Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Excerpts from the Ryu Mail Magazine - July Edition


Meigen
「正しいから強い」
Tadashii kara tsuyoi

The following is written in one of Ando Sensei's books on the techniques of Yoshinkan Aikido:
"Strength in aikido does not come from physical power but from maintaining a correct posture. The strength which aikido seeks comes from rectitude."

The meigen "tadashii kara tsuyoi" is an expression of one of the fundamental principles of aikido. Correct posture is well-balanced with a perfectly straight back; that posture, perfect even in motion, is a thing to startle the eye with it's beauty. In it's perfect form, correct posture itself is center power. And, to recite Ueshiba Sensei, "breath power is rooted in center power." All strength in aikido is an exercise of center power.

Strength from rectitude includes a spiritual element. Spiritual rectitude gives a technique strength. We could say that if your spirit is righteous, your sword will be righteous too. Good, strong posture arises from a pure spirit. For many, the appeal of aikido lies in it's quest for spiritual rectitude and for victory over the self.

Conversely, though, we shouldn't place too much emphasis on 'being right'. Righteousness should come naturally, without thinking too much about it. If we are overly-conscious of our righteousness and seek only that, then our minds become narrow and we tend to become overly-critical of others. It becomes a contest over who is 'right'. Be careful not to fall victim to your own righteousness in this way!





Ando Shihan's tip this month: Really open your eyes and see.

During aikido practice, usually the teacher will demonstrate a technique to the students who will watch the demonstration and then repeatedly practise the technique. When watching, however, often we are only conscious of what we want to see. We are seeing through the filter of our own fixated ideas. This is almost the same as not seeing at all. The same is true when listening to the teacher's explanations.

Ando Sensei writes that he has had this experience. He sat in the Honbu Dojo with Shioda Sensei demonstrating a technique in front of his eyes and yet did not see or hear, even though Shioda Sensei was explaining in great detail about that technique. Why does he realise this now? Through trial and error, Ando Sensei writes, he has come to understand things better and in the instant that he has a breakthrough he will recall, "Ah! Shioda Sensei did teach us that!" At the time, however, his technique and consciousness weren't at a high enough level for what Shioda Sensei was saying to sink in. When he thinks back now, he wonders what he was seeing and hearing!





Aiki Laws

The aiki law that can be applied in your daily life this month is that tension is your friend. (In direct translation: 'tension is a treasure'.)

July is summer test season at Ryu Dojo. Many people get nervous before a test - in the worst cases sometimes even a week before! Most people tend to think that getting nervous is a bad thing. This is not the case. Tension is a very valuable thing - a treasure in fact. A feeling of tension is a sign of focus. In any sport a good 'play' is always accompanied by tension. Even spectators can feel that tension. It's how you use the tension that is important.

Try to recreate and use that tension in your daily training.
Testing in a place and time different to your usual trainng time and location and in front of a large audience means you are improving.
Praise yourself for feeling and dealing with tension or nervousness.
Try to see tension in a positive light.
When you see someone who is nervous before a test, think of this as an admirable thing.

Tension and nervousness are natural and necessary - without them, the human race couldn't survive!


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