Like the popper on a
bullwhip,
my hands arrive
last
and leave,
last.
Friday, December 16, 2011
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Two Hundred and Eight
I've had students who, when I would speak about the necessity of blending and harmonizing with uke in order to create Aikido, would assume that blending and harmonizing necessarily preclude violence; as though they're somehow mutually exclusive. They're not.
Blending and harmonizing refer to how I will interact with uke primarily with regard to our mutual motion. In blending with uke's motion I seek to avoid points of non-tangential intersection along our mutual paths. Successful blending gives rise to a harmonious relationship between uke and myself as it relates to our motion and connection. The result of this interplay of forces is that uke is taken off balance and guided to the mat where I will either disengage from him or seek to immobilize him via a pin or joint lock. The meeting of uke and the mat can be thought of as violent due to its ofttimes sudden materialization leading to the abrupt cessation of his motion. It is violent, and no less blendy and harmonious for being so.
Pins and joint locks involve pain due mostly to torquing and can also be thought of as violent. However, the violence is controlled in that I can bring uke to the point where further movement on his part will cause pain, and stop. If he ceases moving he will feel nothing while continued resistance on his part will induce a painful sensation at the point of application of the pin or lock. In essence he will be inflicting violence upon himself. His choice and a natural consequence of his aggression.
In Aikido blending and harmonizing are procedural ideas while violence can be seen as a consequence arising not out of nage's intention but as a result of uke's aggressive behavior.
Blending and harmonizing refer to how I will interact with uke primarily with regard to our mutual motion. In blending with uke's motion I seek to avoid points of non-tangential intersection along our mutual paths. Successful blending gives rise to a harmonious relationship between uke and myself as it relates to our motion and connection. The result of this interplay of forces is that uke is taken off balance and guided to the mat where I will either disengage from him or seek to immobilize him via a pin or joint lock. The meeting of uke and the mat can be thought of as violent due to its ofttimes sudden materialization leading to the abrupt cessation of his motion. It is violent, and no less blendy and harmonious for being so.
Pins and joint locks involve pain due mostly to torquing and can also be thought of as violent. However, the violence is controlled in that I can bring uke to the point where further movement on his part will cause pain, and stop. If he ceases moving he will feel nothing while continued resistance on his part will induce a painful sensation at the point of application of the pin or lock. In essence he will be inflicting violence upon himself. His choice and a natural consequence of his aggression.
In Aikido blending and harmonizing are procedural ideas while violence can be seen as a consequence arising not out of nage's intention but as a result of uke's aggressive behavior.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Two Hundred and Seven
I'm always finding new Aikido avenues to explore. Lately I've been experimenting with the idea that Ki extension must be accompanied by a relaxed body in order to be effective. The first time I had an inkling that this may not be quite the case was during a demonstration of weight underside. The exercise has 2 ukes, one on each side of nage, grasp nage's forearms and, together, try to lift nage off the floor. I usually demonstrate this exercise two ways. First with my arms held stiffly at my sides with elbows locked. My partners are able to lift me in that position. The second iteration I relax my body, especially my arms and shoulders, and as they lift I let their force circle around, without stopping at my shoulders, and feed it back to them in the form of downward pressure. My feet stay firmly planted on the mat.
As I have continued to practice this exercise I am noticing that it's getting more difficult for them to lift me even while I remain in the stiff armed position. After checking and confirming that I hadn't added 20 or 30 pounds of stealth weight I surmised that something else must be afoot.
I then began to practice the exercise totally stiff and found that I could indeed remain rooted to the mat with ease. To make things more difficult for myself I had my partners drop their centers below mine so they could lift from underneath my center of gravity using their legs and not their back muscles. Same result. In fact the downward force I feel is more evident and active from the stiff armed position. When they try to lift me my partners are literally driven to the mat by the force of their own energy.
I'm now experimenting with katate tori. I have my partner grab my wrist and push into my shoulder. I'm noticing that I can remain immovable regardless of my physical state, be it relaxed or stiff armed. I'll continue to explore this aspect of Ki development and application and most likely will have more to post about it in the future.
As I have continued to practice this exercise I am noticing that it's getting more difficult for them to lift me even while I remain in the stiff armed position. After checking and confirming that I hadn't added 20 or 30 pounds of stealth weight I surmised that something else must be afoot.
I then began to practice the exercise totally stiff and found that I could indeed remain rooted to the mat with ease. To make things more difficult for myself I had my partners drop their centers below mine so they could lift from underneath my center of gravity using their legs and not their back muscles. Same result. In fact the downward force I feel is more evident and active from the stiff armed position. When they try to lift me my partners are literally driven to the mat by the force of their own energy.
I'm now experimenting with katate tori. I have my partner grab my wrist and push into my shoulder. I'm noticing that I can remain immovable regardless of my physical state, be it relaxed or stiff armed. I'll continue to explore this aspect of Ki development and application and most likely will have more to post about it in the future.
Friday, November 11, 2011
Two Hundred and Six
My partner places her hands on my shoulders while facing me. The heels of her hands lie just below my collar bones, her fingers rest lightly on the tops of my shoulders. We begin by having her lightly push allowing me to stabilize my center and become acquainted with the general intensity and direction of her applied force. For her part, in addition to providing the force of her push, she will be learning to recognize when I have centered; it's easily felt. When she can feel my center she will apply more force to her push.
At this point the exercise diverges from the simple static Ki exercise from which it was derived. What I want to do is divide the force of her push in such a way as to make one side of her work against the other. I do this by creating a "positive" point for her to push against on one side and a "negative" point for her to fall into on the other. As a result, her arm pushing against my positive point will cause her shoulder to pop up while her opposite side arm will extend into what feels like a void even though she remains in contact with me continuously. As she corrects her compromised structure I will reverse the direction of my positive and negative points causing further disruption of her posture and balance. As I practice this exercise I can see how the shortening of her arm that pushes against my positive point causes her other arm to lengthen. This makes it difficult for her to apply any kind of effective force at my shoulders. (Note for uke, it's important to apply pressure continuously during this exercise.) With continued practice I will develop the ability to capture her push on contact and compromise her posture and balance from the outset.
I can vary the exercise by allowing myself to be pushed backwards. While moving I can experiment with creating positive and negative points in order to change direction on my terms or simply stop in order to allow myself to be statically tested. I can also have uke push my shoulders from behind or push at my hips from front or back.
At this point the exercise diverges from the simple static Ki exercise from which it was derived. What I want to do is divide the force of her push in such a way as to make one side of her work against the other. I do this by creating a "positive" point for her to push against on one side and a "negative" point for her to fall into on the other. As a result, her arm pushing against my positive point will cause her shoulder to pop up while her opposite side arm will extend into what feels like a void even though she remains in contact with me continuously. As she corrects her compromised structure I will reverse the direction of my positive and negative points causing further disruption of her posture and balance. As I practice this exercise I can see how the shortening of her arm that pushes against my positive point causes her other arm to lengthen. This makes it difficult for her to apply any kind of effective force at my shoulders. (Note for uke, it's important to apply pressure continuously during this exercise.) With continued practice I will develop the ability to capture her push on contact and compromise her posture and balance from the outset.
I can vary the exercise by allowing myself to be pushed backwards. While moving I can experiment with creating positive and negative points in order to change direction on my terms or simply stop in order to allow myself to be statically tested. I can also have uke push my shoulders from behind or push at my hips from front or back.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Two Hundred and Five
Uke is like an electron. Not the electron of Classical Physics, a hard little ball of indivisible stuff following a predictable path; rather the electron of Quantum Mechanics, until observed neither here or there but both, following a path(?) seemingly of its own choosing.
When I interact with uke I can assume nothing, expect nothing, predict nothing. Assuming, expecting, predicting all distance me from now. Uke can be neither right or wrong. He can't move too early or late. He can't be ahead of the technique or behind the technique. He can only be where he is, doing what he's doing, from moment to moment. Being in the now requires that I simply accept what uke offers me at any given moment. In so doing we provide the fertile environment from which technique may grow.
The moment we connect there is no uke, no nage, no we. Connection is the key. Though our roles are opposite they are at the same time complimentary, each necessary for the entity we become to be fully realized. A coin has two sides. Imagine a coin with no depth. Where is the line dividing one side from the other? Where is the distinction that differentiates me from uke once we have begun to interact?
When I interact with uke I can assume nothing, expect nothing, predict nothing. Assuming, expecting, predicting all distance me from now. Uke can be neither right or wrong. He can't move too early or late. He can't be ahead of the technique or behind the technique. He can only be where he is, doing what he's doing, from moment to moment. Being in the now requires that I simply accept what uke offers me at any given moment. In so doing we provide the fertile environment from which technique may grow.
The moment we connect there is no uke, no nage, no we. Connection is the key. Though our roles are opposite they are at the same time complimentary, each necessary for the entity we become to be fully realized. A coin has two sides. Imagine a coin with no depth. Where is the line dividing one side from the other? Where is the distinction that differentiates me from uke once we have begun to interact?
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Two Hundred and Four
Spirit is the boundary between mind and body. Mind provides intent, body provides mechanics. Spirit provides the interface whereby mind and body may work in harmonious synergy, blending their efforts, subsuming their individuality and realizing the state of mind/body. Spirit endows the mind/body unit with cohesiveness and structure. Spiritual power, in this case, is not measured in terms of the ability to perform work. Rather spiritual power is expressed by the strength of the mind/body unit.
Mind and body having achieved the state of mind/body are said to be coordinated. Correct feeling arises when I become aware of this state. When my spirit is healthy, strong and highly positive I am acutely aware of correct feeling. Conversely, when my spirit is ailing, weak and highly negative I have almost no awareness of correct feeling.
Aikido training first introduced me to these ideas. Prior to starting my training I had no inkling of the complex relationships of my three aspects. Continued training allowed me to slowly engender my awareness of correct feeling and begin to explore it within the context of interactions with partners on the mat. As my study deepens I can really delve into how my spirit regulates the interaction of my mind and body; how by strengthening my spirit I am able to forge an ever more integrated mind/body, thereby amplifying my awareness of correct feeling.
The realms, processes, realizations and relationships of mind, spirit and body may be distilled down to the single word - Ki.
Mind and body having achieved the state of mind/body are said to be coordinated. Correct feeling arises when I become aware of this state. When my spirit is healthy, strong and highly positive I am acutely aware of correct feeling. Conversely, when my spirit is ailing, weak and highly negative I have almost no awareness of correct feeling.
Aikido training first introduced me to these ideas. Prior to starting my training I had no inkling of the complex relationships of my three aspects. Continued training allowed me to slowly engender my awareness of correct feeling and begin to explore it within the context of interactions with partners on the mat. As my study deepens I can really delve into how my spirit regulates the interaction of my mind and body; how by strengthening my spirit I am able to forge an ever more integrated mind/body, thereby amplifying my awareness of correct feeling.
The realms, processes, realizations and relationships of mind, spirit and body may be distilled down to the single word - Ki.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Two Hundred and Three
"Like the balance embodied in the equinox, a balanced life and a balanced culture are both possible and necessary. In an act of cosmic irony tied closely to the celestial imperatives of the equinox, grand ideas coming out of science and cosmology are setting the stage for such a change." - The Tyranny of Modern Time by Adam Frank, posted 9/23/11 on 13.7 Cosmos and Culture.
