Suck

A friend likes to travel the world wide and far for Aikido experiences.  Wherever there is an interesting seminar, you can count on him being on the mat.  His goal is to seek out hidden treasures in the Aikido world.

It is a very enviable lifestyle for students of Aikido.  Who does not want to experience different styles of Aikido on a foreign trip and make new friends on the mat?  It must be really fun.

It has been years since we talked.  I had a chat with him lately.  I was eager to hear about his many adventures and new Aikido finds.

His account is short and simple: "They suck!"

😳

Really???

"Yeah, they ALL suck!" my friend reiterated.

😦

Like, absolutely EVERYONE?  Wow.  That's serious!

My friend has a very distinct set of criteria about what Aikido should be like.  Anything that departs from his framework is not Aikido to him.  People who practice those forms are, by definition, no good.  He tends not to keep his feelings to himself.  His findings are universal truth to him.  He thinks that it is more than fair to make it known to the other people so they can work on themselves . . . 

Because he goes around with such judgmental attitude in mind, it is hard for people to not sense it and see him as a hostile challenger.  

"Yeah, I have been told I am no longer welcomed to certain dojos," he said with a smirk, as if the ban were a badge of honor.

Depending on how you practice, Aikido can be just a physical workout.  If you so choose, however, it can be something much richer and deeper.  

Clyde Takeguchi Sensei once described the process of Aikido traininig this way:

First, you learn to control your body.  

Then, you learn to manage your emotions.  It would be great if you can moderate your emotions so they stay even.  Even if you cannot, your emotions are your emotions.  Keep them contained so that your partner does not have to know about it.  

Ultimately, you manage your partner's emotions.  When people get upset, they tend to use more force and resist you.  Give people a pleasant experience.  Everybody can have a good time.  Yourself included.

After all, your partners are your mirror.  In them, you see a reflection of yourself.  If everyone you encounter consistently sucks, ever wonder why?  😉

Credit: Nanan Kang