Aikido as a way of life.

 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 .