A Letter To Buzzcock RE: Aikido
I was going to send this via email, buzzcock, but I decided to post this instead. I think it is worthy of a post due to the aspects of my mental and physical development or potential lack there of in Aikido
( Read more... )
Don't be hard on yourself; you have only just started.
I only trained briefly before SF, and can't rate it in terms of difficulty. SF dojo is difficult, but good. It's like Sensei tries to rewire your hardware directly, bypassing all of our finally (sic) honed SJC software, not to mention comfort levels, articulation, etc. I'd been so so confused, yeah, but then one night fell off a four foot (at least!) drop in the pitch black while looking for a camp sight without a flashlight. Took good ukemi, unconsciously. Those are results you can trust!
Boulder here gives more distance, is less intense. People are comfortable, but sloppy and not as... changed by Aikido. Most of them seem to leave what they learn in the dojo, and who needs that shit. ? Here is more a regular learning experience, in that they first consult your mind for permission to teach your body. Not most appropriate way to go about it.
But don't be hard on yourself; you've only just started, and Aikido is like nothing we've known before, flying in the face of generations of indoctrination and etc, cause like it's trying to show you how to conquer conflict with compassion, stay open in the face of potential harm, and that's one fucking revolutionary concept to force on these old dogs, yeah?
And did I mention I'll be out around the weekend of Feb 21? If all goes well, knee-wise, I'd like the chance to train with you. So hang in there, it's bound to start making sense and hurting less.
:)
Reply
The idea that you feel that you are only now starting to grasp understanding is very good for me to hear and to know. The way that Sensei tries to rewire your hardware, as you put it, is a great way to conceptualize it. I know that just observing the technique is extremely challenging on the level of concentration. Watching footwork, watching hand movement, then watching how uke takes the technique; footwork and handwork.
I don't think I am being hard on myself... yet. I just don't want to be hard on other people either, you know... like having people avoid the new guy because he just ain't gettin it and he has a long way to get it and I need to practice my technique with someone who knows what the hell they are doing. That said, I think that if you are practicing the art appropriately you should be excited to work with someone new. O Sensei's teachings were expanded so that the message of compassionate conflict resolution would be brought to everyone. God, he was an amazing person. Reading Art of Peace now, which is truly wonderful. Have you read it, buzzcock? If not, you can when you come down.
I don't mind the pain. The injury that I took yesterday I think has taught me what not to do. I think I can learn from how I hurt myself and know what to avoid and what to do in the future. It's just hard to walk right now. ha!
I think it is amazing that you fell in darkness and performed ukemi from a > 4 foot fall. You're right... those are instincts you can trust.
I'm sorry that Boulder Aikido is not so hot. I find it hard to imagine that people can go into a dojo and walk away not taking something with them. Although I haven't looked into the other SF dojo, I have a suspicion that that is the same logic there. Have you observed that one?
So the weekend of the 21st. Need a place to stay? Your knee better be better. If not, we'll see about doing some technique that will be low stress to your knees. How did you hurt it in the first place?
As far as hanging in there... There is no doubt in that.
Thanks, buzzcock.
Reply
Leave a comment