Why do Aikido?
We thrive on connection.
Aikido creates opportunity for community and connection in a setting of traditional format within safe boundaries for exploring conscious conflict resolution: mentally, physically, and emotionally.
First, get off the line of attack. Who, me? Who’s line? First, we have to deal with the judgments we place on our own reasons for showing up. Self defense? Understanding martial arts? Proving strength? Winning? Proving ourselves? We have to learn to get comfortable with being uncomfortable in starting the process of clearing out our minds so your body can experience the movements. If you can be willing instead of searching for a “moment to win”, then you can explore you own practice with respect to those around you, taking their wellbeing into consideration.
Self defense begins with knowing you are worth protecting. Knowing you are worth being cared for and knowing the “attacker” is someone who cares about your wellbeing, too.The defense part is knowing when to move and when to respond. The connection between two people in Aikido is in the moment of awareness and engagement before physical contact. After contact might be too late to make a move to a safe position and one or both of you could get injured, especially if you are disconnected prior to contact.
The connection with yourself and your own reasons for showing up can begin the conversation of safety as you watch the instructor guide the class through the etiquette of the traditional class environment. Then watch closely and allow your mind to embrace the content available in the warm ups. Watch their posture and breathing patterns. This is where the connection of class and community starts. After warm ups, We watch the instructor demonstrate what we will explore and learn together. By paying attention, we can find valuable information to inform our own movement when we have the opportunity of a willing partner to train with. During the discovery period of class (after bowing to your partner), take into consideration that both of you are learning in that moment no matter how long either one of you has been training. Every opportunity to explore Aikido technique with different body styles, ability levels, backgrounds, ages, and shapes can offer a new perspective on what you think you already know. Being willing to surrender those preset notions of “already knowing” anything can be a freeing concept that motivates us to pay more attention to the person in front of us.
Remembering that part of the process is for you both to make it through the technique safely can lead to tremendous enlightenment about what is actually happening, how it feels to stay balanced and move from our center to communicate effectively with flexibility. There are consistent foundations in all of the techniques in Aikido: Get off the line of attack, connect with your partner, control the flow while your partner keeps their promise of staying with your movement so that both of you can make it to the point where you disengage safely.
After all, we want to end class intact with a feeling of a great experience and inspiration to show up to the next class excited to explore AIkido all over again. We turn to our partners at the end of each class, with hearts blazing in gratitude, saying “thank you so much”, then part ways knowing that the experience will be with you forever along with the amazing connections and friendships that you make along the way. It requires your willingness to show up. The rest will be waiting for you. See you on the mat!
By: Anna Gallagher
April 16, 2019