I'm continually reminded of the close connection between Aikido and cosmology. Aikido presents me with a way of being in the world, a mechanism by which I can relate myself to the rest of creation on a variety of scales, both time and distance.
Aikido brings balance to my life which in turn helps bring balance to the culture, albeit at a "quantum" scale. I am one person in a roiling sea of humanity. One person who has achieved balance and lives in relative harmony amid the chaotic maelstrom of modern life. By providing a space for others to explore their Aikido and hopefully bring their own lives into balance, Mary and I contribute a little bit towards the further balancing of our culture. For if it's going to happen, if we're ever to rise above the pettiness that has crept into life in the Modern Age, change will have to come one person at a time.
The true nature of O Sensei's gift of Aikido is the ability to affect just such a change of attitude in the folks who undertake their study seriously. So while science and cosmology set the stage for the change on a cosmic scale, Aikido works on a much smaller scale engendering a new attitude at the level of the individual. I undoubtedly won't live long enough to see the emergence of a new cultural balance on anything like a grand scale but it's with some satisfaction that I can look back and say that I've contributed to its growth.
I'm continually reminded of the close connection between Aikido and cosmology. Aikido presents me with a way of being in the world, a mechanism by which I can relate myself to the rest of creation on a variety of scales, both time and distance.
Aikido brings balance to my life which in turn helps bring balance to the culture, albeit at a "quantum" scale. I am one person in a roiling sea of humanity. One person who has achieved balance and lives in relative harmony amid the chaotic maelstrom of modern life. By providing a space for others to explore their Aikido and hopefully bring their own lives into balance, Mary and I contribute a little bit towards the further balancing of our culture. For if it's going to happen, if we're ever to rise above the pettiness that has crept into life in the Modern Age, change will have to come one person at a time.
The true nature of O Sensei's gift of Aikido is the ability to affect just such a change of attitude in the folks who undertake their study seriously. So while science and cosmology set the stage for the change on a cosmic scale, Aikido works on a much smaller scale engendering a new attitude at the level of the individual. I undoubtedly won't live long enough to see the emergence of a new cultural balance on anything like a grand scale but it's with some satisfaction that I can look back and say that I've contributed to its growth.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Two Hundred and Two
It has been said that continued practice of something done incorrectly will not lead to any improvement. Interesting. The underlying assumption is that the incorrect practice is repeated over and over in exactly the same manner. That's not really practice though, is it? It's nothing more than mindless repetition. Practice entails iterations of performance, analysis, correction and refinement.
Aikido practice is a process of self discovery whereby I continually engender changes within myself via analysis of my performance so that I may make corrections to refine the totality of the interaction with my partner in order to improve my performance. Aikido is a wonderfully self correcting activity.
When I began my study I was able to rely on muscle power in order to effect the execution of technique. As I moved along the path and ukes became less willing to just roll over for me I had to find another way to perform that relied less on muscle and more on the principles of Aikido that were presented to me by Maruyama Sensei. In short, I had to find correct feeling, and once felt, strengthen and polish it. The process is like watching hair grow. The road from baldness to shoulder length hair is crystal clear in hindsight while altogether invisible day to day. Growth in Aikido and my attainment of correct feeling is the same; no "Ah ha, I've got it!!!" moment; just a gradual continual improvement due to daily practice.
To continue to grow I must practice mindfully in order to be able to analyze, correct and refine my performance.
Aikido practice is a process of self discovery whereby I continually engender changes within myself via analysis of my performance so that I may make corrections to refine the totality of the interaction with my partner in order to improve my performance. Aikido is a wonderfully self correcting activity.
When I began my study I was able to rely on muscle power in order to effect the execution of technique. As I moved along the path and ukes became less willing to just roll over for me I had to find another way to perform that relied less on muscle and more on the principles of Aikido that were presented to me by Maruyama Sensei. In short, I had to find correct feeling, and once felt, strengthen and polish it. The process is like watching hair grow. The road from baldness to shoulder length hair is crystal clear in hindsight while altogether invisible day to day. Growth in Aikido and my attainment of correct feeling is the same; no "Ah ha, I've got it!!!" moment; just a gradual continual improvement due to daily practice.
To continue to grow I must practice mindfully in order to be able to analyze, correct and refine my performance.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Two Hundred and One
We practice in a cooperative training environment. When I train with a partner we enter into an agreement to abide by the structure of the exercise in order that we may both derive the benefits afforded us by the practice. The agreement is simple.
If we are practicing say, shomen uchi kokyu nage, I as uke agree to attack with a shomen strike and not a yokomen strike or katate tori. I agree to attack and, when nage moves, follow in order to continue attacking. As uke I agree to attack without foresight, that is, to attack where nage is and not where I know he's going to be. When practicing static grabs I agree to regulate the power of my attack and operate within nage's ability to receive and deal with that power, regardless of nage's rank.
If I'm not thrown I don't fall. If my balance isn't compromised I keep it. If nage leaves openings I do not ignore them.
As nage I agree to regulate the power of my technique and operate within uke's ability to take ukemi, regardless of uke's rank. I agree to execute the technique we are practicing. I agree to move without foresight, to present a tangible target for uke's strike or grab. I agree to respect the energy uke is putting into the attack and treat the attack with the same seriousness as I would if there was real ill intent behind it.
If I don't follow through on my throw I expect uke not to fall. If I don't disturb uke's balance I expect him to keep it. If I leave openings I expect them to be exploited.
I and my partner work together to better ourselves and for the betterment of each other. Cooperation in training does NOT imply capitulation on the part of either participant.
If we are practicing say, shomen uchi kokyu nage, I as uke agree to attack with a shomen strike and not a yokomen strike or katate tori. I agree to attack and, when nage moves, follow in order to continue attacking. As uke I agree to attack without foresight, that is, to attack where nage is and not where I know he's going to be. When practicing static grabs I agree to regulate the power of my attack and operate within nage's ability to receive and deal with that power, regardless of nage's rank.
If I'm not thrown I don't fall. If my balance isn't compromised I keep it. If nage leaves openings I do not ignore them.
As nage I agree to regulate the power of my technique and operate within uke's ability to take ukemi, regardless of uke's rank. I agree to execute the technique we are practicing. I agree to move without foresight, to present a tangible target for uke's strike or grab. I agree to respect the energy uke is putting into the attack and treat the attack with the same seriousness as I would if there was real ill intent behind it.
If I don't follow through on my throw I expect uke not to fall. If I don't disturb uke's balance I expect him to keep it. If I leave openings I expect them to be exploited.
I and my partner work together to better ourselves and for the betterment of each other. Cooperation in training does NOT imply capitulation on the part of either participant.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Two Hundred
I stand in natural stance and my partner, standing in front of me pushes on my shoulder. Usual Ki development practice would have me remain immobile, letting the force of the push flow through me while I remain relaxed and centered. This exercise is structured differently. As my partner pushes I allow my upper body to rotate about my vertical center line even as I remain relaxed and centered.
I don't lead the push, I want to feel the force being continually applied as I move; feel how it is altered, how my partner changes her angle of attack as my motion bleeds her force off, how she recovers in order to maintain her pressure on my shoulder. And then I stop, staying relaxed and centered. I stand immobile for a time, absorbing my partners push, and then rotate back to my original position while still being pushed, remaining relaxed and centered. With repeated iterations of this exercise I will stop at different points along my arc of rotation, stand for a moment and then rotate back to the starting position.
What I find instructive about this exercise is that I'm not being moved by the push, I'm moving of my own accord, channeling the force of the push as though I am still immobile. Aikido is, after all, about motion; about keeping correct feeling while immersed in the whirlwind of conflict. Practicing these dynamic Ki exercises provides me with opportunities to experiment with forces without having to concern myself with the execution of technique. As I learn to manipulate forces while performing simple motions I can apply what I learn during waza practice to make my technique rely more on correct feeling and less on the application of forces applied to my partner in order to get her to do what I want.
I don't lead the push, I want to feel the force being continually applied as I move; feel how it is altered, how my partner changes her angle of attack as my motion bleeds her force off, how she recovers in order to maintain her pressure on my shoulder. And then I stop, staying relaxed and centered. I stand immobile for a time, absorbing my partners push, and then rotate back to my original position while still being pushed, remaining relaxed and centered. With repeated iterations of this exercise I will stop at different points along my arc of rotation, stand for a moment and then rotate back to the starting position.
What I find instructive about this exercise is that I'm not being moved by the push, I'm moving of my own accord, channeling the force of the push as though I am still immobile. Aikido is, after all, about motion; about keeping correct feeling while immersed in the whirlwind of conflict. Practicing these dynamic Ki exercises provides me with opportunities to experiment with forces without having to concern myself with the execution of technique. As I learn to manipulate forces while performing simple motions I can apply what I learn during waza practice to make my technique rely more on correct feeling and less on the application of forces applied to my partner in order to get her to do what I want.
Friday, July 29, 2011
One Hundred and Ninety-nine
When I was still in high school I spent a summer playing handball on Saturday mornings with my cousin. We would go down to a local park, slip on our gloves and bat that little black ball around for a couple of hours. Got so's we thought we were getting pretty good at the game; lots of sweat, huffin', puffin' and whatnot.
One Saturday as we were getting set to play a little old man shambled onto our court and asked if he could join us. Now it may be that I was seeing him through the eyes of youth, but I swear, that guy looked to be at least a hundred and seventy. We asked him to join us and inquired as to who he'd like to play first. As he was taking his gloves, which, if possible, looked older than he did, out of his pocket he looked up from under bushy eyebrows and matter-of-factly informed us that he would play us both at the same time. Amused, sure that we'd be back to playing each other momentarily, I tossed him the ball and bade him serve it up.
Two hours later we were dripping wet, sucking wind and thoroughly beaten. The old dude had barely broken a sweat when we finally threw in the towel. He chuckled, put his gloves back in his pocket, thanked us for the game and, back in his shambling gait, left.
Looking back I can see now that he played with mind/body coordination any Aikidoka would be proud of. He moved with economic grace and always arrived where the ball showed up using the least amount of movement. His shots were never more than an inch or two off the ground and almost impossible to return. Definitely minimum effort for maximum effect. As time wore on he grew, if anything, more relaxed and played with a joy that was not dependent on how he was performing.
In short, he embodied the four principles: Keep One Point, Progressive Relaxation, Correct Posture and Positive Mind. Aikido in daily life? It's all around me, all I have to do is open my eyes and look. And my Aikido doesn't have to end when class is over. I take what I have learned and practice each day to move through life with the same coordination of mind and body that I display on the mat. Life's just another opportunity to train.
One Saturday as we were getting set to play a little old man shambled onto our court and asked if he could join us. Now it may be that I was seeing him through the eyes of youth, but I swear, that guy looked to be at least a hundred and seventy. We asked him to join us and inquired as to who he'd like to play first. As he was taking his gloves, which, if possible, looked older than he did, out of his pocket he looked up from under bushy eyebrows and matter-of-factly informed us that he would play us both at the same time. Amused, sure that we'd be back to playing each other momentarily, I tossed him the ball and bade him serve it up.
Two hours later we were dripping wet, sucking wind and thoroughly beaten. The old dude had barely broken a sweat when we finally threw in the towel. He chuckled, put his gloves back in his pocket, thanked us for the game and, back in his shambling gait, left.
