Laurent Aikido

I was wondering if aikido had a philosophy.  When I say philosophy, I don’t mean ‘I like to get up early in the morning and that’s my philosophy’. No what I mean is building up idea from a premises and logic: Premise 1:bla bla premise 2: bla bla, if premise 1 and 2 then conclusion: bla bla. Does Aikido has this structure, in its ‘philosophy’… no. Okay maybe it has the kind of ‘are we living in the Matrix’ philosophy and then try to see the logical consequences from that. But no aikido’s ‘philosophy’ doesn’t have that either. What aikido does have is an ideology; “how we should harmonize yourself with the universe (what do you mean?)”. “Flow with the movements of your opponent” or “true budo is meant for peace”. The philosophy where aikido’s philosophy come closest, is to eastern philosophy, where religion and philosophy are almost the same thing.

I have learned from the internet how to fold my belt in aikido. But apparently they (a lot of sites) are not folding correctly for the Netherlands, so I had to change it. I liked the internet’s way better but what choice do I have? I can fold it anyway I like when I’m training at home (I wish I could train at home). Also the way that I now need to fold it, it doesn’t look nice, it’s looser.

I’m wondering what alternative way of training could be useful for Aikido. Would it help to practice blindfolded? Maybe train in the four seasons: Doing ukemi in the winter when there’s a lot of snow outside. In the summer on the beach with high temperatures. Maybe you can tell me more alternative ways of training, because it could be useful to practice outside of the dojo.

After reading this article http://stresslessachievemore.com/a-kind-word-turneth-away-wrath-by-terry-dobson/ I realised ones again how everyone has a story (reason, background, etc.). I dreamed last night about a boy who wouldn’t stop following me, I tried to make him stop. I used every thread of violence in the book, but he wouldn’t stop. Then I realised in my dream that maybe he just wanted someone to talk to and indeed that was the case. Anyway, this dream and other stories makes you realise that there isn’t black and white, good or evil. Everyone has a story.

I read a quote of an uchideshi (Mitsugi Saotome) from O-sensei, that he demands everyone on the mat to wear a hakama. But the Hombu dojo (aikikai) let’s men wear a hakama when they have black belt (shodan) and women when they have 3de kyu. In The Netherlands you can where the hakama when you have the 3de kyu. I find it strange that the Hombu dojo would go against the wishes of O-sensei. I know that because of the war, not everyone could wear one, but now the people who want to wear them can’t because they have to wait until they have requirement x.

Good news, I’ll be able to train two times a week. The second training is a normal training + ki training in the last hour. And that is what I’m going to write about, as I have already had two ki lessons.

The whole ki stuff seems to me only to do with unbalancing uke. The people I train with describe it as ‘falling in a hole’ when my sensei is applying it. But I only feel that I get out of balances at some place, that’s all. I heard her say sometimes that I tried to block her (ki), but the only thing I do at that moment is to be balanced again. I guess I’ll follow the lessons to learn to unbalances someone, but I think that ki stuff is nothing more that unbalancing! Maybe I can train at the ki society, if those people can’t convince me, I guess no one can.

Another think I noticed is that the same action is called different for different people. When I needed to be uke for my sensei, she said that I wasn’t really there. Okay, so I tried to get in the mood of an attacker, because in combat uke would be the attacker. And then I seemed to be there again and I was doing the right things automatically as uke. In the ki lessons there are more chances to talk, as we try to find out what we need to do. But anyway, everyone seems to say different stuff that is happening when they succeed in doing the right thing.

Hello, this is Laurent again.

Last week I was bowling with my classmates and I tried to do different stuff from aikido to bowl better. Like the hanmi stance, focus on one point or give a burst of ki/spirit. Those things didn’t seem to work. The only I could use, was this: it seems that when I threw the ball, I had a preference for the left. So by aiming more to the right I would do better.

Hello, this is your friend Laurent (I hope to be your friend ;) )

Tomorrow I have to be longer at school. This could mean that I’ll miss the aikido lesson of this week. But! I’m in luck, as my girlfriend (Alise) is also practising aikido. So see can get my gi and stuff, which makes me able to train! :D

I think you need to take every chance that you can take to train aikido. In training I’m every time thinking that I need more training on this step or that technique.

Hey this is Laurent,

I‘m in my twenties and I started training in aikido about a half a year ago. I now only have the 6th kyu and I would love to train more than 1 times a week.

This blog I’ll express my ideas, feelings and commentary on aikido. I know I’m just a beginner and that is why I want to start writing. This way you can see me change from a beginner to (ultimately) a black belt! I would like to get your commentary on the stuff I’ll write.