The Way of Aikido

As a Christian, I see God's wisdom all around me, even in this book.  Aikido, as most people already know, is a martial art.  It has deep spiritual applications that are coupled with the physical practice.  Aikido can probably be practiced for self-defence, without necessarily submerging yourself into the spirituality of it.  However, this little book is all about the spiritual and/or practical applications of aikido.  This first couple chapters were enlightening, not in the fact that I hadn't heard these same things elsewhere, but I hadn't heard them in this light.  Its always good to see old truths in new lights, as it reveals hidden facets we hadn't seen before.

Chapter One is taught me one thing:  Practice.  Of course I knew practicing was important.  We've all heard it over and over:  Practice makes perfect.  We've heard it so often its become a cliche, and so we tend to ignore it.  I've told my son if he wants to get better at his video games, soccer, or chess, he needs to practice.  And so he has.

What are the things I need to practice?  I first thought of my recorder, which I touch very rarely.  Its a simple instrument that I can carry with me anywhere, and theoretically, play anywhere.  If I practiced.

There is also my writing.  I write fairly well, depending on to whom you talk.  My wife and a few friends say I should try to get published.  Thats high praise.  Others are simply waiting for me to finish.  sigh  Thats a big part of my problem.  I get a good story going, and as soon as its finished in my head, I move on to another story.  I need to work on finishing my stories.  I've got several big ones started, but none finished.  So, in a way, I need to practice my writing, everyday, until I finish.

Practice, practice ... practice what?  That rings a bell.  Oh yeah, Practice the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence.  Well, thats just not as fun as writing or playing the recorder.  Wait a minute.  I call myself a Christian, and at times a mystic.  So then, why isn't this fun?  Touching the Face of God, instant by instant, every individual moment of my life, should be exciting.  Enthralling.  I really do want to see God everyday, in every person I meet, in every thing I see, in every action I take.  To do this, I need to practice the presence of God.

The last sentence in chapter one of The Way of Aikido is  Why?  Because it is beautiful.  I don't know aikido is beautiful from personal experience.  However, I do know that practicing my recorder, my writing, and the presence of God are all beautiful.  So, I will begin practicing them again, for the sheer, unmitigated beauty of them.

"I will practice the recorder

for the sheer, unmititgated beauty of it." 

"I will practice writing

for the sheer, unmititgated beauty of it." 

"I will practice the presence of God

for the sheer, unmititgated beauty of it."