Make it smaller

 

毎日、ひとつずつおぼえよう。ちりもつもれば、やまとなる。 Mainichi, hitotsu zutsu oboeyou. Chiri mo tsumoreba, yama to naru. Learn one thing each day.  Because even specs of dust when piled up become a mountain.

Someone the other day gave me a great piece of advice.  He said, "When confronted with a seemingly insurmountable obstacle, chunk it down into smaller more manageable parts."  Reducing any task into smaller more manageable bites is called compartmentalization.

Compartmentalizing large things is a skill that has been taught to soldiers all over the world.  Usually when we are confronted with a huge problem that seems to big to overcome, we become overwhelmed that we either become so depressed, anxious or stressed out that we don't succeed.

When we compartmentalize the problem we break the problem down and put the pieces into manageable boxes.  Those manageable boxes have the tendency to have borders and those borders give us "space" to finish the part without thinking about the whole.  As one moves though and finishes the parts, the whole naturally comes into fruition.

Think about it like driving across the country.  One could drive straight across but the drive would be full of suffering.  The car, one's bladder and one's temperament will be put to the test.  By breaking the drive up into 500 mile parts with hotel stays, bathroom breaks and sightseeing stops, the drive becomes more manageable and quite possibly more enjoyable.

Learning Aikido is no different.  Don't think about how long it will take you to achieve black belt or how long to get good.  Just focus on the technique at hand and what the teacher is emphasizing.  From there try to add or do more like adding layers to a cake.  Before you know it, you'll start to get the hang of things and eventually become adept.

Just make it smaller.  Achieve it and move on to the next one.  Then the next one and the next one and so on.  Before you know it those small specs will pile up and you will be Mt. Fuji!

Good luck today on 7-7

The Japanese people of the past and for the most part of today are still extremely superstitious people and those of the warrior class were no exception.  This superstition held the number seven as their lucky number.  So a day like today would be considered auspicious. What is luck?  From a modern day standpoint sans superstitions, luck is the thing that is created at the pinnacle of one's efforts or as Seneca quipped, "Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity."  At times, success almost seems ephemeral so many attribute it to some outside influence and thus, like the Japanese, believe it to be out of their control which is understandable.  However, rarely does the person with the least amount of concern or preparation come out victorious.  It is usually the person who puts the most care and concern into their preparation that comes out the winner.  Perhaps their success is the result of the Gods smiling upon them.  Who knows.

What we do know is that anything can happen, but as a martial artist those "anythings" that can happen are decreased with diligent and careful preparation.  One of my favorite quotes from Scientific American magazine is, "You fail to the level of your preparation."  The culmination of one's preparation finds its way to opportunity and either contributes to one's success or failure and that is why Seneca's admonishment about luck is so apropos for martial artists.

I hope 7-7 is your lucky day!  If not, maybe you need a little bit more training.  See you in the dojo.

Martial arts IQ: Seigo Yamaguchi - One of the few true masters of Aikido

Seigo Yamaguchi can be argued as one of the most influential Aikido teachers of all time.  A majority of the Aikido done today can be traced back to his style.  One can see his influence all over Hombu Dojo.  Some his personal students are Endo Sensei, Tissier Sensei and Yasuno Sensei and all are considered masters today. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSOzgkF2RzI

Happy Fourth of July!

Happy Fourth of July! I hope everyone has a safe and wonderful holiday.

I tried to think of something to write today, but kept coming up blank.  I found something Sensei once wrote on freedom and thought that I might share it.  Enjoy!

Sensei originally posted this to the Daily Message on October 8, 2003.

Respect and Honor: What Modern Aikido Sorely Lacks!

Today, we live in a world where we can exercise our powers freely. What some people feel is that we can do and say anything we feel like. I think this is a good thing but like everything, we must look at it with the eye of goodness. Saying or doing anything I feel like and insulting or hurting another person is real freedom?

The other day on the internet, someone who knows not much about Aikido, after viewing a few videos of O'Sensei - declared that he was "clumsy" and inferred perhaps his Aikido is not very good - we must be much better today. I have been doing Aikido for 45 years and do not feel like I am even close to O'Sensei at all - I don't even know how anyone can dare think of such a thing. Aikido is not like the Olympics where we are trying to beat each other's records. Why do we call him "O'Sensei" meaning "Great Teacher?

