Maintain correct posture.
My overall posture is composed of two separate components that come together, appropriately enough, at One Point. External posture is the posture of my body. It is characterized by how I maintain my physical structure in space. Internal posture is the posture of my mind. It is characterized by how I see myself in my mind's eye. External and internal posture combine to form a co-referential feedback loop which can prove extremely empowering.
The cooperative nature of Aikido training serves to foster correct external and internal postures. Over time as I continue to train, lapses of posture are less frequent and correct posture becomes my natural and most dependable state.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Two Hundred and Nineteen
Train to become progressively more relaxed.
When I first started my study of Aikido the sentiment above was stated simply as "Relax Completely." Shortly after leaving Ki Society and forming Kokikai, Maruyama sensei changed it to "Progressive Relaxation." He reasoned that complete relaxation would leave one with the structure of a cooked noodle, no form, no strength. He wanted to preserve the idea that relaxation is an integral part of coordinating mind and body while doing away with the notion that complete relaxation was attainable or even desirable. Keeping with the idea proposed in my previous post that these "principles" are really instructional guidelines I rephrased "train to become progressively more relaxed."
A coordinated mind/body is greatly facilitated by a relaxed mind and relaxed body. A stiff mind is a mind that cannot be emptied, that cannot cede conscious control over the body. A stiff mind remains separate from the body thereby preventing the occurrence of mind/body coordination. A stiff body is a body that is partitioned and cannot move as an integrated whole. Whenever I lock a joint I disrupt communication across that joint and weaken my structure. If I use muscle tension to ward off an incoming force I provide uke with a place to "rest" since my tensed muscles prohibit the body part being loaded from passing the force along and being dissipated. When my mind and body are relaxed incoming forces have no where to land and be applied.
My relaxed mind is sharp, my relaxed body is strong, integrated and free of tension. My coordinated mind/body is my most dependable state. As I continue to train I become progressively more relaxed, more completely integrated, more "One Pointed."
When I first started my study of Aikido the sentiment above was stated simply as "Relax Completely." Shortly after leaving Ki Society and forming Kokikai, Maruyama sensei changed it to "Progressive Relaxation." He reasoned that complete relaxation would leave one with the structure of a cooked noodle, no form, no strength. He wanted to preserve the idea that relaxation is an integral part of coordinating mind and body while doing away with the notion that complete relaxation was attainable or even desirable. Keeping with the idea proposed in my previous post that these "principles" are really instructional guidelines I rephrased "train to become progressively more relaxed."
A coordinated mind/body is greatly facilitated by a relaxed mind and relaxed body. A stiff mind is a mind that cannot be emptied, that cannot cede conscious control over the body. A stiff mind remains separate from the body thereby preventing the occurrence of mind/body coordination. A stiff body is a body that is partitioned and cannot move as an integrated whole. Whenever I lock a joint I disrupt communication across that joint and weaken my structure. If I use muscle tension to ward off an incoming force I provide uke with a place to "rest" since my tensed muscles prohibit the body part being loaded from passing the force along and being dissipated. When my mind and body are relaxed incoming forces have no where to land and be applied.
My relaxed mind is sharp, my relaxed body is strong, integrated and free of tension. My coordinated mind/body is my most dependable state. As I continue to train I become progressively more relaxed, more completely integrated, more "One Pointed."
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Two Hundred and Eighteen
Keep One Point.
One Point is where my mind and body come together. It is not a point in space. Not a location in my body; though that is sometimes a useful metaphor for envisioning the result of the dissolution of the separation of mind and body. My mind and body are welded together by intent which, when it becomes the sole focus of both, facilitates the emergence of mind/body, my most dependable state. One Point is connection, the primary connection I must make with myself before I can hope to effectively connect with uke. Aikido training is a vehicle which provides me with the tools I need to discover and strengthen One Point.
Keep One Point. It's not a principle, it's an instruction.
One Point is where my mind and body come together. It is not a point in space. Not a location in my body; though that is sometimes a useful metaphor for envisioning the result of the dissolution of the separation of mind and body. My mind and body are welded together by intent which, when it becomes the sole focus of both, facilitates the emergence of mind/body, my most dependable state. One Point is connection, the primary connection I must make with myself before I can hope to effectively connect with uke. Aikido training is a vehicle which provides me with the tools I need to discover and strengthen One Point.
Keep One Point. It's not a principle, it's an instruction.
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