Looking back I can see now that he played with mind/body coordination any Aikidoka would be proud of. He moved with economic grace and always arrived where the ball showed up using the least amount of movement. His shots were never more than an inch or two off the ground and almost impossible to return. Definitely minimum effort for maximum effect. As time wore on he grew, if anything, more relaxed and played with a joy that was not dependent on how he was performing.
In short, he embodied the four principles: Keep One Point, Progressive Relaxation, Correct Posture and Positive Mind. Aikido in daily life? It's all around me, all I have to do is open my eyes and look. And my Aikido doesn't have to end when class is over. I take what I have learned and practice each day to move through life with the same coordination of mind and body that I display on the mat. Life's just another opportunity to train.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
One Hundred and Ninety-eight
The bokken and jo staff are excellent tools for training correct feeling. When doing solo work with the bokken or jo my aim is to connect with the weapon so that instead of "moving it" I move me and let the weapon trace a path through space that arises naturally from my motion. Strikes, blocks, slices, thrusts and the transitions in-between are executed with a minimum of hand and arm movements. My movements are continuous and I look to avoid retracing arcs with the weapon.
The weapons work I do is employed strictly for Ki development and physical conditioning. I decided many years ago that the probability of my getting into an altercation involving bokkens or jo staffs was reasonably minuscule and that perhaps alternative forms of weapons training would better suit me. Consequently I derived my method of practice and have abandoned conflict based scenario training. In addition, all the forms I employ are "off the cuff" in that none of them are worked out before hand. I never cared for fixed katas that had to be memorized like multiplication tables. I want my Aikido to be spontaneous and feel that long sequences of prearranged movements stifle spontaneity.
Below are a couple of short clips of some free form movement.
Bokken free movement
Jo staff free movement
The weapons work I do is employed strictly for Ki development and physical conditioning. I decided many years ago that the probability of my getting into an altercation involving bokkens or jo staffs was reasonably minuscule and that perhaps alternative forms of weapons training would better suit me. Consequently I derived my method of practice and have abandoned conflict based scenario training. In addition, all the forms I employ are "off the cuff" in that none of them are worked out before hand. I never cared for fixed katas that had to be memorized like multiplication tables. I want my Aikido to be spontaneous and feel that long sequences of prearranged movements stifle spontaneity.
Below are a couple of short clips of some free form movement.
Bokken free movement
Jo staff free movement
Friday, July 22, 2011
One Hundred and Ninety-seven
Solo Ki exercises are a core element of my practice. They aid me in developing focus and mastering the basic movements from which technique grows.
Ki testing enables me to gauge my progress in the strengthening of correct feeling. A Ki test involves my interacting with a partner. These tests require that my partner push, pull, lift or compress various places on my body while I either remain stationary or move with intent, in either case ignoring the pressure being applied. When I am the tester I am careful to apply force in such a way as to aid my partner rather than demonstrating to my partner how strong I am. Ki testing is a cooperative endeavor. My goal as tester is to help my partner grow stronger.
Ki tests also provide me with a set of exercises that I use to strengthen correct feeling. As my correct feeling grows stronger my partner will provide more and more force for me to deal with. This has the same effect as lifting weights does for my muscles; gradually increasing the amount of weight lifted will, over time, strengthen muscle tissue. Gradually increasing the amount of force I have to deal with in Ki testing will, over time, strengthen correct feeling. I have posted about this before, but the idea is so central to my development in Aikido that I feel it warrants repeating.
Ki testing enables me to gauge my progress in the strengthening of correct feeling. A Ki test involves my interacting with a partner. These tests require that my partner push, pull, lift or compress various places on my body while I either remain stationary or move with intent, in either case ignoring the pressure being applied. When I am the tester I am careful to apply force in such a way as to aid my partner rather than demonstrating to my partner how strong I am. Ki testing is a cooperative endeavor. My goal as tester is to help my partner grow stronger.
Ki tests also provide me with a set of exercises that I use to strengthen correct feeling. As my correct feeling grows stronger my partner will provide more and more force for me to deal with. This has the same effect as lifting weights does for my muscles; gradually increasing the amount of weight lifted will, over time, strengthen muscle tissue. Gradually increasing the amount of force I have to deal with in Ki testing will, over time, strengthen correct feeling. I have posted about this before, but the idea is so central to my development in Aikido that I feel it warrants repeating.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
One Hundred and Ninety-six
Synergy is the phenomenon in which the combined action of a coordinated mind and body is greater than the sum of their effects individually.
So, how do I develop correct feeling?
First I need to know what correct feeling is. Correct feeling arises when I have coordination of mind and body. Super, but what does it mean to have coordination of mind and body? Coordination of mind and body is the synergistic relationship of both that represents my strongest, most dependable state. When my mind and body are coordinated I am able to perform at my peak efficiency; I am said to have correct feeling.
It's important to note that correct feeling isn't an on/off state of being. I always possess mind/body coordination to some degree. Generally speaking, the closer my mind is to "now" the greater the degree of my correct feeling. Since my body is always in the present moment, the closer my mind approaches the moment, the greater are my mind and body coordinated. Carrying this further it can be seen that the degree of correct feeling approaches a limit defined by "now" since my mind must always lag behind the moment by some amount of time. If correct feeling is, therefore, the natural state of my being it would seem that there is no need for me to develop it. What is needed, and afforded by my Aikido training, is the ability to strengthen and enhance correct feeling.
When I first began studying Aikido there came a month in which classes were suspended. I decided to practice Ki exercises every day on my own until classes resumed. This decision, I believe, had a profound effect on my internalizing the idea of coordinated mind and body. Years later I went through a period of time when I neglected Ki exercises in favor of waza. It was during, what was dubbed by one of my students at the time, my "One Throw One Kill" period which, thankfully, I managed to outgrow. With my interest in Ki development renewed I have since made doing Ki exercises a twice daily routine. As a result, to borrow from and paraphrase a line from Bob Dylan: Ah, but I was so much younger then, older I'm stronger than then now.
For me the secret of strengthening and enhancing correct feeling was locked away in the relatively simple movements of the solo Ki exercises. These exercises allow me to focus my mind ever closer to the moment as my body performs the physical movements. Continued daily practice of these exercises enhances my Aikido experience and I strongly recommend to my students that they adopt this regimen for themselves.
So, how do I develop correct feeling?
First I need to know what correct feeling is. Correct feeling arises when I have coordination of mind and body. Super, but what does it mean to have coordination of mind and body? Coordination of mind and body is the synergistic relationship of both that represents my strongest, most dependable state. When my mind and body are coordinated I am able to perform at my peak efficiency; I am said to have correct feeling.
It's important to note that correct feeling isn't an on/off state of being. I always possess mind/body coordination to some degree. Generally speaking, the closer my mind is to "now" the greater the degree of my correct feeling. Since my body is always in the present moment, the closer my mind approaches the moment, the greater are my mind and body coordinated. Carrying this further it can be seen that the degree of correct feeling approaches a limit defined by "now" since my mind must always lag behind the moment by some amount of time. If correct feeling is, therefore, the natural state of my being it would seem that there is no need for me to develop it. What is needed, and afforded by my Aikido training, is the ability to strengthen and enhance correct feeling.
When I first began studying Aikido there came a month in which classes were suspended. I decided to practice Ki exercises every day on my own until classes resumed. This decision, I believe, had a profound effect on my internalizing the idea of coordinated mind and body. Years later I went through a period of time when I neglected Ki exercises in favor of waza. It was during, what was dubbed by one of my students at the time, my "One Throw One Kill" period which, thankfully, I managed to outgrow. With my interest in Ki development renewed I have since made doing Ki exercises a twice daily routine. As a result, to borrow from and paraphrase a line from Bob Dylan: Ah, but I was so much younger then, older I'm stronger than then now.
For me the secret of strengthening and enhancing correct feeling was locked away in the relatively simple movements of the solo Ki exercises. These exercises allow me to focus my mind ever closer to the moment as my body performs the physical movements. Continued daily practice of these exercises enhances my Aikido experience and I strongly recommend to my students that they adopt this regimen for themselves.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
One Hundred and Ninety-five
Mary had us do an interesting Ki exercise last night. It goes as follows:
My partner and I face each other and he puts both hands on my shoulders. He then begins to push me backward. I accept his push and walk backward as he continues to push. At some point I stop and from natural stance, with him still pushing, begin to walk forward. When pushing I should maintain an even, continuous push throughout. It's not a contest, my aim is to use the appropriate amount of force to maximize the benefit of my partner.
Points for me to work on while practicing this exercise:
My partner and I face each other and he puts both hands on my shoulders. He then begins to push me backward. I accept his push and walk backward as he continues to push. At some point I stop and from natural stance, with him still pushing, begin to walk forward. When pushing I should maintain an even, continuous push throughout. It's not a contest, my aim is to use the appropriate amount of force to maximize the benefit of my partner.
Points for me to work on while practicing this exercise:
- Connect with his center before contact is made and maintain that connection throughout the duration of the exercise (Keep One Point),
- Keep my body erect, don't lean in from the shoulders (Correct Posture),
- Slow down to a stop; this enables me to absorb the force of his push gradually instead of having to take it all on at once (Progressive Relaxation),
- When starting to move forward be aware of the primary direction of the force of his push and connect with it at an angle as I begin to move forward. Not directly engaging his power allows me to move forward with relative ease (Positive Mind).
With continued practice I will be able to:
- Strengthen my connection with his center,
- Improve my posture,
- Shorten the time it takes to slow to a stop,
- Improve my ability to ascertain the primary direction of the force of his push.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
One Hundred and Ninety-four
My mind/body coordination in the context of Aikido is revealing itself to be both increasingly complex and subtle as I delve deeper into my study. I was taught that my mind leads my body. Seems simple enough on the surface, my mind says "go there" and my body goes there. No problem, my mind leads my body.
There is a problem though. As soon as I enter into an interaction with my partner my mind ceases to issue orders. There is no "go there" or "do this" or "watch out for that" or "ah ha, yokomen, how about executing a shihonage?" or anything else. My conscious mind simply goes silent. The everyday mind/body duality vanishes and my coordinated mind/body meets and interacts with my partner according to the dictates of the situation. When my mind and body are coordinated there's no need for conscious thought before action; it's as though my consciousness becomes distributed throughout my body at a cellular level, like the group mind of the Borg from Star Trek only limited to just me. My body simultaneously initiates movement as it reacts to the movement of my partner without any conscious guidance or directives. The short version of this state is called correct feeling.
How I go about coordinating mind and body has to do with the differing natures of both. My physical body is always in the moment, at now. My awareness of the state and location of my body is always slightly behind the actuality of both due to the time required for the processing of sensory input. My mind therefore must always slightly lag my body when it comes to their relationships to now. To coordinate mind and body it is necessary for my consciousness to approach now as closely as possible and shrink the lag between sensory input and action. Training, therefore, is a process of honing my skill at approaching now. Coordinating mind and body when seen this way isn't an either you have it or you don't proposition. It becomes obvious that there are degrees of mind/body coordination and that the degree of coordination is dependent upon the speed which I am able to process sensory input. That speed is, in turn, a function of how close to now my consciousness is able to get. The closer my consciousness approaches now, the more I contract my conscious frame of reference and consequently the greater my awareness grows. As my frame of reference contracts I am subjected to less information requiring processing; and since my awareness has been magnified, this information is processed more quickly. Aikido study provides me with a complete syllabus for the development of correct feeling within the context of a martial art. Ki exercises, technique and their corresponding intellectual underpinnings are all designed to integrate mind and body and focus my intent on the goal of correct feeling.
