In an Aikido Seminar, Paviot Sensei from France taught jo (wooden staff) technique. Sensei stood in profile to receive the jo attack. Just before the attacker’s jo struck Sensei, she came over the top with her jo striking first. Through her English interpreter, Sensei said, “Enter the attack and die with honor.” That familiarly landed. The late Mizukami Sensei said, “Enter the attack. Take a glancing blow if you have to. You’re not always going to get away scot-free. It’s one time.”
I wait out the jo strike or punch. I enter the attack. I match the attack with my attack. I don’t defend against the attack. If I defend, I can be defeated. I take a glancing blow if I have to. It’s one time. I enter what I fear with honor.
If I freeze in the moment of the attack, then I get hit, maybe die. There’s no honor in doing nothing. In Aikido, there’s no fight. I don’t oppose. I invite the attack. This is just training: No one dies. Still, I train like it’s life or death. Practice zanshin, the present mind. I enter the attack and die with honor. I practice that over, and over, and over, and over again.
The 250-pound man comes to punch me. I stand in profile. I don’t give him an open target. When the attacker is fully committed in his attack, I enter the attack. I match his attack in my attack. I enter the danger, enter what I fear. I take a glancing blow, if I have to. It’s one time. I apply the Aikido technique to myself whether that’s iriminage (clothesline technique to the head) or ikkyo (wrist lock).
I match up with the attacker’s strength and speed – awase. We are reflections of each other. I don’t look at the attacker. He is irrelevant. O-Sensei Morihei Ueshiba said, “True victory is victory over oneself.” I overcome myself, not the opponent. It’s only me against me.
In the center of the attack, in the presence of my fear, I choose who I am and what I do. I let go of my fear inside that I’m not good enough. I empty my mind. Mushin. I open my heart. Everything quiet. I live with honor.
I take life’s glancing blow for what’s meaningful to me. I take the glancing blow when the 250-pound man punches. I take the glancing blow when I ask the woman I like so much, to see a movie and get sushi. In the bigger picture, I live with honor. Just saying.
***
Support The Good Men Project on Patreon to help us build a better, more inclusive world for all.
***
Photo credit: Bogdan Yukhymchuk on Unsplash
