ChadMaestro

Something my sensei said in passing the other day really hit home with me. Generally this tends to happen because I love to analyse the simplest of ideas.

He said something along the lines of “there’s gotta be something more to it than just the self-defence. If you’re worried about self-defence, you could just buy a 9mm and be set.”

I found this fascinating, probably because I’ve never heard this idea put this way before. Why practice any martial art if self-defence is what you’re truly concerned with. Buy a knife, buy a gun – these are far more practical than studying an in-depth system for 3 to 30 years. It brings up a lot of points, really. My sensei, himself, wrote a small article on why he trains Aikido. You can read it here.

What this also makes me think of is an old Aikido proverb.

2 elderly masters are sitting on a park bench when the one asks the other, “have you ever used aikido in a fight?” The other responds with “No.” And the first man says, “you’re aikido is better than mine. I have.”

This small story leads the reader to believe that Aikido is not about fighting, in fact that it’s about not fighting. To master aikido means to never fight, why is that? It is because the nature of aikido is not to learn how to fight with one another, but how to avoid fighting with one another. As I’ve said before, aikido is a physically metaphoric system for how individuals should live their lives.

It has also been discussed how people take up a martial art for goals and contradict those goals by changing direction later on. In this article by Stanley Pranin, he explains how people often join a martial art to avoid injury and harm, only to compete when they’re competent to injure and harm others. Quite deceptive, really.

So what should the goals of aikido be? Are there a set number? If not self-defence, what could a martial art possibly provide?

For me, the first application of Aikido is mind and body wellness. In this short article by Bruce S. McEwen, as cited by Dr Neil Bossenger, many regular activities alter brain and body function due to elevated stress levels. He states that “the social environment has enormous impact on the individual through the brain.” So in order to repair this negative alteration, a form of therapeutic activity can be done, my choice of this activity is Aikido. Aikido provides the trainee with the understanding of a deeper life lessons, but you do have to either think or stumble on it. Example: In Aikido we are uke about half the training time. Uke translated actually means “the one who suffers”. In life we are not always doing the awesome stuff, about 50% of the time things will be good, and 50% of the time things will be bad – the difference is in that 50% of badness, the energy is absorbed portrayed in a different light, kind of like a conversion into good energy.

Before I go all hippified on you, let me just explain. Uke means the one who suffers, but how does aikido solve the pain of suffering? Simple, ukemi. Ukemi is the teachings of how to take blows and punches and techniques (suffering) and still being able to stand up later on, it teaches us to redirect and channel energy. Kind of fascinating, really; hence its therapeutic nature.

The second reason is that Aikido gives a bit of discipline. Have you ever done something you love for a few years? You know there are those nights or days where, even though you love doing it, you don’t feel like it right there and then? Those are the type of nights that training is especially important – those are the nights where you build your mind and spirit into the training. And, for the record, ever notice how when once you’re at the training right until you’re finished, you feel so much better. The lack of enthusiasm was for 5 minutes before you left the house, and you feel good because 1, you didn’t spend the night watching The Kardashians, 2, you did something stimulating to your mind and body and 3, you did something that you didn’t want to but knew that it was beneficial in the long run. That’s discipline! And a true Aikido master can only manifest when you put in the hours, even if it’s not always the most convenient; there are lessons inside the lessons.

The third and maybe final reason for me is the social aspect of the training. I personally don’t think I would have really gotten into Aikido if my teacher wasn’t who he was. Really, all martial arts have their pros and cons and I think all are enjoyable, but it’s the teacher that really makes it special. I’m speaking from a socialistic point of view (even though my Sensei is technically sound) but to have someone who is down to earth and real is a very good thing. The people you train with are also there to occasionally talk to, as well. It’s a community, where people talk and laugh and train. I don’t feel this way about everything, example: the gym, but aikido is a study that has to involve other people, why not make it something you can do to meet new people and enjoy. It’s all about networking.

Through aikido we’ve met and befriended people who is a chiropractor, someone who can give advice on your body and wellbeing; an insurance dealer, someone who has given us deals when looking for travel insurance; a design publisher, who gives deals when it comes to design and printing; nutritionist, who’s always willing to give advice. The world is full of people, believe it or not, and stepping just that small inch out of your comfort zone will allow you to meet those people.

So that sums it up for me in a very short, concise understanding. There are 2 or 3 more minor points that I could talk about, but I try to keep my blogs under 1000 words (which I’ve already surpassed). Remember, do something you love. Aikido (or even martial arts) is not something everyone enjoys, but some of these ideas can be applied everywhere in your life. Anything you do should have a goal or a focus, even if it is to better yourself in any respect. Do it as best you can, don’t do it half arsed or you’re just wasting your time, and possibly others. Give 100% and you will succeed, whatever that word means to you.