Correct feeling is a state of being. To attain correct feeling and strengthen it has become the core of my practice.
There is a problem though. As soon as I enter into an interaction with my partner my mind ceases to issue orders. There is no "go there" or "do this" or "watch out for that" or "ah ha, yokomen, how about executing a shihonage?" or anything else. My conscious mind simply goes silent. The everyday mind/body duality vanishes and my coordinated mind/body meets and interacts with my partner according to the dictates of the situation. When my mind and body are coordinated there's no need for conscious thought before action; it's as though my consciousness becomes distributed throughout my body at a cellular level, like the group mind of the Borg from Star Trek only limited to just me. My body simultaneously initiates movement as it reacts to the movement of my partner without any conscious guidance or directives. The short version of this state is called correct feeling.
How I go about coordinating mind and body has to do with the differing natures of both. My physical body is always in the moment, at now. My awareness of the state and location of my body is always slightly behind the actuality of both due to the time required for the processing of sensory input. My mind therefore must always slightly lag my body when it comes to their relationships to now. To coordinate mind and body it is necessary for my consciousness to approach now as closely as possible and shrink the lag between sensory input and action. Training, therefore, is a process of honing my skill at approaching now. Coordinating mind and body when seen this way isn't an either you have it or you don't proposition. It becomes obvious that there are degrees of mind/body coordination and that the degree of coordination is dependent upon the speed which I am able to process sensory input. That speed is, in turn, a function of how close to now my consciousness is able to get. The closer my consciousness approaches now, the more I contract my conscious frame of reference and consequently the greater my awareness grows. As my frame of reference contracts I am subjected to less information requiring processing; and since my awareness has been magnified, this information is processed more quickly. Aikido study provides me with a complete syllabus for the development of correct feeling within the context of a martial art. Ki exercises, technique and their corresponding intellectual underpinnings are all designed to integrate mind and body and focus my intent on the goal of correct feeling.
Correct feeling is a state of being. To attain correct feeling and strengthen it has become the core of my practice.
Monday, May 2, 2011
One Hundred and Ninety-three
We had our annual Spring Fling seminar Sunday. The early morning grey cloud ceiling gave way to bright sunshine illuminating a cobalt sky, completely free of clouds, just as we began class. The temperature seemed to jump 10 or 15 degrees in a matter of minutes so we raised the overhead doors and windows to let in the light and warmth.
Mary and I chose "always practice the Art of Peace in a vibrant and joyful manner" (Ueshiba Morihei) as our theme. It seemed appropriate in light of the hard dark winter season that has finally given up it's ghost to the promise of renewal heralded by the arrival of spring. As I watched people practice throughout the three hours I saw smiles freely given and accepted. Warmth and good cheer suffused the room and was radiated out through the open doors and windows. The flowers on the lone forsythia bordering our woody back yard seemed just a little yellower and brighter; a trick of the light I'm sure.
Looking around at the people practicing together, laughing, smiling, supporting one another through the rough spots of this or that drill, finding their own Aikido in the midst of the group Aikido they're helping to create; I wonder if this isn't what O Sensei intended for Aikido to be. Did he envision Aikido as a way for people all over the world to come together in relatively small groups and practice his art in the spirit of friendship and cooperation? I hope so. It is, has been for 34 years and will continue to be the focus of my practice.
Mary and I chose "always practice the Art of Peace in a vibrant and joyful manner" (Ueshiba Morihei) as our theme. It seemed appropriate in light of the hard dark winter season that has finally given up it's ghost to the promise of renewal heralded by the arrival of spring. As I watched people practice throughout the three hours I saw smiles freely given and accepted. Warmth and good cheer suffused the room and was radiated out through the open doors and windows. The flowers on the lone forsythia bordering our woody back yard seemed just a little yellower and brighter; a trick of the light I'm sure.
Looking around at the people practicing together, laughing, smiling, supporting one another through the rough spots of this or that drill, finding their own Aikido in the midst of the group Aikido they're helping to create; I wonder if this isn't what O Sensei intended for Aikido to be. Did he envision Aikido as a way for people all over the world to come together in relatively small groups and practice his art in the spirit of friendship and cooperation? I hope so. It is, has been for 34 years and will continue to be the focus of my practice.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
One Hundred and Ninety-two
We sat in her Fire Room in the hour before dawn looking out over Deep Cut Gorge that made its way past her house eastward to the Great Ocean. The Long River Winding, wide though it was, appeared from here as a thin black line bisecting the snow covered valley floor in a series of S curves that gave it the appearance of a long snake meandering along on some errand known only to itself. The rising sun coming up over the edge of the Wide World would soon transform the snake into a ribbon of golden fire and paint the undulating snow covered sides of the gorge in that same hue for the few short moments when the angles of the its rays were just so.
Though the room was warm, heated as it was by a large fire in a pit centered in the room, she sat on the soft intricately patterned carpet swathed in a blanket of Weaver's finest wool. I sat by her side and while she stared at the slowly rising sun I looked at her. The Master of Anywhere returned my gaze not, she simply sat there, age wizened and composed, taking in the Dawning of Another Day.
"I am of the Morning, Student. The day delivers me from the draining darkness of the Night, the hollow blackness of which robs me of color and warmth. So here I sit each Morning to greet the sun to be replenished. I am old, Student. I have seen many, many Risings, each unique from all others, each an offering of another day of limitless possibility."
The sun crested the horizon and a line of fire seemed to run westward along the river. I said nothing. Slowly the faint ghost of a smile touched the corners of her mouth, brought forth, it seemed to me, as the memory of some long ago event in her life stubbornly wormed its way into her consciousness. I said nothing. Waited.
"I did not bid you hither Student and yet you are here. I shall take that as a sign that your arrival is not without purpose." Though her voice was barely above that of the hiss of gently falling snow she spoke still with the power of Command which relies on volume not a whit.
"I call you Student yet you are no student of mine, nor, I sense, of any other Master. You have chosen, like me, to trod your own path and hence are a Student not of any teacher, but of your Art." She sighed, a small sound deep in her throat. "It is a Solitary Road, is it not, Student?"
Without waiting for an answer she continued.
"I have many things to tell you Student. And, I fear, less time than I should like in which to speak my tale. You may well wonder why it is not one of my students sitting across from me instead of you. The answer is simple really, I have sent them all on their respective ways. Each carries a portion of my story, sees me as I was during their time with me. It is powerful imagery and I wish not to disturb it with counter and sometimes conflicting views of myself. But to you I will reveal the full story of my life, if, that is, you will be kind enough to sit and listen, for it is long in the telling."
I don't, to this day, know how long I spent with her listening to her autobiography. Time moves differently in Anywhere and the Master of Anywhere seemed in no particular hurry to complete her task. That I thought slightly out of sync with her statement that she had less time than she would like to spend in the telling. I let the thought drift away fascinated, as I was, with her narration.
As I walked with her down the corridors of her life I began to see the unfolding of her Art. A reflection it was of her being, its essence expressed in motion. So skillfully did she relate her history that I was able to delineate the different stages of the development of her Art. I saw how her Art was so very intertwined with who she was and how, as she grew and changed, so too did the Art she was simultaneously creating and living. At times I wondered whether I was hearing the story of a single person; so distinct were the personalities she rendered in the tale at the different stages of her life. No small wonder it was that her Students, let loose upon the Wide World, would eventually each present an Art representative of hers, while none would ever capture the full flavor, for that belonged to her alone and would pass out of the Wide World with her departure. So it must be with all Artists, I thought. An Art, after all, is not something the Artist does, it is something the Artist is; and that is-ness demands to be shared. And so it was with the Master of Anywhere; for beauty aches to be revealed and she must display it lest her Art fully consume her with its intensity.
I was vaguely aware of the passing of the seasons; the unfolding of hours, days and weeks being too continuously connected to be noticed. Winter passed and Spring arrived with melting snows and aromas of renewal. A day would come when no chill could be noticed on the breeze; the herald of Summer, all growth and bloom. The first blushes of yellow, orange and red appeared in the trees as Autumn announced its arrival, only too shortly, to give way once more to the barren beauty of Winter. And so it went, for how long I know not.
Each morning I would rise before dawn and seek her out in the Fire Room. Each morning I would find her seated, wrapped in her blanket, waiting. I took to varying my time of arrival and never once got there before her. When at last I was seated beside her she would pick up her story from where she had left it the previous day; so seamlessly, that I wondered if she was even aware of the interval of time that had elapsed between our Sittings. And then came a day I arrived in the Fire Room only to find it empty. In the place where she customarily sat wrapped in her blanket was an envelope; one word inked into its surface - Student...
Though the room was warm, heated as it was by a large fire in a pit centered in the room, she sat on the soft intricately patterned carpet swathed in a blanket of Weaver's finest wool. I sat by her side and while she stared at the slowly rising sun I looked at her. The Master of Anywhere returned my gaze not, she simply sat there, age wizened and composed, taking in the Dawning of Another Day.
"I am of the Morning, Student. The day delivers me from the draining darkness of the Night, the hollow blackness of which robs me of color and warmth. So here I sit each Morning to greet the sun to be replenished. I am old, Student. I have seen many, many Risings, each unique from all others, each an offering of another day of limitless possibility."
The sun crested the horizon and a line of fire seemed to run westward along the river. I said nothing. Slowly the faint ghost of a smile touched the corners of her mouth, brought forth, it seemed to me, as the memory of some long ago event in her life stubbornly wormed its way into her consciousness. I said nothing. Waited.
"I did not bid you hither Student and yet you are here. I shall take that as a sign that your arrival is not without purpose." Though her voice was barely above that of the hiss of gently falling snow she spoke still with the power of Command which relies on volume not a whit.
"I call you Student yet you are no student of mine, nor, I sense, of any other Master. You have chosen, like me, to trod your own path and hence are a Student not of any teacher, but of your Art." She sighed, a small sound deep in her throat. "It is a Solitary Road, is it not, Student?"
Without waiting for an answer she continued.
"I have many things to tell you Student. And, I fear, less time than I should like in which to speak my tale. You may well wonder why it is not one of my students sitting across from me instead of you. The answer is simple really, I have sent them all on their respective ways. Each carries a portion of my story, sees me as I was during their time with me. It is powerful imagery and I wish not to disturb it with counter and sometimes conflicting views of myself. But to you I will reveal the full story of my life, if, that is, you will be kind enough to sit and listen, for it is long in the telling."
I don't, to this day, know how long I spent with her listening to her autobiography. Time moves differently in Anywhere and the Master of Anywhere seemed in no particular hurry to complete her task. That I thought slightly out of sync with her statement that she had less time than she would like to spend in the telling. I let the thought drift away fascinated, as I was, with her narration.
As I walked with her down the corridors of her life I began to see the unfolding of her Art. A reflection it was of her being, its essence expressed in motion. So skillfully did she relate her history that I was able to delineate the different stages of the development of her Art. I saw how her Art was so very intertwined with who she was and how, as she grew and changed, so too did the Art she was simultaneously creating and living. At times I wondered whether I was hearing the story of a single person; so distinct were the personalities she rendered in the tale at the different stages of her life. No small wonder it was that her Students, let loose upon the Wide World, would eventually each present an Art representative of hers, while none would ever capture the full flavor, for that belonged to her alone and would pass out of the Wide World with her departure. So it must be with all Artists, I thought. An Art, after all, is not something the Artist does, it is something the Artist is; and that is-ness demands to be shared. And so it was with the Master of Anywhere; for beauty aches to be revealed and she must display it lest her Art fully consume her with its intensity.
