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At the morning Aikido Seminar, I practiced Aikido transition technique. As my opponent came to grab my wrist, I transitioned from various wrist locks and holds from the right side, then the left side. Hanshi from France interrupted the training to clarify his point. He said the training was to move continuously, not segmented. Don’t stop. Flow with your partner’s attack.
Hanshi said, “Keep your mind moving.” That landed for me. I got it. In the attack, when your mind stops, you stop. You die. Rather, you open yourself to danger. So, we practiced again. This time I was sure to keep my mind moving.
Hanshi’s message wasn’t just about Aikido, he was talking life. How often do we go through life thinking way too much and freezing, stopping our flow? Your mind stops you. You stop you.
Hanshi reminded that even under extreme attack or in the tough times: Keep your mind moving. Keep yourself moving. Sensei Dan would often tell me, “Wait it out. It’s only one time. Take a glancing blow if you have to.”
Later in the seminar, Hanshi corrected my feet position on kokyunage, breath throw. He demonstrated how to throw my bigger stronger partner opening my hips and dropping my center. Keep my mind moving. It worked. I smiled. He smiled too. That was fun. I was happy.
There is such joy when I keep my mind moving—when I keep me moving—regardless of the obstacles.
Earlier this year, I self-published my first book. I kept my mind moving. I was looking at what I wanted in a romantic relationship. Composing my list of attributes really didn’t set me on fire, rather it was just way too boring.
I love movies. So I started there. I recalled my eloquent conversation with actress Marcia Gay Harden in that bicycle shop in Venice Beach. I told Marcia that “Meet Joe Black” was my favorite movie. I told her that in her scene with Anthony Hopkins as her father, “I cried.” I thought, “Oh, no! What did I say?”
Marcia graciously said, “Thank you.” We had that wondrous kind of conversation where time did not exist. “Meet Joe Black” made me look at what I wanted when being in love. Thus, I began writing, and writing. Keep my mind moving.
I wrote about the things I wanted to look at: Heroes, Sensei, Dreamers, and Laughter. I worked in collaboration with my dear friends John and John. I didn’t want to stop in my mind. So I did Aikido in words and thoughts with my partners. Keep writing, and writing. Keep my mind moving.
I showed my work to my dear friend Ken, who’s the bestselling author. Ken told me that I had a unique voice that makes a difference. He recommended self-publishing. Cool. I spoke with my friend Cheryl, another bestselling author. She enlightened with some valuable advice and inspiration. Keep my mind moving.
I eventually self-published on Amazon. Yeah. Ken recommended that I submit for a copyright with the Library of Congress. For $55 it’s a deal. Keep my mind moving. I was so happy when I received my copyright in the mail from the Library of Congress. Now, I’m official. I get my accomplishment.
My book is boutique, at best. I wrote the book to make a difference for others, who may have endured darker times like I had. What provides joy and fills my soul is hearing or reading from others, who got something out of what I wrote. That makes it all worth it. Now I’m writing my next book. Yeah, go figure?
So keep your mind moving. You never really know where it shall lead. Have faith. Live for the surprise. I think I’ve been able to contribute to others in some small way and make a difference. That makes me very happy. That’s the gift back. Thank you.
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