Aikido is a martial art centered on 'the way of spiritual harmony'. It was developed in the 1920s by Ueshiba Moreihi (called 'O-Sensei', or 'Great Teacher').
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| Moreihi Ueshiba (1883 - 1969). |
I've been a student of Aikido for almost 14 years (yikes!). Recently, I have begin teaching Aikido to students at Tama University, School of Global Studies.
However, rather than feeling like a teacher, I feel like a complete novice again! This is both very scary and exhilarating, and there are definitely lessons in simplicity here:
Falling comes first: To have confidence in Aikido (and in life), you must first learn to fall (and fail) without fear.
Basics, basics, basics: The basics are so valuable. A single technique can have many different applications. Spend a lot of time on the basics.
Be here now (be someplace else later): A student once asked his teacher, 'Sensei, when will I be really good at Aikido?' The teacher replied, 'For you, 10 years.' The student was aghast. '10 years, Sensei!?!'. 'Okay, 20 years!', replied the teacher.
Forget the past, forgo the future. Give your energy right here & now to your technique.
Begin with the end in mind: Have a clear image of where you want to be, then break it into easy steps to get there.
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