I was vaguely aware of the passing of the seasons; the unfolding of hours, days and weeks being too continuously connected to be noticed. Winter passed and Spring arrived with melting snows and aromas of renewal. A day would come when no chill could be noticed on the breeze; the herald of Summer, all growth and bloom. The first blushes of yellow, orange and red appeared in the trees as Autumn announced its arrival, only too shortly, to give way once more to the barren beauty of Winter. And so it went, for how long I know not.
Each morning I would rise before dawn and seek her out in the Fire Room. Each morning I would find her seated, wrapped in her blanket, waiting. I took to varying my time of arrival and never once got there before her. When at last I was seated beside her she would pick up her story from where she had left it the previous day; so seamlessly, that I wondered if she was even aware of the interval of time that had elapsed between our Sittings. And then came a day I arrived in the Fire Room only to find it empty. In the place where she customarily sat wrapped in her blanket was an envelope; one word inked into its surface - Student...
Monday, April 4, 2011
One Hundred and Ninety-one
I am as poised
upon the head of a pin.
Oblivion stretches in all directions
away from me, vast, uncharted
unknowable in its totality.
At One Point
bits and pieces of
that expanse come together
to form me.
At One Point
I turn and expand outward
a perfect sphere of me-ness, Ki-ness.
As I breathe in
of the Universe am I born
as I breathe out
of me the Universe
receives its form.
We are distinct yet one
in constant synchronicity and
I am as poised
upon the head of a pin.
upon the head of a pin.
Oblivion stretches in all directions
away from me, vast, uncharted
unknowable in its totality.
At One Point
bits and pieces of
that expanse come together
to form me.
At One Point
is now,
perfect in its stillness
a point of transformation.
I turn and expand outward
a perfect sphere of me-ness, Ki-ness.
As I breathe in
of the Universe am I born
as I breathe out
of me the Universe
receives its form.
We are distinct yet one
in constant synchronicity and
I am as poised
upon the head of a pin.
Monday, March 21, 2011
One Hundred and Ninety
Disclaimer
This post concerns the 'connection' that occurs between uke and nage in Aikido. It is in no way a commentary on the topic of internal strength or internal power, choose the term you prefer, which I consider to be a totally separate issue.
Introduction
Connection is essential if Aikido waza is to be executed with aiki as opposed to the application of brute force alone. As such, it's important to examine ways in which connection between uke and nage can first be established and then strengthened so as to facilitate the application of technique.
This past weekend George Ledyard sensei conducted a seminar in Bedford Hills, NY that dealt with this topic. I was fortunate to be able to attend the Friday night class and examine the ideas and methodology behind George's exploration of connection in light of my own experience as an Aikido practitioner. To that end I decided that my best course of action was to leave my body of knowledge 'at the door', practice the exercises as closely to how they were demonstrated as possible and not fall back on what I would normally do when I got uncomfortable with material presented in new and unfamiliar ways.
Convergence and Divergence
Connection is the goal. How to learn to establish connection and execute waza with aiki (the spirit of connection) forms the foundation of a methodology of teaching that will eventually take the student to the goal. Until Friday night's class I had been exposed to a single teaching paradigm for learning to connect with uke's center in order to effectively execute technique. George's presentation brought to light another way of achieving the same goal. Afterwards, when comparing his take with my own experience I noticed that there were areas where our two paradigms converged and areas where they diverged. In the following paragraphs I'll attempt to delineate where these convergences and divergences occur.
The Paradigms
I'll refer to the operational methodologies of teaching and practicing connection as body-centric and feeling-centric.
Note - My opinions expressed herein about George's presentation are based on two short hours of instruction and the reader should be aware that I'm giving my recollection of what I heard and was shown. Please allow room for error.)
The body-centric approach, as presented by George, was illustrated by practicing exercises that required us to perform specific physical movements with 'intent' (unified body and mind) in order to connect with uke's center, and when successfully connected, go on and perform, say, a tenkan movement or ikkyo against a katate kosa tori grab. Implicit in the teaching was the idea that both uke and nage should reach for each others' center in a way that goes beyond the physical connection. The body-centric approach teaches both uke and nage effective mechanical means which, when coupled with intent, allows them to merge and unify their centers. The exercises George had us practice had the form of some of the paired Ki exercises that we have in our Ki syllabus but with the emphasis put on body mechanics and intent to achieve the desired outcome. I noticed that I had trouble when I had to execute moves in a specific sequence of steps as opposed to my normal way of moving which, for lack of a better descriptor, is all at once. A two hour class is too short a time for me to gather enough information to comment on this method of teaching/learning in any more than a cursory fashion.
The feeling-centric approach, as we practice it, requires the student enter into a process of self discovery via repetitious practice of paired Ki exercises in order to connect with his/her partner's center. Mechanical instruction is kept to a minimum beyond setting up the parameters of the exercise being performed. Like the body-centric approach, proper intent is required in order to unify body and mind in order to obtain this 'correct feeling'. Both uke and nage are encouraged to perform the exercise with the same goal in mind. The feeling-centric approach teaches uke and nage to merge and unify their centers by experimenting until correct feeling is achieved and the exercise can be repeated successfully over a number of iterations. Very little guidance is provided in the way of body mechanics. The student is encouraged to rely on what feels right for the given exercise. Subsequent repetitions of the exercise reinforce correct feeling and strengthen it. Learning this way requires that uke provide appropriate resistance based on the level of nage's ability. Uke will stress nage to the point of failure and then after holding there slowly push just slightly beyond.
Convergence/Divergence
The systems 'converge' at points in the list below.
This post concerns the 'connection' that occurs between uke and nage in Aikido. It is in no way a commentary on the topic of internal strength or internal power, choose the term you prefer, which I consider to be a totally separate issue.
Introduction
Connection is essential if Aikido waza is to be executed with aiki as opposed to the application of brute force alone. As such, it's important to examine ways in which connection between uke and nage can first be established and then strengthened so as to facilitate the application of technique.
This past weekend George Ledyard sensei conducted a seminar in Bedford Hills, NY that dealt with this topic. I was fortunate to be able to attend the Friday night class and examine the ideas and methodology behind George's exploration of connection in light of my own experience as an Aikido practitioner. To that end I decided that my best course of action was to leave my body of knowledge 'at the door', practice the exercises as closely to how they were demonstrated as possible and not fall back on what I would normally do when I got uncomfortable with material presented in new and unfamiliar ways.
Convergence and Divergence
Connection is the goal. How to learn to establish connection and execute waza with aiki (the spirit of connection) forms the foundation of a methodology of teaching that will eventually take the student to the goal. Until Friday night's class I had been exposed to a single teaching paradigm for learning to connect with uke's center in order to effectively execute technique. George's presentation brought to light another way of achieving the same goal. Afterwards, when comparing his take with my own experience I noticed that there were areas where our two paradigms converged and areas where they diverged. In the following paragraphs I'll attempt to delineate where these convergences and divergences occur.
The Paradigms
I'll refer to the operational methodologies of teaching and practicing connection as body-centric and feeling-centric.
Note - My opinions expressed herein about George's presentation are based on two short hours of instruction and the reader should be aware that I'm giving my recollection of what I heard and was shown. Please allow room for error.)
The body-centric approach, as presented by George, was illustrated by practicing exercises that required us to perform specific physical movements with 'intent' (unified body and mind) in order to connect with uke's center, and when successfully connected, go on and perform, say, a tenkan movement or ikkyo against a katate kosa tori grab. Implicit in the teaching was the idea that both uke and nage should reach for each others' center in a way that goes beyond the physical connection. The body-centric approach teaches both uke and nage effective mechanical means which, when coupled with intent, allows them to merge and unify their centers. The exercises George had us practice had the form of some of the paired Ki exercises that we have in our Ki syllabus but with the emphasis put on body mechanics and intent to achieve the desired outcome. I noticed that I had trouble when I had to execute moves in a specific sequence of steps as opposed to my normal way of moving which, for lack of a better descriptor, is all at once. A two hour class is too short a time for me to gather enough information to comment on this method of teaching/learning in any more than a cursory fashion.
The feeling-centric approach, as we practice it, requires the student enter into a process of self discovery via repetitious practice of paired Ki exercises in order to connect with his/her partner's center. Mechanical instruction is kept to a minimum beyond setting up the parameters of the exercise being performed. Like the body-centric approach, proper intent is required in order to unify body and mind in order to obtain this 'correct feeling'. Both uke and nage are encouraged to perform the exercise with the same goal in mind. The feeling-centric approach teaches uke and nage to merge and unify their centers by experimenting until correct feeling is achieved and the exercise can be repeated successfully over a number of iterations. Very little guidance is provided in the way of body mechanics. The student is encouraged to rely on what feels right for the given exercise. Subsequent repetitions of the exercise reinforce correct feeling and strengthen it. Learning this way requires that uke provide appropriate resistance based on the level of nage's ability. Uke will stress nage to the point of failure and then after holding there slowly push just slightly beyond.
For both paradigms, once connection is established it can be strengthened by increased force applied in the form of push, pull, lift, press tests or by gradually increasing resistance applied by uke in the direction nage is looking to move.
The systems 'converge' at points in the list below.
- Unification of mind and body
- Importance of moving with intent
- Establishment of center to center connection
- Non-reliance on muscle power
- Body mechanics - correct feeling
- Applying technique - letting technique emerge
- Application of control over uke - giving uke freedom of movement (within the context of staying safe)
With the exception of number 4, the systems converge at what I call soft points. Soft points are those aspects of Aikido that can be considered somewhat intangible due to the lack of physical representation. The systems diverge at what I call hard points. Hard points are those aspects of Aikido that possess real world existence. Hard points are the way of getting there, soft points become evident when I've arrived.
Summary
Note - Don't take the physics metaphors that follow too literally, in fact, don't take them at all literally.
The body-centric approach is a lot like classical physics in that given a set of initial conditions, with the proper application of mechanics within the structure of the idea framework, the desired result can be made to happen.
The feeling-centric approach is more like quantum mechanics in that due to the fluid nature of an encounter initial conditions do not necessarily indicate the exact direction of the eventual outcome. The nature of the uke/nage relationship is 'fuzzy' and the result is allowed to emerge as a consequence of the evolution of the action.
Thanks again George for a very stimulating two hours.
Thanks again George for a very stimulating two hours.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
One Hundred and Eighty-nine
"To me the problem of a notion of a theory of everything is that it implies we will eventually know everything there is to know," said Marcelo Gleiser, a physicist at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. "For me physics is a work in progress."
As our knowledge of physics grows like an island, he said, so too will the "shores of ignorance increase." Thus there will always be more to know, bigger questions, greater areas of uncertainty.
From - Is there anything to the 'Theory of Everything'? - By Clara Moskowitz, posted on msnbc 3/9/2011.
From - Is there anything to the 'Theory of Everything'? - By Clara Moskowitz, posted on msnbc 3/9/2011.
Aikido is like physics in that it's still a work in progress. As Aikido ages and evolves, like the island of physics, so too will the shores of Aikido's applicability continue to expand, offering new realms of exploration to the practitioner.