Later someone referred to his teachings as "rambling, unintellegible overkill," and I am very insulted and hurt by this. I don't know computers as everyone knows and when my students try to explain it to me - I can only think of it as "rambling, unintellegible overkill" but I don't blame computers, it is only my inadequate brain which cannot understand it. When I was in my calculus class in high school, I thought of it as "rambling, unintellegible overkill" but this is only because I couldn't understand it at all, I do not think that calculus is a bunch of hooey! I don't blame computers and calculus for my lack of understanding, just myself for not having the brain to grasp it. Actually, I don't have that much interest in computers and calculus at all and don't wish to pursue it. Perhaps, this person doesn't really like Aikido at all and perhaps should take up wrestling or grappling which may be easier for her to understand - just hurt each other.

Just the other day, I received a letter from some Aikido friends who practiced in Viet Nam many years ago where they were not even able to bow to O'Sensei's picture before practice. They could only bow to the picture of the then president of their country. Now, in America, they can have the freedom to show their respects to O'Sensei - who would dare to demean and belittle this to exercise their own rights of freedom? Is true freedom the freedom to demean and belittle the freedom of others?????

The first lesson in Aikido is that martial arts begins and ends with respect.

This person's freedom of expression which contains not on ounce of respect for others and indeed tramples on the beliefs of others and belittles the name of a Great Teacher whom we are thankful to in giving us this wonderful art of Aikido should not be allowed the priviledge of practicing Aikido in my opinion.

I suppose this is my "freedom" to express my opinion about this person so it must be okay - I feel very bad about this, because I don't have such time to waste and there are much more important things to discuss in Aikido than this poor person's problems. It is just so frustrating that such a subject would ever be brought up among Aikido people - I am in shock and disgusted that people do not have the proper education and training in Aikido. It is unexcusable.

If this person had any sense of respect or honor, she would not have said it just to save the face of her dojo and her teacher.

Please enjoy all of the freedom you want, but if this is at the sacrifice of your self-respect, the respect of others and your personal honor. . . .I find it a very high price to pay!

Martial arts IQ: Kisaburo Osawa - one of the great masters of Aikido

Kisaburo Osawa Sensei (1910-1991) was a great Aikidoist and one of O Sensei's most loyalist followers.  After O Sensei's passing, he could have run off and started his own organization or martial art and become wildly rich and famous.  Instead he chose to stay at Hombu Dojo and support, Nidai Doshu, Kisshomaru Ueshiba with his burden of carrying on Aikido after O Sensei's death.  Can you imagine just for a moment what that must have been like for not only the students of O Sensei, but for Kisshomaru Ueshiba too at that funeral?  It must have been a heavy burden as everyone expects you to either "be" O Sensei or that you will fail because you are not him.  I am completely sure that he felt a heavy burden and that load was made just a little bit lighter knowing that Osawa Sensei was going to stay and help you. Here is a great video showcasing Osawa Sensei's skill.  Sensei spent time with Osawa Sensei in 1969 in Japan just after O Sensei passed away.  Sensei credited Osawa Sensei as being one of his greatest inspirations and one of the main the reasons he became a priest.  You can also see from this video his enormous influence on Sensei's Aikido too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVliEgcY-b4

Time is not our friend

2015 is half over...where has the time gone?  The hardest part of growing up is to realize that there is no time left.  This concept of "the end" is the reason why some teachers or great masters seem to be so impatient.  Their impatience lies in the fact that there is so much to learn and truly so little time.  The concept that time is not our friend is embodied in the cherry blossom  or sakura.  The Japanese love this motif because it encompasses everything that one

needs to know in order to understand what it means to be a warrior.  The cherry blossom is a flower that doesn't wither and die.  Instead at the peak of its beauty it falls from the branch.  To the samurai it is reminiscent of a head falling after being chopped off and thus the fleetingness of life.

Some people often comment that the samurai "love death."  Nothing could be farther from the truth.  In all actuality, the warrior embraces life and truly lives it unlike the people of today.  In each and every moment one is born, lives and dies.  The true warrior does not cast off life, but lives it fully within each breath.  Only having truly lived can one meet their death with a poised calmness and a sense of happiness. This is all captured in the symbol of the cherry blossom.

