I noticed this evening the hope to be something other than i am. It's weird. It's not hoping to be someone else, but hoping to be what i think i am already. It's quite painful to admit to not being that image. It means letting go of what i think i deserve, the way i think the world should be. The thing is it's not giving up a belief like "oh Gary Barlow didn't have a successful career after leaving Take That, oh ok." It's giving up yourself, your actual self. It's extremely difficult.
The bummer is i never realise i'm defining myself like that, until the way the world goes takes it away from me. Does that ever stop? Is it possible to live in this world without having such adegree of attachment that it's scary when you have to let it go?
Saturday 6 January 2007
Friday 5 January 2007
Ukemi and Co-operation in Aikido
The other day i found myself reading posts on aikiweb about ukemi (falling without hurting yourself). One person said that Aikido was not combative because of the idea of "co-coperation".
If co-operation in Aikido meant going "oh you want me to fall over? OK", and then leaping accross the mat, then yes, it would not be combative, it would in fact be pish.
However! The co-operation in Aikido is not that. It is the supportive manner of training present in any good dojo. An MMA instructor does not smash a beginners ribs in to make it combative, grr. Instead, while practicing strikes and combos the level is tailored to the student, gradually stepping up the power and difficulty as the student adjusts.
This is how it works in Aikido too. Techniques that i used to be able to do become harder everytime i practice with an instructor because they're making it harder for me. There's no point in smashing beginners into the mat, they won't learn and neither will you. Keeping it at the very edge of your ability is what works.
Admittedly i have come across Aikido dojo where they insist that i fall over despite the technique not working. These dojo exist in all arts, and unfortunately it takes a lot of effort to find good instuction, but it's worth it.
Ukemi comes into a simmilar vein. I've heard it said that it's the uke's responsibilitie to follow, to go with it. Admittidly it's stupid to leave your feet planted to the ground as your arm and body are taken away, you'll end up on your face, but it's the nage's responsibility to lead! The uke shouldn't move blindly like a rag doll, sacraficing his body to a technique. Someone in the street isn't going to fall about to your every whim, the nage has to take control so that the uke must follow to prevent themselves from falling.
If co-operation in Aikido meant going "oh you want me to fall over? OK", and then leaping accross the mat, then yes, it would not be combative, it would in fact be pish.
However! The co-operation in Aikido is not that. It is the supportive manner of training present in any good dojo. An MMA instructor does not smash a beginners ribs in to make it combative, grr. Instead, while practicing strikes and combos the level is tailored to the student, gradually stepping up the power and difficulty as the student adjusts.
This is how it works in Aikido too. Techniques that i used to be able to do become harder everytime i practice with an instructor because they're making it harder for me. There's no point in smashing beginners into the mat, they won't learn and neither will you. Keeping it at the very edge of your ability is what works.
Admittedly i have come across Aikido dojo where they insist that i fall over despite the technique not working. These dojo exist in all arts, and unfortunately it takes a lot of effort to find good instuction, but it's worth it.
Ukemi comes into a simmilar vein. I've heard it said that it's the uke's responsibilitie to follow, to go with it. Admittidly it's stupid to leave your feet planted to the ground as your arm and body are taken away, you'll end up on your face, but it's the nage's responsibility to lead! The uke shouldn't move blindly like a rag doll, sacraficing his body to a technique. Someone in the street isn't going to fall about to your every whim, the nage has to take control so that the uke must follow to prevent themselves from falling.
So, why?
For this first post i'd like to make two points. First why i'm starting this little chat with myself. Well, i've been having a lot of thoughts about Aikido and Zen recently, but i keep forgetting them because my memory sucks, so i reckon writing them down somewhere where i can't loose it might help. That way i can revisit the ideas later and see how much jibberish i was talking.
Second, i was totally hoping to have a smart and witty blog title, so i thought "how can i sum up me and the universe in a short sharp way?" THoguth about ripples on ponds and ended up confusing myself silly so i gave up and went with this. Ah well, stupid action and all that.
Second, i was totally hoping to have a smart and witty blog title, so i thought "how can i sum up me and the universe in a short sharp way?" THoguth about ripples on ponds and ended up confusing myself silly so i gave up and went with this. Ah well, stupid action and all that.
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