As I continue to practice and learn, I question my execution of technique, question my ability to form connections with my partners, question the nature of Ki and how it manages to manifest when my mind and body are coordinated, question..., question..., question... As my knowledge becomes deeper Aikido presents me with ever more complex questions and thus, while I continue to seek it, I feel mastery will for ever elude my grasp. To fully master Aikido I should have to directly experience 'now' fully coordinated in mind, body and spirit. This, however, is impossible by definition. And this is as it should be. How dreadfully dull would continued practice be were I to attain full mastery of this art.
So it's with great joy that I know I have a full lifetime ahead of me in which to uncover the treasures that Aikido training has in store for me. And that each treasure I unlock will invariably provide not just an answer but another question as well. My quest continues...
Sunday, March 6, 2011
One Hundred and Eighty-eight
Mastering simultaneous leading and following uke is important if I wish to practice Aikido techniques with a minimum amount of invasive intrusion into uke's space and little or no control of uke's movement. On the surface it appears that minimally invading uke's space and not controlling uke's motion run counter to the idea that the object of executing Aikido technique is to absolutely control every aspect of the encounter with uke.
For me to willingly forgo the notion of control I have to accept the fact that, once entered into, an interaction with my partner will assume any of a wide variety of forms. Even within structured technique practice with the same partner each iteration will differ from all the rest in some respect. Motion vectors, speed, intensity, intent, connection; are some of the variables that will have different values with each round of execution. If I'm not going to control uke how then can I successfully execute technique?
Simultaneous leading and following enables me to achieve what I refer to as congruent motion with my partner. When we have congruent motion our movement is in perfect harmony where there are no opposing forces to block, deflect or otherwise deal with. Since I'm not doing anything to uke in order to get him to do what I want, he has nothing to resist against. Our trajectories coincide and the "our" disappears, subsumed by connection. With the disappearance of "our" so too does the need for control vanish. The technique and its logical conclusion grow out of the motion naturally. Techniques that grow out of congruent motion feel effortless; touch is kept to a minimum yet uke is taken to the mat as inexorably as if a mountain had fallen on him. For me, this is the essence of "soft" Aikido.
For me to willingly forgo the notion of control I have to accept the fact that, once entered into, an interaction with my partner will assume any of a wide variety of forms. Even within structured technique practice with the same partner each iteration will differ from all the rest in some respect. Motion vectors, speed, intensity, intent, connection; are some of the variables that will have different values with each round of execution. If I'm not going to control uke how then can I successfully execute technique?
Simultaneous leading and following enables me to achieve what I refer to as congruent motion with my partner. When we have congruent motion our movement is in perfect harmony where there are no opposing forces to block, deflect or otherwise deal with. Since I'm not doing anything to uke in order to get him to do what I want, he has nothing to resist against. Our trajectories coincide and the "our" disappears, subsumed by connection. With the disappearance of "our" so too does the need for control vanish. The technique and its logical conclusion grow out of the motion naturally. Techniques that grow out of congruent motion feel effortless; touch is kept to a minimum yet uke is taken to the mat as inexorably as if a mountain had fallen on him. For me, this is the essence of "soft" Aikido.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
One Hundred and Eighty-seven
This is not the post I had planned to write. When I began Being, Essence & Motion my intent was to share my experience of Aikido with whoever stumbled across my blog and found the recollections my journey interesting enough to spend some time reading them. The choice to keep this narrative in the first person is deliberate. This structure seems the most logical given that I simply want to relate how the study of Aikido has affected and continues to affect me. It also affords me the most ample opportunity to avoid the words "you" and "should" which seem all to prevalent in most of what I read about Aikido.
As anyone who has spent some time with me here probably knows, I consider myself a teacher of Aikido in only the loosest sense of the word. I am, first and foremost, a story teller. And the story I tell is of my time upon this path called Aikido. I share my learning experience with the kind folks who come to our dojo to find their own Aikido. Mary has been studying with me for twenty-three years, Dora, Charley, Jocelyn, Linda (the oldest living member of our group at 66) and Alice are all approaching the twenty year mark. All of my students, no matter their level of experience, have something to teach me and I am so grateful that they are willing to allow me to learn from them.
As I began to write what I originally intended to write an image of someone, from whom I have learned much though we have never met except in the pixilated world of the internet, popped into my head. His name is Francis Takahashi. From what I have read of his writings on AikiWeb I find him to be a man of strong opinions gently presented who manages to always enter a thread, no matter how heatedly being discussed, with a voice both reasonable and compassionate. His method of presentation is truly inspiring, bringing to life the true spirit of Aiki. This post is the result of that momentary diversion from the ill thoughts I had been harboring and planning to write about. Thank you Francis.
As anyone who has spent some time with me here probably knows, I consider myself a teacher of Aikido in only the loosest sense of the word. I am, first and foremost, a story teller. And the story I tell is of my time upon this path called Aikido. I share my learning experience with the kind folks who come to our dojo to find their own Aikido. Mary has been studying with me for twenty-three years, Dora, Charley, Jocelyn, Linda (the oldest living member of our group at 66) and Alice are all approaching the twenty year mark. All of my students, no matter their level of experience, have something to teach me and I am so grateful that they are willing to allow me to learn from them.
As I began to write what I originally intended to write an image of someone, from whom I have learned much though we have never met except in the pixilated world of the internet, popped into my head. His name is Francis Takahashi. From what I have read of his writings on AikiWeb I find him to be a man of strong opinions gently presented who manages to always enter a thread, no matter how heatedly being discussed, with a voice both reasonable and compassionate. His method of presentation is truly inspiring, bringing to life the true spirit of Aiki. This post is the result of that momentary diversion from the ill thoughts I had been harboring and planning to write about. Thank you Francis.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
One Hundred and Eighty-six
Me, a blank canvas, a few brushes, a pallet and some tubes of oil paint. That's it. There are times when I'll go in with an idea that I want to render; other times I'll just start with a sky and follow where the painting leads me. Even when I have an idea to begin with the end result always looks substantially different. I have found that the needs of the work cannot be ignored. The painting always grows out of my interaction with my materials; but at the same time calls me to move in a certain direction. A painting is always more than the sum of its parts.
Me, a partner and a mat surface. That's it. There are times when we practice a prearranged routine employing a specific technique; other times we'll start with an attack and see what unfolds. Even when we our practice is prearranged the end result is always a unique rendering of our motion in time and space. I have found that the logic of our combined movement cannot be ignored. The technique grows out of our movement; but at the same time calls to us to move in such a way as to assure its appearance. Aikido is always more than the sum of its parts.
Me, a partner and a mat surface. That's it. There are times when we practice a prearranged routine employing a specific technique; other times we'll start with an attack and see what unfolds. Even when we our practice is prearranged the end result is always a unique rendering of our motion in time and space. I have found that the logic of our combined movement cannot be ignored. The technique grows out of our movement; but at the same time calls to us to move in such a way as to assure its appearance. Aikido is always more than the sum of its parts.
Monday, February 21, 2011
One Hundred and Eighty-five
We move before the motion begins,
silent signals sent and received
trigger acknowledgement of impending aggression,
our paths though predetermined
nevertheless are always different.
At the the tipping point of our interaction
when we've come together our movements coincident,
in frictionless agreement
we rush headlong to the logical conclusion of our encounter.
With correct feeling there's no need to control
congruence is coalescing,
our motions in sync conflict converted to cooperation.
silent signals sent and received
trigger acknowledgement of impending aggression,
our paths though predetermined
nevertheless are always different.
At the the tipping point of our interaction
when we've come together our movements coincident,
in frictionless agreement
we rush headlong to the logical conclusion of our encounter.
With correct feeling there's no need to control
congruence is coalescing,
our motions in sync conflict converted to cooperation.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
One Hundred and Eighty-four
For as long as I viewed the person across from me on the mat as an attacker I had something to win or lose as a result of our encounter. After all, attackers attack do they not? And attacks are launched with the intention of gain; be it control of the opponent's behavior, the infliction of injury, the imposition of one's will on another, intimidation, the inducement of fear... As the defender I had a very specific duty to not give up anything to this person who wanted to wrest whatever it was from me by force. A very simple calculus; the attacker wants and so attacks, I seek to deny the wants of the attacker and so defend. A binary outcome then, I prevail and win or the attacker prevails and I lose. I could not see it any other way. There was, however, a small problem.
I was learning a martial art the philosophy of which, as was slowly presented to me, was totally at odds with my ideas regarding how to deal with a conflict situation. I mean really, harmonizing, blending, least possible harm, being one with the attacker and all that? Please, someone attacks you blow his ass away and be done with it... no? Concepts like keep one point, progressive relaxation, positive mind, correct posture (that one, at least, made sense right off), not relying on muscle power to overcome an opponent... seemed more like guidelines for meditation than a way to fight. Aikido is a martial art, right? And martial arts are all about fighting and overcoming, right?
What drew me to Aikido in the first place was the promise of Power. Power that wasn't generated by muscles, something I already had plenty of thanks to years of dedicated lifting. No this Power was a product of something called Ki and could be learned and applied by anyone. Small people could defend themselves against much larger folks by using the energy of the attack against the attacker, taking the attackers balance and with a calm unified mind and body throw them with ease. Well, so the pitch went in all the books about Aikido I had read. Trouble was, however, this Power wasn't something that could be discovered solely by repetitious practice of technique. I had to dig deeper than the physical practice, had to open myself up to new ideas about what it meant to be powerful.
So here I was having to, of all things, look inside myself; forced to wade into the morass and face all the angels and demons running around in there. Gradually, as I sorted through the mess, something coherent and solid emerged from the maelstrom; my center and the first inklings of what it felt like to have mind and body coordinated. As I became adept at conjuring up this "correct feeling", for in the early stages of my training it sure felt like conjuring, I could feel the changes being wrought in me. I experienced the very different strength that comes from having mind and body coordinated.
The most amazing change of all, at least on a personal level, was that I no longer saw the person opposite me as an attacker. After all how could I view the gift of that energy and trust my partner was giving me as an attack? With the dissolution of the partner as attacker image so too did I no longer see myself as a defender; having, I realized, nothing to defend. With no one attacking and nothing to defend I could see that there was no reason to fight. Protecting myself and fighting were no longer synonymous.
Since the first day I stepped on the mat my Aikido practice has continued to sculpt me. Along the way, in my role as an instructor I have come into contact with many people who have taken time out of their lives to share my study of Aikido. Most have moved on, some remain, some have gone on to become instructors themselves. Each person like a falling raindrop into a still pool of water, adds his or her own ripples to the pool and so Aikido spreads, one person at a time. Thus is the future of Aikido assured.
I was learning a martial art the philosophy of which, as was slowly presented to me, was totally at odds with my ideas regarding how to deal with a conflict situation. I mean really, harmonizing, blending, least possible harm, being one with the attacker and all that? Please, someone attacks you blow his ass away and be done with it... no? Concepts like keep one point, progressive relaxation, positive mind, correct posture (that one, at least, made sense right off), not relying on muscle power to overcome an opponent... seemed more like guidelines for meditation than a way to fight. Aikido is a martial art, right? And martial arts are all about fighting and overcoming, right?
What drew me to Aikido in the first place was the promise of Power. Power that wasn't generated by muscles, something I already had plenty of thanks to years of dedicated lifting. No this Power was a product of something called Ki and could be learned and applied by anyone. Small people could defend themselves against much larger folks by using the energy of the attack against the attacker, taking the attackers balance and with a calm unified mind and body throw them with ease. Well, so the pitch went in all the books about Aikido I had read. Trouble was, however, this Power wasn't something that could be discovered solely by repetitious practice of technique. I had to dig deeper than the physical practice, had to open myself up to new ideas about what it meant to be powerful.