Now that the year is half over, what will you do or rather how will you live the rest of your days?  The choice is yours.  Life is worth living.

Funny graphic

"The brochure didn't say anything about folding each other into little cranes!?"

How will you use your extra leap second?

Someone once told me a story that Bruce Lee used to have a mini makiwara (striking target) set up in his car so he could practice hitting while driving.  Regardless if you like Bruce Lee or not, the fact of the matter is that Bruce Lee was someone who would do or try just about anything to improve himself.  That is the difference between being a winner and a loser. Even if a student came to class everyday that would only yield them seven to thirteen hours of training per week.  That number pales in comparison to the 168 hours there are in a week. With that being said, in order to get a head one must put in some time outside of class in order to improve faster.

There is a Japanese saying, chiri wo tsumoreba yama to naru which means "Even specks of dust if piled up can eventually become a mountain."  There is always something to improve upon or something that needs to be done to stave something off.  The infographic above shows what someone could do despite the fact that they are sequestered behind a desk all day to maintain or improve themselves.   All one would have to do is use their imagination to find ways to create opportunities to either improve or maintain themselves.  It doesn't matter if it is Aikido or knitting, "Idle hands are the devil's hands" - just do something.

Today as we are blessed with one more second, what will you do with that extra precious moment?

One of the three historic deaths in battle

This Kuniyoshi woodblock print depicts Morozumi Masakiyo or Morozumi Torasada committing suicide.  Masakiyo Morozumi was a famous General under Takeda Shingen.  His death is chronicled in this woodblock titled as San Uchijini No Uchi or or One of the Three Heroic Deaths in Battle.  Supposedly at the time Morozumi was in his eighties and had served three generations of the Takeda family in many different battles.  This famous General was killed in the fourth battle between Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin.  From what little I have found on this print, Morozumi committed suicide by thrusting his sword into his mouth just as a cannonball lands and kills him and all his followers.  

If you don't know this...you someday will

Every person has talent.  Every person can learn Aikido.  Always, always remember...

How do you sit?

The chair in Japan can be traced back to the Kofun period (ca. 250-538 AD), but it didn't really come in to favor until the Meiji era (ca. 1868-1912 AD).  Even after the Meiji era, Japanese people still tended to sit on the floor.  Nowadays in Japan as with everywhere else, there are chairs available everywhere.  Traditionally, how one sits in Japan is based on the situation and the level of formality required.  Here are some of the traditional ways Japanese people sit based on the formality of the situation.

Seiza (正座) is the politest and most formal way to sit for a man or a woman.  Seiza is a difficult way for Westerners to sit and is becoming especially so in Japan as well most likely due to sitting in chairs.  One sits with their legs folded underneath their thighs with their buttocks resting on the heels.  The ankles turn outward to for a V with the toes touching.  It is considered bad form and a sign of uncouthness to have the feet overlap.  In Japan depending on the situation and level of formality, one might be required to sit in seiza.  For instance, in Doshu's office there are chairs and tables and there is no need to sit in seiza because the atmosphere or context might not warrant any formality, but if Doshu were to be scolding you or if you were to be receive something official like rank then you might want to sit in seiza as sign of respect.

Yokozuwari or side sitting is an appropriate formal alternative to seiza for women.  This is the way Disney's Princess Ariel sits with her tail wrapped behind her.  Therefore a man who sits in yokozuwari might seem effeminate sitting this way.

Agura (胡座) or sometimes called anza translates as barbarian sitting is a more relaxed posture a man might take when they cannot sit seiza any longer or have a injury.  It is formally known as cross legged.  Generally, anza is an informal posture and not appropriate for formal occasions or for when a gesture of respect is need to be given.  Women are not supposed to sit in anza, but that is changing in Japan.

Taiiku suwari is an alternative form for both men and women to sit.  It is an informal style of sitting and can be seen in a physical education class where children are sitting on hard floors.  One might use it as a rest position between seiza or anza to give their buttocks, knees or ankles a rest.

