In Aikido, I wait out the attack. I enter the attack. I take a glancing blow if I have to. I’m not going to get away scot-free. It’s one time. I get in the distance, under the attack, in the danger. Ishibashi Sensei said, “That’s the safest place to be.”
I hold my position under the attack, in the danger. Make my timing. I apply the Aikido technique to myself, not to the attacker. O-Sensei Morihei Ueshiba said, “True victory is victory over oneself.” It’s me against me. I’m my greatest opponent.
I open up. I let go my fear inside that I’m not good enough, my fear of Dad when I was a little boy. I let it go over, and over, and over again. Although my fear inside never completely disappears, every time I enter the attack, enter what I fear, I let go more of that fear inside me. I free myself. I open my heart.
When I open up, open my heart, I give the attacker the choice to open themselves up, to choose to open their hearts. Although they attacked me, there is no fight. There never has to be one. That’s the purpose of the training. That’s for life.
I open my heart and create the space for others to open their hearts. They have the possibility of opening their hearts. They choose. We both choose. The late Kobayashi Sensei said, “When someone attacks you, they are asking for your help.” The purpose of Aikido is to heal the space between us.
In the bigger picture, I have nothing to do with what goes on inside someone else. I have a say in what goes on inside me. I love myself for who I am and forgive myself for who I’m not. I open up. I open my heart. Maybe, others have the space to open their hearts, too. When we all open our hearts, the world becomes a better place.
In Aikido, I match my center with the attacker’s center. I’m always center to center. Ishibashi Sensei said, “Make the connection inside.” That’s the purpose of Aikido. I open up. Open my heart. I make that connection from inside me with my feeling out, from my strength inside, to inside the attacker, inside another person.
When I open my heart, I create the space for others to open their heart, to change their heart. Changing people’s hearts for good is true strength, that strength inside, not outside. That makes a difference.
In Variety Actors on Actors, Hugh Jackman, who played iconic Wolverine, and Cynthia Erivo, who played iconic Elphaba in Wicked: For Good, discussed Cynthia’s upcoming book. She wrote the book for her audience, for her community, to connect with them.
Hugh said, “Your purpose of getting up there is to empower, open the hearts of people who you perform for… That’s so powerful. There’s power in that. It’s loving. And someone who is comfortable in themselves.”
Cynthia said, “Yes. Cause I know what I have. So, I’m okay with sharing.”
Hugh smiled, “That’s the turning point for me. I know what I have… It’s okay.”
I’m 63 years old. So, I’m old and maybe a little bit wiser. Power isn’t about kicking ass or being a Badass. True power is making the connection inside with others. That’s opening up, opening my heart, so that others have the space, have the freedom to open their own hearts.
Maybe, I can help change people’s hearts. I open my heart and create the safe space for them to open their hearts. Really, they have to change their own hearts. No one else can. We work on ourselves, not on anyone else. Just train. I know what I have. It’s okay.
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Photo by cyrus gomez on Unsplash
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