So here I was having to, of all things, look inside myself; forced to wade into the morass and face all the angels and demons running around in there. Gradually, as I sorted through the mess, something coherent and solid emerged from the maelstrom; my center and the first inklings of what it felt like to have mind and body coordinated. As I became adept at conjuring up this "correct feeling", for in the early stages of my training it sure felt like conjuring, I could feel the changes being wrought in me. I experienced the very different strength that comes from having mind and body coordinated.
The most amazing change of all, at least on a personal level, was that I no longer saw the person opposite me as an attacker. After all how could I view the gift of that energy and trust my partner was giving me as an attack? With the dissolution of the partner as attacker image so too did I no longer see myself as a defender; having, I realized, nothing to defend. With no one attacking and nothing to defend I could see that there was no reason to fight. Protecting myself and fighting were no longer synonymous.
Since the first day I stepped on the mat my Aikido practice has continued to sculpt me. Along the way, in my role as an instructor I have come into contact with many people who have taken time out of their lives to share my study of Aikido. Most have moved on, some remain, some have gone on to become instructors themselves. Each person like a falling raindrop into a still pool of water, adds his or her own ripples to the pool and so Aikido spreads, one person at a time. Thus is the future of Aikido assured.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
One Hundred and Eighty-three
Correct feeling can be viewed as an end state of sorts; an amalgamation of principles and practice. I like to think of correct feeling engendered by coordination of body/mind as correct feeling of primary degree. There are higher degrees of correct feeling. Correct feeling of secondary degree is coordinated body/mind/spirit. Correct feeling of tertiary degree is coordination of body/mind/spirit/universe.
Each degree of correct feeling is marked by an awakening. For me the awakening to coordination of body/mind didn't happen suddenly. It was a process, painfully slow at times, or so it seems now in retrospect, that unfolded over years of practice. At some point I was able to notice a marked difference in my Aikido, a sharply delineated change in how I felt on the mat and how my partners felt when practicing with me.
Currently I am in the process of awakening to coordination of body/mind/spirit. Having pretty much stumbled through the first level of correct feeling I was able to become aware of it only in hindsight. Now, thanks to that experience, I am aware of changes in myself much closer to real-time. And while the road ahead always seems to be leading me around a blind curve, I at least know I'm moving towards something; as David Bowman tells Dr. Haywood Floyd in 2010: Odyssey Two, "something wonderful".
So much to learn, and a whole life ahead of me to discover it.
Each degree of correct feeling is marked by an awakening. For me the awakening to coordination of body/mind didn't happen suddenly. It was a process, painfully slow at times, or so it seems now in retrospect, that unfolded over years of practice. At some point I was able to notice a marked difference in my Aikido, a sharply delineated change in how I felt on the mat and how my partners felt when practicing with me.
Currently I am in the process of awakening to coordination of body/mind/spirit. Having pretty much stumbled through the first level of correct feeling I was able to become aware of it only in hindsight. Now, thanks to that experience, I am aware of changes in myself much closer to real-time. And while the road ahead always seems to be leading me around a blind curve, I at least know I'm moving towards something; as David Bowman tells Dr. Haywood Floyd in 2010: Odyssey Two, "something wonderful".
So much to learn, and a whole life ahead of me to discover it.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
One Hundred and Eighty-two
Correct feeling (a concept originated by, to the best of my knowledge, Maruyama Shuji Sensei, founder of Kokikai Aikido) is a quality I possess that is directly related to coordination of mind and body. So what is coordination of mind and body? Well, to begin with, coordination of mind and body isn't an either you have it or you don't proposition. There are varying degrees of coordination I may have depending on the circumstances. Generally, I am more coordinated when my mind is closer to "now" than when it isn't. My strongest possible state, at which I can perform closest to my realizable potential, is when correct feeling is maximized.
By way of review, my body is always perfectly in the moment (at now). While my mind is perfectly free to roam moments past and contemplate possible moments future it is permanently locked out of the current moment for two reasons. First, now has no extension in either space or time. So the question "how long is a moment?" is as meaningless as asking "how wide is a number on the real number line?". Second, my mind cannot directly experience reality, it must rely on sensory input to form an approximation of reality. This takes time which means moments have to pass before my mind catches up with the reality that was. The reality that is exists just slightly ahead of my perception of it.
Perfect coordination of mind and body would have both mind and body in the moment (at now) simultaneously. But, as can be seen in the preceding paragraph, this is for all practical purposes impossible. What is possible is for my mind to approach now virtually without limit, hence the varying degrees of mind/body coordination.
The degree of coordination of mind and body is the difference between now and my perception of it. Correct feeling then is seen to be a variable quality that is based on my degree of mind/body coordination at any given time. Correct feeling can be thought of as "strong" when the degree of mind/body coordination is high and "weak" when low.
Practicing Ki exercises allows me to: get in touch with how I feel when mind and body are coordinated to varying degrees, strengthen correct feeling by increasing the degree of mind/body coordination via repetitive iterations under increased force loads and learn to manipulate my degree of mind/body coordination by purposely shifting my awareness to and away from my center. Daily Ki development training has enhanced my Aikido and allowed me to experience Aikido on a deeper level that I would otherwise experience it without this practice.
By way of review, my body is always perfectly in the moment (at now). While my mind is perfectly free to roam moments past and contemplate possible moments future it is permanently locked out of the current moment for two reasons. First, now has no extension in either space or time. So the question "how long is a moment?" is as meaningless as asking "how wide is a number on the real number line?". Second, my mind cannot directly experience reality, it must rely on sensory input to form an approximation of reality. This takes time which means moments have to pass before my mind catches up with the reality that was. The reality that is exists just slightly ahead of my perception of it.
Perfect coordination of mind and body would have both mind and body in the moment (at now) simultaneously. But, as can be seen in the preceding paragraph, this is for all practical purposes impossible. What is possible is for my mind to approach now virtually without limit, hence the varying degrees of mind/body coordination.
The degree of coordination of mind and body is the difference between now and my perception of it. Correct feeling then is seen to be a variable quality that is based on my degree of mind/body coordination at any given time. Correct feeling can be thought of as "strong" when the degree of mind/body coordination is high and "weak" when low.
Practicing Ki exercises allows me to: get in touch with how I feel when mind and body are coordinated to varying degrees, strengthen correct feeling by increasing the degree of mind/body coordination via repetitive iterations under increased force loads and learn to manipulate my degree of mind/body coordination by purposely shifting my awareness to and away from my center. Daily Ki development training has enhanced my Aikido and allowed me to experience Aikido on a deeper level that I would otherwise experience it without this practice.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
One Hundred and Eighty-one
That I can directly experience correct feeling when I engage in Ki training via Ki exercises precludes a need for understanding how it works. Internalizing correct feeling enables me to not only replicate the results but, with continued training, strengthen my ability to do so under applications of increased force.
Correct feeling is a synergy of mind and body.
With correct feeling I am able to deal with forces applied to my body that would cause me to lose balance were I using muscle alone. With correct feeling I am able to realize my maximum potential and attain my strongest possible state. With correct feeling my structure becomes more dependable than my physical structure alone. With correct feeling I am able to maintain a calm mind and relaxed body when presented with a potentially stressful situation. With correct feeling Aikido happens in and of its own accord; I do not have to make it happen. With correct feeling I am able to move in concert with my partner without the need to control the encounter.
Correct feeling is a synergy of mind and body.
With correct feeling I am able to deal with forces applied to my body that would cause me to lose balance were I using muscle alone. With correct feeling I am able to realize my maximum potential and attain my strongest possible state. With correct feeling my structure becomes more dependable than my physical structure alone. With correct feeling I am able to maintain a calm mind and relaxed body when presented with a potentially stressful situation. With correct feeling Aikido happens in and of its own accord; I do not have to make it happen. With correct feeling I am able to move in concert with my partner without the need to control the encounter.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
One Hundred and Eighty
Below I've listed all of the Ki development exercises that we practice at our dojo (it is possible that there are a couple that I have neglected to include; the list keeps growing as Mary and I look for ways to challenge ourselves and our students). We use these exercises as teaching tools to help students grow in the following areas: how to establish and enhance correct feeling associated with coordination of mind and body, development and strengthening of correct feeling while stationary or in motion, body core strengthening, introduction to technique basic movements, increased awareness of moving from the center, a way of moving such that the extremities arrive and leave last, establish and maintain a connection with a partner while stationary or in motion, having body parts move independently while simultaneously maintaining a unified structure, there's more but you get the idea. The exercises all are designed to have the student look inside and realize that strength is generated from the coordination of mind/body.
When I began my training I thought these exercises were to be used for warming up and pretty much missed the point. I'd go through the motions always looking to get to technique which I thought of as the real stuff. Looking back I laugh, realizing now that the very purpose of the exercises was the mind/body coordination that I was defeating in my zeal to get to technique practice. When that all changed I began to get "heavy"...
Ki Development Exercises
Solo –
1. Rowing motion
2. Ikkyo one direction
3. Ikkyo two directions
4. Ikkyo four directions
5. Ikkyo eight directions
6. Sayu undo
7. Sayu undo with side step
8. Swing arms side to side
9. Forward extension
10. Roll backward come back to sitting
11. Roll backward and stand
12. Wrist curl
13. Low wrist break
14. High wrist break
15. Wrist stretches
16. Tenkan
17. Irimi
18. Ude furi undo
19. Forward & back rolls (large & small)
20. Empty hand free movement
Partnered Stationary –
1. Unbendable arm
2. Immovable arm from outside
3. Immovable arm from inside
4. Weight underside
5. Vertical arm lift/pull
6. Collarbone push
7. Lower back push
8. Upper back push
9. Upper chest push
10. Kata tori push left & right stances
11. Kata tori push natural stance
12. Kata tori push one foot
13. Katate tori push left & right stances
14. Katate tori push natural stance
15. Katate tori push one foot
16. Ryote tori push left & right stances
17. Ryote tori push natural stance
18. Ryote tori push one foot
19. Upper arm grab bring along
20. Chin lift
21. Seiza front push
22. Seiza rear push
23. Seiza knee lift
24. Seiza hand lift
25. Seiza head push
26. Ukemi front push
27. Resist roll back and stand
28. Palm to palm stiff arm push left & right stances
29. Palm to palm stiff arm push natural stance
30. Palm to palm stiff arm push one foot
31. Palms to palms unbendable arm push left & right stances
32. Palms to palms unbendable arm push natural stance
33. Palms to palms unbendable arm push one foot
34. Suspend nage between 2 chairs (sitting on nage optional)
35. Random continuous pushing to different parts of nage's body
Partnered Motion –
1. Katate tori move uke backward
2. Katate tori draw uke in
3. Katate tori enter to uke’s side
4. Ryote tori move uke backward
5. Ryote tori draw uke in
6. Ryote tori enter to uke’s side
7. Two uke katate ryote tori weight underside sink to the mat
8. Ikkyo exercise through partner’s arm (up and down)
9. Lift partner’s arm after ikkyo exercise
10. Kata tori tenkan, partner tests after the turn
11. Tenkan ….partner says stop somewhere in the action and then tests immediately for one point
12. Nage does any throw and uke gets up and tests for one point
13. Bring uke along without forcing
14. Weight underside 2 uke nage moving and stopping
15. Random continuous pushing to different parts of nage's body while nage moving
Solo Weapons –
1. Multi step random forms with jo staff
2. Multi step random forms with bokken
3. Multi step random forms with two bokken
4. Free movement with jo staff/bokken/2 bokken
5. 1000 strikes
6. Day long bokken/jo staff carry
Partnered Weapons –
1. Lead uke w/ jo staff
2. Partnered jo staff leading
3. Push/pull bokken
4. Lift jo staff
5. Push down on jo staff
6. Push jo staff into nage
7. Pull jo staff away from nage
When I began my training I thought these exercises were to be used for warming up and pretty much missed the point. I'd go through the motions always looking to get to technique which I thought of as the real stuff. Looking back I laugh, realizing now that the very purpose of the exercises was the mind/body coordination that I was defeating in my zeal to get to technique practice. When that all changed I began to get "heavy"...
