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During our 25 years of Aikido together, Sensei Dan was the greater than (>) version of me.I aspired to be like Sensei. He was strong, wise, and compassionate. He had this “no bullshit” sensibility. Sensei was about: What works. Now, I train with Sensei Bobby, who is also the greater version of me. Bobby is a few years older than me. We both learned our Aikido from Sensei.
Bobby is the consummate Student of Mastery. He religiously works transforming as the greater martial artist, and the greater man: spiritually, mentally, and physically. His attention to the basics is unmatched. Bobby inspires me to do the same. He demands discipline and dedication. I get his love for the Art of Aikido, much like my own. We all have to make it work for ourselves. We work on the greater than version of ourselves, together. He’s my Sensei.
Cheryl instructed me in the Japanese aesthetic wabi-sabi: Embrace the beauty in our imperfection. She said that life is “imperfectly perfect”. Amen. Wabi-sabi grants the freedom to be, to announce myself to the world in my Art, whatever that may be – Aikido, engineering or even writing. Perhaps, my art makes some difference, and inspires others to invent their own unique self-expression through their Art.
Dear Cheryl too, is my greater than version, whom I hope to reinvent into and align in purpose. She endured tremendous adversity and trauma in her youth which I can relate to. Emerging on the other side, she reinvented herself on her journey. Cheryl is the kindest person, I have the privilege of knowing. She makes a profound difference in her expanding sphere of influence. She makes a distinct difference for those, who have suffered. The world is a greater place, because of Cheryl. She’s my Hero.
The World is greater for those like Sensei, Bobby, and Cheryl, who make a distinct difference in who they are and by what they do. They are my greater than versions of myself that I work to reinvent. They inspire me to be greater than, yet not to imitate them. Rather, I work recreating my Art as uniquely mine.
Werner Erhard is the far greater than version of me, the Man I aspire to be like in scope and in compassion. Werner said that we choose who we are going to be in any given moment. We create our own selves.
In martial arts, in Aikido I create my Aikido from nothing, from mushin – “the empty mind”. In practice Sensei Dan constantly said, “Have no preconceived notions” in terms of what technique I used for the varying kinds of attacks or attackers. I could face one opponent or several. The number of external opponents doesn’t really matter. Ultimately, I must overcome me.
Sensei asked me to recreate myself in the moment, from “no mind”. Have no preconceived notions of my reinvention in Aikido or in life. Sensei said, “Wait it out.” O-Sensei Morihei Ueshiba said that there is no “real” opponent: “True victory is victory over oneself.” Sensei Bobby said, “Do the technique on yourself.” Create my greater than version: whoever that might be.
The profound purpose of Aikido training, of martial art training is discarding what doesn’t work, and reinvent thine own self. That reinvention might be completely unrecognizable. Daunting? Perhaps. Frightening? Absolutely. Yet, reinvention is definitely worth the risk.
So who are the greater than (>) versions of yourself? Who are the people, who inspire you to aspire to become greater than you know yourself to be? Become that person who you can’t imagine. Become that person, whom they already distinguish as possible.
Fear, mortality, suffering, and possibility define the human design. I believe that inherent in our human design is the recreation of the greater than versions of ourselves. And that only arises out of community, with the people who love us, the ones who see the greater than within us. For me that’s Mom, Sensei, Bobby, John, Cheryl, and others dear.
Our greater than versions are all around us, in our respective communities, in our “tribes”. Discover them. Maybe, even invent them. Open to inspiration. Listen to our community. Grind it out, because you love. Our inherent human design is becoming greater than we know ourselves to be. Just saying. Amen. Amen.
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This post was previously published on www.facebook.com and is republished here with permission from the author.
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