In the Aikido Seminar, Hanshi taught with the bokuto (wooden sword). He said when the samurai held his sword down at his side, instead of holding with both hands in front that revolutionized sword fighting. Until then, both samurai held their swords in front ready to fight. Both tried to defend against the other’s attack. When you defend, you can be defeated.
I hold my bokuto by my side. I invite the attack. I don’t oppose the attack. There is no fight. When the opponent raises their bokuto, I raise my bokuto with both hands at the same time. I enter the attack and die with honor.
I get in the distance, get under the attack. I hold my position. When the attacker’s bokuto is just above my head, I strike first over the top with my bokuto. I lead forward with the kensaki (sword tip). As I strike with the bokuto that opens my hips in profile. I let the attacker’s strike pass me. I may take a glancing blow, if I have to. It’s one time.
I end the attack or make the attacker move back. I control my bokuto just before I strike the target. Metaphorically, I choose to kill or not. That’s the training. There is no fight.
Hanshi said, “You train not to kill.” I train to kill, so that I do not kill. That’s the profound purpose. I train to end the attack. I train to give a choice. I train to have mercy. Mercy (jin) is one of the 8 Samurai Virtues. Although, someone tries to take my life. I give them life.
In Aikido, the bigger, stronger man punches to my face. I wait it out. I enter the attack. I get in the distance of the punch. I hold my position. I apply nikkyo (wristlock) to myself and match the punch with yoko-iriminage (strike to the side of the head) to the attacker. I choose to let the attacker pass or end the attack. The attacker chooses to take the fall or get hit in the face.
I let the attacker pass. Have mercy. The attacker chooses if they want to attack again or stand down. If they attack again, I choose again to let the attacker pass or end the attack. I train not to harm anyone. I give the attacker a choice. I create the possibility of peace.
O-Sensei Morihei Ueshiba said, “True victory is victory over oneself.” When someone attacks with their sword or fist, it’s only me against me. Not me against them. I overcome myself, not them. The attacker is my reflection. The attacker is me, the reflection of my fear.
Ishibashi Sensei said,”The safest place to be is under the attack, in the danger.” There I hold my position. I open up. I let go my fear inside that I’m not good enough. The attack is not about the attacker. The attack is about what I have to give up. I give up my fear inside. I free myself.
Kobayashi Sensei said, “Whoever attacks you, is asking for your help.” The enemy lies in the space between the attacker and me. I repair the broken connection between us. I have mercy. I give life.
The eternal paradox of martial arts, of budo, is that I train for many years not to fight. I train so that I don’t fight. There’s no external opponent. It’s only me against me. I overcome myself. I’m quiet inside. I create my measure of peace inside.
I have mercy (jin) for others and for myself. O-Sensei said, “The Way of the Warrior is to give life to all things, to reconcile the world, and to foster the completion one everyone’s journey.” O-Sensei’s greater purpose: To create peace in the world. When I create peace inside me that creates the possibility of peace outside me, peace in the world. I work on myself, not on others. Just train.
The attack could be the sword, the fist, or unkind words. I enter the attack. I get in the distance. Hold my position. Open up. I let go my fear inside that I’m not good enough.
Sticks and stones can break your bones. Yet, sometime words can hurt even more. Someone uses and disrespects me as not being good enough or calls me a selfish asshole. That’s on me. Not on them. I don’t kill the messenger. Literally. There is no fight. I listen. I look inside me. I work on myself, not them. I invent the greater-than version of me. I have mercy for myself, too.
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. Whether I win or lose, succeed or fail, I work on being the greater man, the better person. I give life to others and myself. I have mercy. Amen.
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