Aikido as a way of life.

Language matters. Is it isolation or solitude?  Positive mind is cultivated through awareness, acceptance and then, action. I don't have to be happy with circumstances to accept them. I blend and move and feel whatever I feel. When I train on and off the mat I have choices. Aikido gives me a framework to apply to all situations when I am willing. It makes life interesting. We are having Zoom classes. They are fun and I feel connection with others when we are training together. I am looking at each day I am healthy and alive as a blessing. I accept what is and move on. I have been doing small ukemi most days and weapons training as well as Ki exercises. Ron just emailed out his Ki exercise form which I find very challenging especially when I try to do it slow and right. lol Each day I have enough for what I need and more. I am off to do my rolls. Hope you are enjoying your solo training, too.

I was explaining to a new student that as uke we get to be curious.  I demonstrated that when nage turns, I follow to see where they went giving nage motion and energy to work with.  Often an uke will just hang on to the wrist when nage turns or enters.  Nage does not have to do anything because the attack stops and there is no need to defend anymore. We work at simulating an open, inquiring attitude when we uke. Each time we step into the question. We don’t rely on what we think we know or what we expect to happen.  At work, I felt unheard and defensive. After class last Thursday it occurred to me that I could be curious about the situation. I don’t have to understand everything right away. I can stay open and follow. And most importantly just as in Aikido training I can celebrate the conflict. I don’t need to take it personally.  It is just another opportunity to be mindful and peaceful.  Such a challenge every day.  

Having a beginner in class is such a gift. As people who have practiced together for a log time we can go to sleep. You grab me I do this. You hit shomen, I do Tenkan.   It is all beautiful, graceful and lovely. I truly love it. A beginner brings back those eyes of: what if? How come? Literal questions and questions that rise from their movements. It gives us all an opportunity to celebrate the real and the now. To accept what is and move on. To enjoy the purity of movement not learned yet. Such potential is promised with beginners in class.

Each situation affords us a choice. We can focus on the negative and it becomes a problem. Or we can focus on one point and it becomes an opportunity to strengthen dependable feeling. Offer katate to uke and ask them to resist. Move forward. How does that feel? Now do it again...feel the resistance and then focus on your one point. Move forward, uke seems to disappear. Suddenly what could have been a problem provides us with a moment to connect with all that is. This practice is so simple and yet so profound in how it changes how we look at conflict.

Trust is the theme for the Berkshire Hills Aikido Fall Seminar this year. There are so many ways to think and feel about trust in Aikido. Trust yourself. Trust your uke. Trust your nage. Trust your technique. Trust your ukemi. Trust your process. Trust the feedback. Trust your perceptions. For example: Ron says, “Mary, move like this.” Me inside my head, “I did move like that. “ What I say out loud is, “It felt like I moved like that. Can you show me what I did? “Ron says, "sure'" and shows me. I cringe. That's not what it felt like to me. I trust his eyes over my feeling and work on his suggestion. I would love to hear your thoughts about trust and aikido.

At  Berkshire Hills Aikido we come as we are. If you train once a week, once a month or once a year; you are welcome. We train when we are sad, scared or broken. We are welcome when we can only watch or when we have to train in a limited way. If you have been training for 40 years somewhere else you are welcome here. If you have been training for 2 classes and feel completely lost you are welcome here. If you are having financial difficulties we will work with you. We believe that feeling safe in the world is important and that together we can change how we experience life. Berkshire Hills Aikido is a safe place where you can challenge yourself and grow stronger class by class. See you on the mat.

Wow...my neck was out just a little and it made my whole body hurt.... A couple of weeks ago Ron did a great throw and I met the mat sooner than I expected...the bell rang. I knew that I could take a good fall. I did bounce. Last Saturday, I was waiting for my balance to be taken. My nage got more tense. I felt that bad feeling of when you know it's more than a passing ouchie! All week was touchie ...then I awoke with a severe headache and a cordy neck. Ron did a little Kiaistu ...I could feel the pop. Later in the day Heidi, my Chiropractor Extraordinare completed the fix. Off to the river to throw away my fears and then home to write about parental forgiveness....I really love the process. The physical pain is just my body showing me that the progress is upon me!