Author: Nate Weed

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Aikido In Daily Life: July 2017

Aikido in Daily Life

We come to our dojo to train so that we’re better able to apply the principles of aikido in our daily lives.

Some of you may be aware of a little “discussion” going on in the virtual aikido community, regarding the effectiveness of aikido in competitive martial arts. This is an interesting discussion since aikido is based on the principle of non-competition. For many aikidoka, we passively accept that aikido isn’t competitive but don’t often ponder what strategic value this principle might provide.
As a pretty competitive guy, it took me years to realize that if you’re not trying to compete with someone, either in life or in a martial art, then you gain a strategic advantage. First, if you’re competing, you have to be willing to put yourself out there as you have to “make your move”. By not putting energy into that, you can instead put your energy into being able to respond. Second, in competition we have to establish criteria for who wins.

By not setting artificial criteria for success, we open more options for how we can be successful. In fact, some options include all involved parties being successful together.

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Advice for Washing Your Gi

Funkiness!

For those who haven’t had the opportunity to join us on Thursday mornings at 5:30, there is something special about the smell of our dojo in the morning after a vigorous summertime Wednesday evening double feature. And by special, I mean funky!
Harmony can take many forms and sometimes it takes the form of a clean gi. Among martial artists, cleaning methods are a mix of voodoo and chemistry. If you search the internet you’ll find suggestions ranging from “only dry your gi under moonlight” to “bleach it till it glows”.

A middle of the road method that many aikidoka recommend is to first soak your gi in warm water with some Borax or Oxyclean. I have a “gi bucket” (a plastic 3 gallon bucket I picked up at Oly Hardware a few years ago). Fill it up with enough water that your gi can be covered with water and mix in the detergent. The sooner after using your gi that you can start the soaking the better. Use your judgement about the soaking but soaking it longer than overnight is probably not useful.

After you feel that it’s soaked long enough, run it through a sturdy wash cycle using your regular laundry detergent. Once it’s washed, air drying it is the best approach. This avoids shrinking, saves energy, and if it’s sunny out can add some ultraviolet light to reduce some of the bacteria that create the questionable gi funkiness described above.

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Aikido in Daily Life: June 2017

In my life outside of the dojo, I’m often preoccupied with concerns related to leadership. Last month, I had an opportunity to participate in the Integrated Leadership training, held in Sequim, Wash.
First, let me say that this was one of the most physically uncomfortable leadership trainings in which I’ve had the opportunity to participate. Second of all, this discomfort made it one of the most rewarding leadership trainings I’ve ever experienced (and admittedly, I’ve been to a few… mostly because I’m a slow learner).
The reason this training was uncomfortable was that this experience required a considerable amount of zazen (sitting meditation) which, unapologetically, requires one to embrace discomfort as a training tool. Aikido also encourages building new relationships with discomfort, whether it’s struggling to learn a movement, falling to the ground, or getting up at 5:00 for the morning class. It is through these experiences that we have new opportunities to build our leadership skills – whether we think of ourselves as leaders or not.
As many of us have been taught, “do” translates as a “way of being.” This “way of being” in aikido includes becoming a leader (in our jobs, our families, our community, etc.). We practice expanding our awareness (use “big vision”), taking the initiative and making decisions (“all techniques are irimi”), expanding our energy to influence those around us, learning to lead others physically as we practice techniques, and harmonizing with others and the world around us. Through these practices, we have the opportunity to integrate those concepts into the “way we are” and extend the spirit of aikido into the world. And, more than anything, it is about embracing discomfort, blending with it, and using it to reach greater potential.

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Budo

Budo is known to most American martial artists as “the Way of the Warrior”. For many Aikidoka, reconciling the ideas of warriors and promoting peace can be a struggle. By taking a step back we can reframe these seemingly opposed ideas. Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido began developing a martial art that built on a rich martial tradition while reorienting the techniques and purpose of the previous martial practices to build peace and harmony. As the practice that became Aikido emerged, O Sensei initially called it “Aiki-Budo” and in 1938 published a book titled “Budo”.
Budo is an interesting choice of brands for an emerging martial art. The specific word translates to english as “to set the spear aside” or “stop the fighting”, perhaps even to “create peace”. Bringing this to the point, Budo also meant something particular to O Sensei. Something different then other terms for fighting arts that he could have chosen. In his descriptions, this term conveyed a way of being and acting. In his words Budo is “a way of life dedicated to peace and enlightened action”. As students of Aikido, we have many reasons that we enjoy our practice. These are all good and valid reasons for showing up and participating in this art and while we all move down our path it is sometimes useful to reflect on the values that our practice is built on.

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Aikido in Daily Life: May 2017

Through Ukemi, we learn to be connected to the nage. As the nage moves we adjust to their movements. Following closely and with a highly responsive awareness that allows us to protect ourselves and shape the results of the interaction. For most (hopefully all) of us, it’s very unlikely that we will be engaged in a physical altercation but the responsive awareness we’re developing in our practice has immense benefit in our daily lives. It’s through engaging with others and our environment with ever increasing awareness that we can respond constructively and shape the outcomes of our daily interactions.

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Misogi Harai

Misogi Harai means polishing the dust off of the mirror. This past month, Aikido Olympia hosted promotional demonstrations. It was wonderful to come together as a community and participate in this event (and the “snackluck” that followed). And, as with many Aikido practices, there are many layers to this activity. It is easy to view promotional demonstrations as a way showing our community what skills have been learned or showcasing many months of practice. At another level, these events are very personal and much more a form of ukemi, or putting yourself out there, extending energy, and accepting the outcomes. Those participating in the demonstrations, have to take one more step toward polishing the dust off of their mirror and learning more about themselves.

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Aikido in Daily Life – April 2017

”Aikido is a do or a way of being. Which is different than collecting techniques- that is a jutsu.” This is a phrase that almost all of us have heard at the first class of every month, where new students are welcomed to Aikido Olympia. In our training we all occasionally get carried away with the technique and occasionally need a reminder that Aikido is done with a partner for many reasons. Most importantly is that this partnership, when in harmony creates a special a kind of a mirror. A mirror that reflects our own abilities, biases, weaknesses, and motivations. And, if we can extend this practice of building harmonious partnerships outside the dojo, there is a possibility that we can create these mirrors in other parts of our life as well. Imagine the self awareness and personal development that could come from that…