Acceptance and Resorption

In the sword there is no sword;
make a sword of the body.
In the body there is no body;
make a body of the spirit.
Like a firefly, round; by its
radiance, apparent.
Waiting not, scheming not,
thinking not, pausing not,
As if turning circles on a stage,
As if pressing a gourd in water.
-Kunii Zen'ya

Space: the final frontier

Pretty good for a cheesy TV show. But perhaps it should read more like this:

"Space: the only frontier.

These are the voyages of the awakened:

To seek out and explore their own life form, 

To boldly go where they've ever gone before."

Let me explain. Consider matter: all of it, form solids to liquids to gases is simply a bunch of cells bound together by gravity; more dense in the case of lead and less with helium. Since they make up all matter, what then is a cell? Quite simply, a cell has a membrane, a nucleus, and some protons and electrons. But when observed under a microscope these four elements are dwarfed by the space in which they exist. So, if all matter from lead to helium is mostly space, and humans are carbon based life forms, this means that we too are mostly space. Quite interesting when one considers that a human being completely sheds it's cellular structure every seven years much like a snake shedding it's skin every few months. This means that the person you are today is physically one hundred percent different than the one you were seven years ago. 

So what is it that makes you you? The answer is that you are the space within your cells. This is the part that never changes. This is the common thread that connects us to everything else. This is the Holy Spirit: God within you. This is what was and what always will be. This is what can not be destroyed because it was never created. This is you and all. The Buddhists express it thus: "One. Just one. That's it."

This is what one tries to realize through keiko. Uke exhales and becomes empty and concentrates their life-space into a laser-like beam of energy for nage to inhale and merge with and then redirect. So in keiko one is not really working on their own physicality but rather the space within it. The only thing that matters is what matter tries to contain, but can't. This is why Aikido, not Ai-body-do. The way of merging our souls with the Universal spirit. When one sees the truth, that there is space within everything, and that space is all there really is, then things will appear as they really are: infinite.

So in closing, I'd like to end with a quote from another cheesy space show. This one takes place during another keiko a long, long time ago... in a galaxy far, far away...

"Size matters not.

Look at me.

Judge me by my size, do you?

Mmm?

Hmmmph!

...And well you should not, for my ally is the Force...

And a powerful ally it is.

Life creates it...

Makes it grow.

It's energy surrounds us...

Combines us.

Luminous beings are we.

Not this crude matter.

You must feel the Force around you.

Here... between you, me...

The rock, the tree, everywhere.

Yes!

Even between the land and the ship."

- Master Yoda

9.11.08

Thank you to Ken Nisson Sensei for coming back through Toledo yesterday and teaching a great class on receiving. Ken Sensei is one of the co-founders of Bond Street Dojo in NYC & Aikido of Burlington, Vt. and is currently Chief Instructor at Aikido of Modesto, Ca. We wish you safe travels and hope to see you again soon.

My Martial Journey

Hey All,

Tonight’s class was led by Danny Kline Sempai. It was an examination of kokyu nage (breath throws). It is interesting as the season changes outside comes a different feeling in the body when working on kihon (basic technics) in class. Kokyu nage depends so much on bringing in Uke’s ki and getting uke’s ki to rise. This is easier said than done which I continued to discover tonight. I was also examining how to redirect uke’s energy with a ryote tori (two hand) grab. Sempai did a good job in showing where kokyu shows up in various technics.

Kokyu nage for me, as far as the physical side of Aikido goes, seems the most esoteric and difficult aspect of the art to examine. There is always such a narrow channel of movement that needs to be traversed for the technic to work. What it has developed or should I say continues to develop in me is timing, a sensitivity to uke’s intent and ki sensitivity. But to achieve this awareness I have to remain relaxed, calm and that is not always easy if someone is coming to get you with a lot of energy. Also, so much of kokyu has to do with expansion and ki extension. Sempai was saying one should visualize extending the ki two or 3 feet beyond your arms and hands. That REALLY helped me to understand the dynamic aspect of kokyu throws. There needs to be a dynamic quality to the throw. Collapsing the body is what you absolutely do not want to do when an attack or conflict is coming your way. You meet it, digest it, and then move. Kokyu technics can be found in all Aikido technics and I think that is what I most got out of class tonight. It goes back to an earlier entry where I talked about the difficulty of unbalancing uke. If this unbalancing aspect is not in place then kokyu nage will be ineffective. The kokyu challenge is that nage (receiver) really gets one chance at that initial moment of connection to make this unbalancing happen. However, with Aikido if the unbalancing does not happen one can transition into another technic.

It was a good class. I speak for my fellow Aikidoka at Shobu Aikido in saying that our thoughts and prayers are with Isabella, Jay Sensei, and Karen during this time of transition.

Peace,

The Maestro