Ki Development Exercises
Solo –
1. Rowing motion
2. Ikkyo one direction
3. Ikkyo two directions
4. Ikkyo four directions
5. Ikkyo eight directions
6. Sayu undo
7. Sayu undo with side step
8. Swing arms side to side
9. Forward extension
10. Roll backward come back to sitting
11. Roll backward and stand
12. Wrist curl
13. Low wrist break
14. High wrist break
15. Wrist stretches
16. Tenkan
17. Irimi
18. Ude furi undo
19. Forward & back rolls (large & small)
20. Empty hand free movement
Partnered Stationary –
1. Unbendable arm
2. Immovable arm from outside
3. Immovable arm from inside
4. Weight underside
5. Vertical arm lift/pull
6. Collarbone push
7. Lower back push
8. Upper back push
9. Upper chest push
10. Kata tori push left & right stances
11. Kata tori push natural stance
12. Kata tori push one foot
13. Katate tori push left & right stances
14. Katate tori push natural stance
15. Katate tori push one foot
16. Ryote tori push left & right stances
17. Ryote tori push natural stance
18. Ryote tori push one foot
19. Upper arm grab bring along
20. Chin lift
21. Seiza front push
22. Seiza rear push
23. Seiza knee lift
24. Seiza hand lift
25. Seiza head push
26. Ukemi front push
27. Resist roll back and stand
28. Palm to palm stiff arm push left & right stances
29. Palm to palm stiff arm push natural stance
30. Palm to palm stiff arm push one foot
31. Palms to palms unbendable arm push left & right stances
32. Palms to palms unbendable arm push natural stance
33. Palms to palms unbendable arm push one foot
34. Suspend nage between 2 chairs (sitting on nage optional)
35. Random continuous pushing to different parts of nage's body
Partnered Motion –
1. Katate tori move uke backward
2. Katate tori draw uke in
3. Katate tori enter to uke’s side
4. Ryote tori move uke backward
5. Ryote tori draw uke in
6. Ryote tori enter to uke’s side
7. Two uke katate ryote tori weight underside sink to the mat
8. Ikkyo exercise through partner’s arm (up and down)
9. Lift partner’s arm after ikkyo exercise
10. Kata tori tenkan, partner tests after the turn
11. Tenkan ….partner says stop somewhere in the action and then tests immediately for one point
12. Nage does any throw and uke gets up and tests for one point
13. Bring uke along without forcing
14. Weight underside 2 uke nage moving and stopping
15. Random continuous pushing to different parts of nage's body while nage moving
Solo Weapons –
1. Multi step random forms with jo staff
2. Multi step random forms with bokken
3. Multi step random forms with two bokken
4. Free movement with jo staff/bokken/2 bokken
5. 1000 strikes
6. Day long bokken/jo staff carry
Partnered Weapons –
1. Lead uke w/ jo staff
2. Partnered jo staff leading
3. Push/pull bokken
4. Lift jo staff
5. Push down on jo staff
6. Push jo staff into nage
7. Pull jo staff away from nage
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
One Hundred and Seventy-nine
So the other night I had two of our students help me with the unliftable body exercise. I have been using this exercise to increase my ability to project weight underside for years. I always practiced it with my wrists a little in front of my hips and slightly curled. I decided this time to change the exercise slightly in order to make it harder for me to remain grounded as my partners lifted. What I did was have my arms hang straight down along my sides, in line with my hips, wrists held at their natural angle. I then invited my partners to grab my arms with both hands (katate ryote tori) and lower themselves until they were below my center of gravity so they could really use their legs to lift me. As they tried to lift me I could feel them actually rebound away from the force they were exerting. This was a new feeling for me. When practicing this exercise the old way I always felt them sort of just go away.
My next task will be to dynamically change the configuration of my arms so I can experiment with the applied forces in order to better understand how my physical posture relates to correct feeling. I am also going to incorporate continuously alternating from unliftable to liftable and back again in varying degrees, something I can do now, to see how the position of my arms affects that ability.
My next task will be to dynamically change the configuration of my arms so I can experiment with the applied forces in order to better understand how my physical posture relates to correct feeling. I am also going to incorporate continuously alternating from unliftable to liftable and back again in varying degrees, something I can do now, to see how the position of my arms affects that ability.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
One Hundred and Seventy-eight
In a universe without a preferred frame of reference
I am always at its center.
There is
as much of the universe to my right as to my left;
as much above me as below me;
as much before me as behind me;
and, if Roger Penrose is correct,
as much in my past as in my future.
At the center of it all
is my one point.
From my one point,
which is always at now
and therefore without extension in space and time,
springs all of creation.
I am always at its center.
There is
as much of the universe to my right as to my left;
as much above me as below me;
as much before me as behind me;
and, if Roger Penrose is correct,
as much in my past as in my future.
At the center of it all
is my one point.
From my one point,
which is always at now
and therefore without extension in space and time,
springs all of creation.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
One Hundred and Seventy-seven
Why do I bother with Ki development? The movements of the various solo exercises are, after all, kind of trivial. Done correctly they don't tax my body physically or provide an especially aerobic workout. The paired exercises, commonly seen as mere tests or tricks, don't seem to accomplish much when viewed from the outside. Where's the benefit? Will I not develop Ki simply by practicing waza over and over? Perhaps Ki exercises are just a way of warming up before engaging in "real practice"; you know, throwing and taking ukemi.
Ki exercises are not simple warm-ups. Ki exercises, solo and paired, are a means of unifying body/mind/spirit so that I may physically experience Ki. What does it mean to physically experience Ki? Well... a heightened sense of awareness, a feeling of well being, a barely but absolutely discernible thrumming in my body, a deep and abiding connection with my surroundings, have uke grab me and be immediately unbalanced, stand on one foot and have uke push my outstretched wrist to no avail, have four ukes grab me in any way they choose and then slowly remove them one by one despite their resistance, to know that my uke feels as though a very soft mountain has fallen on him when I execute a timing throw, help me to develop a synergetic strength that I would otherwise lack.
Ki exercises train me to integrate the trinity that is my being. I bother with Ki development because, for me at least, Ki development is the very heart of Aikido.
Ki exercises are not simple warm-ups. Ki exercises, solo and paired, are a means of unifying body/mind/spirit so that I may physically experience Ki. What does it mean to physically experience Ki? Well... a heightened sense of awareness, a feeling of well being, a barely but absolutely discernible thrumming in my body, a deep and abiding connection with my surroundings, have uke grab me and be immediately unbalanced, stand on one foot and have uke push my outstretched wrist to no avail, have four ukes grab me in any way they choose and then slowly remove them one by one despite their resistance, to know that my uke feels as though a very soft mountain has fallen on him when I execute a timing throw, help me to develop a synergetic strength that I would otherwise lack.
Ki exercises train me to integrate the trinity that is my being. I bother with Ki development because, for me at least, Ki development is the very heart of Aikido.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
One Hundred and Seventy-six
No Ki, no Aikido. I first heard this phrase when I began my study of Aikido. Being eager to learn and having no idea as to the nature of Ki I accepted the statement at face value. As the years have marched inexorably onward I have come across many ideas, definitions and opinions as to what Ki is/is not. Some practitioners go so far as to deny the existence of Ki altogether, preferring instead to focus on the purely physical manifestation of Aikido as the core of their practice. As my Aikido study has matured I have come to view Ki as an emergent quality resulting from the unification of mind/body/spirit; independent of the metaphors one chooses to explain the achievable results of the so called Ki tests (unbendable arm, weight underside, push tests of many varieties etc.)
The theme of this post is how I use Ki exercises as training tools to help my students grow stronger and more centered; how repeated iterations of the exercises under continually increasing stress enable the student to experience the "correct feeling" that comes from having a unified mind/body/spirit. I dislike the reference of Ki development exercises as Ki testing. Viewed solely as tests minimizes or does away with altogether the benefits of the exercises themselves as a unifying practice. The implication is that the exercises are merely measuring tools that can be used to gauge the student's progress resulting from the practice of waza.
The exercises are designed to build the "unification musculature" of the student in much the same way that pumping iron builds the muscles of the bodybuilder. Increased pressure on the student is like adding weight to the bar. The increased force that the student is exposed to during the exercises pushes the student always right up to the point of failure. The student experiences correct feeling in a variety of situations under varying levels of force application. Then when I speak of "extending Ki" the student has a frame reference (correct feeling, unified mind/body/spirit) which relates concretely to the metaphor.
In addition to paired Ki exercises I also practice solo Ki exercises that many people view as simple warm-ups. The solo exercises enable me to find my center and keep it in my awareness as I move. I encourage students to perform the solo Ki exercises daily, maintaining correct feeling as they move. These exercises remove applied force from the equation replacing it with the disorientating distraction of motion.
Taken together, paired and solo Ki exercises provide me with fundamental building blocks from which I can construct techniques that are performed with correct feeling. Having a correct feeling allows me to connect with my partner without the need to control or force the outcome. I am able to "sport freely" (O Sensei) and let the outcome of our encounter arise naturally.
The theme of this post is how I use Ki exercises as training tools to help my students grow stronger and more centered; how repeated iterations of the exercises under continually increasing stress enable the student to experience the "correct feeling" that comes from having a unified mind/body/spirit. I dislike the reference of Ki development exercises as Ki testing. Viewed solely as tests minimizes or does away with altogether the benefits of the exercises themselves as a unifying practice. The implication is that the exercises are merely measuring tools that can be used to gauge the student's progress resulting from the practice of waza.
The exercises are designed to build the "unification musculature" of the student in much the same way that pumping iron builds the muscles of the bodybuilder. Increased pressure on the student is like adding weight to the bar. The increased force that the student is exposed to during the exercises pushes the student always right up to the point of failure. The student experiences correct feeling in a variety of situations under varying levels of force application. Then when I speak of "extending Ki" the student has a frame reference (correct feeling, unified mind/body/spirit) which relates concretely to the metaphor.
In addition to paired Ki exercises I also practice solo Ki exercises that many people view as simple warm-ups. The solo exercises enable me to find my center and keep it in my awareness as I move. I encourage students to perform the solo Ki exercises daily, maintaining correct feeling as they move. These exercises remove applied force from the equation replacing it with the disorientating distraction of motion.
Taken together, paired and solo Ki exercises provide me with fundamental building blocks from which I can construct techniques that are performed with correct feeling. Having a correct feeling allows me to connect with my partner without the need to control or force the outcome. I am able to "sport freely" (O Sensei) and let the outcome of our encounter arise naturally.
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