24th Oct 2007
Application of Aikido by L. Erickson
APPLICATION OF AIKIDO
Aikido consists of more than just throwing and pinning techniques: it is also a philosophy and a way of life. We study Aikido in its physical form at the dojo and on the mats, but the real value of Aikido is in its application to life.
The goals of Aikido include making harmony, resolving conflict, and applying oneself totally to each moment of life. These principles have profound applications outside the dojo.
To make harmony involves adjusting oneself to see the point of view of the other person. When the other person’s goals are understood, it becomes possible to resolve disagreements by discovering the similarities between both points of view. Then a new and different approach can be created which will satisfy both people. This is often described in business terms as “thinking outside the box”. Or sometimes this is called “a compromise”. Instead of arguing about who gets to choose the dinner restaurant, two people can agree on a third criterion–such as which restaurant is close nearby.
Aikido teaches us to evade conflict and not to fight. This means to avoid situations of the “I win and you loose” variety. The best application of the Aikido mindset is to accomplish the goals without creating any undue stress and argument. For example, there are many ways to deal with a critical statement such as “You’re not supposed to do things that way”. One way is to accept the statement at face value and request assistance “Is that so? Then what is the proper procedure?” Another way is to change directions “Is that so? Then I will do things in a different way.”
Negative energy is a frequent occurance in life and Aikido provides one type of training to deal with it. On the mat, we learn to harmonize with the attack and to redirect the energy. Off the mat, we can practice stepping out of the way of the negative energy. I have many times avoided political arguments by recognizing the signs of misdirected frustration: “I can see that you’re in a fighting mood when you watch the nightly news about the US Congress, but I decline to argue about which political party has the worst record”. A large number of arguments can be avoided simply by changing the topic, or by scheduling a later appointment to fUlly discuss the issue.
One of the most important parts of Aikido is the teaching to be in the moment. On the mat, events occur quickly and one technique follows another. The previous techniquel attack is over, and the nage must pay attention to the current attack. This understanding forces me to let go of old mistakes and problems in order to assess and react to the current situation. The past is finished; the present requires my full attention.
What I have learned from studying for this yondan test is the importance of adjusting the techniques to the situation. Each uke presents a different situation, with different body size, different speed, different flexibility, and different ukemi skills. My responsibillity as nage is to apply the appropriate amount of re-direction, momentum, and control, in order to resolve the attack to the mutual satisfaction of nage and uke. Frequently this resolution will be identical to a kihon waza basic technique, but sometimes adjustments must be made and the technique comes out in an oyo waza or a henka waza fashion. I am beginning to think that there is a lot more oyo waza happening on the mat than I had previously noticed. This is a Good Thing. It means that there is a room in Aikido for all kinds of movements, for all kinds of adjustments, for all kinds of techniques which satisfy the principles of the Way of Harmony with Nature.
In my opinion, the final result of the application of Aikido to life is an increase in contentment, in physical and mental health, and in overall happiness.
Laurie Erickson (yondan)
Tenshinkan Dojo
