The Circle and the Spiral
I often think of Aikido in philosophical terms. When a teacher gives advice about how to do a technique physically, I sometimes translate it into advice on how to live…
Energetic Batteries
Aikido is energy training. The name itself speaks of this energy; the ‘ki’ in aiKIdo means energy or life force. Put together, the word Ai-ki-do means ‘the way of joining…
This is Where You Live
In the movie Hitch with Will Smith and Kevin James, Hitch, played by Will Smith, is the ‘Date Doctor,’ a man who hires himself out to help other men get…
O’Sensei
Today, April 26th, is the anniversary of the death of Morihei Ueshiba, or O'Sensei as Aikido practitioners call him, which means 'Great Teacher'. Morihei Ueshiba created the martial art Aikido.…
True Emptiness
"If you have not Linked yourself To true emptiness, You will never understand The Art of Peace." ~O’Sensei, The Art of Peace I’ve been contemplating what the phrase “linked yourself…
Ukemi, Posture, and Life
Posture...something I've been thinking about again. This week during Aikido class, I watched people do ukemi. Ukemi (oo-KEH-mee) is what we're doing when we fall or roll or get taken…
The Practice of Peace
**Today my dojo is participating in our town's annual Peace Fair. I decided to repost this blog about the practice of peace in honor of the event and in the…
When the Song Fits the Mood
Every time I tested for a dan rank, I listened to one particular song or one particular band every time I drove to the dojo. This went on for the…
Responsibility, Teaching, Training
**This is the latest of the essays I wrote before a black belt test. I wrote it April of 2014.** Lining up to bow in to class one afternoon, the…
Aikido and Dance
**I wrote this in 2011 when I was preparing for my second degree (nidan) black belt test. If you'd like to read the essay for my shodan test, it's here.**…
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