In Sunday morning Aikido practice, we trained with the jo (wooden staff). In Aikido weapons training, the two opponents are shite and seme. The seme initiates the attack. In the empty hand technique, seme is equivalent to the uke, the one who takes falls. The nage throws uke. I was shite. Shite is equivalent to the nage in weapons training. Literally, shite receives the attack from the seme. That’s the design.
As shite, I stand in profile with my left foot forward. I give the seme a target: my hip. Shite and seme draw their jo simultaneously. I span my arms along the length of the jo. I hold the jo front tip down with my left hand. I draw my right arm straight back keeping my right hand higher than my left.
Just before the seme’s jo hits my hip, I match up with my attack. I drive the jo with my right hand, sliding through my left hand, moving in a straight line into the attack. Counter-intuitive? Perhaps. I don’t defend against the attack. When I defend, I can be defeated.
I drive my jo from low to high to strike the seme first, extending my arms and body forward. I drive the jo from underneath the seme’s jo. My jo naturally arcs from my left side coming over the seme’s strike.
I struggled with the technique. Ishibashi Sensei instructed me on what to do. I tried it again. Sensei said, “You’re moving too early.” I did it once more. He said, “You’re still moving too early.”
Sensei had me attack him. He waited out the attack until he was about to get hit, then he struck with his jo first. I got it. I practiced that over, and over, and over again.
Later, Sensei came back and checked on me. I waited out his attack and got hit. Still, I moved in and finished my strike. He said, “That’s better.” I said, “Yeah, I still keep getting hit.” Sensei said, “That’s okay. Wait it out. Take a glancing blow. It’s one time.”
I smiled, “Yeah, I should know that.” He smiled, “We all do.” Wait it out. Take a glancing blow if you have to. It’s one time. The late Mizukami Sensei had taught that to both Sensei and me over the years.
After class, Sensei and I talked about training. He said, “It’s still, wait it out. Take a glancing blow. It’s one time. What Mizukami Sensei said…” What we do now is a little different, but that mindset sustains. Perhaps, the timeless basics.
Sensei and I have trained together for over 30 years, most of those years under the late Mizukami Sensei. Nothing but mad love and respect to Mizukami Sensei. Nothing but mad love and respect to Ishibashi Sensei. He’s my dear friend, my big brother. No one on Planet Earth works harder on recreating his greater-than version than Sensei. He inspires me to do the same.
I enjoy Aikido training now, more than I have in many years. I’m kinder to others and to myself. I learned the timeless basics of kindness. I practice that.
Growing up at home, Dad scared the hell out me. His voice, “Jon, you’re no good”, became my internal voice. I gained mastery in hating on me. Yeah, I was kind to others for the most part. Yet, I was unkindest to me.
When I started training with Mizukami Sensei, he was on my ass. Yet, he created that generous space in his listening for me to grow. Sure, Sensei was Old School strict, speaking loudly at times. Still, he saw my greater-than version that I didn’t see at the time. He did so out of kindness and love, although he would never say that. Mizukami Sensei became the father I needed to become the greater man.
The Greek proverb says: Kindness begets kindness. I took on the basics of kindness when I met Cheryl Hunter. Cheryl said, “Be kind to others. Be kind to yourself.” Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, the highest-paid actor on Planet Earth said, “Just be good to people.” His favorite quote: “It’s nice to be important. But it’s more important to be nice.” Amen.
Working through my childhood trauma and depression with my Therapist Lance, I began to love myself for who I am and forgive myself for who I’m not. I practiced kindness for others and me, every day. Just train.
In Aikido, the timeless basics might be: Wait it out; take a glancing blow, if you have to; it’s one time. In the bigger picture, the timeless basics are: Wait it out; be kind; be patient; love; forgive. There are numerous other basics out there. Still, this might be a good place to start. Just saying.
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