Creating Balance

In training we are constantly reminded to "Off Balance". This simple statement carries a very deep meaning. In terms of the art, it is obvious because we need to off balance our uke to take him from his center in order for us to bring the uke to "orbit" around our own center. This allows us to perform the technique with minimal effort and energy.

But this also teaches us that "Balance" is important. The above expression may sound abit confusing but stay with me a little while longer. As Nage when we off balance we have create a dis-harmony in the uke movement and balance. It is because of this we are able to bring him into our circle of influence, that is in the form of our technique. Now for the Uke, it is NEVER a passive re-action that when you are off balance you submit to the whims and fancy of the Nage. In fact, we learn to regain our balance by flowing with the Nage. Regaining balance does not mean that we can prevent the Nage from performing his technique, in reality if the Nage is well practiced, we will have you firmly controlled. But for the Uke by regaining your balance it means that you are to keep yourself safe and aware of the Nage's techniques. That is actually the art of Ukemi. Of course there is more but that is for another time.

Balance is also important as a self development. You will notice, if you are a "soft" person, you will be reminded constantly to improve in your posture, hand position, body movement and other aspect that will enable you to improve in your confidence, face your fears, and to add a little fire in your personality. If you are, on the other hand, a "hard" person, you will notice that you will be constantly reminded to relax, slow down, eat humble pie by having show that brute strength does not work in aikido, basically to dowse you with a little water. This is because Aikido naturally brings balance in your life. Being too soft or too hard are extremes of two ends, aikido fills in the other aspect in order for us to harmonise with ourself. There is not right or wrong in being soft or hard, only that we will be in harmony because we need both elements to grow, to develop and to improve.

Aikido develops its practitioners, it is an art that harmonises. It trains us to be a better person, physically, mentally and consciously and Balance is the way of harmony and it is an important element in Aikido.

Awareness.

This is important in the practice of aikido......come to think of it is important to our daily lifes. But are we Aware? Awareness is being in a moment where our thoughts, actions, feelings are fully understood and that we can see the source from where it came from. The true seeing in our minds and hearts.

In aikido, we constantly practice connectivity. Through this practice, example tai no henko practices, we are suppose to feel our ukes, and to learn how to read our body against our ukes. To feel the movements and indication of both our bodys. But what it is actually teaching us is to question we ourselves, how are we standing, how is my posture, am i relax enough, why do i exert strenght when I move, why cant i move, why am i getting angry when I cannot do it, why am I getting frustrated, and many more questions.

Awareness is the first step to improvement. If you dont know whats wrong, how do you know what to fix? Make sense. Aikido allows a practitioner a conducive place (dojo) to practice their awareness. And this is important. Practice makes perfect, just like golf. Our mind, is just the same. By going through the practices and perfecting our techniques, we are also training our mind, body and soul. Thus awareness is the first step.

An example to illustrate, Remember our first mae ukemi roll. Scared? Of course. So was I and many others. But what happen? We were made aware of this feeling and by overcoming this obstacle we improved our rolling and perfected our rolling. Now we are flipping and flying across the tatami without even thinking. But we had to break away from our fear first and in that we were Aware of something that we need to improve.

Cheers and smiles.

HOW TO RELAX

This is the most important question that an aikidoka can ever ask? I thought I knew what relaxing means until I joined Aikido. Humble pie never tasted so bitter.

There are several steps that you can use. It is usually easier for me to do it seiza, the most important is being comfortable, as long as your back is straight. Sitting upright on a chair is a good choice:

1. Learn how to visualise breathing in and out
2. Learn how to visualise your breath circulating your body
3. When you can do that then visualise with every breath out, you breath out the weight from your head. Next breath neck, next breath shoulders, arms, fingers, torso, abdomen, thighs, legs, toes.
4. At each part that you go through you may begin to fill light, dont fight it....just go with the flow.

The most important thing about this exercise is to recognise the state of relax, that is when the specific area feels light as you breath out. When you step onto the mat, try to create that moment as you perform your techniques.

Remember, visualising is important to beginners. Think tai chi, think water, anything that helps you visualise softness but with substance. I have always preferred visualising "Water" and with waves washing on the shores as I practice relaxing while performing aikido techniques.

Last point to share, dont worry if cannot perform your technique while practicing relaxing. Very soon you will be able to combine them both. Remember how you started mae ukemi when you first joined aikido and how you do it now. Same principles, practice and face your fears. In this case, your fear for not being able to do the technique. Thats just ego talking. :D

AIKIDO INEFFECTIVE AS A MARTIAL ART

Just read another article that questions the effectiveness of aikido in a street fight. I just want to share that Aikido cannot be viewed in such context. We are not trained to pick fights....in fact this ring a statement made by Mick Field Sensei...."If I can punch and kick, why do I need Aikido."