Obachan suwari or grandma sitting is where you sit in a modified seiza position where you don't sit on your ankles but sit between them.  This style of sitting is often seen in Yoga class and is called Hero's pose. This is a seated position only for women unless of course one is taking a Yoga class.

Tatehiza (立て膝) can be for men and women but has grown into an informal way to sit.  Tatehiza translates as standing knee and was designed as a way for warriors to sit on the battlefield in armor.  So it is kind of weird gray area when it comes to formality.  Sitting in tatehiza in a formal situation might come off as an affectation of politeness and thus seem disingenuous and rude especially since it came from the battlefield and might be misunderstood as a sign of contrariness or readiness to attack.  Today we see this posture in casual settings and at the higher levels of Iaido techniques.  It is actually not that easy to get into or get out of in a pinch.

All learning is predefined and predetermined

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAA-6f0x1Vc Most martial arts exist on the platform of "If this, then that."  When they are attacked like this, then they will act with that.  From this basis, one can see why almost all martial arts at their core contain sets of kata or predetermined and predefined movement.  One might be asking themselves "Why?" and "Isn't it fake then?"  The answer to both of those questions is yes and no.  It all comes down to learning or, rather, "How does one learn to act in any given situation?"

How we act is a function of pattern recognition.  Our brains recognize a pattern then act appropriately.  The brain has the uncanny ability to adapt to any situation.  It adapts based on similarities.  For instance when you are driving a car and someone cuts you off, the circumstance isn't the same as the last time nor did you train defensively to maneuver out of the way, but you steered out of harms way successfully nonetheless.  How did you do this?  Through imprinting.  All of ones driving experience and training becomes imprinted into their mind.  From there our minds take that imprinting and lay it over the current situation and hence you came out safe.  This is also why younger and newer drivers get into accidents far more often than older or more experienced drivers.

With the kata practice, the practitioners are trying to imprint scenarios into their minds so that they may act appropriately when they are confronted.  It won't be the same each time out but our minds are extremely capable of picking out the similarities and acting appropriately like when swerving out of the other car's path.  Also, all of this needs to be done in the blink of an eye.

To say that kata or form is meaning less is to not understand how human's learn.  From the moment we are born, we are copying down patterns of movement.  I don't think any baby came out of the womb walking or talking and thus needs a form to copy.  Based on this knowledge we can see that predefined movement is how we as humans learn and are thus able to act accordingly within a blink of an eye.

Color video of O Sensei

Here is a rare color video of Morihei Ueshiba demonstrating Aikido about nine years before his passing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7mxPWyb9q0

Wonderful calligraphy and poem

Tori naite yama sara ni shizuka nari.

With the cry of a bird - the serenity of the mountains deepens.

A phrase by Chinese poet Wang An-shi (1021-1086).

Art has a way of expressing what the heart cannot.  These lines of poetry really speak to me.  As I read them I could feel its meaning without explanation.  That is what good art does.  It took me back to my childhood spent camping in the boy scouts and my fond memories.

The Power of Tenkan

Why do we do the tenkan exercise every class?  At its highest level, tenkan is an old technique that was designed to bring about or teach us how to use our ki (氣) or energy.  On another level, tenkan is a diagnostic tool which can demonstrate exactly where we are in our technique and where we are as human beings.  Tenkan brings about so many questions and answers on so many different levels that it is almost unfathomable that a human being created it. Here are but a small number of questions one can ask their tenkan:

Where are my feet? What are my feet supposed to be doing? What are my hands and arms supposed to be doing? Did I fight with the person on the way in? Did I give in to the person on the way in? Did I place too much emphasis on turning? Did I use my hips? Where did my mind go during the movement?Did I hold my breathe? Do I lean in when I irimi? Did I fall asleep for just a moment? Am I getting bored? What emotions am I experiencing? Were my steps too short or too shallow? Where are my hips and what are they aligned with? Can I get longer? Can I stretch more What am I supposed to be thinking about during the technique? What did the teacher just say? What did the teacher just correct?

The list could go on and on...

In this post we are just taking about tenkan from the standpoint of the nage.  We didn't even get into it in terms of being the uke, but the questions are pretty much the same.  The next time you are in class, please pay closer attention to tenkan or all the other techniques for that matter.  They really do say a lot about you and where you are in your technique.

