Meditation In Motion
At Aikido practices, teachers show students how to do a move or a technique by demonstration. Most teachers focus on the mechanics by instructing students how to move their bodies. Some would even explain to students how these moves work in manipulating the partner's body.
Students diligently replicate the physical movements and try to generate the desired results in their partners. Not surprisingly, even though students already mimic closely what they think they saw, the result of their efforts are often nothing close to what their teachers show, and they wonder why.
What I notice is that very few teachers stress the emotional side of Aikido. Everything is about what is happening outside; they seldom talk about one's internal environment. Seishiro Endo Sensei is the first teacher I met who emphasizes the importance of inspecting one's feelings inside during practice.
After practicing enough years of Aikido, one will develop the ability to watch someone move -- even without seeing their faces -- and be able to tell the emotional state of the person. One common thing you find on the Aikido mat is that people get so wired up that they throw their attention all the way towards the uke, to the extent that they would compromise their posture altogether without knowing. Their bodies lean forward with their heads sticking out, and their eyes are dead set on the body parts of their partners that they are desperately trying to move. It is a strange kind of "out of body" experience. Everybody who practices Aikido has done this. I have done a lot of it myself. So, I know.
A lot of times people get really excited as they see that they are approaching the point where they can throw the partner. Their emotions swell up like a giant soap bubble. Just as they think the throw is about to happen, the whole thing suddenly vaporizes in front of their eyes. And they wonder why.
Endo Sensei stresses the importance of staying calm in every class. He has a unique way of posing rhetorical questions that direct students to observe themselves, to inspect their feelings inside and to control their own mental condition. Ultimately, Aikido practice is a regime to refine the mind through physical training. The goal is to find the still point -- both physical and emotional -- within oneself. As O Sensei taught us, the world spins around you, but you need to learn not to waiver because YOU are the center of the universe!
Recently, someone who is quite experienced in meditation joined Aikido. He has been making a lot of progress quite quickly. Yes, he is young and agile. However, I think he has an advantage mostly because he has very strong self-awareness. He does not let his emotions run wild, and he seldom resorts to brute force.
In meditation, you try to focus while observing yourself. Different things may pop up to distract you: itch, pain, straying thoughts, etc. You take notice, acknowledge it, and you let them go. Afterwards, you may reflect and see if you notice any patterns. If so, try to find out what the underlying cause is and see if you can resolve it.
Many have referred to Aikido as the meditation in motion. There is a lot of truth to it. Quite often, people get really irritated and annoyed when they experience more stiffness than they want during practice. They often choose to shake they hands, arms vigorously, in the hope of relaxing their bodies. Contrary to their wishes, the more they shake themselves this way, the more tensed they find themselves to be.
The phenomenon is not hard to explain: What they do resembles fanning a fire. Both the demeanor and physical movement effect more agitation than serenity. Suppression never works. When you are so annoyed at yourself, ripples turn into waves, and the waves stir up all the sediments. You end up with big pool of mud.
If the above happens to you, next time, give the meditation approach a try: Take note of your emotional state. Whether you like it or not, acknowledge it. Take a long, deep breath. Make some gentle movements to find where the stiffness is and then place your awareness there to help dissolve it . It may not work right away, but try to be patient. Remember: it is a process. Check your facial expression. Are you frowning? Are you pouting? If so, relax your face and replace it with a smile. There is no need to take yourself too seriously. Whatever it is, let it go and start a new round. It beats screaming at and kicking yourself. When you can chuckle at yourself, nothing can be a big deal.
You come to Aikido to learn to be a kind and compassionate person. You deserve all the kindness from yourself.
Students diligently replicate the physical movements and try to generate the desired results in their partners. Not surprisingly, even though students already mimic closely what they think they saw, the result of their efforts are often nothing close to what their teachers show, and they wonder why.
What I notice is that very few teachers stress the emotional side of Aikido. Everything is about what is happening outside; they seldom talk about one's internal environment. Seishiro Endo Sensei is the first teacher I met who emphasizes the importance of inspecting one's feelings inside during practice.
After practicing enough years of Aikido, one will develop the ability to watch someone move -- even without seeing their faces -- and be able to tell the emotional state of the person. One common thing you find on the Aikido mat is that people get so wired up that they throw their attention all the way towards the uke, to the extent that they would compromise their posture altogether without knowing. Their bodies lean forward with their heads sticking out, and their eyes are dead set on the body parts of their partners that they are desperately trying to move. It is a strange kind of "out of body" experience. Everybody who practices Aikido has done this. I have done a lot of it myself. So, I know.
A lot of times people get really excited as they see that they are approaching the point where they can throw the partner. Their emotions swell up like a giant soap bubble. Just as they think the throw is about to happen, the whole thing suddenly vaporizes in front of their eyes. And they wonder why.
Endo Sensei stresses the importance of staying calm in every class. He has a unique way of posing rhetorical questions that direct students to observe themselves, to inspect their feelings inside and to control their own mental condition. Ultimately, Aikido practice is a regime to refine the mind through physical training. The goal is to find the still point -- both physical and emotional -- within oneself. As O Sensei taught us, the world spins around you, but you need to learn not to waiver because YOU are the center of the universe!
Recently, someone who is quite experienced in meditation joined Aikido. He has been making a lot of progress quite quickly. Yes, he is young and agile. However, I think he has an advantage mostly because he has very strong self-awareness. He does not let his emotions run wild, and he seldom resorts to brute force.
In meditation, you try to focus while observing yourself. Different things may pop up to distract you: itch, pain, straying thoughts, etc. You take notice, acknowledge it, and you let them go. Afterwards, you may reflect and see if you notice any patterns. If so, try to find out what the underlying cause is and see if you can resolve it.
Many have referred to Aikido as the meditation in motion. There is a lot of truth to it. Quite often, people get really irritated and annoyed when they experience more stiffness than they want during practice. They often choose to shake they hands, arms vigorously, in the hope of relaxing their bodies. Contrary to their wishes, the more they shake themselves this way, the more tensed they find themselves to be.
The phenomenon is not hard to explain: What they do resembles fanning a fire. Both the demeanor and physical movement effect more agitation than serenity. Suppression never works. When you are so annoyed at yourself, ripples turn into waves, and the waves stir up all the sediments. You end up with big pool of mud.
If the above happens to you, next time, give the meditation approach a try: Take note of your emotional state. Whether you like it or not, acknowledge it. Take a long, deep breath. Make some gentle movements to find where the stiffness is and then place your awareness there to help dissolve it . It may not work right away, but try to be patient. Remember: it is a process. Check your facial expression. Are you frowning? Are you pouting? If so, relax your face and replace it with a smile. There is no need to take yourself too seriously. Whatever it is, let it go and start a new round. It beats screaming at and kicking yourself. When you can chuckle at yourself, nothing can be a big deal.
You come to Aikido to learn to be a kind and compassionate person. You deserve all the kindness from yourself.
Credit: Cleo Mui
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