Aikido is about the availability of an option, a last option if you like. Why do military men learn how to use a knife....when they have weapons that can take an enemy down miles away? Because it is an option. A knife is just as effective as a sniper. One close range, one long range. Make sense? If I cannot punch or kick you, that will mean that the proximity of the attacker's body is very very close.....this is where Aikido is most effective.

I totally agree with the writer that Aikido is ineffective in a fight. BUT hello......we are NOT suppose to PICK fights. AND you definately cannot argue the effectiveness of AIKIDO as a defence art. I dare say that it has no equal.

If we must talk in the context of a FIGHTING art, then we must see Aikido as another arsenal to our repertoire of martial prowess. A good fighter will utilise the best of different arts. Bruce Lee definately had this in mind when he create the way of Jeet Kune Do. We can only learn from the best and of the best.

Now some of you will be saying what if I am attacked? Will aikido be effective as a defensive art? Will I be able to defend myself? Aikido is effective but the true question is are you?

In any attack it is the adreline pumping that will make the difference. That is why it is important that during practice, it should a committed attack by the uke and Nage must be in a mind of life and death. In practices like Randori and Jiyo Waza, it does give us a simulation of an actual situation. But everything still boils down to YOU. That is why in my 1st article, I mentioned that I see aikido in 3 forms, but for this article it is the first two that matters. Are you practicing the art as a 1) Performing Art or as a 2) Martial Art?

Holistic Aikido

Aikido is a holistic art that improves mental focus, physical health, inner strengths and your natural intuitiveness. By incorporating meditation and breathing exercises the art can, by itself bring our being into a higher level of existance. The art of Aikido is a vehicle that allows an individual to improve himself and in the higher spirit of Morihei Ueshiba, the improvement of mankind. The training, as I will be sharing, cultivates and trains us in so many ways that I can only say that its a road map to living.

I have discovered that Aikido can be seen in 3 forms, 1) as a performing art and 2) as a martial art, these are physical forms that are very evident to everyone. However, there is another form that not many understand, 3) that is the consciousness or what many term as spiritual. (Through the course of my article, I will use the term "conscious" in replacement of the word "spiritual" for reasons I will share about in later articles).

Aikido has a wealth of knowledge in self development. The way we practice aikido and through its techniques, from both the role of "nage" and "uke", we will experience and in fact being trained to be a better person, physically, mentally, and consciously.In many commercial motivation programs, we are also taught that knowing of our own strength and weakness, setting of goals, targets are the key to success. But I have found that after any session, the trainer basically leaves us to ourselves to utilise the lesson. How many of us actually keep to that level of energy and religiously follow the routine recommended to us? I came to a realisation that aikido actually allowed us to practice the lessons taught. How? Because in our practice it has already imbedded the all the qualities that develops an individual. I will share my thoughts on this in the next post.

Morihei Ueshiba, who we fondly call O-Sensei (respected master in Japanese), has created a very unique vehicle of peace and of the most inconceivable form, through Martial Art. When I was a teenager, martial art was frowned by my parents, and any good god-fearing person will stay away from such a destructive form. Martial arts has always been connected with fighting, bullying and worse of all, promoting aggressive behaviour. Like a sword, it can cut both ways, for protecting the innocents and the feeble or to use it to destruction and chaos.

In my years of practicing aikido, I have found that aikido also trains us in focusing our minds with our body. The mind and body is trained to work and function as one and when we calm our senses and consciousness, we begin to flow with the movement and allows our body to be part of a masterpiece of natural and inprohibited movements. We flow with the senses of both our own ki as well as the ki from the nage. Our ki blends with each other and for the moment both the uke and nage are one, in perfect unison and harmony. For an observer, it may look like a choreographed dance. To us aikidoka, its the embodiment of balance and unity. A harmony where two bodies meet and harmonise with each other into an intrigue performance of endurance, precision, timing and skill.

Combined with the meditation practice, aikido can be transformed into a dynamic meditation. Many of us has this pre-notion that meditation is sitting down in lotus position, closed eyes and blank minds. Actually it is....only one form of meditation. O'sensei was a spiritual man, and numerous books will describe that his spiritual bond is with the omoto-kyo cult. But I have come to learn that many of the practices that O'sensei did are not entirely unique to the omoto-kyo practices. An example is the kototama. The vocalisation of the scared words, "A...O....Aum" can be found in many other cultures and my tutelage of the kototama was from a Raelian instead of a Aikidoka. Science has now advance and at the moment studies has been done on tibetan monks and the effects of meditation. Once I re-discover the link to the article I will share it in "holistic aikido". What I am actually trying to say is that there is nothing spiritual, mytical or mystical about meditation. It is just an exercise that enable us to train our mind and to develop its muscles. In fact, I have been practicing the vocalising meditation exercise for about a year now, and I do find myself more peaceful and calmer. Where I was previously anxious and aggitated, now I able to take a step back and smile. Not perfect yet but I know I have taken a tiny step forward to a better living.