Is that the right time?

Timing, spacing and the center line (seichusen) are the three main factors that one is trying to control in any confrontation.  Of the three, timing is the most intangible and that makes it one of the hardest to learn.  Think about it.  Spacing can be controlled by one's foot work, by one's strength or flexibility, by how one makes use of the seichusen and by timing.  The seichusen can also be controlled by one's foot work, by how one uses their body, by controlling the spacing or by having a command of timing.  Timing cannot be controlled by anything external and theoretically can only be controlled by how one uses their mind, their ki (energy) and/or their kokyu (breathing).

What is timing?  Timing can be loosely defined as doing the right thing at the right time.  But that definition itself is too simple and short sighted.  Timing can be thought of as the physical manifestation of one's ki and kokyu.  It is said that, "To have a command of the faculties of ki and kokyu is to be one with the universe and thus able to wield it."

Having a command of ki and kokyu and enables one to use their minds/spirit to defeat the opponent.  This domination is called kizeme in kendo.

Before one can control ki and kokyo and attain kizeme one has to follow the natural progression.  First master the body and the physical movements.  Then master the mind.  Then finally master kokyu and ki.

One can see that to master timing is the just the beginning of the internal journey in the martial arts.  How does one learn timing?  Timing is only something that can be learned with diligent and dedicated practice.  Tons and tons of practice.

Aikido - The art of peace

To confront, collide or to fight is not the Way of Aikido.  Aikido's goal is to bring harmony to not only the situation but to the world.  When a person confronts you and tries to destroy you, they are only hurting themselves.  When we live our lives on a plane of higher existence, we can clearly see the bigger picture.  The bigger picture is that this person who is confronting us is really suffering.  As we realize he is suffering, we realize that this person is human and in realizing this person's humanity we realize that they are ignorant.  They are ignorant to the true nature of their suffering and also that their action will only lead them to more suffering regardless to whom they think is to blame.  I recently read a quote from a famous criminal psychologist who summed up why murders are not evil by saying, "Most of these killers are best understood as untreated, traumatized children who inhabit and control the minds, hearts, and bodies of adult men."  We are martial artists who live our lives a different way than the average person.  Our abilities come with a certain amount of responsibility.  Once we can understand our own humanity then we can realize the humanity in others.  Therefore with this understanding we realize the only remedy for this person's attack is to giving them compassion.  Consequently, the Way of Aikido is born.  Aikido does not attempt to destroy other, but to harmonize with them, to give them compassion and hence change the world.  We are all saints and sinners and are all in need of kindness, compassion and forgiveness.  Thus, we cannot destroy others because we would only be destroying ourselves.

What it is like to train in Shaolin Kung-fu in China

I found this video on vimeo that deftly shows what it is like to train at the Tiangmenshan Shaolin Kung Fu Academy in China.  To even get to this level of training takes years because there is so much prepatory work that needs to be done.  Obviously this guy is living it and it gives us just a peek at what it would be like to devote ourselves to something for even the shortest period of time.  Enjoy! https://vimeo.com/88630748

Nobody's perfect

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LX7WrHCaUA&app=desktop Sometimes without much thought, people mistakenly equate accomplishment or skill with infallibility and thus misunderstandings occur.  In the 1970s, astronauts were seen as god like people who were infallible.  People forgot that those courageous astronauts were human being with just as many shortcomings as everyday people.   Lyricist Bernie Taupin wrote Rocket Man for Elton John during a chance encounter with a shooting star.

Martial artists are supposed to be people who live their lives at a higher level.  This higher level doesn't mean that they are infallible.  It is quite the opposite.  Most martial artist are quite fallible people.   Their greatness comes not from what they can do or what they have accomplished but in that they know they are fallible and how they deal with it.  Their fallibility makes them work harder to be better and not to rest on their laurels.  Each of us is human being and humans by nature of being human make mistakes.  It is in how we come back from those mistakes which makes us martial artists and thus great.

Should you go to practice today?

Hmmm.  Should I go to class today?  Why don't we consult the chart?

Yep, sounds about right.  When in doubt.  Go to class to train.  It is for your own good.