Aikijudo-Jitsu™ Ryu

Wisdom of the Day 20100603

The family is the most fundamental unit in society. If it is ruled by peace and human values, then not only will parents live happily and free of tension, but their children and grandchildren will too, and even generations after that. If they have a religious faith, their children will naturally be drawn to this. If they speak politely to each other and behave "ethically", love each other and have mutual respect, If they help those in need and show concern for the world around them, it is highly likely that their children will follow suit and become responsible people.

On the other hand, if the mother and father are continuously fighting and insulting each other, if they just do whatever comes into their heads without thinking of others, then not only will they never be happy themselves, but their children will inevitably fall victim to their influence.

"Ethically"

To behave ethically, in the Buddhist sense that the Dalai Lama is referring to here, means to refrain from doing anything that might harm others.

The Dalai Lama

My views on Aikido

The path of Aikido is very unique. It is not suited for everyone. Only people with a strong, open mind will succeed in learning the way of Aikido.

Aikido is very technical. It is not for us to learn how to brawl, inflicting injury to someone, nor is it a way of killing. On the contrary, Aikido is the way of peace. Even though, we learn techniques that enable us to do all of the above, Aikido is concentrating on relaxing and to practice control over yourself, your knowledge, and skills.

This is very hard at first. Some people learn and get the point quicker than others. This is totally normal and has nothing to do with being smart or not so smart. Everyone of us has a different background and upbringing. Some of us were even born with some kind of a natural aggression and some of us were born to be very  passive, and peaceful by nature.

In all of my twenty-fife years of practicing Aikido, I came across all kinds of personalities. Each one is different and unique. Aikido is also not designed to make everyone into the same person. That would be impossible. Aikido is giving us the tools and choice to form the person we really want to be. For example; a natural aggressive person might not like him/herself the way they are, or a timid person has the same feelings. Aikido is only bringing out in you the person that you would like to be. Sometimes, through a lot of practice, it just happens without you even trying. If someone tries too hard, it will only take longer to reach the point of change.

Embarking on a journey into unknown territory requires steely courage, an adventurous spirit, a deep belief in oneself and simple hope for a better tomorrow.                                                                                                      

Marcy Blochoviak

If we don't already have all of those qualities, Aikido will teach us through physical practice to obtain them without having to try too hard. We will learn how to change a negative situation into a positive one. Aikido will also free us from bad ego. I am saying "bad ego" because there is good and bad ego. To try to rid oneself of ego is not the way to go. One has to realize or learn to recognize the difference between the good and the bad ego and hold on to the good ego in order to become confident and even at peace with oneself.

Before we will recognize a bigger picture of Aikido, we have to start recognizing the real small ones first. We have to take it little by little, step by step in order to get to a bigger picture.

I don't remember how many years ago, at a Summer-camp in DC, I didn't feel very good one day and decided to skip a class or two in the morning and stay in the dojo. Classes were held at the Catholic University. The dojo was empty and quiet, when all of a sudden I heard some noise. I got up and looked around. Saotome Sensei came out of the house with a huge roll of rice-paper, brushes and ink. I offered to help carry some of it and he told me to get some paper-towels which I gladly did. He spread out the paper on to the mat, opened the ink-bottle and set it on some paper-towels. I stood back of off the mat to see what he was going to do when he turned around and invited me to come and sit. I gladly did because by now, I had figured out that he was going to do some calligraphy.

He started, and after two or three strokes, looked at it, shook his head, and tore off the part he did. He wadded it up and through it aside. I just set there not saying anything. He started over again. This time, he tore it up after the first stroke. Same thing, tore it off of the roll, wadded it up and through it aside. This went on for several hours. I was sitting in the middle of wadded paper and the pile got bigger and bigger. I thought that he was trying to bury me in paper. The calligraphy was quite long and he was finally done. He signed it and put his stamps on it and took another look at it. He shook his head and started to tear it off when I tried to stop him. I was silent for all those hours just watching but could not bear to see him destroy this beautiful piece of art. He explained to me that the last two strokes are not perfect and that it is bothering him. He also went over the whole calligraphy with me explaining why this was done this way and that was done that way and why the last two strokes were not to his liking. He started all over again. This time, I had a little more inside to what he was doing and understood, well, somewhat, why he kept starting over and over again. Finally, it was done. He looked at it and knotted. Sensei told me to fetch two clean stones from the rock-garden and I did. He placed them on each corner on the bottom of the paper so it wouldn't roll up. "We let dry now" looking at me. His face started to have a question mark and I thought that I knew him well enough to know what he was asking. I said "no Sensei, I didn't get bored." He nodded and walked to the house. The calligraphy Sensei made was a gift to the guest-instructor, an old master who came all the way from Japan. I don't remember what it said.

Needless to say, I had skipped more classes then I had planned on. I did make it to the last class of the day. What I didn't realize was that I had received a lesson in patients that would last me for the rest of my life. No lectures, books, or spoken words could have taught me what Saotome Sensei has given me in one day.

The samurai study calligraphy and now I know why, to steady their hands and to practice patients. At least this is what I think.

In Aikido, there is always room for improvement. It never ends. As soon as we think that we have mastered a technique, I assure you, we will make some kind of adjustment. The learning of Aikido will go on and on.

Doris         

Welcome to the Aikijudo-Jitsu™ Blog

Hello! Welcome to the Aikijudo-Jitsu BLOG. 

I invite you to read through the posts, and hope that you will receive some benefit from these words. I hope to be joined by my peers in passing along the wisdom inherited from those before us, onto the next generations of individuals of like mind.  If successful, it is my sincere hope that this BLOG will become a free repository of wisdom for all to share.

If you feel the desire to reply to a post, please do so after careful and thoughtful reflection.  As with any philisophical discussion, we must always be mindful and respectful of other's thoughts, ideas, and opinions.  Our realities are each unique and subjective, and therefore we must be patient and respectfull of each other if we are to grow as individuals.

Onegaishimasu,

Troy M. Wussow
Aikijudo-Jitsu™ Ryu
April 1, 2010