Sunday, February 01, 2009

Sharing of Thoughts

Members are welcome to share your thoughts about Aikido here. Simply add comments in this area to start sharing.

To start with, below is something to share:

1. A dojo is a miniature cosmos where we make contact with ourselves - our fears, anxieties, reactions and habits.

It is an arena of confined conflict where we confront an opponent who is not an opponent but rather a partner engaged in helping us understand ourselves more fully.

Rules During Practice

1. One blow in Aikido can kill. When practicing always obey your instructor and do not use training a time for needless testing of strength.

2. Aikido is an art where one person learns to face many opponents simultaneously. It therefore requires that you polish and perfect each movement to become invulnerable from any direction.

3. Practice with a feeling of joy and exhilaration.

4. The teachings of your instructor constitute only a small fraction of what you will learn. Your mastery of each movement will depend almost entirely on individual earnest practice.

5. Daily practice begins with light movements gradually increasing in intensity; but there must be no overexertion. Even elderly people can practice with pleasure.

6. The purpose of Aikido is to train both body and mind sincerely. Aikido must not be taught to immoral people or used for evil purposes.

By O'Sensei