aikido as a way of life.

 Sometimes I get discouraged at the happenings in the world. I feel like I can't do anything about anything. Then I remember that every time I train, meditate or pray, I add to the peace of the world. Our actions matter. I believe that one day the tide will turn. One more person will add their positive energy to the world. Peace will be attained.   So rather than get upset about what is happening I focus on my training and patiently wait.

 I will be sixty five in a month. I just did an aikido class and finished by doing big rolls. I am astounded that I can do big rolls, fall easily and move the way I do. Aikido training for the last 35 years has enhanced my life in many ways. Here are 10 examples of how my life is made better by my training. 1. The movement of uke and nage feels like heaven here on earth. 2. Each class clears negativity out of me. 3. Endorphins are awakened in me through the physicality of class. 4. I am reminded each class that I can't change others but I can change myself. Uke moves more easily with nage when they are not forced but encouraged. 5. The exchange of ki energy makes me alive and happy. 6. I feel joyful in class and after. 7. I am reminded not to take myself too seriously. 8. I am reminded that I am not a victim and I have choices. 9.  I share a language of movement with others. This make me feels special and included in the flow of things. 10. I learn something new every class. I coul

 We are surrounded by energy. The natural world can restore us to sanity. I walk though the forest at my house. The light dapples through the trees. The mist glistens on the emerald leaves. Life surrounds me.  The love dove coos. Another responds. Coo coo. The chickadee says hoo ha. The wood pecker beats the dead tree with his beak. rat a tat tat.  I see deer, rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks and occasionally the bear. The turkeys trot though the yard cautiously. Twice we have seen a bobcat and a few times a coyote. Mr. Fox scurries about in the night. The world here is alive and so am I. Last night we had all the windows and the big doors open in the dojo. There was a quick storm. The thunder rumbled and the lightning flashed. The rain poured down. The air was muggy and hot. I was sweating before we started moving. At the end of class, after the storm, we were hot and sticky but it was cooler. The air felt fresh. Again, Aikido had cleaned me up from the inside out just as the thunderstor

 Each uke, in each moment is unique. By staying open and accepting what is, I can blend with anything. The second I begin to try to change another person, resistance occurs. I will remain steadfast and flexible to move freely in any situation.

 When I take in a deep breath it connects me to all that is. I look out into my yard to see the deep green of mid summer. The shadows are long and splotches of yellow seem to reflect the sunshine.  The whole day is opening to me. So many possibilities to see love, peace and beauty. Thank you for my life.  Being able to take in a deep breath is a magnificent gift. It fills our bodies with life. I am reminded that I am part of the universe. The distractions of the day will come and go. My breath is an anchor to what is real. Here and now. 

 My mind can be a negative place. I am grateful I have tools to hop into the positive flow of life. Sometimes I imagine myself swimming upstream. Then I have an aha moment, I turn over and float with the flow in the other direction. If you put a hand under uke's arm near their wrist and a hand on their shoulder then walk forward slowly in centered way, you will notice that uke willingly walks with you. When we do this exercise in class with a new student they are always surprised at how it feels (which is lovely) and how well it works. No one likes to be told what to do but when asked politely and gently, most people will go with the flow. Insisting, knowing, forcing doesn't work for me. Letting, understanding and blending are better options. Today I choose to be in the flow. 

 My home is surrounded by trees and rocks on top of a small hill on a quiet road. I have a view, a lovely yard, woods, wild animals and a place to park. I have clean water, heat, a washer and a dryer and AC. There is a dojo attached to my house.  Sometimes I forget that I am living in such a beautiful spot with all the amenities I need. This moment I am filled with peace, gratitude and awe at the gifts that are available for me. I am choosing to stay in the flow of the universe, accepting what is and being of service to those I may help. 

 How do I tap into the life force? I pray. I listen. I ready. I spend time in nature. I have good conversations.  And I practice aikido. Being here, now is so important. Every thing else, every time else is a missed opportunity. I have thoughts like: "why bother writing a blog that no one reads? Who cares about your thoughts?" I write my thoughts anyway. I care about my thoughts. Writing about my training helps me to clarify my thoughts and to believe in myself. If no one reads or cares, I have to just let it be.  Recently I asked some family members to read a book I am writing. Only one person responded. I have to write anyway. Maybe I'm just spitting into the wind and maybe some one will read and I will touch their soul in some way. I hope so. In the mean time, I will just write and leave the results up to the universe. I am in the flow. 

 I may never understand Aikido but I keep training. Each day I step onto the mat and see what happens. Keeping my mind open and my body fit is important to my training. I still can roll and fall at 65. Aikido is a life long practice for me. I hope to continue as long as I live. What I do know is that Aikido training has changed me. I have become more courageous and less foolhardy. I understand that people experience the world in  different ways. I love to learn and to teach. Aikido flows though me and fills me with peace. 

 Yesterday I felt a bit off all day. It was  hot and muggy. I haven't been sleeping great.  I took it easy at work. I kept my thoughts and feelings to myself except to tell Ron I was feeling off. We decided to have class upstairs. There's no mat but there is air-conditioning. We had an informal "no gi" class with 3 people on zoom. Right at the beginning of class while we were do ki exercises I felt the shift back to equilibrium. Even though I still felt hot and sweaty, my body relaxed and my breathing become normal. My spirit re-entered my body.  Aikido training restores me to sanity every time. When I do weapons, rolls or ki exercises by myself, I feel better.  After a class, where there is an exchange of energy and camaraderie, my mind, body and spirit are renewed. O' Sensei said "Aikido is medicine for a sick world." Yes! For me this is true. Every class renders me alive and free.

 Ki seems to be an un talked about concept or a magical power. For me, it is simply mind and body coordination. I am here, now. That is the simple idea and the mystical practice. There are so many distractions from here and now. When I realize that I am distracted by my own thoughts or by the world, my practice is to go back to my center and to check to see where my feet are. They are always right where they are supposed to be. I bring my mind back to the moment and I reflect all that is .

 When I first started training I didn't have much money. I paid dues when I could. When I couldn't, Ron let me train anyway.  At our dojo we charge dues. If someone can't pay, they can still train. We believe Aikido is for anyone that wants it. People contribute to the dojo by showing up  and participating.  When I think back over the years about all the students who have come and gone and a few who have come and stayed, it humbles me. There is a bigger picture. I don't understand why I have stayed with Aikido for so long and still love every class. I don't understand how I have watched so many situations unfold and learned not to take any of them personally. I put on my gi, my belt and my hakama, then I  walk into the dojo for another class.  I do understand that this is my path. Today I will continue to walk it. 

 To keep the focus on myself. Now there is a challenge. I like the metaphor of staying inside my own hula hoop. There are many temptations to drop the hoop and march right into someone else's stuff: mostly uninvited.  It happens more in my thinking than in my actions. The wandering of my mind into situations that I have no control over hurts me. I almost never do it in a positive way. My aikido practice reminds me if I move what I can, which is me, all will be well. I don't have to power over anyone or try to control the situation.  When I feel resistance, it's because I am trying to move uke. When I move myself, uke follows me naturally. It may look the same but it feels very different.  Forcing solutions has never worked for me. It may work for others but it has always gotten negative results for me. Now I let life happen to the best of my ability. I practice gratitude for what I have. I am hopping back into my hula hoop and enjoying the twirl of my own life.