Tag Archives: martial arts

The Circle and the Spiral

Posted on April 21, 2016 by kimberlysbarton

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 my life. It doesn’t always happen, and I’m not always … Continue reading →

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Energetic Batteries

Posted on January 28, 2016 by kimberlysbarton

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 energy’ or ‘the way of harmony.’ I recently spent a … Continue reading →

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This is Where You Live

Posted on January 7, 2016 by kimberlysbarton

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 dates with women, often unattainable women. Albert, played by Kevin … Continue reading →

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O’Sensei

Posted on April 26, 2015 by kimberlysbarton

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. Although O’Sensei is no longer with us, his art lives … Continue reading →

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True Emptiness

Posted on March 24, 2015 by kimberlysbarton

“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 to true emptiness” means in this poem, at least in … Continue reading →

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Ukemi, Posture, and Life

Posted on March 3, 2015 by kimberlysbarton

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 down into a pin. It is also the initial attack … Continue reading →

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The Practice of Peace

Posted on February 28, 2015 by kimberlysbarton

**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 ideal of peace.** “The choice between love and fear is … Continue reading →

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When the Song Fits the Mood

Posted on October 6, 2014 by kimberlysbarton

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 three months or so that I prepared for my test. … Continue reading →

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Responsibility, Teaching, Training

Posted on September 22, 2014 by kimberlysbarton

**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 teacher (a fellow yudansha) said, “Look to your left.” We … Continue reading →

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Aikido and Dance

Posted on September 15, 2014 by kimberlysbarton

**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.** “Move like a beam of light; Fly like lightning, Strike … Continue reading →

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