True victory is victory over oneself.
– Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba
I have no opponents other than myself. It’s only me against me. I work on myself. I don’t work on others. In that paradox, by working on myself, I create the possibility for others to work on themselves too. The open invitation for others to work on the greater-than versions of themselves.
In Sunday morning Aikido class, Ishibashi Sensei prepared students for their promotional tests, Kyu Tests. I practiced with Kurt. Kurt is 25 years old, 6’ tall, a good athlete, and a very good Aikido student. I’ve known him since he was 14 years old when his dad brought him and his brother Lukas to the Dojo. Back then, Mizukami Sensei still taught. After a couple of years of training, Kurt quit Aikido to pursue water polo, in which he was a star. Kurt graduated from high school, then went away for college.
About a year after he graduated college, Kurt texted me. He wanted to train in Aikido again. He said that he needed to get “some discipline” back into his life. I texted that I practiced on Sunday mornings with Ishibashi Sensei, who he also knew. I told Kurt to come to practice on Sunday. Kurt showed up. He was in. It was on.
Kurt and I practiced Aikido techniques for the katate tori kosadori attack. The uke, the attacker, grabbed the wrist of the nage, the one receiving the attack: the uke’s right hand to the nage’s right wrist, and the uke’s left hand to the nage’s right wrist.
Initially, Kurt had difficulty with iriminage (clothesline to the head) from katate tori kosadori. I put in the correction showing him what to do. Still, he struggled some. I said, “I’ll put you in the right position to throw me.” Kurt nodded. I applied iriminage to myself, entering as deep as I could getting under Kurt’s arm. Then I took the fall. After a couple times, he got it. Kurt started generating the technique on his own.
After Kurt completed the set of katate tori kosadori techniques, he looked at me, “Do we switch now?” I said, “No. Keep going. You’re training for your test.” Kurt’s 25 years old. I’m 59 years old with over 30 years of rigorous Aikido training. Sure, it takes me a little longer to get up after taking a fall. Still, I get up as quickly as I can.
I attack over, and over, and over, and over again. Yes, I still work on myself. I apply the technique to myself. I take the falls. I get up. It’s not all about me. In the bigger picture, it’s about Kurt becoming the greater-than version of himself, becoming the best that he can be.
O-Sensei said, “True victory is victory over oneself.” As I overcome myself and allow others to overcome themselves, too, everyone evolves together.
Whenever I got promoted to my next dan (black belt) rank, I said to Mizukami Sensei, “Thank you, Sensei.” Sensei would always smile, “You did it. I didn’t do anything.” Again, he was at least half right. At least. The late Mizukami Sensei was the humblest man I knew on Planet Earth.
In my training and evolution, Sensei was about me. I’m the greater man– the better person– because of Mizukami Sensei. Rest in Peace, Sensei. I perpetuate Sensei’s legacy in fostering the other’s greater versions of themselves: that others become the best that they can be. I’ve done so with dozens of black belts. I do so with Kurt. It’s both my honor and privilege; my calling.
The world isn’t all about me. The world is about others becoming the greater-than versions of themselves. Hopefully, I can make a difference in their journeys in some way as Mizukami had so done for me. My way of giving something back.
In the bigger picture, I don’t define my legacy. Others I’ve shared the journey with shall define my legacy after I’m gone. They do the math, not me. I hope that others might say that I wasn’t all about me. That, for the most part, I was all about them. I have nothing but mad love and respect for them. Amen.
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